Abandonware DOS title

The best 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).
global-effect-05

Global Effect

DOS1992 Millennium Interactive
goal-07

Goal!

DOS1993 Dini & Dini Productions
grandmonsterslam-2

Grand Monster Slam

DOS1989 Golden Goblins
Grand Monster Slam is an action sports game developed by Golden Goblins and published by Rainbow Arts in 1989. The game was released for a variety of platforms, including the Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and MS-DOS. The game is set in a fantasy world where players compete in a sport called Monster Slam. The sport involves two opposing player...
lotr2b-02

J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. II: The Two Towers

DOS1992 Interplay Productions
J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. II: The Two Towers is an abandoned fantasy top-down DOS RPG game set in the The Lord of the Rings universe. The Lord of the Rings II was developed and released by Interplay Productions in 1992. The Lord of the Rings, Vol. II: The Two Towers is based on the popular The Lord Of The Rings book by J.R.R. Tol...
legend-of-the-sword-03

Legend of the Sword

DOS1988 Silicon Software
mcarthur-war-02

MacArthur's War

DOS1990 SSG Strategic Studies Group
motor-city-title

Motor City

DOS1994 Max Design
navy-seal-02

Navy Seal

DOS1989 Cosmi Corporation
netstorm-02

NetStorm: Islands at War

Windows XP/98/951997
omegacomplex-4

Omega

DOS1989 Origin Systems
Omega is an abandoned science fiction themed strategy game developed and released by Origin Systems in 1989 for DOS, Amiga, Apple II, Atari ST, C64. Omega is a rare example of a programming game about robots.
operation-harrier-06

Operation Harrier

DOS1990 Creative Materials
pango-02

Pango

DOS1983remake
piratesg_006

Pirates! Gold

DOSWindows 3.xMac OS1993protectedremakedemo MicroProse Software
Pirates! Gold is an open world game designed by Paul Murphy, developed and released by MicroProse Software in 1993 for DOS, Windows 3.x, Mac and also Sega Genesis and Amiga CD32. Pirates! Gold is a remake of the game Pirates, created by Sid Meier in 1987. Pirates! Gold gameplay is a unique mix of action, strategy, pirate life simulation, ...
pizza-tycoon-5

Pizza Tycoon

Windows XP/98/95DOSLinuxMac OS1994protected Software 2000
reaping-the-dungeon-06

Reaping The Dungeon

DOS1993 Frontline Software
roadwareuropa-1

Roadwar Europa

DOS1987protected SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
sexy-droids-05

Sexy Droids

DOS1992NSFW Eleven Software
civnet-win-04

Sid Meier's CivNet

Windows XP/98/95Windows 3.x1995 MicroProse Software
CivNet is a multiplayer adaptation of the original Sid Meier's Civilization game, released in 1995. It was developed and published by MicroProse for MS-DOS and Windows. This version of Civilization brought networked multiplayer gameplay to the series for the first time, alongside updated graphics and improved interface elements. CivNet retaine...
skiordie-3

Ski or Die

DOS1990 Electronic Arts
Ski or Die is a winter sports-themed video game that was originally released in 1990 for various platforms, including the Commodore 64, Amiga, and MS-DOS. The game was developed by Electronic Arts and was a follow-up to their earlier title, "California Games". Ski or Die features a collection of winter sports events: downhill blitz, acro aerials, s...
socrates-chess-03

Socrates

DOS1993
traders-02

Traders

DOS1992 Linel
vengeance-excalibur-04

Vengeance of Excalibur

DOS1991 Synergistic Software
weird-worlds-return-05

Weird Worlds: Return to Infinite Space

Windows XP/98/95LinuxMac OS2005protected Digital Eel
Weird Worlds: Return to Infinite Space is a science fiction roguelike game developed by Digital Eel. Originally released in 2005, it is the sequel to Strange Adventures in Infinite Space. The game puts you in command of a starship exploring the randomly generated reaches of the fictional Purple Void. Your mission is to explore, trade, battle, ...
welltris-3

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. Similar to Tetris, geometric pieces fall into the well. However, instead of stacking vertically, the blocks slide down the wa...
simlife-2

SimLife

DOSMac OSWindows 3.x1992 Maxis
SimLife is an abandoned simulation game focused on managing a ecosystems and experimenting with genetics. SimLife was designed by Ken Karakotsios, developed and released by Maxis in 1992 for DOS and later also published for Macintosh, Amiga, Windows 3.x and Amiga.
angband-03

Angband

Windows XP/98/95DOSLinux1992freeware
dungeon-crawl-dos-03

Dungeon Crawl

Windows XP/98/95DOSLinux1997freeware
Dungeon Crawl (also known as Linley's Dungeon Crawl from the name of the original programmer: Linley Henzell) is a classic roguelike: an RPG with permadeath, procedural generation and high replayability. Dungeon Crawl was released on 1997 but it's not maintained anymore. The spiritual successr of Crawl is DCCS (Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup).
wcs_italy90-splash

Italy 1990

DOS1990 Tiertex Design Studios
wizcrown-6

Wizard's Crown

DOS1987protected SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
amberstar-08

Amberstar

DOS1992 Thalion
Amberstar is a fantasy old school RPG very similar to Ultima 6 that uses a top-down view for interiors and small locations and a first person pseudo 3D view for everything else. Unfortunately, the sequel (called Ambermoon) was available for Amiga only and no version existed for DOS or Windows. Amberstar was developed and published by Thalion for DO...