A high school student's innovative feat: running Doom (1993) within a PDF file. While slow, the game remains playable, showcasing the enduring legacy of this iconic title.

Doom's compact size (a mere 2.39 megabytes) has always facilitated its execution on unconventional hardware. Previous examples include a Nintendo Alarmo port and a version integrated into the game Balandro. These unconventional ports, often plagued by performance limitations, highlight the game's adaptability and the boundless creativity of its fans.

This latest PDF port, created by GitHub user ading2210, leverages the PDF format's JavaScript capabilities for 3D rendering. However, the limitations of the PDF format necessitate compromises. Instead of using individual text boxes for each pixel (which would be impractical given Doom's 320x200 resolution), the port utilizes a single text box per screen row, resulting in a noticeably slower, albeit functional, gameplay experience. The video demonstration reveals a monochrome, soundless, text-free version with an 80ms frame rate.

The enduring appeal of Doom is evident in these ongoing efforts to run it on unexpected platforms. The focus isn't necessarily optimal performance, but rather the exploration of creative possibilities. Over three decades after its release, Doom continues to inspire and amaze, demonstrating its lasting impact on the gaming world and promising even more inventive ports to come.