How to run old windows games on a Mac?

[sapphire06]

Is there anyway to do this without downloading Bootcamp or big old software like that?

I've looked for various emulators, but I haven't found much luck. The stuff I do find possible end up being useless.

I just want to run windows 3.1 & 95 games I had a long time ago. I currently have a version 10.4.11 mac... if that helps?

Thanks guys

 

[dmr727]

http://www.dosbox.com/

 

[flopticalcube]

VirtualBox and a copy of Windows 98 if you have one?

 

[sapphire06]

alright

I don't have a copy of 98 at the moment, but I did try dosbox.

There is a bit of a problem though. When I try to actually get them to start up, it tells me I need 'windows 32' or something. Pretty much it keeps stating I need windows??

http://img412.imageshack.us/i/pic1r.png/

http://img135.imageshack.us/i/pict3u.png/

What is this all about?

 

[dmr727]

Sorry, I haven't actually used Windows under DOSBox - I've just heard about others doing it.

Looking around the net, I'm not sure that Windows 98 support is ready for prime time yet. Do you have a copy of 3.1 you can try? It also sounds like you might need to boot into a genuine DOS, instead of using the pseudo version built in.

 

[sapphire06]

Your saying then that I need to find a copy of windows 3.1 and install it using dosbox?

I guess I'm going to have to keep an eye out for programs regarding this

 

[msandersen]

If they are DOS games, use DOSbox... Windows 3.1 is an application that runs on top of DOS and is not needed.
If it is for Windows 95/98/XP, you need something else, like Crossover Games from Codeweavers:
http://www.codeweavers.com/products/cxgames/
I won't go into porting Windows apps with Cider, that is for the more technically adept; it's based on the Wine project originally, as is Crossover Games.

As for DOSbox, you can try Boxer, which is a version of DOSbox for the Mac which wraps the DOS games in an App bundle. That way you can add an icon to the app and simply double-click it. I have a few old games as Boxer apps in my Games directory, like SAM, Duke Nukem, Commander Keen, and Wolfenstein 3D.
By searching for "abandonware" you can find a lot of fun old DOS games to download. The concept is controversial, as it is not always clear the games are abandoned or the companies gone.

http://boxer.washboardabs.net/

 

[darvolt]

well there are also some games which are too fast on the newer computers.. you can use something like CheatEngine to slow them down with the built-in speed hack

 

[dafootballer]

you might be able some here all are abandonware

http://forum.portingteam.com/viewforum.php?f=43

if not use DOSBox

 

[doh123]

I try to make Wineskin decently easy to use.. but its still Wine, so it can get a bit more technical...

also, still being Wine, not everything will run or run right with it. You can check the Wine Application Database to find out what works and doesn't and how to get things to work.

its only usable for win32 apps... though some old win16 (win3.1) apps can work, its generally a no... but theres very few win16 games out there, they were usually in DOS then switched to win32.