Remember the thrill of original SimCity, Golden Axe, The Oregon Trail, or Wolfenstein 3D? Launched in 1981, MS-DOS powered thousands of legendary games across every genre. As a retro gaming enthusiast who's revived countless classics on Raspberry Pi setups, I'll show you how to install DOSBox and transform your Pi into a dedicated retro gaming machine.
By following this proven guide, you'll be playing those nostalgic titles in no time.
Note: If the keymapper doesn't launch, ensure DOSBox is running. Open Terminal, type dosbox, press Enter, then retry the keyboard shortcut.
Depending on your game controller, DOSBox may auto-detect and map it. If not, follow the on-screen prompts for manual setup.
With your controller configured, DOSBox is ready. Now, pick your first game.
Reliable sites like Abandonia offer thousands of free DOS games. Specializing in abandonware—titles no longer supported or sold by their creators—Abandonia is a goldmine for authentic DOS classics.
From your Raspberry Pi's browser, browse Abandonia's collection. When you spot a gem, click "Get" to download it as a ZIP file. (This tutorial uses the free Apollo 18 for examples.)
Extract your downloaded ZIP files to the "dos-games" folder created earlier.
Your games are now primed for action!
To launch a game, navigate to the extracted folder and find the .exe file (e.g., "apollo.exe" for Apollo 18).
Right-click the .exe and choose "Open with..."
Select "Games → DOSBox Emulator".
The game will boot in DOSBox, ready to play.
With DOSBox installed on your Raspberry Pi, you've built a powerhouse for all your favorite DOS titles. For more retro fun, consider turning your Pi into a full emulation console or even a Minecraft server. What's your top DOS game?
