Doom's Unlikely New Home: A PDF File

A high school student's remarkable feat has added another bizarre platform to the ever-growing list of devices capable of running the iconic 1993 game, Doom. This time, the legendary first-person shooter is playable within a PDF file.

Doom's compact nature (a mere 2.39 megabytes) has always made it a prime candidate for unconventional ports. Its legacy as one of the most influential video games ever, practically defining the FPS genre, continues to inspire creative programmers and enthusiasts. Previous successes include running Doom on devices like a Nintendo Alarmo and even within other games such as Balandro, showcasing the game's enduring appeal and the ingenuity of its fanbase.

GitHub user ading2210 achieved this latest port by leveraging the PDF format's JavaScript capabilities. While PDFs support features like 3D rendering and HTTP requests, rendering Doom's 320x200 resolution directly as individual pixels within text boxes proved impractical. Instead, ading2210 cleverly utilized a single text box per screen row, resulting in a playable, albeit slow, experience. The resulting game lacks color, sound, and text, with a noticeable 80ms frame rate. A video demonstration showcases this unique implementation.

The enduring legacy of Doom:

These unconventional ports aren't about achieving optimal performance; they're a testament to the boundless creativity of the gaming community and Doom's lasting impact. The fact that a game from over three decades ago continues to be ported to such unexpected devices underscores its enduring legacy and the ongoing fascination surrounding its code. The future promises even more surprising platforms for this gaming legend.