Notices

Squarez Deluxe – a puzzle game using block shapes. This ain’t your ordinary Tetris clone! Maneuver your block pieces to form squarez while dealing with hazardous chemicals, devastator bombs, and missiles! Race the clock or if you have an external keyboard play against an opponent head-to-head!



Download the FULL GAME here (it’s included in the file with Jetpack).

Game Executable: SQUAREZ.EXE

Settings:
cpu cycles 500
render frameskip 0
sdl autolock false
sdl mapperfile /usr/share/dosbox/mappercsa.txt

Note: Increase cpu cycles to speed up the game and make it harder, or decrease cpu cycles to slow down the game and make it easier.

Controls:
Ctrl - rotate the piece
Alt - place the piece
Arrow keys – move the piece
Esc - give up
F1 - pause (and screensaver)

Other Comments:
If you have an external keyboard, there is also a 2-player mode if you want to challenge a friend to a game. Read the MANUAL.TXT file in the Squarez directory for the key layouts for each player. The MANUAL.TXT file also has good hints on how to play and win the game.

Positives: I find this game more fun than Tetris since there’s more options to think about as you’re moving and rotating the blocks. Plus the full game is FREE!!
Negative: The graphics look a little dated.

DosBox Issues: None!
Overall game rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

Boppin’ – a very unique cartoony puzzle game…with attitude! You are Yeet or Boik on a mission to free computer monsters that have been trapped inside blocks by the sweet Hunnybunz. I know,…..very strange! Basically your goal is to zap colored blocks with the same color you are holding by aiming correctly and sometimes using your brain!



Download the FULL GAME here.
Read HOW TO PLAY the game here.

Game Executable: BOPPIN.EXE

Settings:
cpu cycles 900
render frameskip 7
mixer prebuffer 400
sdl mapperfile /usr/share/dosbox/mappercsa.txt

Controls:
Custom configure Left, Right, Up, Down, Button 1, and Button 2 in the Set Devices/Device Options/Define Motion Keys menu. Besides the directional keys, Button 1 is very important since that is the one you will hold and use a lot in the game. Button 2 is used to pull up the in-game menu.

Important!! – Before you start the game, run the separate program SETUP.EXE to set the soundcard you want for sound and/or music. I found the game runs much faster and smoother with music turned to OFF.

Other Comments:
There is also a game editor you can use to make your own puzzle levels. I have never used it so I cannot comment how easy or hard it is to use. If it’s anything like the Jetpack editor then I’m sure it’s fun!

Negative: The game is a bit slow in the menus and the sound hiccups a bit too.
Positives: Once you are in the game, everything plays and sounds fine! This game is sorta like billiards with tactics. There’s plenty of puzzle action to keep you entertained for hours.

DosBox Issues: The game is slow in the menus because of menu movement and animation. There is some sound stuttering in the menus too. This is only a problem in the menus and not in the actual game itself. Not a major issue concerning gameplay so only 1/4 point off the game rating I would normally give the game.
Overall game rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

Okay I’ve looked at 5 free games and now that I’m on a roll here’s some more that I’ve tested and played in DosBox….15 shareware games! Most all play extremely well and use the mappercsa.txt file talked about above. There’s lots and lots of gameplay in each of these shareware versions since these games have fairly large first episodes to get you hooked into buying the full game. Darn those marketing people!!

Commander Keen: Invasion of the Vorticons – a humorous side-scrolling action game from Apogee and id Software. You as Billy Blaze have donned your brother’s football helmet and have become Commander Keen to battle the Vorticons!



Download Episode 1 (shareware version) here.

Settings:
cpu cycles 600
render frameskip 0
sdl mapperfile /usr/share/dosbox/mappercsa.txt

Game Executable: KEEN1.EXE

Controls:
Arrow keys to move around
Ctrl – jump
Alt – use pogo/stop pogo (if you have one)
Ctrl and Alt – fire raygun (if it has charges)
Spacebar – status screen
F5 – save game when on the world map

You can redefine movement and action keys by hitting F3 within the game.

Positives: The animations in the game are cartoony and humorous plus the gameplay is fantastic and fun!
Negatives: None!

DosBox Issues: None!
Overall game rating: 5 stars out of 5

Keen Dreams – the “lost episode” of Commander Keen (actually it’s Commander Keen 3.5 if you’re counting) by id software This interlude is another fantastic episode in the exceptional side-scrolling game series. Instead of having a pogo stick and ray gun, Commander Keen must fight the evil vegetables in this dream world using “flower power”!



Download Episode 3.5 (demo version) here.

Settings:
cpu cycles 600
render frameskip 4
sdl autolock false
sdl mapperfile /usr/share/dosbox/mappercsa.txt

Game Executable: START.EXE

Controls:
Arrow keys to move around
Ctrl – jump
Alt – throw
Custom configure them in the Controls menu.

Positives: Great gameplay, graphics, and overall gaming goodness!
Negatives: Absolutely none!

DosBox Issues: None!
Overall game rating: 5 stars out of 5!

Commander Keen: Goodbye Galaxy! – another Commander Keen game by Apogee and id software in the fantastic side-scrolling game series, this time with great graphics and music. This has to be one of the best classic scroller games ever made for the PC and now you can play it on your Nokia tablet!



Download Episode 4 (shareware version) here.

Settings:
cpu cycles 575
render frameskip 8
mixer prebuffer 400
sdl mapperfile /usr/share/dosbox/mappercsa.txt

Game Executable: KEEN4.EXE

Controls:
Arrow keys to move around
Ctrl – jump
Alt – pogo
Space - fire
Custom configure them in the Configure/Use Keyboard menu.

Unlike the game Bio Menace which uses this game engine, this game does plays well on the Nokia tablet even if you leave the score box left on. However if you think the game is playing slow, you can turn this feature on or off in the Configure/Options menu.

Warning!!: There is a Boss key feature in Commander Keen: Goodbye Galaxy! If you hit the F9 key, it shows a DOS prompt. The F9 key is also the key I’ve remapped in the mappercsa.txt file for turning fullscreen on and off. So just be aware that if you use this key to flip fullscreen on or off, then the DOS prompt will appear. Hitting the Esc key will take you out of the DOS screen to the game.

Other Comments:
There is a simple game called Paddle War which is on the Main Menu. Play it for some extra retro fun action.

Positives: Great gameplay, graphics, music, and overall fun. This game oozes classic goodness!
Negatives: Absolutely none!

DosBox Issues: None!
Overall game rating: 6 stars out of 5!

Commander Keen: Aliens Ate My Babysitter! – another Commander Keen game by id software, Formgen, and Apogee in the fantastic side-scrolling game series, with great graphics and music like Goodbye Galaxy! This game like Goodbye Galaxy is one of the best classic scroller games ever made for the PC, and now plays fantastic on the Nokia tablets!



Download Episode 6 (shareware version) here.

Settings:
cpu cycles 575
render frameskip 8
mixer prebuffer 400
sdl mapperfile /usr/share/dosbox/mappercsa.txt

Game Executable: K6DEMO.EXE

Controls:
Arrow keys to move around
Ctrl – jump
Alt – pogo
Space - fire
Custom configure them in the Configure/Use Keyboard menu.

Unlike the game Bio Menace which uses this game engine, this game does plays well on the Nokia tablet if you leave the score box left on. However if you think the game is playing slow, you can turn this feature on or off in the Configure/Options menu.

Warning!!: There is a Boss key feature in Commander Keen: Aliens Ate My Babysitter! If you hit the F9 key, it shows a DOS prompt. The F9 key is also the key I’ve remapped in the mappercsa.txt file for turning fullscreen on and off. So just be aware that if you use this key to flip fullscreen on or off, then the DOS prompt will appear. Hitting the Esc key will take you out of the DOS screen to the game.

Other Comments:
There is a simple game called Paddle War which is on the Main Menu. Play it for some extra retro fun action.

Positives: Just like Goodbye Galaxy…great gameplay, graphics, music, and overall fun. This game oozes gooey goodness!
Negative: Only one episode!

DosBox Issues: None!
Overall game rating: 6 stars out of 5!

Secret Agent – a scrolling action game in the usual Apogee fashion. You are Agent 006 searching for stolen blueprints on the island headquarters of DV5. Be careful because there are plenty of enemies, traps, and danger!



Download Episode 1 (shareware episode) here.

Game Executable: SAM1.EXE

Settings:
cpu cycles 700
render frameskip 0
sdl mapperfile /usr/share/dosbox/mappercsa.txt

Controls:
Arrow keys – move around
Ctrl – jump
Alt – fire
Esc (during gameplay) – options menu so you can reconfigure the keyboard, save or load a game, and other useful things.

Positives: Good gameplay, animations, and fun.
Negative: There is a small problem with XKBD and using the menus (see below).

DosBox Issues: A minor irritation is that sometimes you might have to hit a key with the XKBD keyboard several times in the menus for the game to respond. There is no such problem when I use my Bluetooth keyboard. Since the problem is so minor, I didn’t deduct anything off the score I would normally give this game.
Overall game rating: 4.4 stars out of 5

Crystal Caves – yet another scrolling action game in the usual Apogee fashion. You are Mylo Steamwitz, space trader, scouring the galaxy for treasure. Your current adventure takes you in the search for crystals in the caves of this alien planet. Your crystal collecting won’t be easy since you have to fight past aliens and other menacing dangers.



Download Episode 1 (shareware episode) here.

Game Executable: CC1.EXE

Settings:
cpu cycles 700
render frameskip 1
sdl mapperfile /usr/share/dosbox/mappercsa.txt

Controls:
Arrow keys – move around
Ctrl – jump
Alt – fire (also action key)
F1 (during gameplay) – reconfigure the keyboard settings.

Positives: Good gameplay, animations, and fun.
Negative: There is a small problem with XKBD and using the menus (see below).

DosBox Issues: A minor irritation is that sometimes you might have to hit a key with the XKBD keyboard several times in the menus for the game to respond. There is no such problem when I use my Bluetooth keyboard. Since the problem is so minor, I didn’t deduct anything off the score I would normally give this game.
Overall game rating: 4.4 stars out of 5

Hocus Pocus – a side-scroller from Apogee with beautiful smooth graphics! You are Hocus traveling through different magical realms to prove your worthiness in magic to the head wizard Terexin. Of course to prove that worthiness, you must face lots of dangers and enemies,….even dragons!



Download Episode 1 (shareware episode) here.

Game Executable: HOCUS.EXE

Settings:
cpu cycles 600
render frameskip 5
mixer prebuffer 400
sdl mapperfile /usr/share/dosbox/mappercsa.txt

Controls:
Custom configure Left, Right, Up, Down, Jump and Fire in the Change Game Options menu.

Important!! – Before you start the game, run the separate program SETUP.EXE to set the soundcard you want for sound and/or music and to select the keyboard for input. I found the game runs much faster and smoother with music turned to OFF.

Important!! – Set game playing speed to Fast in the Change Game Options menu.

Positives: Very nice colorful graphics and fast smooth gameplay.
Negatives: The game loads a tad slow. Also the game is a bit repetitive on the gameplay.

DosBox Issues: Slow loading of the game. No deduction on my game rating since this doesn’t affect gameplay.
Overall game rating: 4.75 stars out of 5