
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

Linux Version
Pre-requisite: download the zip archive (say in $HOME)
How to unzip/launch:
# open shell at $HOME # replace <version> with proper release number unzip poom_<version>_linux.zip cd poom_<version>_linux/ # change execution bit chmod +x poom_<version> # launch game ./poom_<version>
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 4.8 out of 5 stars (721 total ratings) |
Authors | freds72, Paranoid Cactus |
Genre | Shooter |
Made with | PICO-8 |
Tags | 3D, FPS, PICO-8 |
Code 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 1.9Jan 22, 2023
- Version 1.8Sep 21, 2021
- Journey to PoomMay 07, 2021
- Version 1.7Jan 22, 2021
Comments
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I think you forgot to make your macos v1.9 executable before packaging.
Such a great game, i had a lot of fun playing it, the only thing i would report is that maybe the gbc filter is a little bit too much, my eyes felt a little unconfortable, but maybe it's because i was playing it fullscreen.
But that's a really good and fun demake
thanks - and it’s not a gbc ‘filter’, the underlying game engine is limited to 128x128 (and yeah, full screen is a bit too much).
Does not have WASD control - no go.
WASD doesn’t work on non-Us/non-UK keyboards, the engine I am using favors portability for a modest shift of habits.
Software should adapt to the user, not the opposite way around. there should at least be a configuration option.
THIS IS AWESOME AND PLS HELP!First of all this game is awesome but I really need help because I really want to download it bc playing in browser is annoying. I own a MacBook and checked several times if I have the right version, however any time I have it on my Laptop it just refuses to open and yes I tried to delete it and install again multiple times but it won't work (and yes I always removed it from the trash bin bc I thought that might be the problem but it is still not working) Please I'd really appreciate help as I really love to play this, Thanks in advance :)
Context: Any Time I click it or click open it just says that the Programm can't be opened, I never had this problem
install? there is no install, only a compressed archive that you need to store on your hard drive.
can you post an error screenshot or logs?
THIS IS SICK
i love pico 8 sooo much
hehe - thanks
I like this game. It's like a doom demake and I'm all for it. My only issue is that I can't find the yellow key on Eternal hall of pain (i think thats the name)
walk slowly :)
make the shotgun a sniper rifle that insta kills from halfway across the map like the original doom.
WHY CAN'T I INSTA KILL AN IMP HALWAY ACROSS THE MAP WITH THE SHOTGUN???
how do i get rid of the frog
Love it, thought ESDF controls are a weird choice. Any chance we could get the classic WASD implemented as a choice?
Otherwise, I love the game and will be playing more of it
I think ESDF actually might be the more classic control scheme from the early FPS era. I'm not sure which came first but they both seem to have been common around that time, especially after the release of Quake. According to this quote attributed to someone named Jon A., the rise in popularity of WASD was somewhat arbitrary:
I don't have anything to say about this game we're commenting underneath in particular (and nothing against WASD as a choice), this just caught my interest. My dad is a Gen X gamer who loved Quake and Unreal and he always uses ESDF for movement so I had a feeling it was an older thing.
thanks for that history bit!
(btw - I am french, WASD is not a thing - ESDF works natively on all/most keyboards)
any help in getting this to run on Powkiddy RGB30 running Jelos? I have placed the Rasppi PNG file in both cart and bbs/cart folders and it doesn not show up?
Any help welcome and thanks in advance.
have you tried the binaries instead?
I’d recommend that method
note: putting files in the bbs folder will do nothing. as per instructions, create a poom folder under ./carts and cd from pico8
Thanksfor the help. I can get it to recognise the file but still unable to load. I'm very new to all this, i shall scower the web for how to get it to work.
All running fine on PC and love it. Great Job!
post your steps here - I may be able to help
So I’m running the raspberry pi version of pico-8 on the RGB30. It runs fine, Splore works great. I downloaded the raspberry pi version of this game. Initially I just installed the png file in the cart folder. This then showed up on the main menu before running splore. When trying to round it directly I get an error “unable to open”. If I open the pico-8 and look for the file through splore it does not see it, I also tried adding all the rasp pi files for POOM into the carts file in a file called poom. But it just behaves exactly the same.
I’m sure I’m doing something wrong but can’t seem to find any help on this.
you are mixing up packages
- the raspi.zip file contains an executable, no need to use pico8. see ‘linux Version’ instructione
- the standalone zip package requires pico8 to run. See ‘Standalone Version’ instructions
As the holder of the speedrun.com world record for this game for a year now... I think this game is really fun. This is such an amazing demake, to the point of me playing this more than actual doom once I bought it.
Thanks for the amazing game :)
thanks!
any ‘official’ link to the poom speedrun page? could not find anything solid
Doom Hombrew Ports board has this port. The record is really old by now, and I'm working to improve it :)
poom [AKA] poor doom
I like these doom-like and doom-clone games,this one is pretty cool,fun,and nostalgic,i had a great time playing it,5\5
thanks!
Great Doom clone! Our German-language review can be found in our recorded livestream starting at 03:01:10. Subscription to our YouTube or Twitch channel is welcome. 🙂
Could this theoretically run on a 3DS?
Doom would run natively on a 3ds.
if question is could a Pico8 game run on 3ds, yes also but using ‘unofficial’ emulators like: https://github.com/jtothebell/fake-08
shirt
Can you mod it, like doom?
somehow but essentially creating a new game
see SDK doc
I though that i'd never play doom or games like this, cuz i don't like all the stuff about demons, moncters etc. but after playing this game i liked both Poom and Doom. Gotta play Doom someday. Thanks a lot
you can play doom online on dos.zone, i think it runs natively there.
Can someone pls tell me how to download this on a Linux device in a step by step solution?
what have you got so far?
did you download and unzip the correct package?
I'm pretty sure I was supposed to unzip the poom_1.9_linux.zip and find the poom_1.9. I tried to run it but it never worked. I don't know if you have to either download something else or if I did something wrong.
what error message do you get?
I tried to run Poom like in the picture shown below like any other games I know and I don't know why it's showing me this error.Is there something wrong that I'm doing? FYI I did unzip the file

I added a "linux version" section in game page
Follow instruction to fix your install.
HOW.
see: https://freds72.itch.io/poom/devlog/241700/journey-to-poom
The mouse doesn't work for me
browser or local binary package?
if browser, which one?
and can you elaborate on ‘doesn’t work’?
Browser.
The mouse doesn't make the character look around. I can still fire but that's it. It won't let me aim properly.
in the game menu, is the mouse working ok?
check in controls menu if the right scheme is selected + if sensitivity is correct
just shoot (left mouse click) and mouse will work
Whos gonna tell em'
Ok, i tried to make android "port" working, but i got nothing but black screen, well, i tried :(
Can I put it on a calculator?
PICO-8 cannot be emulated on a calculator
Never really played the original Doom but after playing this i now wanna try it. I only got interested in this game thanks to Vanoss.
good news! Doom is still a good game after all these years.
Do you have a link to that Vanoos video?
It truly is! Every opinion i’ve heard about doom have been really good ones.
Sure, its this one https://youtu.be/PJsJ8jhc-jw. You can easily find his channel “VanossGaming”.
this is the first thing that popped up its pretty cool
This is the one
same
its good a game
Really good i love it
really cool! took a little bit to adjust to the controls but I had a great time.
i love this
Blown away. Feels so authentic to what makes Doom great.
thanks 🙏
no glitches or bugs, awesome! i wish i had the programming skill like you but after all this took u time to make and i love it (when i make a game i give up in like 20 mins) the game is AMAZING! :)
A great recreation of doom in Pico. I beat this with only two deaths! :D
thanks - now try UV 😜
nice
Glorious game! Awesome job! Have you ever thought about a mech themed total conversion with a bitmap cockpit and a pause menu with mech schematics and characteristics? It would be fantastic!
Need an artist - ParanoidCactus moved to other projects…
I hope you will find an artist and make this dream come true!
Why is it called poom?
many Pico8 games/demakes are named with 8 and/or P in the name + it’s not an official port so ‘doom’ cannot do.
I started the project with Poom and the name stuck!
A well put together doom remake just shows dooms amazing programing
thanks
note that this a full remake - not a source port
im speechless. this is awesome
thanks 😊
yeye frfr you should be mega mega proud
ok, it run doom ✓
I don't know much about the Pico and its capabilities - but this is frankly, astonishing.