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From the original DOOM to DOOM: The Dark Ages, the series has moved between landmark, fast-paced shooters and more experimental takes on the formula. This ranking covers seven main standalone games—not every port, re-release, expansion, or spin-off—and weighs combat, level design, atmosphere, historical significance, and how well each game delivers its own vision.
How this ranking defines “all DOOM games”
This list ranks seven main standalone entries: DOOM (1993), DOOM II, DOOM 64, DOOM 3, DOOM (2016), DOOM Eternal, and DOOM: The Dark Ages. It does not try to rank every official release. Bethesda’s DOOM games catalog also lists DOOM VFR and the two DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods expansions; these differ in format from the standalone games ranked here. A Digital Trends overview likewise makes its own scope choices, excluding remakes, DLC, and enhanced editions.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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DOOM: The Classics Collection (Limited Run #102) | $49.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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PlayStation 5 – DOOM: The Dark Ages – Standard Edition | $89.97 | Buy on Amazon |
The order is an editorial judgment, not a universal verdict or a critic-consensus ranking. It balances moment-to-moment combat and pacing with level design, atmosphere, influence, and execution. That means a slower, horror-led game can be well made and still place below entries built around action, if the latter better deliver the experience this ranking values.
DOOM games ranked from worst to best
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7. DOOM 3
DOOM 3 is the series’ sharpest departure: an atmospheric, horror-oriented shooter rather than a constant high-speed arena romp. That shift gives it a distinct identity, but it also makes its pacing and emphasis a less satisfying fit for the combat-forward strengths that define the other main entries. Its lower place reflects that mismatch with this ranking’s priorities, not a claim that its deliberate approach has no appeal.
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DOOM: The Classics Collection (Limited Run #102)- Doom The Classics Collection physical game for Nintendo Swith.
- This includes three classic DOOM games preserved on one cartridge - DOOM, DOOM II, and DOOM 3! No game downloads required.
- Includes a full-color manual and reversible cover art.
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6. DOOM 64
DOOM 64 takes the classic formula in a darker direction, with a heavier atmosphere than the early games. It earns its place as a distinct main entry, but its strongest differentiator is mood rather than a wholesale reinvention of the series’ action. Players looking for the most influential or most forcefully modernized versions of DOOM will find stronger examples higher on this list.
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5. DOOM II
DOOM II builds on the original’s fast first-person-shooter foundation. Its position reflects how much of its appeal rests on extending an already powerful formula rather than redefining it. It remains an essential part of the main series, but the games above it either have greater historical importance or make a more distinctive case for their particular era of DOOM.
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4. DOOM: The Dark Ages
DOOM: The Dark Ages is the newest main entry in this ranking. Its position gives it credit as a fresh chapter while placing it below games whose standing here rests on a more established place in the series’ history or a particularly defining take on its core action. Bethesda’s catalog lists it among the official games; a PC game catalog gives its release date as May 15, 2025. That date establishes when the catalog lists it as released, not a measure of its quality.
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3. DOOM (2016)
The 2016 DOOM brought the series back to a direct, fast-moving action focus. Its strength is clarity: combat is the center of the experience, and the game makes its modern return feel like a confident statement of what DOOM can be. It ranks below the top two because those games either set the template or push its combat design further.
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PlayStation 5 – DOOM: The Dark Ages – Standard Edition- Brand Name:Xbox
- Video game region: region free
- Display Platform: PS5
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2. DOOM Eternal
DOOM Eternal pushes the modern action formula into a more demanding, tightly managed rhythm. Its place near the top comes from how strongly it builds around active combat decisions, rewarding players who enjoy staying in motion and adapting to each encounter. That intensity is also a matter of taste: the original offers a more foundational, less systems-forward kind of impact.
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1. DOOM (1993)
The original DOOM takes the top spot for establishing the series’ defining combination of speed, combat, and maze-like level exploration. Its historical significance matters, but so does the strength of the basic design: it remains the clearest expression of the formula on which the later games build, revise, or deliberately turn away from. For a ranking that values both influence and the central DOOM experience, it is the most convincing number one.
Where to start playing
If you want the series’ foundational style, start with DOOM (1993), then try DOOM II. For a modern action-focused entry, choose DOOM (2016) before DOOM Eternal. If atmosphere and horror matter more to you than relentless pace, DOOM 3 is the clearest change of direction. These are starting points by preference, not prerequisites; the ranking does not require playing in release order.
For readers who want several classics together, Bethesda describes DOOM Anthology as including DOOM (1993), DOOM II, DOOM 64, DOOM 3, DOOM (2016), and DOOM Eternal Deluxe Edition. That description does not include DOOM: The Dark Ages. Check the current edition, platform, contents, and retailer availability before buying; the anthology’s listed contents are not a guarantee of a particular current offer.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
