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DOS-Emulator
What it is
DOS-Emulator is a free IBM PC emulator that runs DOS and is written in Rust. It supports macOS and Ubuntu Linux, with source code available under the MIT License. Users can build it with Cargo or download a prebuilt binary from GitHub releases. The README identifies only Game of ROBOT episodes 0, 1, 3 and 4 as known playable software. Inspired by DOSBox but not a direct port, the project implements some features differently and leaves others absent. Its command-line interface can quit, pause into a debugger or open a keyboard-mapping tool. The debugger supports instruction profiling, register-based data inspection, scrolling through a data overview, continuing, stepping over and single-stepping. The architecture uses separate GUI and audio threads for video, input, Sound Blaster and beeper signals. The author describes it as a project for playing a favorite game and learning Rust and emulation principles. Release v0.1.0 is listed as latest.
For and against
For
- Free MIT-licensed software
- macOS and Ubuntu support
- Cargo build or binary download
- Built-in debugger controls
- Sound Blaster and beeper synthesis
Against
- Only four episodes are known playable
- Many features are absent or different
- Windows host support is unavailable
- Latest listed release is v0.1.0
The verdict
DOS-Emulator is a focused, free Rust project with source access and debugging tools. Its narrow known compatibility and incomplete feature coverage make it suited to specific experimentation rather than broad DOS software use.
Who it suits
It suits users on macOS or Ubuntu Linux who want a small, source-available DOS emulator and developers interested in Rust emulation work. Its known playable software list is limited.
Plans and prices
Free
MIT-licensed software · README says many features are missing or implemented differently
Read 8 Oct 2026 · github.com
On the record
- Audio and video
- The architecture describes a GUI thread for video rendering and input, and an audio thread that synthesizes Sound Blaster and beeper signals.github.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Build and download
- Users can build from source with Cargo or download a prebuilt binary from the GitHub releases page.github.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Controls
- The command line interface supports quitting, pausing into the debugger, and opening a keyboard mapping tool.github.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Debugger
- The debugger can profile instructions, inspect data at selected registers, scroll the data overview, continue, step over, and single-step.github.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Feature coverage
- The project is inspired by DOSBox but is not a direct port, and many features are implemented differently or are absent.github.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- License
- The repository is under the MIT License, which permits use, copying, modification, distribution, sublicensing and sale subject to its stated conditions.github.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Maker
- Cargo.toml names Alexander Meißner as the package author.github.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Performance
- The author reports 10 to 19 million instructions per second in release mode, up to 23 million with PGO, using about 45% of one host CPU core and 32 MiB of RAM in the described evaluation.github.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Platform support
- The README says macOS was tested as a host and Ubuntu builds, while Windows lacks the ANSI escape sequences needed by the CLI dependency.github.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Project goal
- The author says it was made to play a favorite game and learn Rust and emulation principles.github.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- DOS-Emulator is an IBM PC emulator running DOS, written in Rust.github.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Release
- The releases page lists v0.1.0 as the latest release.github.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Supported software
- The README says only Game of ROBOT episodes 0, 1, 3 and 4 are known to be playable.github.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Warranty
- The MIT license provides the software “AS IS” without warranty, including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and noninfringement.github.com · read 8 Oct 2026
