Maybe you're not getting the true retro PC experience if you're not fiddling with settings at an emulated DOS text prompt, but there's something to be said for how easy console emulation has become through front-ends like RetroArch. That thing is 'it's good and PC emulation should be the same way'. Luckily, the folks behind DOSBox Pure agree, and the fruits of their work are now publicly available.
DOSBox Pure is a variation of the popular DOS emulator built for integration in the RetroArch front-end. It lets you run DOS games directly out of ZIP files, as any other RetroArch emulator would. It automates performance options, and includes presets matching various hardware configurations from throughout PC history.
The emulator offers gamepad mapping to directly translate controller input to keyboard input. It also features full save state support, including a proper rewind that lets you zoom all the way back to the intro. If that's not enough, there's even a built-in Cheat Engine-style cheat program to help you break games you're having trouble with. Some of these features have already been included in various DOSBox releases, but this all-in-one implementation might just turn out to be the best way to play DOS games.
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