Shareware: a business model

Shareware is a type of software distribution model that allows users to try a program before purchasing it. It's a marketing strategy and distribution method that was particularly popular in the early days of personal computing, primarily during the 1980s and 1990s.
Shareware games were released for free with limited functionality (for example: no saving, missing levels, time limit), often via a BBS (Bulletin Board System), a floppy disc or a CD included in a printed magazine or by direct download (when internet was in its infancy). If the user liked the shareware product, they could pay to obtain an upgrade and unlock the full game. When digital distribution started to become popular, shareware games slowly faded into oblivion.

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Sango Fighter

Windows XP/98/95DOSLinux1993freeware3.5/5 Panda Entertainment Technology Co.

Scorched Earth

DOS1991protected4/5

Secret Agent

DOS1992protected3.9/5 Apogee Software

Secret Agent: The Escape

DOS19963.8/5 PhreAk Software

Seek and Destroy

DOS19964.2/5 Safari Software

Seek and Destroy was a shoot'em up published by the well known Epic Megagames in 1996 that tried to change the usual shoot'em up gameplay for the better. Instead of wave after wave of enemies to shoot down, you are given short missions to accomplish with your helicopter or your tank (yes, you can choose). At first, missions could seem a bit repetit...

Shadow Warrior

DOS1997protected3.9/5 3d Realms

Sherlock: The Game of Logic

DOS1991protected4.1/5 Everett Kaser Software

Shooting Gallery

DOS19903.8/5 Arcanum Computing

Skyroads

DOS1993freeware4.2/5 Bluemoon Interactive

Skyroads: Xmas Special

DOS1994freeware3.4/5 Bluemoon Interactive

Slicks 'n' Slide

DOS19934.2/5

Snood

DOSWindows XP/98/95Mac OS1996freeware4.1/5

Softporn Adventure

DOS1981freewareNSFW4/5 Sierra On-Line

Solar Winds 2: Galaxy

DOS19933.9/5 Stone Interactive Media

Solar Winds: The Escape

DOS19934.1/5 Stone Interactive Media

Space Miner

DOS19833.5/5

Spacewar

DOS19854/5

Spacewar is one of the earliest digital computer games and is often considered the first interactive video game. It was created in 1962 by Steve Russell, Martin Graetz, and Wayne Wiitanen at the MIT. The game was developed on the PDP-1 minicomputer; this is a DOS port, released in 1985.Spacewar! features two spaceships, controlled by players, that ...

Stargunner

DOS19964/5 GT Interactive Software

Super Battleship

DOS19883.3/5

Super ZZT

DOS19923.3/5 Epic MegaGames

Tank Wars

DOS19904.1/5

Temple of Kroz

DOS1990freeware3.8/5 Apogee Software

Terminal Velocity

Windows XP/98/95DOSLinuxMac OS1995protected3.9/5 Terminal Reality

Tetris (Academysoft)

DOS19963.7/5 AcademySoft

The Adventures of Maddog Williams in the Dungeons of Duridian

DOS1992freeware3.2/5 Game Crafters

The Aethra Chronicles

DOS19943.9/5

The Aethra Chronicles is not a well know fantasy RPG, but it deserves some praise. It was developed by only one person (Micheal Lawrence) and, as the title implies, was intended to be the first volume of a saga. Unfortunately, volume two and three were never made. For a shareware game, Aethra was pretty solid and is still loved by the ones who play...