The most popular abandonware action games
Action video games are a genre of video games that emphasize physical challenges, hand-eye coordination, and reaction time. These games typically involve fast-paced gameplay, where players control a character who must navigate through a dynamic environment filled with obstacles, enemies, and other challenges. The primary focus is on the player's ability to react quickly and make split-second decisions.
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Rick Dangerous 2
DOS1990 platform
Rick Dangerous 2 is a clear example of a sequel done right. Developed by Core Design and released in 1990 on a plethora of platforms, Rick Dangerous 2 is a classic platform game with a (linear) story. The first levels can be played in any order: an ice cave, Hyde Park in London, a forest and the atomic mud mines. The fifth level will become availab...
Pinball Dreams
DOS1993protected pinball
Mad Mix
DOS1988 maze
Joust VGA
DOS1990remake platform
Kingdom of Kroz 2
DOS1990 maze
Ninja Gaiden
DOS1990 beat 'em up
Ninja Gaiden, released in 1988 for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and later to other platforms, is a side-scrolling action-platformer developed by Tecmo. It follows the story of Ryu Hayabusa, a skilled ninja on a quest for vengeance and justice.In the game, players control Ryu as he battles through six acts, each divided into several stage...
Ninja Rabbits
DOS1992 beat 'em up
The Neverending Story 2: The Arcade Game
DOS1991 platform
Ant Attack!
DOS1994freeware maze
Released in 1994 (long after it originally debuted on other platforms), Ant Attack! is what you get when you mix isometric graphics, giant ants, and questionable urban planning. You play a brave soul navigating a crumbling city to rescue someone — while being constantly menaced by mutant ants the size of Volkswagens. It’s surprisingly t...
Moonwalker
DOS1989 platform
3D-Maze
Windows 3.x1991 maze
Ah, 3D-Maze. If you used Windows 3.x, you probably saw this lurking in the corner of your screen savers like a digital minotaur. Released in 1991, it’s not quite a game, but everyone played it anyway. You walk endlessly through a tiled labyrinth while a floating smiley face pops up to say hello or possibly curse your ancestors. There’s ...
Mageslayer
Windows XP/98/951997 maze
Mageslayer is an action game developed by Raven Software and published by GT Interactive in 1997 for MS-DOS. It stands out as a top-down, hack-and-slash dungeon crawler inspired by games like Gauntlet, but with an original fantasy setting and a darker, more intense tone. The game uses the same engine as Take No Prisoners, another Raven Software tit...
Bubble Pop
DOS1997 platform
The name screams “budget shareware,” and Bubble Pop delivers. It’s the digital equivalent of popping bubble wrap, except someone decided it needed high scores and obnoxious MIDI music. You click. Things pop. You click faster. That’s it. It’s oddly satisfying in that mindless way, like fishing in Animal Crossing or doom...
Commander Keen 3: Keen Must Die!
DOS1990protected platform
Earthworm Jim
DOS1995protected platform, run and gun
Captain Dynamo
DOS1993 platform
Mario Bros VGA
DOS1990remake platform
Mario Bros VGA is a fan made remake of the original Mario Bros by Nintendo, the game that popularized the character of Mario, the Italian plumber that first appeared in Donkey Kong. Mario Bros VGA is a fixed-screen platform arcade game that truly shines when played in co-op with a friend.
Bouncing Babies
DOS1984
Ah yes, the golden age of video games: where catching babies yeeted from burning buildings was a fun pastime. In Bouncing Babies, you play as a heroic volunteer with a trampoline, catching pixel infants and launching them to safety. It’s like juggling, but if you drop anything, you feel absolutely awful. Equal parts wholesome and horrifying, ...
Uncover It
DOS1994NSFW block breaker
Bagman
Windows 10/112013freewareremake platform
No, it’s not about a guy who holds your groceries. Bagman is a retro-style indie throwback where you’re a pickaxe-wielding convict trying to steal bags of cash from a mine while dodging guards and gravity. Released decades after the original arcade version, this 2013 remake proves two things: pixelated heists never go out of style, and ...
Disney's The Jungle Book
DOSWindows XP/98/951995protected platform
Electroman
DOS1992freeware platform, run and gun
Double Dragon 3: The Rosetta Stone
DOS1992 beat 'em up
Baby Joe in: Going Home
DOS1991 platform
In 1991, DOS gamers were treated to the weirdest parenting simulator ever: Baby Joe in: Going Home. You play as Baby Joe, an infant inexplicably left to crawl through caves, forests, and other extremely child-unfriendly terrain. Why is a baby traversing spike pits and lava flows? No one knows. Maybe his babysitter was the final boss. With floaty co...
McDonald Land
DOS1992 platform
ALF: The First Adventure
DOS1987 maze
Remember ALF? The sarcastic alien who really had it in for cats? Well, in ALF: The First Adventure, you get to live the dream—or nightmare—of controlling the furry menace himself. Released in 1987 for DOS, this Pac-Man-esque maze game tasks you with dodging angry dads, catching pizzas, and avoiding the law. (Yes, really.) It’s lik...
Pocahontas
DOS1995 platform
Bubble Ghost
DOS1988 maze
Your uncle is dead, but his ghost can still blow out candles. That’s the premise. Bubble Ghost is a quirky physics puzzler where you guide a delicate bubble through haunted rooms by gently blowing on it—yes, literally using ghost breath. It's charmingly French, weirdly addictive, and infuriating when your bubble pops because of that one...
Moon Patrol
DOS1983
Night Breed
DOS1990