Guide · Updated October 2, 2026
How to play old PC games today
The games are older than some of your coworkers, and they are still good. There are three ways to play them, and each has a few pieces of gear worth owning.
How we pick. A product makes the list only when reviewers and long-time collectors keep recommending it, it does one job well and it will still work in five years. No filler, no mystery brands, and no paid placements. Not every item has been through our own bench, so we go by reputation. Prices change, so check the listing.
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Pick your path
- The easy way: emulators. Use a modern PC and free software. DOSBox-Staging and ScummVM handle DOS and adventure games, and 86Box or PCem can run Windows 95 and 98 era games. Buy legal copies of the games from stores such as GOG, which sell DOS classics ready to run.
- The real thing: retro hardware. Build or restore a real 486 or Pentium PC, sound card and all. It is more work and more fun. See our starter kit and repair guides.
- The clever way: FPGA. MiSTer FPGA recreates old hardware in a chip, with great accuracy. The community wiki lists trusted sellers.
Controllers
Keyboard and mouse are fine, but a good controller or stick makes older games feel right.
8BitDo Pro 2
Gamepad
A well-reviewed pad that connects by USB cable or Bluetooth, with a nice D-pad and software remapping. A community favorite for retro games on a modern PC.
Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS
Flight stick
A precise, well-reviewed stick for flight sims and space combat, from Wing Commander to modern remakes.
Gravis PC GamePad
Real hardware gamepad
The classic 1990s PC gamepad, for people building a period-correct machine. Condition varies, so look for good photos.
Sound
Some of the best game music ever written was composed for a specific box.
Real sound module
Pick your level
Some of the best game music ever written was composed for one specific box. Used units sell for real money, so check listings carefully.
Top shelf
Roland MT-32
The original. Sierra and LucasArts wrote their music for it, and nothing else sounds quite the same.
The sweet spot
Roland SC-55 or SC-55mkII
The General MIDI sound that many later DOS games target. A little easier to find than an MT-32.
Value pick
Free software emulators
A modern PC can emulate these modules for nothing, and it sounds close. A good way to try before you spend.
Roland UM-ONE
USB MIDI interface
A small, trusted USB to MIDI cable. It connects a real module to a modern PC.
Sound Blaster 16
Period sound card
For a real retro PC, a Sound Blaster is the safe bet, and the 16 is a sweet spot for DOS and early Windows games.
Displays
If you play on real hardware or consoles, a good scaler helps.
Video scaler
Pick your level
If you play on real hardware or old consoles, a good scaler turns the picture into something sharp on a modern TV. Buy from the maker or a known retailer, and check the seller.
Top shelf
RetroTINK-4K
The high-end scaler loved across the retro community. The picture it makes is the reason people wait in line.
The sweet spot
RetroTINK-5X Pro
Clean, low-lag video and a big following. A step down in price from the 4K, without a step down in quality.
Value pick
Open Source Scan Converter (OSSC)
An open-source favorite for clean, low-lag video from older machines. It rewards a little tinkering.
Saving your disks
The best way to keep a game is to image the disk before the disk goes.
Greaseweazle
Floppy disk imager
Reads real floppies on a modern PC. See the starter kit.
Masters of Doom (David Kushner)
Book
The story of id Software, Doom and two very different friends. Still the best read in the genre.
Skip these
- Unbranded "retro" USB gamepads with a thousand reviews and no brand name.
- Cheap VGA to HDMI boxes that add lag and wobble. A good scaler is worth the wait.
- ROM and disk image sites. Buy legal copies, so the people who made them can make more.
From the timeline
- Doom 1993
- Descent 1995
- Myst 1993
- Sound Blaster 16 1992
- Roland MT-32 1987
- Gravis UltraSound 1992
- Windows 95 1995