The best abandonware strategy games

Games based on strategy allow for reasoning and planning of one’s moves and actions. The gameplay may be based on player’s turns (Turn-based Strategy) or it may be in real time (Real-Time Strategy, RTS). These games focus on strategy and tactics rather than action, sometimes with the addition of financial or logistic features.

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Anacreon: Reconstruction 4021

DOS1987freeware3.9/5 4x

Anacreon: Reconstruction 4021 is one of the first 4x turn-based strategy games, ASCII based. Anacreon is set in space, as most 4x sci-fi games are, and was published by Thinking Machines Associates and designed by George Moromisato who later re-released the game as freeware.

Arrakis

DOS20003.9/5 real-time strategy

The Settlers II: Veni, Vidi, Vici

DOSMac OS1996protected3.9/5 sandbox strategy, real-time strategy, city building

Core War Plus

DOS19843.9/5 real-time tactics

Populous

DOS19893.9/5 sandbox strategy, god game, real-time strategy

Populous is an abandoned strategy game designed by the video game celebrity Peter Molyneux, developed by Bullfrog. Populous was released by Electronic Arts in 1989 for DOS and for a long list of other 16-bit and 8-bit systems, both console and PCs. Populos is a really unique game: it gave the name to the the whole god-game genre since, well, in the...

Fantasy Empires

DOS1993protected3.9/5 turn-based tactics

Teenage Queen

DOS1988NSFW3.9/5 cards

D-Zone

DOS19923.9/5

Rules of Engagement 2

DOS19933.9/5 real-time tactics

Acquire

DOS19893.9/5 board game

Over the Reich

Windows XP/98/95Windows 3.x19963.9/5 wargame

Blood & Magic

DOS19963.9/5 real-time strategy

Full Metal Planete

DOSMac OS19903.9/5 turn-based tactics, board game

Gnome Alone

DOS19913.9/5

Monopoly (Adam Stevens)

DOS19983.9/5 board game

Playhouse Strip Poker

DOS1988NSFW3.9/5 cards

Queen of Tenshindo 95

Windows XP/98/951995NSFW3.9/5 cards

Stellar Crusade

DOS1988protected3.9/5 4x

The Ball Game

DOS19913.9/5 board game

4Play

Windows 3.x1995NSFW3.9/5 board game

4Play is a multi-player board-like strategy party-game for adults released for Windows 3.1 in 1995. 4Play is a board-game very similar to Monopoly in which players have to perform certain (adult) actions in response to events happening on the board.

Bandit Kings of Ancient China

DOS19893.9/5 kingdom simulation

Black Crown

DOS19953.9/5 board game

War in Middle Earth

DOS19893.9/5 real-time tactics, real-time strategy

War in Middle-earth is a real-time strategy game developed by Synergistic Software and published by Melbourne House. It was released in 1988 for various platforms including the Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, and Amstrad CPC.The game is based on J.R.R. Tolkien's epic fantasy world of Middle-earth, specifically focusing on the events depicted in "The Lor...