What Is the Original DOOM and How Do You Start Playing It?

Updated

The "original DOOM" is id Software's 1993 first-person shooter, commonly called Doom 1. It is a PC game built around four episodes (the fourth, Thy Flesh Consumed, was added in the retail The Ultimate Doom release), and it is distinct from Doom II, which continues the story with a new set of levels. To start playing, get a copy of Doom 1 or The Ultimate Doom for a platform you own, launch it, pick an episode and difficulty, and use the level maps, walkthroughs, and cheat-code references on Classic DOOM if you get stuck.

What "original DOOM" actually refers to

The term covers the 1993 game and its immediate retail revision, not the whole series. These are the versions you will see named:

  • Doom (1993) — the original three-episode release.
  • The Ultimate Doom — the retail edition that adds a fourth episode, Thy Flesh Consumed. When people say "original DOOM" today, this is usually the version being sold or bundled.
  • Doom II — a separate game with its own levels; Classic DOOM treats it as a distinct title alongside NRFTL (No Rest for the Living), Final Doom, Master Levels, SIGIL, and Doom 64.
  • Console ports — PlayStation, Saturn, Nintendo 64, and PlayStation 3 versions exist and differ from the PC release. Classic DOOM keeps separate map sets for them (PSX maps also cover Sega Saturn Doom; there are dedicated N64 Doom 64 maps and PS3 Master Levels maps).

If your goal is simply "play the 1993 game," choose Doom 1 or The Ultimate Doom on PC. If you want the console experience or Doom 64, expect different level layouts and use the platform-specific resources.

How to start playing

  1. Get a copy. Obtain Doom 1 / The Ultimate Doom for a platform you own. Classic DOOM is a support and reference site, not a store, so it does not sell the game; buy or download from the platform's own storefront.
  2. Launch and choose. Start the game, select an episode (the original three, or four in The Ultimate Doom), then pick a difficulty. Episode and difficulty determine which maps and which enemy/ammo balance you get.
  3. Set up controls if you are on PC. Classic DOOM hosts a FAQ by PSXDRIVERPLAYER on configuring mouse-and-keyboard control so the game plays more like a modern shooter — useful if the default keyboard scheme feels awkward.
  4. Learn the level flow. Use the DoomExit level and exit listings to see how maps connect, and the MaxSec secret counts if you want full completion.

If you are running the DOS or Doom95 versions

The site's PC-focused pages cover the older setup path:

  • How-WADs explains loading PC Doom/Doom II WAD files under DOS and Doom95.
  • DoomParm lists DOS and Doom95 command-line parameters for single-player play.
  • How-LMPs and LmpIntro cover playing and understanding demo files.

These pages are dated (DoomParm updated 04/11/2010), so treat them as reference for legacy setups rather than current installers.

Where to get help when you are stuck

Classic DOOM organizes its help by problem type, which makes it easy to pick the right resource:

Need Resource Notes
A specific puzzle or problem area DoomHelp Level solutions plus instructional demos/videos; covers Doom, Doom II, NRFTL, Final Doom, Master Levels, SIGIL, Doom 64
Watch someone solve it ClassicDOOM YouTube channel Quick video solutions to puzzles and common problem areas
Full written walkthrough Tim Brastow's text walkthroughs Covers Classic Doom and Doom II across many platforms
Map layout, keys, exits, secrets, teleporters DoomMaps (PC), PSXMaps, D64Maps, JagMaps, PS3Maps Map images mark keys, exits, secret areas, and teleporter destinations
Cheats DoomCode Cheat codes in detail for most platforms
General questions Ultimate Doom FAQ Updated 05/13/2009

The DoomHelp page is the best first stop for a stuck moment because it combines written solutions with video, and it explicitly covers the expansion content (NRFTL, Master Levels, SIGIL) as well as Doom 64.

Common sticking points

  • Version confusion. Buying "DOOM" today may get you The Ultimate Doom or a bundle that includes Doom II; check which episodes and levels you actually have before following a walkthrough.
  • WAD loading on old PC setups. If you are running DOS or Doom95, the WAD-loading guide is the relevant reference; modern source ports handle this differently and are outside what the site documents.
  • Console map differences. Do not follow PC maps for a PlayStation, Saturn, or N64 playthrough — use the matching map set, since layouts differ.
  • Doom 64 confusion. The site's Doom 64 TC Guide by Jeff Graham covers an older third-party total-conversion project for PC, not the retail Doom 64 game; for the retail release, use the DoomHelp page instead.

Start with the version that matches your platform, keep the map and walkthrough pages open for the episode you are in, and use DoomHelp the moment a level stalls you.