What if you could step into the world of Duke Nukem 3D — not through flat sprites, but through fully realized 3D environments? That’s exactly what modder Dan “Cheello” Peterson has accomplished.
After three years of development, Peterson’s latest project, Voxel Duke Nukem 3D, transforms the legendary 1996 shooter into a living, breathing voxel-based world — one that feels both familiar and radically new.
Story Synopsis
Fans of classic first-person shooters have watched a resurgence of retro games over the last few years, but Voxel Duke Nukem 3D is in a league of its own.
The project, helmed by the creator of Voxel Doom, replaces every 2D sprite in Duke Nukem 3D with volumetric 3D voxel models — bringing the game’s chaotic blend of sci-fi, satire, and explosions into the modern age without losing its old-school edge.
From enemies and props to interactive items and background details, nearly 1,000 hand-crafted voxel assets have been built from scratch. The result is a true 3D reinterpretation of a game that originally existed somewhere between 2D and 3D — a transformation that keeps Duke’s attitude intact while giving the world around him new depth.
What It Means
In the 1990s, the Build Engine — the technology behind Duke Nukem 3D — pushed boundaries by creating the illusion of 3D environments using 2D sprites. It was clever, fast, and ahead of its time.
Peterson’s work closes the loop: it takes that illusion and makes it real.
Instead of flat sprites that always face the player, every alien, soldier, weapon, and environmental prop is now a voxel model — a 3D object made of digital cubes. The difference is instantly noticeable. Characters rotate naturally as you move, items feel tangible, and the world suddenly has weight and volume.
Yet, what’s most impressive is how natural it all looks. The voxel aesthetic blends beautifully with the game’s original pixel art style. It doesn’t replace Duke Nukem 3D — it completes it.
How It Works
Peterson’s process involves a mix of artistry and technical engineering. Each 2D sprite from the original game was painstakingly reconstructed as a 3D voxel mesh. This meant studying the original pixel art, interpreting unseen angles, and ensuring that every model fit perfectly into the existing maps.
The rebuilt assets were then imported into the Build Engine through custom tools that allow the game to render voxel objects natively. The result is stunning — when you revisit classic levels like “Hollywood Holocaust” or “Red Light District,” every element feels rebuilt by hand, yet perfectly faithful.
Performance optimization has been a core focus throughout development. Despite the higher geometric complexity, Voxel Duke Nukem 3D runs smoothly on mid-tier hardware, preserving that fast, twitchy gameplay fans remember.
Why It Matters
Beyond its technical brilliance, Voxel Duke Nukem 3D represents something larger: the future of game preservation and reimagination.
Classic games often face two fates — either being remade with modern graphics (and often losing their identity) or remaining trapped in their original limitations. This project finds the balance between both.
By turning sprites into voxels, Peterson proves that it’s possible to modernize retro games without erasing their soul.
The mod’s success also underscores a larger movement in the gaming community. Fans and indie creators are breathing new life into decades-old games, not for profit, but for passion. In an age of remasters and reboots, Voxel Duke Nukem 3D stands out as something purer — a work of love that respects history while pushing it forward.
What’s Next
Peterson has confirmed that the project is nearing completion, with most assets finalized and internal testing underway. A public release is expected sometime in late 2025 or early 2026.
There’s already talk of expanding the project to include additional levels, new voxel effects, and even multiplayer support. The modding community is also eager to follow in Peterson’s footsteps — with fans speculating about future voxelized remakes of other Build Engine classics like Shadow Warrior and Blood.
For now, Voxel Duke Nukem 3D remains a standalone testament to what’s possible when nostalgia meets craftsmanship. It’s more than a mod — it’s a reimagining of an era.
Tech Tidbits
- The project includes nearly 1,000 handcrafted voxel assets, each built manually.
- The mod replaces every 2D sprite — from enemies to decorations — with full 3D models.
- Development time: roughly three years of continuous solo work.
- The voxel engine runs natively in the Build Engine with optimized performance.
- Release target: late 2025 or early 2026, as a free fan-made mod.
- The modder previously created Voxel Doom, which inspired this larger-scale project.
Publication / Release Details
Project Title: Voxel Duke Nukem 3D
Developer: Dan “Cheello” Peterson
Development Period: 2022–2025
Platform: PC (Build Engine mod)
Status: Near completion, awaiting public release
Availability: Expected on major modding platforms like ModDB and GitHub
