The most popular 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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Pacific General
Windows XP/98/951997protected SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
People's General
Windows XP/98/951998protected SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
Battle Isle 93: The Moon of Chromos
DOS1993 Blue Byte Software
A game with a name like Battle Isle 93: The Moon of Chromos clearly means business. Released in 1993, it’s an expansion-slash-standalone with new missions, harder AI, and an even more hostile moon. You’ll manage resour...
Tangled Tales
DOS1989 Origin Systems
Highway Hunter
DOS1994 Safari Software
Mad Mix
DOS1988 Topo Soft
Ogre
DOS1986 Origin Systems
Azalta: Cult of the Raven
DOS1996
Azalta: Cult of the Raven is what happens when a lone developer says, “I can make an RPG better than Ultima!” and sort of does. Released in 1996, this DOS dungeon crawler features deep customization, open-ended quests,...
Bravo Romeo Delta
DOS1993
If you ever wanted to simulate being a helicopter pilot without leaving your MS-DOS comfort zone, Bravo Romeo Delta has you covered. This 1993 sim throws acronyms, radar screens, and very pixelated aircraft at you with military gu...
Trivial Pursuit
DOS1989
Trivial Pursuit is a popular trivia board game that was adapted into a computer game for various platforms, including DOS. In the game, players answer trivia questions from various categories in order to collect pie pieces th...
Joan of Arc
DOS1989 Chip
Bubble Trouble
Windows XP/98/951998
Here comes another bubble game—but this one packs a punch. Bubble Trouble is a frantic shoot-’em-up where you pop evil bouncing bubbles before they bounce you out of existence. It’s part arcade mayhem, part refle...
Robot Rascals
DOS1987 Ozark Softscape
The Civil War
DOS1987 Avalon Hill
Color Buster
DOS1992
ICON: Quest for the Ring
DOS1984 Macrocom
Batalia
DOS1986 The Right Brothers
Batalia (1986) is what happens when war games and spreadsheet programs fall in love. This early DOS strategy title throws you into tactical battles with graphics that would struggle to impress a calculator. But don’t be fool...
Block O Mania
DOS1989 Crystal Shard
Block O Mania is what happens when a Rubik’s Cube and a sliding puzzle fall in love during a rave. Released in 1989 for DOS, this game will twist your brain into shapes it wasn’t designed for. The goal? Push blocks. Lo...
Nobunaga's Ambition
DOS1988 KOEI
Chess
DOS1981 International PC Owners
Pac Gal
DOS1982
Storm
DOS1987 Mastertronic
Merchant Prince
DOS1993 Holistic Design
ZZT
DOS1991freeware Epic MegaGames
ZZT (1991, DOS) looks like it was drawn by an enthusiastic ASCII artist with too much time and not enough colors. And yet, it’s brilliant. Part action game, part puzzle adventure, part game creation tool, ZZT is the reason s...
Bobby Fisher teaches chess
DOS1994 Mission Studios
Ever wanted to get chess lessons from a genius who could crush your soul with a bishop and a glare? Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess (1994, DOS) is your chance. Based on the classic book, the game patiently walks you through strategies...
Kingdom of Kroz
DOS1988freeware Apogee Software
Dungeons of Kroz 2
DOS1989 Apogee Software
Wild West World
DOS1991 Software 2000
Rescue Rover 2
DOS1991protected id software
Virtual Pool
DOS1995 Celeris