Doom ports can be found everywhere. Simply type 'Doom ports' into Google and you're greeted with a list of familiar names such as Zdoom, the Doomsday Engine, and several esoteric ones that have yet to rise to prominence. Seeking a modern version id Software's revolutionary demon-based shooter isn't a difficult task, but what of the game that set the stage for Doom's success? Is killing demons so much more entertaining than emptying a clip into Hitler's ugly mug.

The developer of WolfGL, a port of id Software's classic Wolfenstein 3D, thinks not. In short, no one else seemed willing to do it -- probably, he theorizes, because the source code released by id was significantly more complicated to work with than Doom's -- so he did it. Fans who miss roaming the halls of Castle Wolfenstein, blasting Nazis and groping every brick for secret passages that led to golden crosses, treasure chests overflowing with coins, and the massive chaingun owe it to nostalgia to download WolfGL.

Unlike successful Doom ports such as Doomsday Engine, WolfGL doesn't add fancy lightmapping and other effects. This, claims the developer, was by design. He wanted to relive the glory days of FPS gaming, and so he set out to simply touch up Wolf3D, not give it a thorough overhaul. The results are still impressive, as Wolf3D still handles quite well. Sprites are still semi-pixelated when viewed up close, but most have a smeared look, not unlike most N64 titles. This is not a complaint; the bleariness doesn't detract from the game, considering that playing without the WolfGL port will quickly cause one to remember just how blocky Wolf3D really looked -- and looks.

The lack of bells and whistles means no multiplayer support, which isn't surprising, given that multiplayer wasn't part of the original Wolf3D's package. But again, as WolfGL's developer makes clear several times on his homepage, the creation of WolfGL wasn't about re-creating Wolf3D with a bevy of extras such as mouse aiming, jumping, multiplayer, and 3D models for enemies, weapons, and treasures. It was about granting himself and others the opportunity to enjoy a game that, despite its relevance, has been overlooked ever since the birth of its younger and more successful brother in 1993.

Like the protagonist of a sappy Disney movie, WolfGL asks that you love it for what it is: Wolfenstein 3D with a slightly brighter coat of paint. Go in with these expectations, and you'll have a great time.