Doom Ports Book Explores Pregnancy Test and Ikea Lamp Versions

New Book Chronicles the Strangest Devices That Run Doom

The 1993 first-person shooter Doom has become a benchmark for portability, with enthusiasts adapting the game to run on everything from calculators to smart refrigerators. A new book titled “But Can It Run Doom?” aims to document the most unusual of these ports, including versions that run on a digital pregnancy test and an Ikea smart lamp.

From Super Nintendo to Pregnancy Test

When Doom launched in 1993, its graphics pushed contemporary PCs to their limits. Decades later, the game’s open-source codebase has enabled ports to an astonishing range of hardware. The book highlights ports that go far beyond traditional gaming platforms, showcasing the creativity of the modding community.

A Cultural Touchstone for Hardware Hackers

The phrase “But can it run Doom?” has become a meme and a challenge among hardware hackers. Each new port demonstrates both the game’s efficient design and the ingenuity of developers who squeeze it onto devices never intended for gaming. The pregnancy test port, for example, replaces the device’s original display with a monochrome screen capable of rendering a playable version of the game.

Documenting the Absurd

The book serves as a curated collection of these feats, providing context and technical details for each port. While the Ikea lamp and pregnancy test versions are among the most eye-catching, the compilation covers dozens of other unconventional platforms, illustrating how a 30-year-old game continues to inspire technical experimentation.