How to play MS-DOS game on Lubuntu

Do you know that you can run MS-DOS program under linux? that means you can also run MS-DOS games as well, in this article i will show you how to play MS-DOS games on lubuntu.

To run MS-DOS based application we need an emulator called DOSBox, which is available on lubuntu/ubuntu repository.

How to install and use DOSBox on lubuntu

• open command line/ console/ terminal and then type this:

sudo apt-get install dosbox

• DOSBox will be available from lubuntu start menu > Games > DOSBox Emulator 
• next you need to download DOS games (or DOS application if you want)
• let's say you want to play mortal kombat 1993, then download the game here
• unzip and put it on your home folder ~/mortal-kombat-1993
• run dosbox

dosbox

• mount the folder into drive D: for example

mount d ~/mortal-kombat-1993

• go to drive D: by typing this:

d:

• finally run the mk.exe

mk.exe

That's how you install and use dosbox, the point is you need to mount the folder that contains the DOS application so that it can run inside dosbox.

Mount command on dosbox:

mount [drive letter] [path of the directory on your lubuntu]

Example:

mount d /home/kernelpanic/mortal-kombat-1993

mount e /home/kernelpanic/duke-nukem-3d

After the folder mounted, go to that drive you just mount and run the executable program which could be .exe or .bat, when you finish type exit on dosbox to quit the program.

To move to drive where the game/program is mounted, all you have to do is type the drive letter followed by : (colon), for example you want to go to drive e, simply type e: and press enter.

You can see list of mounted drive by running mount command without any parameter, to run the dos program simply type the .exe or .bat name and then press enter.

Some games and programs requires installation, no problem dosbox can handle this too, i have been playing with game such as duke nukem 3d which requires installation and i had no problem.