
POOM
Mars base, Union Aerospace Corporation experiments opened a portal to Hell. You appear to be the last human, fight your way out!
Beaming up the virtual feed from Mars takes about 20s, be patient while loading the battle simulator soldier.
If experiencing slowdowns, prefer desktop browser or beefy mobile.
How to Play
HTML player: click on game to enable mouse support (browser security)
Desktop controls (recommended):

automatically selected if mouse is detected
Mouse sensitivity control from controls menu:
Alternate controls schemes (without mouse):
from title screen, go to controls menu to switch between control schemes
prefer control scheme 2
mobile menu controls: use left paddle to navigate, use up/down from right paddle to cancel/selec

Standalone Version
In you own Pico8 "devkit", you can download standalone zip package.
Recommended setup (adjust to your OS):
mkdir poom <path to pico>\pico.exe -home . cd poom\carts REM change xx to actual version number unzip poom_standalone.xx.zip
From Pico8 console:
load poom_0 run
Soundtrack
OST (@ParanoidCactus Youtube channel)
Release Notes
(moved to devlogs)
Version 1.6:
- fixed: wobbly textures on some areas (thanks @farbs)
Version 1.5:
- added: in-game keyboard controls options
- added: in-game mouse sensitivity (options menu)
- added: standalone zip (for arcade cabinets/devices)
Version 1.2:
- Fixed: crash when pressing fire during load (thanks @Rhoq)
- Changed: minor texture fixes
Version 1.1:
- Changed: 🅾️=fire/ok ❎=open/cancel
- Added linux + Mac OS X binaries (with mouse lock support)
Version 1.0:
- HTML player with mouse lock support
- Windows binaries with mouse lock support (new upcoming PICO8 feature)
Mac OS X + linux binaries + standalone versions will be provided later
Credits
Original levels + art + sfx by @gamecactus
Zep for PICO-8 and support (and sneaky versions!)
ID Software for producing such a timeless game
ZDoom Wiki for their fantastic compendium of everything DOOM
LZS compression by James Bowman (https://www.excamera.com/sphinx/article-compression.html)
Beta testing & gameplay feedback by Tom Hall & Jusiv (& my kids!)
Licence
Status | Released |
Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux, HTML5 |
Rating | Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars (473) |
Authors | freds72, Paranoid Cactus |
Genre | Shooter |
Made with | PICO-8 |
Tags | 3D, FPS, PICO-8 |
License | MIT License |
Asset license | Creative Commons Attribution_NonCommercial v4.0 International |
Average session | About an hour |
Inputs | Keyboard, Mouse |
Download
Click download now to get access to the following files:
Development log
- Version 1.8Sep 21, 2021
- Journey to PoomMay 07, 2021
- Version 1.7Jan 22, 2021
Comments
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finally a game that I can play on chromebook that wont run out of content in 30 minutes
The game doesn't work xd
can you elaborate?
from the web page?
using binaries?
any error message ?
Im in love with this art. Impressive. Congratulations.
why are is the game played with E S D F havent you heard of W A S D i'm more used to that but other than that good game
ESDF works on many keyboard layouts
indeed and the underlying game engine doesn't allow WASD (and no option to detect if using an AZERTY or QWERTY keyboard).
This is amazing I need more levels!
Finally a .W8D to aspire to! Unfortunately IDDQD does not work.
that shit is super cool
shits epic
It is a really cool recreation of the original doom
I just wish space was bound to shoot so I don't have to play twister with my fingers... other than that its really good.
fire with mouse?
I was playing on a laptop with a crappy trackpad.... my fault ig :P
Dude, this was such a blast, the level design was really good too, i play this every time there's some kill time at university, please make a POOM 2, it would be really awesome
Thanks! (and hope Poom won’t make you miss exams !)
very nice
This is fantatic, but I can't play for very long - ESDF controls are hurting my wrist. Would you consider adding the WASD control scheme as an option?
thanks and unfortunately not - WASD is not supported by the underlying engine (and ESDF is only 1 key away + portable with other keyboard layouts).
You can use a tool such as AutoHotKey to remap your keyboard for this game.
This games is a beautiful piece of art and an engineereing masterpiece. I beat it and I love it. Would play again, 5/5.
Please make an original IP of yours in this format
Fun game! Although i found it hard to hit a cacodemon without autoaim or freelook, since they move up and down.
thanks - floating Cocadeamon are big enough to get hit by anything fired in the general direction!
this is a rip off doom
this is a total rewrite + total conversion of all art assets - so not sure ‘rip off’ applies.
More trying to fit the core aspects of Doom in a tiny package.
that's true when i was reacting the first time i thought it was so dumb but when i played it and it has a lot of quality's of doom but yeah the levels are different
Do you have tutorials because I have never seen such amazing graphics for Pico8
For more work by ParanoidCactus, see: https://paranoidcactus.itch.io/
From a technical standpoint, you can find some behind the scene information here: https://freds72.itch.io/poom/devlog/241700/journey-to-poom
Thank you!
this was better than any console port of doom 1 ever.
ps1 doom disagrees with this.
the game? yes. why?
this is *not* a 1:1 Doom port - this is a fan project trying to match original game experience with Pico8 constraints.
which is the difference bteween windows and standalone? i didnt understand sorry
standalone contains files to play with pico8 ‘devkit’ - use Windows version if unsure.
quite good i gotta say
Nice demake, 10/10
This was all kinds of amazing! Good texture for the maps and translation of monsters and weapons for the limitations, and solid map design.
The hit detection, or hitscan mechanism at any rate for using the shotgun is a little iffy at times, as I have shot at point blank range and hit nothing when aiming dead center, but otherwise it's very solid and enjoyable, and excellent fan game!
thanks (ParanoidCactus gfx work is indeed amazin)
shotgun, yeah, well, you’ve got plenty of ammo 😬
good game, but a lot of vertigo due to high sensitivity
Beep and bop, until it is done!
I loved it! Nice demake ^^
thanks
I keep getting confused with where I'm going. A couple of times I think I'm going back to get something like ammo, then I end up in a newly opened area. :') It especially happens when I'm low health.
same man
Then suddenly I turn around and get shot. :,)
It's pretty cool but it would be cooler if you provided the WADs
see Journey to Poom link above for pointers.
(but WADs won’t be directly playable in gzdoom, sprites are at 50% native resolution)
What'd you say?
heya man, you can make poom 2? i'm ending the ultra violence
so with this i wanted an poom 2 because: if the gam inself its HECKIN' GOOD, obviously they want an update or an poom 2.
thanks for the amazing game!!
things what I want on poom 2 or on da update
like the bio force gun (bfg)
super shotgun
an full auto for the plasma rifle
and an pistol.
here's an table just to see:
what i want and why
just this. if you cant insert, because you aint have time, or you have anything important (what you need to do) its alright we have the time of the world! thanks for the attention.
thanks!
Poom 2 is not planned - the team was a once off collab.
can i use this on the pico-system handheld unit?
why not? what is that handheld?
It’s called picosystem. it’s powered by the rp2040. I have the pi zero with a joy bonnet and I’ve got pico 8 on it which is fun but the picosystem has a screen.
then download the package called ‘standalone’ and follow instructions
some context would be appreciated
how do you download this on mobile?
Badass game tho
not possible - only html player (or desktop downloads)
awesome
Add the game to speedrun.com
I would lote to speedrun it
Awesome!!! Loved playing a 3d game on a web browser on my phone 📱 kudos 2 u
Thanks
honestly been briefly reading some of your extensive notes on this on github. Amazing to get pico-8 2 do this. Any plan to do your own shooter now u know how. Could do a western or something? Just an idea 😀
Poom
Could you maybe add a way to pick up the ammo for the gun your not using without changing to it?
Ammo are picked up whether you've got the corresponding weapon in hand or not, unless ammo is full.
It's easy to validate, walk over a clip while carrying the shotgun and it will disapear (if chaingun not at 200 ammo).
AFTER 10 DAYS WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
It haves an support to install on the cellphone?
beside web page? nope
So... the code for this I'm guessing has to be derivative of how the sector code for Doom actually works, because this isn't just going for a Wolfenstein raycasting system, and it can't be geometry because the code data necessary would be too large; it's actually rendering vertical sectors and sloped paths, with levels that are rather sizable, and with more than one type of enemy. I can't even picture how you crammed all of the necessary sprite artwork, and the level rendering code, and the animation for the exploding barrels.
I had zero clue Pico-8 could manage this.
this is indeed a similar technique as used by Doom - see: https://freds72.itch.io/poom/devlog/241700/journey-to-poom for details and pointers.