DOSBox: Difference between revisions

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SOMEBODY PROPERLY FORMAT PLEASE, I HAVE NO TIME FOR THIS. Pure is getting standalone release: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4q8OMp15KA
Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit
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<div style="flex: 1 0 240px; margin: 0.5em;">
<div style="flex: 1 0 240px; margin: 0.5em;">
<font size="3"><b>The following forks are cores for [[libretro]]:</b></font>
<font size="3"><b>The following forks are cores for [[libretro]]:</b></font>
{{Infobox emulator
|title = DOSBox Pure
|logo = Dosboxpure.png
|logowidth = 120
|screenshot = DOSBox Pure start menu.png
|screenshotwidth = 250px
|screenshotcaption = DOSBox Pure start menu.
|developer = Bernhard Schelling (maintainer) and others
|version = {{Version|DOSBox Pure}}
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]]<br/>[[Emulators on Linux|Linux]]<br/>[[Emulators on macOS|macOS]]<br/>[[Emulators on Raspberry Pi|Raspberry Pi]]<br/>[[Emulators on Android|Android]]<br/>[[Emulators on 3DS|3DS]]<br/>[[Emulators on GameCube|GameCube]]<br/>[[Emulators on Wii|Wii]]<br/>[[Emulators on Wii U|Wii U]]<br/>[[Emulators on Switch|Switch]]<br/>[[Emulators on PS2|PS2]]<br/>[[Emulators on PSP|PSP]]<br/>[[Emulators on Vita|Vita]]
|target = [[POS_(Pong_Consoles)_CPUs_and_Other_Chips#x86_CPUs|x86 CPUs]]
|active = Yes
|website = [https://github.com/schellingb/dosbox-pure Site]
|license = {{License|GPLv2}}
|support = [https://ko-fi.com/schelling Ko-fi]<br/>[http://paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=3WX4KRRTHN6EL PayPal]<br/>[https://schelling.itch.io/gamepad-phoenix/purchase Gamepad Phoenix]
|source = [https://github.com/schellingb/dosbox-pure GitHub]
}}


{{Infobox emulator
{{Infobox emulator
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<div style="display: flex; flex-flow: row wrap; justify-content: space-between;">
<div style="display: flex; flex-flow: row wrap; justify-content: space-between;">
<div style="flex: 1 0 240px; margin: 0.5em;">
<div style="flex: 1 0 240px; margin: 0.5em;">
The following forks exist as both standalone emulators and as cores for libretro:
{{Infobox emulator
|title = DOSBox Pure
|logo = Dosboxpure.png
|logowidth = 120
|screenshot = DOSBox Pure start menu.png
|screenshotwidth = 250px
|screenshotcaption = DOSBox Pure start menu.
|developer = Bernhard Schelling (maintainer) and others
|version = {{Version|DOSBox Pure}}
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]]<br/>[[Emulators on Linux|Linux]]<br/>[[Emulators on macOS|macOS]]<br/>[[Emulators on Raspberry Pi|Raspberry Pi]]<br/>[[Emulators on Android|Android]]<br/>[[Emulators on 3DS|3DS]]<br/>[[Emulators on GameCube|GameCube]]<br/>[[Emulators on Wii|Wii]]<br/>[[Emulators on Wii U|Wii U]]<br/>[[Emulators on Switch|Switch]]<br/>[[Emulators on PS2|PS2]]<br/>[[Emulators on PSP|PSP]]<br/>[[Emulators on Vita|Vita]]
|target = [[POS_(Pong_Consoles)_CPUs_and_Other_Chips#x86_CPUs|x86 CPUs]]
|active = Yes
|website = [https://github.com/schellingb/dosbox-pure Site]
|license = {{License|GPLv2}}
|support = [https://ko-fi.com/schelling Ko-fi]<br/>[http://paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=3WX4KRRTHN6EL PayPal]<br/>[https://schelling.itch.io/gamepad-phoenix/purchase Gamepad Phoenix]
|source = [https://github.com/schellingb/dosbox-pure GitHub]
}}


===Some notable dead forks===
===Some notable dead forks===

Revision as of 23:54, 12 October 2025

DOSBox
Developer(s) DOSBox Crew
Latest version 0.74-3 [+]
Active Stalled
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++.

Downloads

Windows Linux macOS Latest Dev Builds
Windows Linux macOS FreeBSD RiscOS OS/2 Latest Stable Builds
Dragonbox Pyra 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

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

Because DOSBox doesn't have a GUI, projects were made to fulfill that role.

Main article: Frontends#DOSBox

Compatibility

Hardware support

For software that can run hardware features designed for x86 systems, see PC Emulator Comparisons#Hardware & Peripheral Support.

Forks

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.

Besides Libretro/RetroArch, emulators BizHawk and Manic EMU plan to add DOSBox forks' cores in the future.

Also see PC Emulator Comparisons for detailed information and comparison.

Notable active forks

The following forks are standalone emulators:

DOSBox-X
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 2026.08.02 [+]
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
DOSBox staging intro screen.
Developer(s) John Novak (maintainer) and others
Latest version 0.83.0 [+]
Active Yes
Platform(s) Windows
macOS
Linux
Emulates x86 CPUs
Website dosbox-staging.org
Support ($) GitHub Sponsor
Open Collective
License GPLv2
Source code GitHub

The following forks are cores for libretro:

DOSBox-core
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

The following forks exist as both standalone emulators and as cores for libretro:

DOSBox Pure
DOSBox Pure start menu.
Developer(s) Bernhard Schelling (maintainer) and others
Latest version 1.0 preview 6 [+]
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

Some notable dead forks

DOSBox ECE
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.
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