D-Fend Reloaded

Dos Box is a great way to play old games but having to learn all of the command prompts can be frustrating.

D-Fend Reloaded is a front end for Dos Box that stores all of the settings needed for games. Starting the game is as simple as double-clicking on its entry in the games list.

D-Fend Reloaded takes up from where the first D-Fend software (now sadly no longer updated) ended and is a true open-source project.

Now at version 1.0 D-Fend Reloaded includes a cheats database and an address search function that can offer various advantages in some games. It can also make bootable hard disk images from game profiles.

There are some useful installation options. The program settings can be kept in the program folder itself – the recommended setting for XP if all the users are adminstrators.

Recognising that more users will have ordinary accounts without access rights to these folders, the default option saves settings in the user accounts Documents folder. Finally, the settings can be stored in the program folder as a portable application, ideal for taking games on a USB stick.

It even comes with Dos Box 0.74, so there is no need to install this software first, the Free Dos tools and Doszip Commander software for use with Dos Box.

When you run D-Fend Reloaded for the first time, it looks for Dos Box if it was not installed at the same time, and prompts you to pick a folder to use for games. It is best to agree with the suggestion. It also gives the opportunity to set how often the software will check for updates.

D-Fend Reloaded 0.6.0 has new interface that looks like Windows Explorer to make it easier to browse available games. It can also play games designed for earlier versions of Windows or the emulator ScummVM.

Some ScummVM games are supplied as Zip files. D-Fend Reloaded does not need any installation of these files. It will automatically uncompress the game, run it and then pack it away when it is finished. ScummVM games can be given a profile.

If you need some games to get started, there is are several games packages. These include the games and all the settings.

D-Fend Reloaded is an excellent way to play old games and the perfect compliment to Dos Box.

Version 0.9.0 supported the downloading of new games and profiles directly from import menu and improved performance.