How to install DOSBox on Raspberry Pi to play classic DOS games

Do you remember the games SimCity, Golden Ax, The Oregon Trail or Wolfenstein? Launched in 1981, MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System) saw thousands of games released in every genre. If you are still interested in DOS-era games, you can learn how to install DOSBox on Raspberry Pi to enjoy all of those classic DOS games through the following article.

Things to prepare

To complete this tutorial, you will need:

1. Raspberry Pi which runs Raspberry Pi OS
2. The power cable is compatible with the Raspberry Pi
3. External keyboard and how to attach it to a Raspberry Pi
4. HDMI or micro HDMI cables, depending on the Raspberry Pi model
5. External screen
6. Game console

Updated Pi

If not already done, attach an external keyboard, monitor, handle, and any other peripheral to the Raspberry Pi, then attach the Pi to a power source.

Next, check that the Raspberry Pi is fully updated. Open Terminal and type the following command:

sudo apt update && sudo apt -y upgrade

DOSBox: Install the MS-DOS emulator

DOSBox is a simulator that mimics a computer running DOS, allowing to run DOS games on Raspberry Pi.

DOSBox is famous for retro gaming enthusiasts and video game publishers, with some big names using DOSBox to re-release classic games, like Bethesda Softworks.

To install DOSBox, run the following command on the Raspberry Pi:

sudo apt install dosbox

DOSBox is now installed on Pi.

DOSBox configuration

Before you can enjoy any DOS game on your Raspberry Pi, you need to configure your DOSBox settings.

To begin, create a directory where all DOS games will be stored. A directory called dos-games , created in this tutorial in the Home directory of Raspberry Pi.

To create a directory, run the following command:

mkdir ~/dos-games

The DOSBox configuration file has not been created until DOSBox first started, so let's do it now. In Terminal, just type the following:

dosbox

Do not forget to press the key Enteron the keyboard.

Play DOSBox games with the controller

Now that DOSBox is up and running, the next step is to configure the game console. First, attach the handle you want to use.

Next, press the Ctrl+ keys F1on the keyboard and the keymapper window will appear on the screen.

The keymapper window will appear on the screen

DOSBox can often automatically detect and map gaming controllers.

Note that if the keymapper does not start, DOSBox may not run. You should be able to solve this problem by typing dosboxin Terminal, pressing Enterand then repeating the shortcut.

Depending on your gaming controller model, DOSBox may automatically detect and map the handle. If DOSBox does not recognize the handle, you will need to manually configure it by following the instructions on the screen.

After you have set up the controller, DOSBox is ready to go. You just need to decide which game you want to play.

Find free DOS games: SimCity, Golden Ax, Street Fighter

There are a few places you can download DOSBox games. Abandonia has thousands of free DOS games for you to choose from:

http://www.abandonia.com/

Abandonia is a software and gaming site that is no longer supported by the original owner, publisher, developer or manufacturer and is currently unavailable in the retail market. Unsurprisingly, many DOS games meet this criteria!

Abandonia is a website specializing in software and games that are not supported by the original owner

The Abandonia website has a huge collection of DOS games that you can download for free.

To download one or more games for DOSBox, open the Raspberry Pi web browser, and spend your time browsing through Abandonia's free DOS game options.

When you find a game you want to try playing, just click Get it to download the game as a zip file.

Create a directory for DOS games

Once you've downloaded one or more games, you'll need to extract the zipped files to the dos-games folder you created in the previous step.

Once completed, your DOS games are ready to play!

Enjoy playing games on DOSBox

To play the game, open the extracted game file and find the executable file of the game.

The exact files will vary depending on the game. For example, for the Apollo 18 game, this file is apollo.exe.

Right-click on the .exe file and select Open With .

In the next window, select Games> DOSBox Emulator .

This game will now launch in DOSBox, ready for you to enjoy.

Enjoy playing games on DOSBox

In addition to the Raspberry Pi, you can also play old DOS games on macOS with DOSBox.