About Carmageddon
Carmageddon is a vehicular combat game produced by Stainless Games and released for PC in 1997. Sales Curve Interactive published it in Europe and Interplay Productions in North America. The MS-DOS version came out in Sweden on June 13, 1997, in Europe on June 20 and in the US on July 16, and Windows and Mac OS versions also arrived that year, with Aspyr publishing the Mac release. Neil Barnden and Patrick Buckland designed it, Mark Teal produced it, Lee Groves composed the music, and it runs on the BRender engine.
DOS.Zone describes it as racing against opponents in a post-apocalyptic world. You complete laps while causing chaos, running over pedestrians and destroying rival vehicles, and there’s a range of cars, power-ups and environments. Its content sparked debates, DOS.Zone notes, but the game also gained a cult following for its gameplay and dark humor. The original offered single-player and multiplayer modes.
Carmageddon was later ported to iOS on October 17, 2012 and to Android on May 10, 2013, both published by HandyGames, and it started a series of its own.
How it runs in your browser
When you press Play, dos.zone opens in a new tab with the game. The site’s js-dos emulator, an open-source DOSBox build that works inside a browser, imitates an MS-DOS PC and starts Carmageddon on it. DOS.Zone serves the game files, so nothing needs installing and you don’t bring files of your own. No account is required, and DOS.Zone runs without ads.
The listing is titled Carmageddon 3Dfx and filed under MS-DOS, racing and action, with an average of 5 from 297 player reviews. The page doesn’t explain what the 3Dfx label means for this build, and it doesn’t mention saving. Multiplayer isn’t offered here, so your races are against computer-controlled drivers.
Controls and devices
Carmageddon is played on the keyboard. DOS.Zone doesn’t list the driving keys, so open the game’s options before the first race to see them, and click into the game window so the emulator picks up your input. The listing doesn’t mention gamepad support, so plan on using the keyboard.
Phones get virtual on-screen controls on DOS.Zone, but this game was built for a keyboard. We haven’t tried it on a touchscreen, and a desktop or laptop is the better fit.
Who it’s for
It suits players who remember the arguments around Carmageddon and want to see the game itself, and anyone who likes racing where wrecking opponents counts as much as crossing the line. For straight racing on DOS.Zone, The Need for Speed is there in its 1995 MS-DOS version, and Road Rash mixes motorcycle racing with fights against rival riders.
Is Carmageddon Free, Safe and Official?
Can I play Carmageddon online for free?
You can play it free in your browser on DOS.Zone, with no account and nothing to install. The original had multiplayer, but there’s no online play on this listing, so you race against the computer.
Is this the 3Dfx version of Carmageddon?
DOS.Zone titles the listing Carmageddon 3Dfx and files it under MS-DOS. Its page doesn’t explain how that build differs from the standard release, so check the game’s own setup screens if it matters to you.
Does Carmageddon work on a phone?
DOS.Zone offers virtual on-screen controls for phones, but Carmageddon was built for a keyboard and we haven’t tested it on a phone. A computer is the better fit.
