The best top down games

Top down games were very popular in the 80s and the 90s, when graphic cards were not capable of supporting 3D, and even when 3D started to become popular, 2D games continued to be easier to develop, at least in the infancy of 3D gaming. 2D game offered the player a viewpoint that helped keeping things easily under control (think about top down party-based RPGs or hex-based strategy games).

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Action in the North Atlantic

DOS1989 General Quarters Software

Hexxagon

DOS1993 Argo Games

Indenture

DOS1995remake

Infiltrator 2

DOS1988 Chris Gray Enterprises

Joan of Arc

DOS1989 Chip

Joyous Rebel

DOS1996freeware

Lego Loco

Windows XP/98/951998 Intelligent Games

M.U.D.S. - Mean Ugly Dirty Sport

DOS1990 Golden Goblins

Monopoly

DOS1985

Rodent's Revenge

Windows 3.x1991 Microsoft

Rodent's Revenge is a puzzle video game originally released in 1991 as part of the Microsoft Entertainment Pack for Windows. Developed by Christopher Lee Fraley, the game is simple, with gameplay revolving around a small mouse character attempting to outwit cats by trapping them using movable blocks. The primary goal is to trap the cats by pus...

SimFarm

DOSWindows XP/98/95Mac OS1993 Maxis

SimFarm is a simulation video game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts in 1993. In SimFarm, players take on the role of a farmer and manage various aspects of running a farm, including planting crops, raising livestock, and dealing with natural disasters.Players start with a basic farm and a limited amount of resources, and they mus...

The Taking of Beverly Hills

DOS1991 Off The Wall Productions

Star Wars: Yoda Stories

Windows XP/98/951997 LucasArts

Sherlock: The Game of Logic

DOS1991protected Everett Kaser Software

Rogue

Windows XP/98/95DOSLinuxMac OS1984 Artificial Intelligence Design

Rogue is one of the first RPGs in the history of video gaming. It's a text-based dungeon crawler in which you have to fight your way in the dungeon to recover the Amulet of Yendor. Rogue became popular around 1980 on mainframes and later ported to various platforms, including DOS in 1984. Rogue is simply the father of all the roguelike games that c...

Master of Orion 3

Windows XP/98/95Mac OS2003protected Quicksilver Software

Rockford: The Arcade Game

DOS1987protected Arcadia Systems

Settlers of Catan

DOS1998

Starflight

DOS1986 Binary Systems

Starflight is a classic space exploration and role-playing video game released in 1986 by Binary Systems and published by Electronic Arts. It is known for its innovative gameplay, as well as its open-ended approach to space exploration and storytelling.The game is set in a massive, procedurally generated universe with thousands of star systems to e...

PC-Man

DOS1982remake Orion Software

PC-Man is an abandoned top-down Pac-Man clone in every regard: from the shape of the protagonist, to the cute ghosts. PC-Man was designed by Greg Kuperberg, developed by Orion Software and released in 1982 for DOS. As PC-Man, you have to move through a one screen maze to collect dots (pills? wafers?) and avoid being touched by one of the usual Pac-...

Block O Mania

DOS1989 Crystal Shard

No Greater Glory

DOSMac OS1991protected

Ultima 5: Warriors of Destiny

DOS1988 Origin Systems

Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny is a role-playing video game developed and published by Origin Systems in 1988. It is the fifth installment in the highly influential Ultima series, created by Richard Garriott. Initially released for the Apple II and Commodore 64, it was later ported to DOS, Atari ST, Amiga, and other platforms. The story pi...

The Chessmaster 2000

DOS1986 The Software Toolworks

Heroes of Might and Magic II

DOSWindows XP/98/951996protected New World Computing

Steel Panthers

DOS1995 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.

Steel Panthers is the first game in the Steel Panthers series. It was released in 1995 by Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI). This initial release laid the foundation for the series and introduced players to the turn-based tactical wargame experience that would be further developed in subsequent titles. The game focused on armored warfare and featur...