Abandonware DOS title

The most popular demo games

Let's begin with a crucial point: not every old game is abandoned. With the resurgence of "vintage," there's a renewed interest in all things retro, including video games. As a direct consequence, some companies have acquired entire back catalogs of old games and started selling them. That's why many interesting games on Abandonware DOS are marked as "NOT abandonware"; they are available for purchase online.

Enter demos. As you probably already know, game demos, short for demonstration, are limited versions of video games that are released by game developers or publishers to give players a taste of the gameplay before they decide to purchase the full game. These demos are often released ahead of the full game's launch or alongside it. Game demos typically showcase a portion of the game, allowing players to experience the mechanics, graphics, and overall feel of the gameplay.

Game demo versions are a relic of the past. You don't often see demos of recent games on platforms like Steam or GOG, but in the late 80s and 90s, demo versions of games were quite common. This trend was especially notable when video game magazines started including floppy disks or CDs, at a time when the internet was almost non-existent.

Building on this premise, I have embarked on a journey to collect old game demos and make them accessible online through Abandonware DOS, with a specific focus on commercial games. Enjoy!

goblins-3-03

Goblins 3

DOS1994protecteddemo Coktel Vision
Goblins 3 (also known as Goblins Quest 3) is a point-and-click adventure game developed and published by Coktel Vision. It was released in 1993 as the third installment in the Gobl...
colonelbequest-3

The Colonel's Bequest

DOS1989protecteddemo Sierra On-Line
The Colonel's Bequest is a graphic adventure game developed and published by Sierra On-Line. It was released in 1989 for various platforms, including MS-DOS, Amiga, and Atari ST. T...
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.&n...
qfg2-2

Quest for Glory 2: Trial by Fire

DOS1990protecteddemo Sierra On-Line
Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire is the second installment in Sierra On-Line's Quest for Glory series, blending classic adventure gameplay with RPG elements in a world inspired by...
the-last-express-08

The Last Express

DOSWindows XP/98/95Mac OS1997protecteddemo Smoking Car Productions
The Last Express, released in 1997, is a unique adventure game designed by Jordan Mechner, the creator of Prince of Persia. Set on the Orient Express in July 1914, just before Worl...
full-throttle-02

Full Throttle

DOS1995protecteddemo LucasArts
monkey2-3

Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge

DOS1991protecteddemo LucasArts
Monkey Island 2 is the second game of the Monkey Island series, a point and click adventure game set in a world of pirates and mysterious treasures. Monkey Island 2 utilizes a comm...
grim-fandango-04

Grim Fandango

Windows XP/98/951998protecteddemo LucasArts
Grim Fandango is an adventure game developed and published by LucasArts. It was released in 1998 and is known for its unique setting and distinctive art style. The game was directe...
gabrielknight-5

Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers

DOSWindows 3.xMac OS1993protecteddemo Sierra On-Line
Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers is a point-and-click adventure game developed and published by Sierra On-Line. It was released in 1993 and designed by Jane Jensen. The game is ...
age-of-wonders-09

Age of Wonders

Windows XP/98/951999protecteddemo Triumph Studios
Mix one part turn-based strategy, one part fantasy novel, add a dash of dragon, and you get Age of Wonders (1999). This is the game where wizards rule, elves sulk in forests, and y...
ihnom-4

I have no Mouth and I Must Scream

DOS1995protecteddemo The Dreamers Guild
malcolmrevenge-1

Legend of Kyrandia 3: Malcolm's Revenge

DOSMac OS1994protecteddemo Westwood Studios
The Legend of Kyrandia: Malcolm's Revenge is the third and final installment in the Legend of Kyrandia series. This point-and-click adventure game was developed and published by We...
riven-myst-04

Riven: The Sequel to Myst

Windows XP/98/95Mac OS1997protecteddemo Cyan Worlds
Riven is the sequel to the highly successful and critically acclaimed adventure game, Myst. Developed by Cyan Worlds, Riven was released in 1997 and continues the narrative establi...
policequest3-3

Police Quest 3: The Kindred

DOS1991protecteddemo Sierra On-Line
Police Quest 3: The Kindred is an adventure video game developed and published by Sierra On-Line in 1991. It is the third installment in the Police Quest series, which was designed...
kings-quest-6-4

King's Quest 6: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow

DOSWindows 3.x1992protecteddemo Sierra On-Line
descent-1

Descent

DOS1995protecteddemo Parallax Software
If you ever wanted to feel like you were trapped in a washing machine armed with lasers, Descent is your game. Released in 1995, this claustrophobic, six-degrees-of-freedom shooter...
indylastcrusade-4

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

DOS1989protecteddemo LucasArts
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure is a point-and-click adventure game released in 1989 by Lucasfilm Games. The game was designed by Ron Gilbert, David Fox, ...
handoffate-3

Legend of Kyrandia 2: Hand of fate

DOSMac OS1993protecteddemo Westwood Studios
The Legend of Kyrandia: Hand of Fate is the second installment in the Legend of Kyrandia point and click adventure game series developed by Westwood Studios. It was released in 199...
heretic-1

Heretic

DOS1994protecteddemo Raven Software
xmen-children-atom-04

X-Men: Children of the Atom

DOS1997demo Capcom
X-Men: Children of the Atom is a fighting video game developed by Capcom and released in arcades in 1994. The game features characters from Marvel Comics' X-Men series, including p...
operation-inner-space-03

Operation: Inner Space

Windows 3.x1994protecteddemo Software Dynamics
quake2-03

Quake 2

Windows XP/98/95Windows 10/11Mac OS1997protecteddemo Activision
Quake II is a first-person shooter video game developed by id Software and released in 1997. It is the sequel to the original Quake and was a significant milestone in the evolution...
worms-splash

Worms

DOS1995protecteddemo Team 17
peppers-adventures-in-time-1

Pepper's Adventures in Time

DOS1993demo Sierra On-Line
ishar2-7

Ishar 2: Messengers of Doom

DOS1994protecteddemo Silmarils
Ishar 2 (1994, DOS) picks up where the first game left off, and then throws in more ways to punish careless adventurers. It’s a first-person RPG where managing your party isn...
questglory4-11

Quest for Glory 4: Shadows of Darkness

DOSWindows 3.x1993protecteddemo Sierra On-Line
Quest for Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness is an adventure role-playing game (RPG) developed and published by Sierra On-Line. It was released in 1993 as the fourth installment in the ...
f15strikeeagle-splash

F-15 Strike Eagle

DOS1985demo MicroProse Software
mortalkombat2-5

Mortal Kombat 2

DOS1994protecteddemo Midway Manufacturing Company
Mortal Kombat II is an arcade fighting game released by Midway in 1993. It's the sequel to the original Mortal Kombat (1992). The game introduced several new fighters, includi...
mm-world-of-xeen-06

Might and Magic: World of Xeen

DOSMac OS1994protecteddemo New World Computing
Might and Magic: World of Xeen is a fantasy role-playing game (RPG) released in 1994, which is a combination of two games: Clouds of Xeen and Darkside of Xeen. These games were par...
voyeur-05

Voyeur

Windows XP/98/95Mac OSDOS1993demoNSFW Philips Interactive Media