Retro-DOS
Retro-DOS is a DOS games launcher and emulator for handhelds, built on DOSBox-X with an SDL3 and Dear ImGui frontend.
What Retro-DOS is
Retro-DOS is a DOS games launcher and emulator for handhelds, built on DOSBox-X with an SDL3 and Dear ImGui frontend. Its library organizes DOS games and applications for alphabetical browsing and search. Games launch mounted as C:, using a game's own dosbox.conf when present or a runnable selected from its directory. The app includes Windows 98 and FreeDOS setup walkthroughs and can boot a hard disk image from C:.
Players can use physical gamepads or on-screen controls, with per-game mappings, presets and in-game remapping. RetroMedia can fetch box art after sign-in, and administrators can download games where the platform permits it; downloads depend on both platform and account and are not offered in App Store builds. Android users can choose a folder through the system picker or use app storage on any volume. The Linux desktop build is a native executable using system SDL3. The iOS build disables dynamic CPU cores due to iOS memory restrictions. The project is marked GPL-2.0, with separate terms for bundled FreeDOS and demonstration content.
Good
- Library supports alphabetical browsing and search.
- Includes Windows 98 and FreeDOS setup walkthroughs.
- Supports physical gamepads and on-screen controls.
- Per-game mappings, presets and in-game remapping are available.
Watch out
- Game downloads are unavailable in App Store builds.
- iOS disables dynamic CPU cores.
- RetroMedia box art requires sign-in.
Who it suits
Retro-DOS suits handheld users who want to organize and launch DOS games and applications with gamepad or on-screen controls. It is available for Android, iOS, Linux and Windows.
Verdict
Retro-DOS combines a DOS game library and launcher with control customization and setup walkthroughs. Downloads and some features vary by platform, and bundled content has separate licensing terms.
The facts
Each one read from Retro-DOS's own pages, with the date it was checked.
Where it runs
- Android storage
- Android users can choose a persistent read/write folder through the system picker or use app storage on any volume without granting storage permission.checked 8 Oct 2026
- iOS constraint
- The iOS build disables dynamic cores because iOS does not permit memory that is both writable and executable.checked 8 Oct 2026
- iOS limitation
- The iOS build disables the dynamic CPU cores and uses core=auto because iOS does not permit memory that is both writable and executable.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Linux
- The Linux desktop build is a native executable that reads its assets and demo content from beside the binary.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Linux requirement
- The Linux desktop build uses system SDL3, and its RetroMedia client is compiled in only when libcurl and minizip are present.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Machines
- The app includes Windows 98 and FreeDOS setup walkthroughs and supports booting a hard disk image from C:.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Platform limit
- Game downloads are gated by both platform and account, and are not offered in App Store builds.checked 8 Oct 2026
What it does
- Controls
- The app supports physical gamepads and on-screen controls, with per-game mappings, presets, and in-game remapping.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Game launch
- Games are mounted as C:, and the launcher uses a game's own dosbox.conf when present or selects a runnable from its directory.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Game library
- The library organizes DOS games and applications and includes alphabetical browsing and search.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Library
- Its Library lists DOS games and applications with an A–Z/0–9 index and search.checked 8 Oct 2026
- License
- The repository is marked GPL-2.0, and the README notes separate terms for the bundled FreeDOS image and demonstration program.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Licensing
- The project identifies DOSBox-X as GPL-licensed and says bundled FreeDOS and demo content have separate terms.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Media
- RetroMedia can fetch box art after sign-in; administrators can also download games.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Product
- Retro-DOS is a DOS games launcher and emulator for handhelds, built on DOSBox-X with an SDL3 and Dear ImGui frontend.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Retro-DOS is a DOS games launcher and emulator for handhelds, built on DOSBox-X with an SDL3 and Dear ImGui frontend.checked 8 Oct 2026
- RetroMedia
- Signing in to media.crownparkcomputing.com fetches box art, and administrators can download games where the platform allows it.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Signing
- The repository says iOS signing happens in CI using an encrypted signing setup and a repository secret.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Storage
- On Android, users can select a folder through the system picker or use app storage on any volume.checked 8 Oct 2026
The company
- Maker
- The GitHub repository is owned by CrownParkComputing.checked 8 Oct 2026
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