Quake
The first true 3D engine
Emulator
DOSBox-X
Quality
Excellent
Notes
Shareware episode bundled. 2021 remaster on Steam has superior renderer.
The Story
Where Doom used tricks to simulate a 3D world, Quake built one — real polygon models, true 3D geometry, dynamic lighting, rooms above rooms. John Carmack's engine made network multiplayer deathmatches over the internet viable for the first time, launching online competitive gaming as a concept. Trent Reznor composed the ambient soundtrack. id Software released the source code in 1999. The modding scene produced Team Fortress, which became its own franchise.
Trivia
The name 'Quake' came from a Dungeons & Dragons character in an internal joke
Team Fortress originated as a Quake mod in 1996
Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) composed the soundtrack and sound design