Much like vinyl records have made a nostalgia-driven comeback of late, so has retro gaming. Revampedretro game consoles, for example, are recent fixtures in the gaming market.DOS_deck, a new and free browser-based retro gaming platform, is in good company.
The idea is simple: Take old DOS games and make them free to play in your browser on any device. In fact, it’s an idea that’s been done before. But where the DOS_deck arguably differs is in its explicit focus on keeping things legal and on making its website as user-friendly as possible. Crucially, because it’s browser-based, you’re able to use DOS_deck on pretty much any device that can use an internet browser, such as your PC or even theSteam Deck.
Below, we’ve given you simple instructions on how to get set up playing retro games with the DOS_deck, and we’ve given our evaluation of this new retro gaming platform.
What is DOS_deck?
It saves your games by creating save files in your browser’s data stores. This, however, means thatclearing your browser’s cachewill delete all your game save data.
Best retro games consoles: Go back to the future
There are some amazing retro consoles out there right now, including the Sega Mega Drive Mini, SNES and NES Classic Mini, Playstation Classic and C64.
DOS_deck relies upon already-existing tech to get its games up and running in-browser.
Emulation software calledDOSBoxallows DOS games to run on new operating systems and hardware, and theJS-DOSAPI allows DOSBox (or aspects of it) to run in-browser rather than requiring installation on your PC. DOS_deck relies on both of these. Using such technology for in-browser retro DOS gaming isn’t entirely new - sites such asDOS ZoneandRetroGamesalready exist, for example, but DOS_deck is perhaps uniquely interesting for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, its UI design takes after SteamOS (thus the “DOS_deck” name), making it snappy and intuitive to use. Secondly, its creators place a lot of emphasis on these games being legal to play. They say, “DOS_deck only offers legally distributable games,” claiming every game in its library is either shareware, freeware, liberated, or a demo.
While it’s not the first or only in-browser DOS gaming platform, it could very well be the most user-friendly one
Supported browsers and devices
You can attempt to run DOS_deck from any browser, but creator Martin Kool says the platform “runs seamlessly on Steam Deck, Mac, and Windows using Chrome, Edge or Safari”.
Available games
TheDOS_deck websiteshows you the available list of games. It includes titles like Doom, Wolfenstein 3D, Warcraft: Orcs and Humans, Command and Conquer.
How to use DOS_deck for retro gaming on PC
Playing retro games on PC with DOS_deck is simple:
The game should automatically pick up mostPC gaming controllers, providing they’re connected properly.
To see keyboard controls from the game launch screen, press theKeyboard icon, and to see gamepad controls, pressCtrlwhen on the keyboard controls screen.
DOS_deck menu
you’re able to open theDOS_deck menuby hitting thetilde ("~")key, which is usually found just below the Esc key. When on the library interface, opening this menu shows controls on the right, and on the left, it allows you to goFull screen,Help DOS_deck,orRequest a game. When in-game, opening the menu will enable you to do all this, plusExit the game,open theVirtual keyboard, and view the gameControls.
How to use DOS_deck for retro gaming on Steam Deck
Given the SteamOS inspiration for DOS_deck’s UI, many Steam Deck gamers might want to get DOS_deck up and running on theirhandheld video game console.
Of course, gamers using a Windows-based handheld gaming PC like theAsus ROG Ally or Lenovo Legion Gocan follow the above steps, treating their device like a regular PC with a controller plugged in.
Steam Deck tips and tricks: Get more from your PC gaming handheld
The Steam Deck has been a revolution, but if you only just got one, here are some tips and tricks to help you have an even better time with it.
With the Steam Deck, though, you must do things a little differently because, according to Kool, DOS_Deck “needs a few steps to activate the [Steam Deck] controller properly.” While Kool explains how to set up DOS_deck on a Steam Deck using Chrome or Edge, we agree withTomsHardwarethat using Chromium makes more sense.
Here’s how to get DOS_deck working on the Steam Deck with Chromium:
You should now be able to launch DOS_deck and play retro DOS titles on your Steam Deck by launching the new Chromium shortcut in your Steam library.
Should you try DOS_deck?
I found my time gaming on DOS_deck thoroughly enjoyable. It was the quickest, easiest nostalgia hit I’ve had in some time - hello, unlocked Command and Conquer memories! - and this speaks volumes to the platform’s UI.
Make no mistake, apart from its apparent focus on legality, the DOS_deck’s main selling point is its intuitive and accessible UI. There are other DOS gaming websites, but for plug-and-play convenience and a polished feel - even offering satisfying mouse-click audio feedback - DOS_deck takes the win.
you’re able to favourite a game from its launch screen bypressingSettings cog -> Add to favorites
Using a controller on DOS_deck is also easier than I expected - and good modern controller support for DOS games is no small thing. I didn’t have to do any setup at all. I simply plugged in and turned on my 8BitDo Pro 2 controller (a fitting controller for retro gaming), and DOS_deck picked it up as soon as I hit a button.
After the seamless plug-and-play controller setup, controller gameplay was flawless, too. I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it felt to move around using two analogue sticks in DOOM. Using my keyboard and mouse also felt great. With a mouse and keyboard, Command and Conquer felt almost as snappy as a modern RTS title.
Almost, but not quite.
You see, occasionally, I was reminded that the games on DOS_deck are browser ports of already-emulated games. Performance isn’t perfect. But it’s more than good enough, in my opinion. There was occasional input delay and occasional stutters, but these were pretty inoffensive and infrequent. We also can’t forget that DOS games are old, and even the best hosting platform in the world can’t change this. They can be clunky, repetitive, and, honestly, sometimes boring compared to modern games.
Given that the main reason people will use DOS_deck will probably be for a gaming nostalgia hit, I don’t think DOS_deck will disappoint. It delivers user-friendly nostalgia in spades, and with the promise of further games being added to its library, there’s reason to keep coming back.
It’s just a shame that it’s not simpler to get DOS_deck set up on a Steam Deck. We’ll keep our fingers crossed that this changes down the road.
