Top-down perspective

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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Solidarnosc

DOS19913.4/5 P. Z. Karen Co. Development Group

Sorcerer Lord

DOS19874.2/5 Personal Software Services

Soviet

DOS19904.1/5 Opera Soft

Space 1889

DOS19903.6/5 Paragon Software

Space 1889 is an abandoned top down RPG developed by Paragon Software and released in 1990 for DOS, Atari ST and Amiga. Space 1889 setting is classic science fiction, but is set in the Victorian. It's worth noting that Space 1889 is loosely based on the tabletop game of the same name.

Space Crusade

DOS19924.2/5 Gremlin Graphics / Gremlin Interactive

Space Federation

DOS19944.1/5 Interplay Productions

Space Rogue

DOS19894/5 Origin Systems

Space Rogue is a science fiction RPG developed by Richard Garriott's Origin and desined by Paul Neurath. Space Rogue combines a 3D space simulation with a top down view RPG gameplay. As a space pilot you can hunt bounties, buy and sell goods, land on starbases or outposts and talk to NPCs, do quests, etc.

Spacewar

DOS19854/5

Spacewar is one of the earliest digital computer games and is often considered the first interactive video game. It was created in 1962 by Steve Russell, Martin Graetz, and Wayne Wiitanen at the MIT. The game was developed on the PDP-1 minicomputer; this is a DOS port, released in 1985.Spacewar! features two spaceships, controlled by players, that ...

Speedball

DOS19884.2/5 Bitmap Brothers

Speedball 2

DOS19924.1/5 Bitmap Brothers

Spirit of Excalibur

DOS19903.8/5 Synergistic Software

Spiritual Warfare

DOS1993protected3.8/5 Wisdom Tree

Spy Hunter

DOS19843.7/5 Midway Manufacturing Company

SSN-21 Seawolf

DOS19943.7/5 Electronic Arts

Star Command

DOS1988protected4/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.

Star Control

DOS1990protected4/5 Toys for Bob

Star Control 2

DOS1992protected4.2/5 Toys for Bob

Star Control 3

DOS1996protected4/5 Legend Entertainment

Star General

Windows XP/98/95DOS1996protected4.2/5 Catware, Inc.

Star General is a turn-based strategy game developed by Catware and published by SSI (Strategic Simulations, Inc.). It was released in 1996 for MS-DOS and later for Windows. The game is set in a science fiction universe where players take command of one of five different factions, each vying for control of the galaxy.In Star General, players comman...

Star Goose!

DOS19884/5 Logotron

Star Goose is a classic video game developed by Logotron and released in 1988 for various home computer systems of that era, including the Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and Amstrad CPC. It is a top-down, vertically scrolling shooter that combines elements of shoot 'em up gameplay with exploration and power-up mechanics.

Star Trek Combat Arena

DOS19893.7/5

Star Trek: Birth of the Federation

Windows XP/98/9519993.8/5 MicroProse Software

Star Trek: Birth of the Federation is a turn-based strategy video game set in the Star Trek universe. The game was developed by MicroProse Software and published by Infogrames for Windows in 1999. Players take on the role of one of five major Star Trek races: the United Federation of Planets, the Klingon Empire, the Romulan Star Empire, the Ca...

Star Wars 2

DOS19894.1/5

Star Wars: Yoda Stories

Windows XP/98/9519974.2/5 LucasArts

Starflight

DOS19864.1/5 Binary Systems

Starflight is a classic space exploration and role-playing video game released in 1986 by Binary Systems and published by Electronic Arts. It is known for its innovative gameplay, as well as its open-ended approach to space exploration and storytelling.The game is set in a massive, procedurally generated universe with thousands of star systems to e...

Starflight 2: Trade routes of the Cloud Nebula

DOS19894.2/5 Binary Systems

Steel Panthers

DOS19954.2/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.

Steel Panthers is the first game in the Steel Panthers series. It was released in 1995 by Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI). This initial release laid the foundation for the series and introduced players to the turn-based tactical wargame experience that would be further developed in subsequent titles. The game focused on armored warfare and featur...