Doom Reloads on SNES With a Bloody Cartridge and New Controller

Doom is one of those games that refuses to stay in the past. While other classics get remasters or subtle nods in modern titles, Doom kicks the door down, full of noise, pixels, and power chords. This time, it’s getting a full-on SNES revival in 2025, complete with extra features and a specially made controller.

Limited Run Games is behind the release, teaming up with Randy Linden, the same developer who made the original SNES port back in the ‘90s. It’s not just a repackaging, either. Doom on SNES now comes in two versions: a standard edition priced at $99.99 and a collector’s edition at $174.99. Each comes with a cartridge, an instruction booklet, and a poster. The collector’s version gets flashy with a blood-splattered cartridge and foil-embossed box art. Only 666 units of that one exist.

There’s also a matching controller, sold separately for $34.99. It’s styled after the Doom Slayer’s armor and includes two rumble motors—something the original SNES controllers never had. This isn’t just for aesthetics. The re-release adds features that elevate it above the original 1990s version: 14 extra levels, enemy respawning in Nightmare mode, and the long-missing circle-strafing mechanic.

Pre-orders go live July 11 and will be open until August 10, but if history’s any indication, the collector’s edition might not last more than a few hours. The actual ship date? February 2026. So patience will be required.

In an age where everything’s live-service or open-world sandbox, there’s still room for carefully crafted legacy titles. They tap into a nostalgia that doesn’t just fuel retro gaming—it defines it.

Doom isn’t the only game seeing this kind of retro treatment. Vintage games are having a moment. Earlier this year, Tetris Effect got a new Game Boy cartridge release, complete with OLED-optimized visuals on original hardware. And Shovel Knight, while not truly vintage, continues to thrive by mimicking retro aesthetics in new ways. This wave of re-releases and spiritual throwbacks shows that pixel art and MIDI soundtracks still have a firm grip on modern players.

What’s happening with Doom also reflects the culture around these reboots. These aren’t cheap cash-ins. Limited Run’s approach makes the packaging and extras part of the experience. The cartridge isn’t just a medium—it’s a physical connection to a different era of gaming. The rumble controller feels like a nod to what could have been if technology had gotten just a bit further in the early '90s.

The SNES Doom was always a bit of a tech miracle. Back in the day, getting that game to run on such limited hardware was seen as impossible. It was slower, blurrier, and cut-down, but it was Doom. That was enough. In contrast, this 2025 edition doesn’t cut corners. It brings the best of both worlds—original charm and modern usability.

It’s also a strange contrast to what the Doom series looks like now. The latest release, Doom: The Dark Ages, is all about high-res gore and massive medieval combat. Meanwhile, SNES Doom reappears like a fossil that’s been polished and set in gold. But both feel authentic. One shows the evolution of the series; the other, its legacy.

There’s something comforting about this kind of continuity. Doom is as much a gaming ritual as it is a franchise. You can boot up any version—from SNES to PS5—and it feels like Doom. The speed, the weapons, the movement—it’s timeless.

And this release isn’t just about playing Doom. It’s about collecting it, displaying it, and remembering how weird and awesome it is that this pixelated shooter is still relevant in 2025.

For longtime fans, it’s a reminder that their favorite games haven’t been forgotten. For new players, it’s a window into an era that shaped the whole FPS genre. In either case, SNES Doom is back. Blood-splattered, louder than ever, and totally ready to rip.