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).
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Lords of the Realm
DOSWindows XP/98/951994protected4/5 Impressions Games
Lords of the Realm is top-down kingdom simulation game set in medieval Europe (England and Germany), designed by Christopher J. Foster and David Lester, developed by Impressions Games and released 1994 for DOS, Windows and Amiga.
Nectaris
DOS19954/5 Hudson soft
Rampart
DOS19924/5 Atari
Rampart is an abandoned mix of strategy and shooter game designed by Dave Ralston and John Salwitz, developed by Atari and released by Electronic Arts in 1992 for DOS. Rampart was converted from the original arcade version to a number of platforms, including Amiga, Atari ST, C64, Game Boy, Genesis, Lynx, NES, SEGA Master System, SNES. Rampart is a ...
Austerlitz 1805
DOS19894/5 Cornerstone Software
Ultima 2: Revenge of the Enchantress
DOS19834/5 Origin Systems
The second chapter of the Ultima saga is much similar to the first one (same top down visual, same dungeon 3d visual, same gameplay), although there are many small improvements. The series begins to take the shape of the detailed, deep, rpg saga that gamers will always remember.
Dark Reign 2
Windows XP/98/952000protected4/5 Pandemic Studios
Star Command
DOS1988protected4/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
Moria
DOS1992freeware4/5
Sexy Droids
DOS1992NSFW4/5 Eleven Software
Roadwar 2000
DOS1987protected4/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
Unnatural Selection
DOS19934/5 Maxis
Highway Fighter
DOS19954/5 Safari Software
Italy 1990
DOS19904/5 Tiertex Design Studios
Fast Food Dizzy
DOS19894/5 Codemasters
Star Control
DOS1990protected4/5 Toys for Bob
Battle Isle 93: The Moon of Chromos
DOS19934/5 Blue Byte Software
Blades of Exile
Windows 3.xMac OSWindows XP/98/951997freeware4/5 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...
Darklands
DOSLinuxWindows XP/98/95Mac OS1992protected4/5 MicroProse Software
Darklands was a unique historical isometric RPG that mixed real historical data from medieval Germany during the 15th century with a touch of folklore and fantasy. Unfortunately it was also the only Microprose RPG of that kind and beauty. The original game box contained a huge manual with info on european folklore (including the live...
Bloodstone: an Epic Dwarven Tale
DOS19934/5 Mindcraft Software
International Soccer
DOS19944/5 Zeppelin Games
Major Stryker
DOSWindows XP/98/951993freeware4/5 Apogee Software
Rings of Medusa
DOS19904/5 Starbyte Software
Rings of Medusa is a strategy / RPG developed by the German studio Starbyte Software. It was released in 1989 for various platforms including the Commodore 64, Amiga, and MS-DOS. In Rings of Medusa, players assume the role of a hero tasked with defeating the evil sorceress Medusa who has taken control of the city of Olympus. The game world is ...
Mordor: The Depths of Dejenol
Windows 3.x1995protected3.9/5
Mordor: The Depths of Dejenol is fantasy RPG game released in 1995 for Windows 3.x, but it runs flawlessy even Windows XP (see this faq if you want to play Mordor in a virtual machine). Mordor: The Depths of Dejenol is a mix of first-person and top-down perspective dungeon crawler; the game shows the dungeon in by both perspectives at onc...
CHAMP Ms. Pac-man
DOS1994remake3.9/5 ChamProgramming corp.
Wayne Gretzky Hockey
DOS19893.9/5 Bethesda Softworks
Keys to Maramon
DOS19903.9/5 Mindcraft Software
Keys to Maramon is a role-playing game developed by Mindcraft Software and released in 1990 for the Amiga, MS-DOS, and Commodore 64 platforms. The game is set in the same universe as the "Magic Candle" series, another popular RPG series by Mindcraft. The game is set in the fantasy town of Maramon, where the player must protect the town from waves o...
Exile: Escape from the Pit
Windows XP/98/95Mac OSWindows 3.x1995freeware3.9/5 Spiderweb Software
Psion Chess
DOSMac OS19853.9/5 Psion Software
Shard of Spring
DOS1987protected3.9/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms 2
DOS19903.9/5 KOEI
Romance of the Three Kingdoms II is a turn-based strategy game developed and published by Koei. It was released in 1989 for various platforms, including the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), MS-DOS.In Romance of the Three Kingdoms II, players take on the role of a ruler during this period, and their objective is to unify China under their rule. ...