Abandonware DOS title

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).
air-traffic-controller-02

Air Traffic Controller

DOS19854.2/5 Cascoly Software
castle-adventure-04

Castle Adventure

DOS1984freeware4.2/5
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Conflict: Korea

DOS1992protected4.2/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
grisby-pacific-war-03

Gary Grigsby's Pacific War

DOS1992protected4.2/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
gulf-strike-04

Gulf Strike

DOS19864.2/5 Microcomputer Games Inc.
knights-legend-01

Knights of Legend

DOS19894.2/5 Origin Systems
rotox-06

Rotox

DOS19914.2/5 Creative Materials
speedball-1

Speedball

DOS19884.2/5 Bitmap Brothers
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Super Stardust

DOS19964.2/5 Housemarque
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MicroProse Soccer

DOS1988protected4.2/5 Sensible Software
MicroProse Soccer is an abandoned action-oriented soccer game, developed by Sensible Software and released by MicroProse Software in 1988. The appeal of MicroProse Soccer was its simplicity and the smooth controls. In the United States it was known as Keith Van Eron's Pro Soccer.
seek-and-destroy-06

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...
castleofthewinds-3

Castle of the Winds

Windows 3.x1993freeware4.2/5 SaadaSoft
Castle of the Winds is a fantasy roguelike role-playing game developed by SaadaSoft in the early 1990s. It was designed for Windows 3.x and is notable for being one of the earliest graphical RPGs for that platform. The game features a top-down perspective and incorporates elements of dungeon crawling, exploration, and character development.The game...
dune2-7

Dune II: The building of a dynasty

DOS19924.2/5 Westwood Studios
Dune II, released in 1992, is a pioneering real-time strategy game developed by Westwood Studios. Set in the world of Frank Herbert's Dune, players command noble houses in a battle for control over the planet Arrakis. With base-building, resource management, and tactical combat, the game introduced key elements of the genre and influenced future RT...
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Chessmaster 9000

Windows XP/98/95Mac OS2002protected4.2/5 UBI Soft
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Merchant Colony

DOS19914.2/5 Impressions Games
sleuth-1

Sleuth: A Murder Mystery

DOS1983freeware4.2/5 Norland Software
fantasygeneral-1

Fantasy General

DOS1996protected4.2/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
Fantasy General is a hex-based turn-based strategy fantasy wargame. The player can duel either against a computer or a human opponent or even take part in a longer campaign. There are two sides to chose from, one good and one evil, each with unique and colorful units.
lempereur-02

L'Empereur

DOS19914.2/5 KOEI
101-invasion-normandy-05

101: The Airborne Invasion of Normandy

Windows XP/98/9519984.2/5 Empire Interactive
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Axis and Allies: Iron Blitz

Windows XP/98/9519994.2/5 Wargaming West
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Conan: the Cimmerian

DOS19914.2/5 Synergistic Software
archon-3

Archon: the Light and the Dark

DOS19844.2/5 Free Fall Associates
Archon: The Light and the Dark is an abandoned DOS fantasy blend of strategy and action game, developed by Free Fall Associates and published for DOS by Electronic Arts in 1984. Archon and its sequels are a unique mix of chess-like turn-based strategy and arcade action games. Take chess and add the fact that every time two pieces land on the same s...
pcman-1

PC-Man

DOS1982remake4.2/5 Orion Software
PC-Man is an abandoned top-down Pac-Man clone in every regard: from the shape of the protagonist, to the cute ghosts. PC-Man was designed by Greg Kuperberg, developed by Orion Software and released in 1982 for DOS. As PC-Man, you have to move through a one screen maze to collect dots (pills? wafers?) and avoid being touched by one of the usual Pac-...
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Rogue

Windows XP/98/95DOSLinuxMac OS19844.2/5 Artificial Intelligence Design
Rogue is one of the first RPGs in the history of video gaming. It's a text-based dungeon crawler in which you have to fight your way in the dungeon to recover the Amulet of Yendor. Rogue became popular around 1980 on mainframes and later ported to various platforms, including DOS in 1984. Rogue is simply the father of all the roguelike games that c...
moo3-07

Master of Orion 3

Windows XP/98/95Mac OS2003protected4.2/5 Quicksilver Software
homm3-11

Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia

Windows XP/98/951999protected4.2/5 New World Computing
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Xenon 2: Megablast

DOS19904.2/5 Bitmap Brothers
Xenon 2: Megablast is a classic shoot'em up developed by Bitmap Brothers and released by Image Works in 1990 for DOS and for a plethora of other systems. Xenon was good, Xenon 2 was far better. Compared to today standards Xenon 2 is perhaps a mediocre shoot 'em up, but at the time every shooter fan loved it. Plus, it was developed by Bitmap Brother...
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Atomic Bomberman

Windows XP/98/9519974.2/5 Interplay Productions
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Ultima 3: Exodus

DOSMac OS19854.2/5 Origin Systems
Ultima III: Exodus is a role-playing video game developed by Richard Garriott and published by Origin Systems. It was released in 1983 for the Apple II and later ported to various other platforms such as the Commodore 64, MS-DOS, and NES.The game is set in the fantasy world of Sosaria, where the player controls a party of adventurers on a quest to ...
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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...