Abandonware DOS title

Best abandonware games by year

Abandonware DOS hosts games from the early age of Personal Computer videogaming. I'm referring to a time when some of you weren't even born: the 80s.

The golden age of PC games came in the 90s, with classic games still remembered today. In the new millennium, many small developers struggled to stay afloat in the gaming sea now dominated by leviathan companies that ate one software house after another. The golden age ended and "abandonware" started to be a thing.

Here are the top 10 games for every year of that golden age, according to user's votes.


# 1981 genre rating
01 Galaxy strategy
4.07
02 Softporn Adventure adventure
4.00
03 Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord rpg
3.95
04 Chess strategy
3.90
05 Akalabeth: World of Doom rpg
3.66
06 B-1 Nuclear Bomber vehicle simulation
3.64
# 1982 genre rating
01 Zork I: The Great Underground Empire adventure
4.20
02 PC-Man action
4.18
03 Microsoft Decathlon sports
4.00
04 Paratrooper shooter
3.95
05 Car Builder simulation
3.90
06 Wizardry 2: The knight of diamonds rpg
3.89
07 Executive Suite simulation
3.86
08 Deadline adventure
3.84
09 BurgerTime action
3.82
10 The Battle of the Bulge: Tigers in the Snow strategy
3.80
# 1983 genre rating
01 Lode Runner action
4.27
02 Zork II: The Wizard of Frobozz adventure
4.26
03 Digger action
4.25
04 Battlezone shooter
4.24
05 Sleuth: A Murder Mystery simulation
4.19
06 Defender shooter
4.19
07 Planetfall adventure
4.15
08 Frogger action
4.10
09 Donkey Kong action
4.09
10 J-Bird action
4.04
# 1984 genre rating
01 Alley Cat action
4.29
02 King's Quest 1: Quest for the Crown adventure
4.27
03 dBASE III application
4.26
04 Montezuma's Revenge action
4.21
05 Archon: the Light and the Dark strategy
4.18
06 Rogue rpg
4.18
07 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy adventure
4.15
08 Soko-Ban puzzle
4.12
09 Crime and Punishment simulation
4.09
10 DND rpg
4.09
# 1985 genre rating
01 Alice: The Personal Pascal application
4.33
02 Ultima 3: Exodus rpg
4.16
03 A Mind Forever Voyaging adventure
4.14
04 Rambo First Blood Part 2 adventure
4.14
05 Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar rpg
4.12
06 9 Princes in Amber adventure
4.08
07 Spacewar shooter
4.06
08 Star Trek: the Kobayashi alternative adventure
4.04
09 Silent Service vehicle simulation
4.03
10 Sierra Championship Boxing sports
3.97
# 1986 genre rating
01 Gunship vehicle simulation
4.25
02 Space Quest 1: The Sarien Encounter adventure
4.25
03 Wordstar 4 application
4.20
04 Conflict in Vietnam strategy
4.17
05 Leather Goddesses of Phobos adventure
4.15
06 James Bond 007: Goldfinger adventure
4.14
07 The Fellowship of the Ring adventure
4.14
08 Psi 5 Trading Company vehicle simulation
4.13
09 AutoCAD 2.5 application
4.12
10 The Chessmaster 2000 strategy
4.11
# 1987 genre rating
01 Leisure Suit Larry 1: In the Land of the Lounge Lizards adventure
4.28
02 Driller action-adventure
4.27
03 Police Quest 1: In Pursuit of the Death Angel adventure
4.26
04 Borland Turbo C v1 application
4.22
05 Maniac Mansion adventure
4.21
06 Test Drive racing
4.18
07 La Abadia del Crimen action-adventure
4.16
08 Earl Weaver Baseball sports
4.14
09 Mah Jongg Solitaire puzzle
4.14
10 Borland Turbo Basic 1.0 application
4.13
# 1988 genre rating
01 Deluxe Paint 2 application
4.35
02 Skate or Die sports
4.29
03 Battlehawks 1942 vehicle simulation
4.24
04 World Class Leader Board sports
4.23
05 Impossible Mission 2 action-adventure
4.23
06 F-19 Stealth Fighter vehicle simulation
4.23
07 Battle Chess strategy
4.22
08 Star Wars shooter
4.21
09 Rampage action
4.20
10 Rocket Ranger action
4.20
# 1989 genre rating
01 Pipe Dream puzzle
4.29
02 Alien Syndrome shooter
4.28
03 Hero's Quest: So you want to be a hero adventure
4.27
04 Operation Wolf shooter
4.27
05 F-16 Combat Pilot vehicle simulation
4.25
06 Clue Master Detective strategy
4.25
07 Rick Dangerous action
4.24
08 A-10 Tank Killer vehicle simulation
4.24
09 The Duel: Test Drive 2 racing
4.23
10 Bubble Bobble action
4.22
# 1990 genre rating
01 The Secret of Monkey Island adventure
4.32
02 Arj application
4.27
03 Panza Kick Boxing sports
4.27
04 Tetris 2.0 puzzle
4.25
05 Das Boot: German U-Boat Simulation vehicle simulation
4.24
06 SimEarth simulation
4.23
07 The Oregon Trail simulation
4.23
08 Norton Editor 2 application
4.23
09 Jetfighter 2: Advanced Tactical Fighter vehicle simulation
4.23
10 Loom adventure
4.23
# 1991 genre rating
01 QBASIC application
4.39
02 Volfied action
4.28
03 Chuck Yeager's Air Combat vehicle simulation
4.28
04 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe vehicle simulation
4.28
05 Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge adventure
4.27
06 Gobliiins adventure
4.26
07 Chip's Challenge puzzle
4.26
08 Eye of the Beholder 2: The Legend of Darkmoon rpg
4.26
09 Cisco Heat racing
4.26
10 Maupiti Island adventure
4.25
# 1992 genre rating
01 Virtual Reality Studio 2.0 application
4.39
02 Street Fighter 2 action
4.32
03 Ultima 7 Part 1: The Black Gate rpg
4.32
04 Tetris Classic puzzle
4.32
05 Links 386 Pro sports
4.27
06 Comanche: Maximum overkill vehicle simulation
4.25
07 Pacific Islands vehicle simulation
4.25
08 Heroes of the 357th vehicle simulation
4.25
09 WaxWorks adventure
4.25
10 F-15 Strike Eagle III vehicle simulation
4.25
# 1993 genre rating
01 NeoPaint 3.2 application
4.45
02 Lemmings 2: The Tribes puzzle
4.28
03 Mortal Kombat action
4.28
04 Space Hulk strategy
4.27
05 Lotus: The ultimate challenge racing
4.27
06 Tornado vehicle simulation
4.25
07 Bio Menace Episode 2: The Hidden Lab action
4.25
08 Sid & Al's Incredible Toons puzzle
4.25
09 Police Quest: Open Season adventure
4.25
10 Tom and Jerry action
4.24
# 1994 genre rating
01 The Incredible Machine 2 puzzle
4.32
02 X-COM: Ufo Defense strategy
4.30
03 Micro Machines racing
4.29
04 Doom 2: Hell on Earth shooter
4.28
05 Heretic shooter
4.27
06 Colonization strategy
4.25
07 Overlord vehicle simulation
4.24
08 Fleet Defender vehicle simulation
4.24
09 1942: The Pacific Air War vehicle simulation
4.24
10 Super Mariio Bros action
4.23
# 1995 genre rating
01 Whiplash racing
4.30
02 Star Wars: Dark Forces shooter
4.27
03 NHL 96 sports
4.27
04 Screamer racing
4.26
05 Transport Tycoon Deluxe simulation
4.25
06 Grand Prix 2 racing
4.25
07 Albion rpg
4.24
08 Psycho Pinball action
4.23
09 Extreme Pinball action
4.23
10 Steel Panthers strategy
4.22
# 1996 genre rating
01 Battle Arena Toshinden action
4.33
02 Master of Orion 2: Battle at Antares strategy
4.30
03 Super Street Fighter 2 action
4.27
04 The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall rpg
4.26
05 F-22 Lightning 2 vehicle simulation
4.25
06 Road Rash racing
4.25
07 Free Enterprise simulation
4.24
08 Pray for Death action
4.24
09 Conquest of the New World (Deluxe Edition) strategy
4.24
10 Quake shooter
4.24
# 1997 genre rating
01 Warlords 3: Reign of Heroes strategy
4.28
02 Broken Sword 2: The Smoking Mirror adventure
4.26
03 Interstate '76 racing
4.24
04 Virtua Cop 2 shooter
4.24
05 Lucky Luke action
4.23
06 Dilbert's Desktop Games action
4.21
07 Carmageddon racing
4.21
08 Blood shooter
4.20
09 Age of Empires strategy
4.20
10 Magic: The Gathering strategy
4.18
# 1998 genre rating
01 Caesar 3 simulation
4.25
02 People's General strategy
4.25
03 Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines strategy
4.24
04 Populous: The Beginning strategy
4.21
05 Dune 2000 strategy
4.21
06 Railroad Tycoon 2 simulation
4.21
07 Norton Commander 5.5 application
4.21
08 Mega Man X3 shooter
4.20
09 101: The Airborne Invasion of Normandy strategy
4.18
10 Axis and Allies strategy
4.17
# 1999 genre rating
01 Jagged Alliance 2 strategy
4.32
02 Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings strategy
4.26
03 Civilization II: Test of Time strategy
4.25
04 Outcast action-adventure
4.24
05 Age of Wonders strategy
4.21
06 Might and Magic 7: For Blood and Honor rpg
4.20
07 Midtown Madness racing
4.20
08 Roller Coaster Tycoon simulation
4.19
09 Pharaoh simulation
4.19
10 Axis and Allies: Iron Blitz strategy
4.19
# 2000 genre rating
01 Nox rpg
4.20
02 Zeus: Master of Olympus simulation
4.17
03 Deus Ex rpg
4.15
04 Patrician 2: Quest for Power simulation
4.13
05 Ground Control strategy
4.10
06 Gal Pani X action
4.07
07 Dark Reign 2 strategy
4.03
08 3D Ultra Lionel Traintown puzzle
4.02
09 Fairy Nights adventure
4.00
10 Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn rpg
3.96
# 2001 genre rating
01 ScummVM application
4.30
02 Empire Earth strategy
4.28
03 Capitalism 2 simulation
4.27
04 Arcanum: of Steamworks and Magick Obscura rpg
4.16
05 Anachronox rpg
4.14
06 Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds strategy
4.11
07 Zoo Tycoon simulation
4.09
08 Independence War 2: Edge Of Chaos vehicle simulation
4.08
09 Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel strategy
4.08
10 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone action-adventure
4.08
# 2002 genre rating
01 Chessmaster 9000 strategy
4.19
02 Hooligans: Storm Over Europe strategy
4.17
03 Roller Coaster Tycoon 2 simulation
4.16
04 Crazy Taxi racing
4.13
05 The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind rpg
4.13
06 Sid Meier's SimGolf sports
4.11
07 Syberia adventure
4.05
08 DOSBox application
4.04
09 Industry Giant 2 simulation
4.00
10 Icewind Dale 2 rpg
3.88
# 2003 genre rating
01 Master of Orion 3 strategy
4.16
02 Yu-Gi-Oh! Power of Chaos - Yugi the Destiny strategy
4.08
03 Van Buren (Fallout 3) rpg
4.07
# 2004 genre rating
01 Spider-Man 2: The Game action-adventure
4.22
02 Dark Horizons Lore: Invasion vehicle simulation
4.20
03 UFO 2000 strategy
4.20
04 Blues Brothers RPG rpg
3.89