DF Retro: we play every single Doom console conversion
December 10th 2008 marks the 25th anniversary of Doom, the first-person shooter that changed everything, not only for PC gaming but for consoles too, as the hardware of the time attempted - with varying levels of success - to bring that classic PC experience to the living room. Last year, DF Retro revisited Doom on every console platform, using today's Digital Foundry tools and methods to assess the quality of each port. It's a piece we're happy to republish today!
One of the most popular and influential titles of all-time, id software's Doom played a key part in gaming's challenging 90s transition from two to three dimensions, and its legacy of technical innovation continues to this day. Last week, Nintendo and Bethesda announced a handheld version of the Doom 2016 reboot, seemingly a technological miracle in handheld form. However, back in 1993, full-fat Doom required a medium to high-end PC - and the race was on to accurately translate this incredible new experience to more affordable console hardware.
The irony is that back in 1993, PCs weren't exactly designed to support fast 3D graphics - or indeed 2D graphics, for that matter. The arrival of Doom left many wondering how John Carmack managed to pull off one of game's most impressive generational leaps in graphics technology. Ingenious coding is, of course, the answer. Doom doesn't actually deliver a full 3D engine: instead, it interprets and extrapolates out 2D level data while using clever tricks to give the illusion of 3D.
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