🤘 Doom

Source Ports

For source port comparisons, check Dwars' Overview

Dwars’ overview on YouTube, Doom + Doom II addendum

Crispy Doom

Play Doom authentically on modern hardware (at high resolution, in widescreen, with an uncapped frame rate). My preferred source port. It’s a fork of Chocolate Doom. There isn’t really a definitive way to play Doom, but this is very good if you want to preserve the original experience with modern sensibilities, as well as mouse look. Do not enable jumping or free vertical looking. * Roland SC-55 Music Packs - Provides music packs meant to emulate the sound of a Roland SC-55. If you’re using Crispy Doom, be sure to download the config files for it. The SC-55 was a sound module released in 1991, and is widely considered to provide the best sound for DOS games. Doom’s ost was also composed using an SC-55. I’m not sure why Crispy Doom doesn’t replicate it by default. E1M1 Comparisons (SC-55 starts at 9:50)

🌟 Doom + Doom II (KEX engine)

The newest (and best) official source port for Doom. Developed by Nightdive Studios. Good if you just want to pick up and go. Contains optional remixed music, the SC-55 music built in, achievements, splitscreen/online multiplayer, and a new official chapter (Legacy of Rust), as well as Sigil, and other past expansions. Has a mod list to play modded WADs from an easy to browse menu, albeit this feature is absent from the switch release and leaves some to be desired (and also isn’t compatible with GZDoom exclusive WADs). Regardless, this is by far the best official way to play Doom, and is a significant improvement over the Unity ports. Albeit it still doesn’t have a native Linux build. See the Dwars’ overview addendum for more info. - Download: FitGirl, FreeGOGPCGames, CS.RIN.RU, IsThereAnyDeal Heretic + Hexen Another Nightdive release in the KEX engine, but for Heretic and Hexen. Optional remixed music, two new episodes (one for each game), optional enhanced maps, optional objective markers on the map, online deathmatch/co-op, and mods. - Download: (FitGirl, FreeGOGGames, CS.RIN.RU, IsThereAnyDeal)

GZDoom

Good for many custom Doom WADs, especially since many WADs only support it. Change texture filtering to None - Trilinear in the options. - UZDoom - Recently, a lot of devs left the GZDoom team due to a controversy with the project lead, and founded UZDoom in its wake. UZDoom will almost certainly be the go-to fork soon, but it seems like its going to be a bit before its ready to replace GZ. - Damage Numbers - Little add-on for ZDoom and its derivatives that shows you how much damage you’re doing, which can help teach you how to optimize your weapon usage. Also just pretty and I like it.

Delta Touch

Not a source port in it’s self, but an Android app that allows you to load various popular source ports into it (including Crispy, GZ, 64EZ+, and dhewm3). Better play experience than Bethesda’s official app. The app costs $3 and does a license check with Google Play when the app is launched. The developers post apks in the updates channel of their discord which can hypothetically be patched to remove this license check, though. Unfortunately, I can’t find an apk piracy site which distributes a cracked version of any recent updates. - 5.1-rc2 (patched) Archive.org - Google Play - Discord

Official* .WADs

🌟 The main games

These are basically Doom’s “ROMs”. - For the “core” experience, you’ll want to get The Ultimate Doom, Doom II Hell On Earth 1.9, TNT: Evilution, Plutonia Experiment, and optionally Doom II No Rest For The Living and Master Levels for Doom II, then go from there. (You’ll also want SIGIL, SIGIL II, and Legacy of Rust below ) - Copies of Chex Quest 1-3, Strife, and more are also available here (including the original releases of Heretic and Hexen, but you may prefer the Nightdive Studios WADs below) Doom has a complicated release history, so I recommend cross-referencing the Doom Wiki just in case to make sure you’re getting the version of the game you prefer. Later re-releases had more levels for example. - Myrient, Archive.org

SIGIL, SIGIL II

Doom’s semi-official 5th and 6th episodes, designed by John Romero for Doom’s 25th and 29th anniversary respectfully. I recommend you grab the Buckethead version for episode one, and the mp3 version from the shotgun shell USB for episode two. Though if you prefer different versions, you can grab them from the .WAD list. I’m giving sigil it’s own bullet because it feels like it deserves it’s own mention, and also to note that John made these for GZDoom, though Crispy Doom supports them. - SIGIL (Buckethead ver): Myrient, Archive.org - SIGIL II: “Shotgun Shell” USB archive

Legacy of Rust

A two episode expansion for Doom, which came out with Doom + Doom II’s release in 2024. Made in collaboration with id Software, Nightdive Studios, and MachineGames. Basically just 16 new maps which also utilize some content formerly left on the cutting room floor. - Archive.org

Heretic + Hexen (Nightdive Studios) .WADs

Nightdive Studios made some changes to the KEX engine source ports of these games. Includes two new episodes (heretic_fr.wad and hexen_fog.wad), enhanced maps (*_ex.wad), and remixed music (*_mus_remix.wad). You can find those here. - Archive.org

PSX, 64, and 3

DOOM (Playstation)

incredibly interesting as it’s a very different but cool take on the game. Check the showcase if you’re even remotely curious. PsyDoom is a fan-made PC port. - showcase - PSX original (chd): Myrient, Archive.org - PsyDoom: GitHub (requires psx chd)

Doom 64

A slept on main entry in the Doom series, which was an N64 exclusive title. Though it’s since been ported to PC and modern consoles officially by the Doom 64 EX dev and Nightdive Studios. The official port also includes a bonus level pack “the Lost Levels” which ties the game in to Doom (2016)‘s lore. EX+ is a fork which continues where EX left off, offering support for the Lost Levels, better performance than the official port, and more. Another benefit is that EX(+) has native linux builds, unlike the official port. - N64 original: Myrient, Archive.org - Doom 64 EX+: GitHub (requires official installation from Steam/GOG) - Official port: FitGirl, FreeGOGGames, IsThereAnyDeal, showcase

Doom 3

The 2003 reboot of Doom isn’t much like classic Doom, but has projects worth highlighting nonetheless. - 🌟 dhewm3 (GitHub) - Source port of Doom 3 to modern systems. Requires a copy of Doom 3. - Doom 3 complete - An archive.org package that contains all games and mods supported by dhewm3 - RBDoom 3 BFG - Source port of BFG Edition that acts as sort of a modern enhancement for it. Requires a copy of Doom 3: BFG Edition. Despite the lack of Lost Mission, I think I’d still sooner recommend dhewm3, but if you’re going to play BFG, the option is here. - Doom 3: BFG Edition (Archive.org) - BFG edition is a 2012 remaster of the original game. Also adds an expansion pack called “The Lost Mission”.

Fan Works

Resources

Doomworld

The home of the Doom community. They have a forums, host the Cacowards, serve write-ups, people upload their custom WADs here, give resources on how to make custom WADs, I can go on.

🌟 Doom Wiki

The de-facto wiki for everything Doom. Turn here for all your Doom informational needs.

Decino

A YouTuber particularly noteworthy for his analysis videos on Doom’s (and some other titles) design and mechanics. Videos with neon yellow thumbnails are analysis videos.

Action Button Reviews Doom

As long as we’re here… this is the best video/retrospective/overview of the game to ever exist.

Custom WADs

🌟 Doomworld’s 25 Years of Doom

Collection of 3 articles curating a ton of high quality WADs, posted in 2018 by Doomworld - Missed Cacowards Part 2 - The missed Cacowards article got a sequel

🌟 Cacowards

Annual awards ceremony hosted by Doomworld. Recent years also come with an article highlighting various WADs, much like the 25 years articles.

Doomwiki’s Notable WADs

More useful if you find a parameter to sort by, like date.

DWmegawad Club

Monthly book club for Doom WADs hosted on the doomworld forums

Doomworld Files

The files page at Doomworld. Has sections for highest rated and most downloaded.

Freedoom

A libre Doom game. Notable for being a pretty large-scale community project. Made to ship with source ports and the like, without violating Doom’s licenses.

Favorites

I love MyHouse.wad. I also quite like Treasure Tech. To be honest, I haven’t played many custom WADs.

Total Conversions

Entirely new games made in the Doom engine. Not all entries here are technically total conversions (as they’re actually made in source ports which often overhaul much of the engine), but I feel this is still the best place to put them. These only include total conversions I’ve played and enjoyed. I only know so much!

Dr. Robotnik’s Ring Racers

The best kart racing game of all time. Period. DRRR it’s self is a total conversion of Sonic Robo Blast 2, and is a sequel to Sonic Robo Blast 2 Kart. Overwhelmingly highly recommended.

The Adventures of Square

TC I played back in the day and found myself enjoying a lot. I don’t ever really anticipate episode 3 releasing at this point though. Episode 1 won second place at the 2014 Cacowards

Sonic Robo Blast 2

3D Sonic game meant to feel like a classic Sonic game. Sonic fan game which uses a modified Doom engine based on the Doom Legacy source port. Surprisingly good! Also has a huge, lively modding community.

Mega Man 8-Bit Deathmatch

One of the most fun multiplayer fps games I’ve played, and certainly one of the most fun Mega Man games out there. - gameplay showcase