Zune HD: yes, it plays Doom

No matter how weak or powerful the gadget, one brave soul will always broach the all-important question: can it play Doom? Just four days after hacking the Zune HD and unleashing the OpenZDK, the Zune community has received its answer. ZuneBoards forumgoer Netrix has opened the portal to the familiar alien hell, where gamers will writhe in agony as they struggle with tilt and touchscreen controls. Those who persevere regardless will find the app runs any of the original Doom WAD files. Full installer available at the source link; see OpenZDK's power in action after the break.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[JeremyBenthem Posted Apr 20th 2010 10:28PM]

touchscreens, making gaming a chore since 2007

[lip Posted Apr 20th 2010 10:32PM]

@JeremyBenthem
Awesome...when are people going to call out Jobs on the fact that touch controls bring major suckage for many things like games...

[koolerz1569 Posted Apr 20th 2010 10:28PM]

It's a nostalgic game.... can't even understand how it works =__=

[Zunerheart Posted Apr 20th 2010 10:41PM]

@koolerz1569 dude i think your icon is the most non-fanboyish thing i have ever seen on engadget! You deserve a gold star.

[nickcraze Posted Apr 21st 2010 12:03AM]

@Zunerheart

You should note that he has an Apple Body, A Linux Face and Windows Heart. So based on that i would say he Loves the MacBook Pro design and has a MacBook Pro with Windows 7 as his main OS and He has a geek as in Linux Geek Face and Virtualized Linux under Windows. Is that Fair enough?

[koolerz1569 Posted Apr 21st 2010 1:37AM]

@nickcraze I wish I could afford a MacBook Pro and be a Linux geek... haha

[sebconn Posted Apr 20th 2010 10:29PM]

I had a Graphical Calculator in 1998 that did this...

[air23cpt Posted Apr 20th 2010 10:30PM]

sweet

[KIrish18 Posted Apr 20th 2010 10:32PM]

The controls didn't look very responsive. Hen is someone gonna put pokemon on the zune?

[KIrish18 Posted Apr 20th 2010 10:42PM]

@KIrish18 When*
then it will be worth hacking my zune. (:

[littleindia70 Posted Apr 21st 2010 4:46PM]

@KIrish18 I have it on the zune. It is not a hack at all really because you don't need to add any extra files to the zune besides the app itself.

[Mike Vick Posted Apr 20th 2010 10:35PM]

Pretty interesting! Is it me or does Microsoft really need to start putting Apps out there for the Zune? The Zune is a nice device. I really wanna buy one. Microsoft dont screw it up!!!

[Bengal34 Posted Apr 20th 2010 10:51PM]

@Mike Vick

The MS rep over on anythingbutipod (ms-dave I think) confirmed there are several in the pipeline. The next update should have them in it.

It probably won't be a lot but there are more coming to the zuneHD.

[cc3d Posted Apr 20th 2010 10:39PM]

I need a hundred fart apps for my Zune.

[aschettler Posted Apr 21st 2010 1:27AM]

@cc3d If they needed hundreds of fart apps to make it popular, they blew it.

[TareG Posted Apr 20th 2010 10:40PM]

Doom was a good game, Duke Nukem was better, but BLOOD was the absolute best old timer FPS. If you didn't play it back then, you'll get a kick playing it now.

[onlymyrailgun Posted Apr 21st 2010 2:01AM]

@TareG
Castle Wolfenstein is nostalgic :(

[Anguigen Posted Apr 20th 2010 10:44PM]

ZuneHDoom, anyone?

[koolerz1569 Posted Apr 20th 2010 10:52PM]

@Anguigen YES

[Shravan Posted Apr 20th 2010 10:45PM]

IDDQD
IDKFA
IDSPISPOPD

[Tenny Posted Apr 20th 2010 10:49PM]

I put it on my Zune a few hours ago, it's awesome but controlling it is hard (as expected). Runs great though!

[Aeolus Posted Apr 20th 2010 10:51PM]

inb4: ''But can it run Crysis?"

...Oh wait.

[SpartanGod Posted Apr 20th 2010 10:53PM]

it has so much potential, but Microsoft still wont make any damn apps :(

[guitarguru102 Posted Apr 21st 2010 3:01AM]

@SpartanGod
Hmm, I thought the point of apps was so the manufacturer didn't have to write all the software.

[writeinC Posted Apr 20th 2010 11:03PM]

so, my Sansa e200 has been able to play Doom for quite some time (I love Rockbox).

[ch3burashka Posted Apr 20th 2010 11:08PM]

Sure, but does it run Crysis...?

[NYNY Posted Apr 20th 2010 11:17PM]

@ch3burashka *Looks 4 posts up* Interesting...

[TacoMusic Posted Apr 20th 2010 11:17PM]

Mario Kart would be amazing on the zune HD!

[TimeForTheFairTax Posted Apr 20th 2010 11:41PM]

Wake me up when UT is the test.

[onlymyrailgun Posted Apr 21st 2010 2:03AM]

@TimeForTheFairTax
will you be okay with Steve (Ballmer) as the prince?

[therichad Posted Apr 20th 2010 11:48PM]

It's too hard to watch!! The controls need serious work. I bet DOOM could run fine on an iPhone or iPod touch :P but god it's not as bad as that new blackberry

[Critic2029 Posted Apr 21st 2010 1:32AM]

NEDM

[EdwardLudlam Posted Apr 21st 2010 1:33AM]

Big deal. Been playing Doom on my Pre for like 6 months, with an integrated keyboard. Over it.

[edj628 Posted Apr 21st 2010 2:43AM]

Darn.. Critic beat me to it lol

[guitarguru102 Posted Apr 21st 2010 3:00AM]

DOOM is the new "Hello World!"

[Woovie Posted Apr 21st 2010 3:03AM]

@hated one Shittiest comment in the history of comments

[sinkingshriek Posted Apr 21st 2010 4:21AM]

Mankind has yet to discover how to control games with touchscreens.

[IanFromAfrica Posted Apr 21st 2010 4:26AM]

I did this a few days ago for the Creative Zii Egg (before this was announced), and tipped Engadget, seems like they've lost interest in the Egg (just like more or less everyone who bought one)... But hey, at least it can run Doom (and ScummVM)... ;)

[IanFromAfrica Posted Apr 21st 2010 4:29AM]

http://dc203.4shared.com/download/263338688/cb9bc595/ZiiDoom.AVI

[Ducman69 Posted Apr 21st 2010 5:52AM]

When will they learn that touchscreens make horrific game input devices?

Still, give the ZuneHD phone capabilities and WM7, and I will buy one at any reasonable price.

[Davo Posted Apr 21st 2010 5:53AM]

imho doom > crysis.

[Tristan88888888 Posted Apr 21st 2010 7:19AM]

controls brutally, but its a good start.

[Wesscoast Posted Apr 21st 2010 8:02AM]

@hated one

The iPhone app count is more like 185,000...

Come on, don't pick on the Zune, its like picking on a 5 year old...

[cooldude128 Posted Apr 21st 2010 1:04PM]

whats really interesting is that i can play doom on a TI-84 Plus calculator

[cooldude128 Posted Apr 21st 2010 1:06PM]

@cooldude128 i can also play Wolfenstein