The most popular shareware games

Shareware is a type of software distribution model that allows users to try a program before purchasing it. It's a marketing strategy and distribution method that was particularly popular in the early days of personal computing, primarily during the 1980s and 1990s.
Shareware games were released for free with limited functionality (for example: no saving, missing levels, time limit), often via a BBS (Bulletin Board System), a floppy disc or a CD included in a printed magazine or by direct download (when internet was in its infancy). If the user liked the shareware product, they could pay to obtain an upgrade and unlock the full game. When digital distribution started to become popular, shareware games slowly faded into oblivion.

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Ack-Ack Attack!

DOS1995remake PLBM Games

Rise of the Triad: Dark War

DOS1994protected Apogee Software

Kingdom of Kroz

DOS1988freeware Apogee Software

Blood

DOS1997protected Monolith Productions

Solar Winds: The Escape

DOS1993 Stone Interactive Media

Dark Designs 2: Closing the Gate

DOS1990 Softdisk Publishing

Abuse

DOSLinuxMac OS1995freeware Crack dot Com

Jazz Jackrabbit

DOS1994protected Epic MegaGames

Crystal Caves

DOS1991protected Apogee Software

Kingdom of Kroz 2

DOS1990 Apogee Software

Commander Keen 6: Aliens Ate my Baby Sitter!

DOS1991 id software

Blake Stone 2: Planet Strike

DOS1994protected JAM Productions

Alien Rampage

DOS1996

Captain Comic, The Adventures of

DOS1988freeware

One-Nil Soccer Manager

DOS1992 New Era Software

One-Nil Soccer Manager is a text-based soccer management simulation game that was popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It was developed for various home computer systems, including DOS, Commodore 64 and Amiga. In One-Nil Soccer Manager, players take on the role of a soccer team manager, making strategic decisions to guide their team to s...

The Aethra Chronicles

DOS1994

The Aethra Chronicles is not a well know fantasy RPG, but it deserves some praise. It was developed by only one person (Micheal Lawrence) and, as the title implies, was intended to be the first volume of a saga. Unfortunately, volume two and three were never made. For a shareware game, Aethra was pretty solid and is still loved by the ones who play...

DND

DOS1984

Blades of Exile

Windows 3.xMac OSWindows XP/98/951997freeware Spiderweb Software

Blades of Exile is a classic role-playing video game developed by Spiderweb Software. It's the third installment in the "Exile" series. The game was released in 1997 for Mac OS, and later for Windows in 1998.In Blades of Exile, players control a party of adventurers who explore the underground world of Exile/Avernum, a vast network of caves and dun...

God of Thunder

DOSWindows XP/98/951993freeware Adept Software

God of Thunder is a classic computer game developed by Adept Software and released in 1993. It's a puzzle platformer with a fantasy theme. In the game, you control Thor, the Norse god of thunder, on a quest to save Midgard (Earth) from the evil god Loki and his minions.The gameplay involves navigating through various levels filled with obstacles, e...

Mario Bros VGA

DOS1990remake

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.