Top-down perspective sorted by year, newest first

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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Phantasie 1

DOS1987protected3.8/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.

Phantasie 3: The Wrath of Nikademus

DOS19874.1/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.

PHM Pegasus

DOS19873.3/5 LucasArts

Poko Memorial: 18 Hole Miniature Golf

DOS19872.3/5 Gold Hill Software

Roadwar 2000

DOS1987protected4/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.

Roadwar Europa

DOS1987protected3.9/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.

Robot Rascals

DOS19873.8/5 Ozark Softscape

Rockford: The Arcade Game

DOS1987protected4.1/5 Arcadia Systems

Shard of Spring

DOS1987protected4.1/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.

Sid Meier's Pirates!

DOS1987protected4.1/5 MicroProse Software

Sorcerer Lord

DOS19874/5 Personal Software Services

Storm

DOS19872.5/5 Mastertronic

Super Pinball by Russco

DOS19874.5/5 Russco

The Ancient Art of War at Sea

DOS19874.1/5 Evryware

The Civil War

DOS19873.3/5 Avalon Hill

The Hunt for Red October

DOSMac19874.1/5 Oxford Digital Enterprises

Ultima 1: The First Age of Darkness

DOS19874/5 Origin Systems

This is the first of the very popular RPG saga Ultima. The setting is the land of Sosaria, the enemy to defeat is Mondain. It's a classic cRPG. The wilderness and cities are represented from a top down perspective, while dungeons can be explored in a first person 3d view.