DOSBox
| |
| Developer(s) | DOSBox Crew |
|---|---|
| Latest version | 0.74-3 [+] |
| Active | No |
| Platform(s) | Windows Linux macOS FreeBSD OS/2 and more |
| Emulates | 286 and 386 |
| Website | DOSBox.com |
| Support ($) | Bitcoin PayPal ([email protected]) PayPal ([email protected]) PayPal (Peter Veenstra) |
| Programmed in | C++ |
| License | GPLv2 |
| Source code | tgz |
DOSBox is a free and open-source, high-level 286 and 386 emulator written in C++.
Contents
Downloads[edit]
  
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Latest Dev Builds |
  
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Latest Stable Builds |
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Pyra build |
Note: These versions are years out-of-date and missing countless features and bug fixes. DOSBox forks are better choice for almost all users.
Overview[edit]
DOSBox is capable of emulating many older computer games that are otherwise very difficult if not impossible to play on modern operating systems and hardware. It has very high compatibility, as it can be configured to emulate the environment of many machines, with support for various display modes, including CGA, EGA, Hercules, Tandy, and VGA. With some work, it is even possible to install and load old Windows operating systems, such as Windows 3.11 and Windows 95, thus potentially being able to play games made for those platforms.
Frontends[edit]
Because DOSBox doesn't have a GUI, projects were made to fulfill that role.
- Main article: Frontends#DOSBox
See Also[edit]
- Dosbox Compatibility List - Small list of very old emulator builds with flaky compatibility in DOSBox.
- DOSBox Wii Compatibility
Forks[edit]
DOSBox has many forks over the years. This section attempts to list the most notable ones. DOSBox's official wiki also has a partial list of DOSBox forks. Even more forks are listed in the DOSBox forks page of DOSBox Staging's GitHub wiki.
- Also see PC Emulator Comparisons for detailed information and comparison.
Notable active forks[edit]
The following forks are standalone emulators:
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| The SDL2 UI on Windows 10. DOSBox-X also has versions for SDL1 and MinGW in the installer. | |
| Developer(s) | Jonathan Campbell (maintainer) Wengier, and others |
|---|---|
| Latest version | 2024.07.01 [+] |
| Active | Yes |
| Platform(s) | Windows macOS Linux DOS |
| Emulates | x86 CPUs NEC PC-98 |
| Website | dosbox-x.com |
| License | GPLv2 |
| Source code | GitHub |
| |
| DOSBox staging intro screen. | |
| Developer(s) | John Novak (maintainer) and others |
|---|---|
| Latest version | 0.82.0 RC1 [+] |
| Active | Yes |
| Platform(s) | Windows macOS Linux |
| Emulates | x86 CPUs |
| Website | dosbox-staging.github.io |
| Support ($) | GitHub Sponsor Open Collective |
| License | GPLv2 |
| Source code | GitHub |
The following forks are cores for libretro:
| |
| DOSBox Pure start menu. | |
| Developer(s) | Bernhard Schelling (maintainer) and others |
|---|---|
| Latest version | 0.9.9 [+] |
| Active | Yes |
| Platform(s) | Windows Linux macOS Raspberry Pi Android 3DS GameCube Wii Wii U Switch PS2 PSP Vita |
| Emulates | x86 CPUs |
| Website | Site |
| Support ($) | Ko-fi PayPal Gamepad Phoenix |
| License | GPLv2 |
| Source code | GitHub |
| |
| DOSBox-core running Ultima 8 with a standalone MIDI synthesizer (Roland's Sound Canvas emulator VSTi plugin "Sound Canvas VA") which is run using a VSTi host "Falcosoft Midi Player" (runs on Linux via Wine here). | |
| Developer(s) | Nikos Chantziaras (maintainer) and others |
|---|---|
| Latest version | git [+] |
| Active | Yes |
| Platform(s) | Windows Linux macOS Android |
| Emulates | x86 CPUs |
| Website | Site |
| License | GPLv2 |
| Source code | GitHub |
Some notable dead forks[edit]
| |
| DOSBox ECE game directory screenshot. | |
| Developer(s) | YesterPlay (maintainer) and others |
|---|---|
| Latest version | r4482 [+] |
| Active | No |
| Platform(s) | Windows Linux |
| Emulates | x86 CPUs |
| Website | yesterplay.net/dosboxece |
| License | GPLv2 |
| Source code | yesterplay.net/dosboxece |
- DOSBox Mega Build
- Was an enhanced build of DOSBox focused on serial/networking support. Contains the NE2000 patch, parallel port passthrough, virtual printer, OPL passthrough, and others. However, it hasn't been updated in years, and most of what it added was covered by the actively maintained DOSBox-X fork.
- DOSBox SVN Daum
- Was an enhanced build of DOSBox by ykhwong, with support for Direct3D and HLSL shaders, Glide, Ethernet, virtual printer, and a built-in UI. However, it hasn't been updated in years, and most of what it added was covered by the actively maintained DOSBox-X fork.
