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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Space Federation
DOS1994 Interplay Productions
Lords of the Realm 2
DOSWindows XP/98/95Windows 10/11Mac OS1996protected 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" s...
Fantasy General
DOS1996protected SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
Fantasy General is a hex-based turn-based strategy fantasy wargame. The player can duel either against a computer or a human opponent or even take part in a longer campaign. There are two sides to chose from, one good and one evil...
Prophecy: the Fall of Trinadon
DOS1989 Activision
Knightmare
DOS1986 Konami
Oxyd
DOS1992 Dongleware
Kasparov's Gambit
DOS1993 Heuristic software
Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday
DOS1990protected SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
In the 25th century, bureaucracy is still awful—but now you also have laser guns. Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday is a surprisingly solid sci-fi RPG that blends space opera drama with crunchy tactical combat. Think Dungeo...
Sherlock: The Game of Logic
DOS1991protected Everett Kaser Software
Bush Buck: Global Treasure Hunter
DOS1991 Pc globe
If Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego had a caffeinated younger cousin, it would be Bush Buck: Global Treasure Hunter. You race around the globe chasing clues, dodging rivals, and learning just enough geography to impress your ...
The Global Dilemma: Guns or Butter
DOS1990 Mindscape
240 Racing
DOS1998
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to drive very fast in what looks like a PowerPoint presentation with a need for speed, 240 Racing from 1998 delivers the thrill. With blocky graphics and a frame rate that politel...
Command Adventures: Starship
DOS1995 Future Vision
Ground Control
Windows XP/98/952000protected Massive Entertainment
Ground Control is a strategy game developed by Massive Entertainment and released by Sierra On-Line in 2000. More precisely Ground Control is a real time tactical game with a sci-fi setting.
World tour golf
DOS1985 Electronic Arts
Welltris
DOS1989 Sphere
Welltris is a puzzle video game designed by Alexey Pajitnov, the creator of Tetris. Released in 1989, Welltris offers a fresh take on the block-dropping mechanics of Tetris, expanding the gameplay into a 3D environment. Simil...
The Ancient Art of War at Sea
DOS1987 Evryware
Heroes of Might and Magic II
DOSWindows XP/98/951996protected New World Computing
Beverly Hills Cop
DOS1990 Tynesoft Computer Software
Take Eddie Murphy’s swagger, remove the charm, add some DOS chiptunes, and you get Beverly Hills Cop—a game adaptation that asks: “What if being a wisecracking detective meant stiff animations and random driving ...
Operation: Inner Space
Windows 3.x1994protecteddemo Software Dynamics
MicroProse Soccer
DOS1988protected Sensible Software
MicroProse Soccer is an abandoned action-oriented soccer game, developed by Sensible Software and released by MicroProse Software in 1988. The appeal of MicroProse Soccer was its simplicity and the smooth controls. In the United S...
The Grandest Fleet
DOS1994 Quantum quality productions
Dark Reign: The Future of War
Windows XP/98/951997protected Auran Games
Blood & Magic
DOS1996 Tachyon Studios
From the people who brought you Dungeons & Dragons, here's Blood & Magic (1996), the RTS that nobody remembers but definitely deserves a second glance. You summon golems from magical “blood forges” because appa...
High Command: Europe 1939-45
DOS1992 Colorado Computer Creations
Star General
Windows XP/98/95DOS1996protected Catware, Inc.
Star General is a turn-based strategy game developed by Catware and published by SSI (Strategic Simulations, Inc.). It was released in 1996 for MS-DOS and later for Windows. The game is set in a science fiction universe where play...
Capitalism Plus
DOSWindows XP/98/951997protected Enlight Software
Before there was Capitalism 2, there was Capitalism Plus, which basically took the original and added a few bells, whistles, and ways to fail spectacularly. It’s like being handed a multi-billion dollar toy box and told &ldq...
Rock 'n Roll
DOS1989 Rainbow Arts
IVAN (Iter Vehemens ad Necem)
DOSWindows 10/11LinuxMac OS2001freeware
Akalabeth: World of Doom
DOS1981freeware California Pacific Computer
Ah yes, the game that crawled so Ultima could run. Akalabeth is a wireframe dungeon crawl where you descend into monster-infested labyrinths with the elegance of a lost spreadsheet. The graphics are so old school they could legall...