The most popular 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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Clash of Steel
DOS1993protected3.9/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
Dreamweb
DOS1994freeware4.1/5 Creative reality
Dreamweb is a top-down point and click adventure set in a dark, cyberpunk city. You play as Ryan who has strange, violent, dreams. A top down perspective and the sheer number of items your character can pick up are just two of the peculiarities of this game. Dreamweb was developed by Creative Reality and published by Empire Interactive for DOS in 1...
Knightmare
DOS19863.6/5 Konami
Beneath Apple Manor
DOS1983freeware4.2/5
Beneath Apple Manor is a pioneering game in the roguelike genre, originally developed and released in 1978 by Don Worth for the Apple II and later re-released for DOS as a "Special Edition". It's one of the earliest known role-playing video games (RPGs) with procedurally generated dungeons.In Beneath Apple Manor, players take on the role of an adve...
Astro Fire
DOS1994freewareremake3.8/5 ORT Software
Free Enterprise
Windows XP/98/9519964.2/5 Tsunami Media
Dehumanizing offices? Check. Depressing environment? Check. No windows in the whole place? Check. Good, I'm ready to exploit my workers and become great entrepreneur. All of this thanks to Free Enterprise, a simulation for Windows by Tsunami Media, published in 1996.
Psycho Pinball
DOS19954.2/5 Codemasters
Commander Keen 4: Secret of the Oracle
DOS1991protected4/5 id software
IVAN (Iter Vehemens ad Necem)
DOSWindowsLinuxMac OS2001freeware3.3/5
Evets
DOS1988freeware3.5/5 SAck Enterprizes
Sherlock: The Game of Logic
DOS1991protected4.1/5 Everett Kaser Software
Action Fighter
DOS19893.9/5 Sega
Gauntlet
DOS19864.1/5 Mindscape
The Chessmaster 2000
DOS19864.2/5 The Software Toolworks
Master of Magic
DOSWindows XP/98/951994protected4.2/5 SimTex
Master of Magic is a turn based 4x strategy game developed by SimTex and published by the well know Microprose, very similar to Civilization, with a fantasy twist. You play as a wizard and your objective is to evolve your race from a small settlement to a bursting empire. To do so, you can produce military units to fight other computer controlled p...
Lawn Mower
DOS19873.8/5
Times of Lore
DOS19894.1/5 Origin Systems
Times of Lore is an abandoned action RPG designed by Chris Roberts, developed and released by Origin Systems in 1989 for DOS and many more 8 bit and 16 bit platforms. Compared to Ultima (the much more popular franchise also by Origin) Times of Lore is a washed down RPG, more similar to a NES game. In fact, Roberts was inspired by The Legend of Zelda.
Sword of Aragon
DOS1989protected4.3/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
People's General
Windows XP/98/951998protected4.2/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
Hill Street Blues
DOS19914/5 Krisalis
Hill Street Blues is an old DOS "driving" game developed by Krisalis in 1991. The gameplay it's similar to a Grand Theft Auto clone (we're talking about GTA 1 or 2) in which you are the police and you have to apprehend criminals. Hill Street Blues is a rare example of game based on a TV series.
Battlestar
Windows 3.x1996freeware3.8/5
Ivan 'Iron Man' Stewart's Super Off Road
DOS19904.2/5 Leland
Ivan 'Iron Man' Stewart's Super Off Road is an abandoned diagonal-down off-road racing game developed by Leland and released by Virgin Interactive in 1990 for DOS, but also published for Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, C64, ZX Spectrum and a lot of 8-bit and 16-bit consoles. Super Off Road is a classic fixed-screen track-racing similar to S...
X-Men 2: The Fall of the Mutants
DOS19914.2/5 Paragon Software
BattleTech: The Crescent Hawks' Revenge
DOS19904.1/5 Westwood Studios
BattleTech: The Crescent Hawks' Revenge is a turn-based strategy game developed by Westwood Associates and published by Infocom in 1990. It is the sequel to "Crescent Hawk's Inception" and is set in the BattleTech universe, a fictional universe where noble houses and mercenary groups vie for power using giant robotic vehicles known as BattleMe...
Command Adventures: Starship
DOS19953.6/5 Future Vision
Phantasie 3: The Wrath of Nikademus
DOS19874.1/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
The Magic Candle 3
DOS19923.9/5 Mindcraft Software
V for victory: Velikiye Luki
DOS1992protected3.9/5 Atomic Games
Lords of the Realm 2
DOSWindows XP/98/95WindowsMac OS1996protected4.4/5 Impressions Games
Lords of the Realm II is a medieval-themed real-time strategy (RTS) and turn-based strategy game developed by Impressions Games and published by Sierra On-Line. Released in 1996, it is the second game in the "Lords of the Realm" series. Players manage their kingdom by balancing resources such as food, weapons, and gold, engaging in diplomacy w...
Epic Pinball
DOSMac OS1993protected3.7/5 Digital Extremes