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.
Sort by:
Seek and Destroy
DOS19964.2/5 Safari Software
Seek and Destroy was a shoot'em up published by the well known Epic Megagames in 1996 that tried to change the usual shoot'em up gameplay for the better. Instead of wave after wave of enemies to shoot down, you are given short missions to accomplish with your helicopter or your tank (yes, you can choose). At first, missions could seem a bit repetit...
DND
DOS19844.1/5
Mission: Mainframe
DOS19873.9/5
Tank Wars
DOS19904.1/5
One Must Fall 2097
DOS1994freeware4.1/5 Diversions Entertainment
Astro Fire
DOS1994freewareremake3.8/5 ORT Software
Catacomb Abyss
DOS1992protected3.7/5 Softdisk Publishing
Solar Winds: The Escape
DOS19934.1/5 Stone Interactive Media
Epic Pinball
DOSMac1993protected3.7/5 Digital Extremes
Hugo 2: Whodunit?
DOS1991protecteddemo3.4/5 Gray Design Associates
Hugo 2: Whodunit? is an old school graphic adventure game designed by David P. Gray, developed by Gray Design Associates and released in 1991 for MS-DOS only. Hugo 2: Whodunit? is the second installment of the Hugo game series.
Arctic Adventure
DOS19913.4/5 Apogee Software
Crystal Caves
DOS1991protected3.9/5 Apogee Software
Bio Menace Episode 1: Dr. Mangle's Lab
DOS1993freeware4/5 Apogee Software
Aleshar World of Ice
DOS19973.8/5
Hocus Pocus
DOS1994protected4.2/5 Apogee Software
Skyroads
DOS1993freeware4.2/5 Bluemoon Interactive
Shadow Warrior
DOS1997protected3.9/5 3d Realms
One-Nil Soccer Manager
DOS19923.9/5 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...
Aldo's Adventure
DOS1987remake3.8/5
Inner Worlds
DOSLinux19963.6/5 Sleepless Software
Rockstar!
DOS19894/5 Wizard Games
Secret Agent
DOS1992protected3.9/5 Apogee Software
Rise of the Triad: Dark War
DOS1994protected3.9/5 Apogee Software
Jazz Jackrabbit
DOS1994protected3.7/5 Epic MegaGames
Assault Trooper
DOS19973.5/5 Webfoot Technologies
Jill of the Jungle 3: Jill Saves the Prince
DOS19923.8/5 Epic MegaGames
UnReal World v. 3.20
Windows XP/98/95Mac1992freeware4.1/5
Bio Menace Episode 2: The Hidden Lab
DOS1993freeware4.3/5 Apogee Software
Bio Menace Episode 3: Master Cain
DOS1993freeware4.2/5 Apogee Software
Xargon
DOS1993freeware4/5 Epic MegaGames