Play Rise of the Triad online — the free shareware episode Works — shareware episode runs via DOSBox in your browser
Guide updated October 2026 · Runs via DOSBox + WebAssembly
Rise of the Triad — Apogee's 1995 shooter, built on a heavily reworked Wolfenstein 3D engine and famous for its heat-seeking missiles, god mode and gibs. The shareware episode, The HUNT Begins, is hosted here — click Play and it boots in your browser. It runs its credits and a demo by itself; press any key for the menu and choose New Game, then pick one of the five HUNT members to play as.
D-pad: move/turn · FIRE: ctrl · OPEN: space · RUN: shift
⌨ Keyboard — for menus & name entry
Controls — what does what
| Action | Keyboard | Mouse / touch |
|---|---|---|
| Move / turn | Arrow keys | — |
| Fire | Ctrl | — |
| Open doors | Space | — |
| Run | hold Shift | — |
| Strafe | Alt + arrows | — |
| Change keys | Esc → Options | — |
| Sound | — | Use the Sound button under the screen to mute |
Runs in your browser tab with DOSBox + WebAssembly — nothing is uploaded. Click the screen to capture input; press Ctrl+F10 to release mouse.
The HUNT Begins is Apogee's freely-distributable shareware episode of Rise of the Triad. The registered game is commercial and not hosted here. Provenance: /apps/rise-of-the-triad/NOTICE.md.
Get the full game
The shareware episode plays here free. The rest of Rise of the Triad was the commercial release, and is still sold:
How it works & what to expect
The original DOS shareware release (1.3) running in a WebAssembly build of DOSBox. The package is under 4 MB. The game itself caps at 35 frames a second, which a recent laptop or desktop holds; slower devices will drop below it.
Playing tips
Each of the five characters trades speed against health — Taradino is the all-rounder. Missile weapons are picked up and used until they run out, after which you fall back to your pistols. Jump pads and moving platforms hide most of the secrets.
Shareware episode — and the full game
The HUNT Begins is the shareware episode Apogee distributed; its VENDOR.DOC permits sharing it and forbids distributing the registered game, so only the shareware is here. The full game, Rise of the Triad: Dark War, is still sold.
Frequently asked questions
Is Rise of the Triad legal to play here?
Yes. This is Apogee's official shareware episode, distributed under its VENDOR.DOC, the same basis as the Cosmo, Hocus Pocus and Blake Stone episodes hosted here.
What are the controls?
Arrow keys move, Ctrl fires, Space opens doors, Shift runs and Alt strafes by default. The controls can be changed under Options in the game's menu.
It is just showing credits — is it broken?
No. The game shows its credits and plays a demo when left alone. Press any key to get the menu.
Does my progress save?
Yes — saved games persist in this browser between visits, best-effort.
More you can play in your browser
Related guides
- Duke Nukem 3D3D Realms' shooter, shareware episode.
- Wolfenstein 3DThe engine ROTT grew out of.
- Blake StoneApogee's other Wolfenstein-engine shooter.
- DOOMid's shareware episode.
- Run your own DOS gameHave the registered version or another DOS game? Drop it in the DOS player.
- Games that need nothing installedThe full list of titles that run on a locked-down school or work network.
Want a game like this on your own site?
Rise of the Triad isn't ours to give away — we host it, we didn't write it. But eleven of the games here we did write from scratch, and those are free for anyone to put on their own page: one line of HTML, no account, no permission, no attribution beyond a credit line.