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A great game is still a great one whether or not it has primitive graphics. Research shows that DOS games are still a thing, despite the massive in-roads of contemporary alternatives.
Before the advent of the highly functional video games and non GamStop slots casino games we have today, there were several options for the old gamers. One of them is DOS games. So, what are DOS Games? And why do many gamers, especially older players, love playing DOS Games over modern options? Find out in this short explainer.
What Are DOS Games?
Short form for Disk Operating System games, a DOS game runs on PC hardware but under MS-DOS or PC DOS rather than on Microsoft Windows. Older gamers born in 1985 or earlier have a higher chance of playing DOS games at least a couple of times.
DOS refers to a family of operating systems PCs ran on before Windows. However, they weren’t ‘operating systems’ in their own right. They ran more like an operating environment, since they handled most critical functions that make an OS what it is. Windows 95 ditched DOS, even though users could still boot Windows 95 and 08 into DOS mode. However, by the end of 2001, consumer versions of Windows stopped relying on MS-DOS.
Well, as you might expect of a technology that’s over half-a-century old, DOS provided very limited graphics and sound capability. While modern Windows software doesn’t use DOS, there are a few ways older gamers relish DOS games (or younger players sneak on them).
The easiest way to play DOS games today is via in-browser emulation. In-browser emulation lets people click and start playing games right away from their mobile phones or PCs. Otherwise, players can set up emulation on their desktop to get the old titles running on modern operating systems.
So why do modern players who sometimes enjoy modern games like slots and first-person shooter games turn to DOS games instead? Here we go.
1. Nostalgia
Nostalgia is perhaps the number one reason older gamers turn to DOS games, despite the better graphics and complexity of modern ones. Sometimes, revisiting the relaxation routines older folks held while in their youth can help relieve feelings of nostalgia about that life period.
2. Curiosity
Curiosity is another leading reason younger players turn to DOS games despite the modern alternatives. For instance, they sometimes turn to older games in the bid to learn about the history of their favorite games.
Other younger gamers heard of the 90’s expression of games like Doom, Unreal, Silent Hill, Diablo, and World of Warcraft and loved to see what they looked like. Whether it’s to have something interesting or sound ‘sage-y’ to their friends or to learn about how their older characters featured in older games, we all can understand the curiosity of younger folks.
3. For Game Developer Inspiration
Developing game developers sometimes want to turn to DOS games to draw inspiration for their game developer classes. If anything, these DOS games show how far modern entertainment has come, help younger gamers appreciate their software development tutorials better, and even inspire them to develop better games.
4. They Just Like Them
Despite the primitive graphics, many gamers who play DOS games do so because they ‘like them.’ And you couldn’t possibly disagree with a person’s personal preferences, especially adding up the earlier ideas we put up here.
You may have heard an old gamer refer to modern mages as being ‘all about eye candy and no substance.’ Besides, there’s something about a computer game you can pick up any time, complete in 15 minutes, and start all over again.
Interestingly, it’s not only the old-timers who find DOS games fascinating. Some younger players in their teens turn to these old games because they ‘look nice’ or aren’t just complicated.
Conclusion
While modern games have significantly improved in everything from sound and graphics to playability, genre type, and complexity, over 2,400 DOS games still find themselves on our screens today to the delight of many gamers.
Whether it’s to break the boredom of a modern-game-playing streak, soothe nostalgia, satisfy their curiosity, or get inspiration for new games, modern gamers have various reasons to love DOS games.
