Abandonware DOS title

Demo versions: try before you buy sorted by release date

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!

malcolmrevenge-1

Legend of Kyrandia 3: Malcolm's Revenge

DOSMac OS1994protecteddemo4.2/5 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 Westwood Studios, released in 1994. Unlike the first two games, where players assumed the role of a protagonist fighting against the villain Malcolm, Malcolm's Revenge take...
mm-world-of-xeen-06

Might and Magic: World of Xeen

DOSMac OS1994protecteddemo4/5 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 part of the Might and Magic series, a franchise of RPGs developed by New World Computing. World of Xeen represents the merging of these two games into a single, interconnect...
operation-inner-space-03

Operation: Inner Space

Windows 3.x1994protecteddemo3.8/5 Software Dynamics
raptor-1

Raptor: Call of the Shadows

DOSWindows XP/98/95Mac OS1994protecteddemo4.1/5 Cygnus Studios
Raptor: Call of the Shadows is a vertically scrolling shoot 'em up video game developed by Cygnus Studios and published by Apogee Software. The game was first released in 1994 for MS-DOS and later ported to other platforms. In Raptor, players control a fighter jet through various levels filled with enemy aircraft, ground targets, power-ups and boss...
warcraft-1

Warcraft: Orcs and Humans

DOS1994protecteddemo4.2/5 Blizzard Entertainment
Warcraft: Orcs & Humans is the first real-time fantasy strategy game from Blizzard Entertainment. Two separate story lines (Orcs and Humans) evolve with 12 scenarios per side telling the tale of the battle for the Kingdom of Azeroth. Players must mine gold and chop wood in order to construct buildings and create units. Each side tries to destro...
descent-1

Descent

DOS1995protecteddemo4.2/5 Parallax Software
Descent is a first person shooter with a unique six degree of freedom gameplay developed by Parallax Software and released by Interplay Productions in 1995.. You control a spaceship and must pilot it in a mine, through a series of 3d levels. The goal of the game is to find a series of keys, shoot down enemy ships and find your way to the next level.
full-throttle-02

Full Throttle

DOS1995protecteddemo4.2/5 LucasArts
gabriel-knight-2-03

Gabriel Knight 2: The Beast Within

DOSWindows XP/98/95Mac OSWindows 3.x1995protecteddemo4.1/5 Sierra On-Line
Gabriel Knight 2: The Beast Within is a point-and-click adventure game developed and published by Sierra On-Line. It was released in 1995 as a sequel to the original Gabriel Knight game, "Sins of the Fathers". The game was designed by Jane Jensen, who also wrote the story and script.In GK2 The Beast Within, players assume the role of Gabriel Knight...
myst-09

Myst

Windows XP/98/95Windows 3.xMac OS1995protecteddemo4.1/5 Cyan Worlds
Myst is a classic puzzle-adventure video game that was first released in 1993. It was developed by Cyan, a small independent game development studio. The game was initially released for the Macintosh platform and later ported to other systems, including Windows, PlayStation, and more.Myst is a first-person point-and-click adventure game. Players ex...
phantasmagoria-04

Phantasmagoria

Windows XP/98/95DOSMac OS1995protecteddemo4.2/5 Sierra On-Line
Phantasmagoria is a point-and-click horror adventure game developed and published by Sierra On-Line, released in 1995. Directed by Roberta Williams, Phantasmagoria departed from Sierra's usual fantasy and comedic themes to explore a darker, more mature narrative.The game follows the story of Adrienne Delaney, played by Victoria Morsell, and her hus...
space-quest-6-05

Space Quest 6: Roger Wilco in The Spinal Frontier

DOSWindows XP/98/951995protecteddemo4/5 Sierra On-Line
the-dig-08

The Dig

DOSMac OS1995protecteddemo4.1/5 LucasArts
The Dig is a point-and-click adventure game developed and published by LucasArts. It was originally released in 1995 for MS-DOS and later for other platforms, including Mac OS and Windows. The game is known for its atmospheric storytelling, puzzle-solving gameplay, and collaboration with renowned science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke. The Dig inv...
journeyman-project-2-03

The Journeyman Project 2: Buried in Time

Windows XP/98/95Mac OSWindows 3.x1995protecteddemo4.1/5 Presto Studios
The Journeyman Project 2: Buried in Time is a point-and-click adventure game developed by Presto Studios, released in 1995 as a sequel to The Journeyman Project. The Journeyman Project series is set in a future where time travel has been discovered and is regulated by a temporal security agency called the Temporal Security Annex (TSA). Players...
worms-1

Worms

DOS1995protecteddemo4.2/5 Team 17
diablo1-06

Diablo

Windows XP/98/951996protecteddemo4.1/5 Blizzard Entertainment
dogs-of-war-01

Dogs of War

Windows XP/98/951996demo4.2/5 Software Engineering
dukenukem3d-4

Duke Nukem 3D

DOS1996protecteddemo4.2/5 3d Realms
Duke Nukem 3D is a classic first-person shooter that was developed by 3D Realms (formerly known as Apogee Software) and published by GT Interactive. It was released in 1996 for MS-DOS and later for various other platforms, including Windows, Mac OS, and gaming consoles.
indy-desktop-adventures-2

Indiana Jones and his Desktop Adventures

Windows 3.xMac OS1996demo4.1/5 LucasArts
larry7-02

Leisure Suit Larry 7: Love for Sail

DOSWindows XP/98/95Mac OS1996protecteddemoNSFW4.1/5 Sierra On-Line
Leisure Suit Larry 7: Love for Sail! is a graphic adventure game developed and published by Sierra On-Line. It is the sixth installment in the Leisure Suit Larry series and was released in 1996. The game was designed by Al Lowe, the creator of the series, and it continued the humorous and adult-themed style that the series is known for. In Love for...
normality-03

Normality

DOS1996protecteddemo4/5 Gremlin Graphics / Gremlin Interactive
Normality is a first-person adventure video game developed by Gremlin Interactive and released in 1996. The game is set in a dystopian future where a totalitarian regime known as the One True Government (OTG) controls the city of Neutropolis. The player takes on the role of Kent, a rebellious citizen who opposes the oppressive rule of the OTG. The ...
quake_002

Quake

DOSWindows XP/98/951996protecteddemo4.3/5 id software
Quake is a first-person shooter (FPS) video game developed by id Software and released in 1996. It is the successor to id Software's immensely popular "Doom" series and is known for its groundbreaking 3D graphics, fast-paced gameplay, and multiplayer capabilities. The game was created by a team led by John Carmack and John Romero, two of the co-fou...
strife-04

Strife

DOS1996protecteddemo4/5 Velocity
Strife from 1996 is a first-person shooter game developed by Rogue Entertainment and published by Velocity, based on the Doom engine. It's often remembered for being one of the earlier games to blend first-person shooter gameplay with RPG elements, such as dialogue with NPCs, quests, and an overarching storyline.In Strife, players assume the role o...
age_of_empires-7

Age of Empires

Windows XP/98/951997protecteddemo4.2/5 Ensemble Studios
Age of Empires, published by Microsoft and developed by Ensemble Studios, is one of the most popular historical RTS and started a successful series. The player must guide a civilization from prehistory to the iron age, battling other civilizations, building and gathering resources.
fallout1-8

Fallout

DOSWindows XP/98/951997protecteddemo4.1/5 Interplay Productions
quake2-03

Quake 2

Windows XP/98/95WindowsMac OS1997protecteddemo3.9/5 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 of 3D graphics in video games. Quake II maintained the fast-paced, frenetic gameplay of its predecessor. It is a first-person shooter that emphasizes multiplayer ac...
riven-myst-04

Riven: The Sequel to Myst

Windows XP/98/95Mac OS1997protecteddemo4.1/5 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 established in Myst. Just like its predecessor, Riven is a first-person point-and-click adventure game with a focus on exploration and puzzle-solving.The plot revolves around At...
the-last-express-08

The Last Express

DOSWindows XP/98/95Mac OS1997protecteddemo4.1/5 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 World War I, the game offers an intricate and immersive narrative that unfolds in real-time.In the game, players assume the role of Robert Cath, an American doctor with a tro...
themehospital-2

Theme Hospital

DOSWindows XP/98/951997protecteddemo4/5 Bullfrog
xmen-children-atom-02

X-Men: Children of the Atom

DOS1997demo4.1/5 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 popular mutants like Wolverine, Cyclops, Storm, and Magneto, among others.The gameplay follows traditional fighting game mechanics, with players selecting a character and ...
grim-fandango-04

Grim Fandango

Windows XP/98/951998protecteddemo4.3/5 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 directed by Tim Schafer, who also co-wrote the script.The story is set in the Land of the Dead and follows the protagonist, Manny Calavera, a travel agent working for the Depart...