Say goodbye to your loved ones and join me on a quest to hell; it’s time to take a look at the best Doom games of all time!
Doom remains one of the best-loved series ever. It’s made its way from home consoles to handhelds and even mobile ports, spanning systems and generations since the very first title.
For me, Doom has always been a handheld hero. I’ve taken Doomguy on some epic adventures on my handheld consoles over the years, and the mobile games were never off the home screen of my iPhone 3GS.
For those of you that have no idea what Doom is, let alone which the best Doom games are, fear not. I’ve made a list of 10 of my all-time-favourite Doom games below as well as plenty of insight into what the series is about.
Still, if anyone knows Doomguy’s real name then that would be a great help!
Table of Contents
1. Doom (2016)
2016’s Doom takes the top spot in this list of the best Doom games of all time! Eternal might be the the newest title on the block at the time of writing, but Doom remains the best, most immersive, and the most exciting title to ever spew forth from the bowels of hell!
That sentence sounded a lot better in my head than it did written down!
This is Doomguys finest hour. It’s the first ‘proper’ Doom game since 2004’s Doom 3 and ramps up the ghoul slaying to 210%. This is a fast paced title with vast levels, and it incorporates features from all the previous games in this list such as the character upgrading from Doom RPG.
Doom spent well over eight years in the fine-tuning stage before if finally hit the shelves. For many, including me, it was well worth the wait, with the developers taking time to create a game that would not just rehash the old formulas, but reinvent them.
Instead of maze-style levels, the worlds are textured, full of eye-catching scenery, and as unpredictable as a short-circuiting Pikachu. It feels like COD after the apocalypse and keeps me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.
Create levels with SnapMap, battle mates in undead Deathmatches (can a zombie die in a deathmatch?), and blast your way outta hell with the baddest weapons imaginable. That’s the recipe for a perfect Doom game right there!
2. Doom (1993)
Classic Doom takes the second spot on this list of the best Doom games of all time. This SNES game remains one of the best 90s games ever made and was one of the titles I’d regularly play with my uncle as a kid.
Thanks to the super-doozy Reality engine and the Super FX 2 chip, the Snes port of Doom is one of the best looking titles on the console.
Again, if you’re 15 and reading this, then you probably think I’m having a laugh, but it’s true. It also came with a cool coloured cartridge to separate it from all the other games in your collection.
That’s the kind of thing that collectors can’t get enough of these days!
If this game hadn’t sold so well, then all of the other games in this list might never have existed. It’s often cited as being one of the titles that influenced Halo and many other popular FPS games that we cane on our next-gen consoles.
The SNES version of Doom has all of the secret levels and boss fights from the original title. While it might not be the best looking version on the market, it’s certainly the most enjoyable to play (and I’ve played them all!).
This image of Doomguy gunning down demons while brandishing his clawed hand is one of the most iconic covers of all time. His look might have changed since the 90s, but he’s still the same badass Doom Slayer!
3. Doom 64 (1997)
We’ve got a double whammy up next on this list of the best Doom games of all time! Doom 64 is currently one of the few N64 games on Switch and even has it’s own limited run of physical cartridges too!
Doom 64 is one of the best N64 games ever made, and the new Switch port keeps all of the same nostalgic vibes that shipped with the original game… mainly because it looks pretty much the same as it did back in 1997!
I’m all about those old-school feels though, so for me, it’s kind of like blowing into my N64 cart and sticking it straight into the top of my Switch.
Whether you plump for the 25th anniversary port or the original N64 game, this polished version of Doom 3 tells another awesomely-gory tale of Hell vs Humans in a fight to the death.
Ok, I take it back; you need the Switch game in your life if only for experiencing this game in handheld mode while kicking back on the sofa!
Not many people have an N64 in their toilet, and there’s nothing better than unleashing hell on zombies and your toilet bowl at the same time…
Doom 64 is filled with tonnes of Turok/Wolfenstein-style weapons and boasts 30 levels of undead mayhem. It might look a lot like a Windows 95 screensaver, but it’s a great game that you should definitely try.
4. Doom RPG (2005)
I’ve been excited to write about Doom RPG since the beginning of this article. Many of you reading this list of the best Doom games probably never even know that this existed, but it was one of the best things download on old flip phones back in 2005.
I think this is also the first Java game that we’ve covered in one of our ‘best of’ games, which makes this a momentous occasion!
With new weapons and enemies, this mobile game actually managed to hold its own with the other games in the franchise, despite the fact that all the action happened on a tiny screen!
This is a quintessential Doom title with a difference. Turn-based battles and a plot (yes, an actual plot!) make for more of an adventurous feel, allowing fans to kick back and actually take in Doomguy’s world for once.
Capture hellhounds as pets with a special collar, wield a fire axe, and keep an eye on Doomguy’s health with the iconic face bar used in the previous games.
Instead of blasting through and hoping for the best, Doom RPG requires players to chat to NPCs for the first time. I mean really chat, picking up useful information that will help you progress and to find all the good items.
For an old mobile game, Doom RPG still packs a punch!
5. Final Doom (1996)
Final Doom takes the 5th spot in this list of the best Doom games of all time.
It’s funny how all these games are very similar to each other. I love Doom, but until you start writing about them in one go, you never realise that they’re basically the same thing rebranded.
Regardless, this was always one of the best PS1 games in my collection and brought extra add-ons to a classic franchise that we all loved.
And it worked with the PS1 mouse… rebrand schmebrand; the mouse makes everything better!
Final Doom is essentially Doom 2: Hell on Earth with some extra bits added in for good measure. It plays exactly the same and features the same main 32 levels, but boasts better graphics and a much more advanced gameplay experience.
Two new story modes appear in final Doom; TNT: Evilution and The Plutonia Experiment. The first one’s licensed, and the second one is the brain child of the guys and girls over at ID.
Kill more demons, charge around through hell, and point and click with that PS1 mouse like Doomguy’s life depends on it…
… well, I suppose it does!
6. Doom Eternal (2020)
Doom Eternal is the newest game in this list of the best Doom games of all time. It’s a bonafide feast for the eyes with some of the ugliest monsters I’ve ever seen on any game.
Seriously, this isn’t one that you’d want to play while eating your dinner!
Take control of everyones favourite Doom Slayer once more as Doomguy travels into the bowels of hell to stop an evil alien from taking over Planet Earth. It’s tried and tested but works a charm!
Seriously, just look at the sheen on that gun and the the crisp edges on that freak’s mangled leg. Eternal is such a far cry from Doom (1993) that they could be two different series entirely!
Don’t worry, this is the fifth title in the main series. It takes the multiplayer mode from Doom 3 all the way to 11 by giving players the ability to play as Doomguy or a demon while battling for the safety or destruction of Earth.
No guesses for which everyone is going to go and try first after reading this article!
And of course, everyone’s favourite Big ‘Effin Gun, the BFG 9000 leads a list of Doomguy-friendly weapons designed to make mincemeat of everyone and everything in sight.
7. Doom II: Hell On Earth (1994)
Doom II: Hell On Earth came out on multiple platforms, but the GBA port was always the best.
Like I’ve said, Doom titles were always some of my favourite handheld games, so it just made sense to gravitate toward’s Nintendo’s portable powerhouse.
Hell on Earth is one of the most simple Doom games in this list in terms of gameplay style. The GBA did allow for larger levels and more enemies floating about, but apart from that, nothing much has changed from the original title or the first game in the series.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that this means it’s rubbish, however. Doom II is one of those games where you can play your own way, with those that take their time to explore usually getting a better experience than the ones that blast through and never look back.
Lumbered with the task of saving Earth from the demons of Hell, Doomguy must once again put his life on the line to stop humankind from being wiped off the map. Play in the real world and hell as you try to close the demon portal and destroy the underworld.
8. Doom III: Resurrection Of Evil (2005)
Doom III: Resurrection of Evil takes the 8th spot in this list of the best Doom games of all time! Its one of my favourite Xbox games of all time and boasts some pretty gnarly graphics that never fail to make me jump.
Before I go any further, there’s one thing that I need to say… What a multiplayer!
Back when people still hung out together in the same room, my mates and I would blast through the dark and dingy multiplayer maps wielding insane guns and trying to be the first to pick up the double barrelled shotgun.
Anyone still searching for those Goldeneye death match vibes from the N64 days should definitely give this a go!
The Xbox version of doom 3 has one of the most asked for features in any Doom game too. Players can now use a flashlight on the their weapon instead of switching between a torch and a gun.
These games are as dark as the clothes section in Hollister or Harvey Nicks, just with demons killing you instead of shop assistants harassing you.
With new monsters, killer bosses, and all the creepy elements that make Doom games so ghoulishly good, this is one survival horror title that has to be in your collection!
9. Doom II RPG (2009)
We’re sticking with the mobile theme with the next game on our list; Doom II RPG. Again, this is an older iPhone app that will only work on an older phone.
Better get scrambling around for that old-school charger!
Doom RPG takes a new spin on the classic franchise, turning it into an RPG game with all the classic elements that we know and love from the genre. It’s based on Wolfenstein RPG and was a great hit with mobile gamers back in the day.
In many ways, it’s a Doom game with NPCs to chat with and more puzzles to solve. With upgradable weapons and a skill tree for your chosen character, it could be the most customisable Doom game going…
… apart from the title at Number 4, of course.
Hell has overflown once more. This time the citizens of Beelzebub’s realm have taken refuge on the Moon, killing everyone in their path. Every foul Zombie and Demon that you can imagine is waiting for you to blow it into a million pieces, but they’re not going to go down with a fight!
With around 8 hours of gameplay, it’s just enough to keep it an engaging pick up and play game and warrants the cheap purchase price. Choose from one of three characters and play a different game every time!
10. Doom Resurrection (2009)
Doom Resurrection kickstarts this list of the best Doom games with some old school iPhone action!
I meant what I said above when I wrote about Doom being a handheld hero. Back in 2009, this epic iPhone port felt just as incredible as playing Super Mario 64 on the Switch. Taking Doom on every journey on your phone meant zero boredom guaranteed.
The game itself follows on from the events of Doom 3. Players control a nameless marine (when is Doomguy not nameless!) as he moves through a creepy facility on Mars.
In true doom style, the facility is crawling with freaky demons and wrinkly aliens baying for blood. Collect items, save survivors, and pump everything that doesn’t look like a human with tonnes of lead.
People knock iPhone games, but the graphics on Doom Resurrection looked great. The controls were easy to use and, more importantly for a touch screen game, didn’t cover up too much of the screen.
It’s worth noting that this game doesn’t work on newer operating systems, so you might need to get yourself an iPhone 3GS or 4 and blast it on that!
