Abandonware DOS title

Coin-op conversions: from the arcades to your home sorted by release date

Arcades experienced immense popularity during the 1980s and 1990s, serving as social hubs where people gathered to enjoy video games. Before the rise of poker machines, individuals frequented pubs or dedicated arcades to play video games known as coin-operated machines or coin-ops. These machines required players to insert coins to start playing, creating a pay-to-play model that was both thrilling and addictive.

As home video game consoles and computers advanced, many popular arcade games were adapted for these platforms. The transition allowed players to enjoy their favorite games in the comfort of their own homes. Systems like the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Sega Genesis, and various home computers saw ports of arcade hits, often with slight modifications due to hardware limitations.

Coin-operated machines not only provided entertainment but also influenced game design, community building, and the overall trajectory of the gaming industry.

robocop-2

Robocop

DOS1989 Data East
Robocop is an abandoned beat 'em up / run and gun shooter game developed and released by Data East in 1989 for a number of platforms, including DOS. Robocop is a conversion from an arcade game released by Data East in 1988 and it was based on the movie of the same name, Robocop, by Paul Verhoeven. Your goal is to get to the final boss by shoot...
rushattack-3

Rush'n Attack

DOS1989 Konami
sarge-02

Sarge

DOS1989
shinobi-splash

Shinobi

DOS1989 Sega
skyshark-04

Sky Shark

DOS1989 Toaplan
spaceace-1

Space Ace

DOS1989 ReadySoft
space_harrier-1

Space Harrier

DOS1989 Sega
Space Harrier is a 3rd-person view rail-shooter developed by Sega in 1985. Space Harrier was a hit in the arcades, and later it was converted for a number of platforms, including DOS (4 years later!). The sequels - Space Harrier 3D and Space Harrier II - were never ported to DOS.
strider-2

Strider

DOS1989 Capcom
thunderblade-05

Thunderblade

DOS1989 Sega
toobin-2

Toobin

DOS1989 Domark Software
Toobin is an abandoned action game developed by Domark Software and released in 1989. Toobin runs on DOS but was also published for Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Game Boy Color, MSX, NES, ZX Spectrum. It's a conversion from a popular arcade game (at the time).
alteredbeast-1

Altered Beast

DOS1990 Sega
Altered Beast is a classic side-scrolling beat 'em up arcade game developed and published by Sega. It was originally released in arcades in 1988 and later ported to various home consoles, including the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis.Players control a resurrected centurion who battles through five levels filled with undead creatures and other mythical beas...
bladesofsteel-splash

Blades of steel

DOS1990 Konami
double-dribble-03

Double Dribble

DOS1990 Novotrade Software
dragons-lair-2-1

Dragon's Lair 2: Time Warp

DOS1990protected Sullivan Bluth Interactive Media
exterminator-splash

Exterminator

DOS1990 The Assembly Line
hard-drivin-06

Hard Drivin'

DOS1990 Atari
ironmanoffroad-splash

Ivan 'Iron Man' Stewart's Super Off Road

DOS1990 Leland
Ivan 'Iron Man' Stewart's Super Off Road is an abandoned diagonal-down off-road racing game developed by Leland and released by Virgin Interactive in 1990 for DOS, but also published for Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, C64, ZX Spectrum and a lot of 8-bit and 16-bit consoles. Super Off Road is a classic fixed-screen track-racing similar to S...
joust-vga-03

Joust VGA

DOS1990remake
klax-1

Klax

DOS1990 Atari
powerdrift-02

Power Drift

DOS1990 Sega
puzznic-2

Puzznic

DOS1990 Taito
Puzznic is a tile-matching puzzle video game originally developed and published by Taito in 1989 for arcade systems. The goal of Puzznic is to clear a series of levels by aligning matching tiles (blocks) to make them disappear. When two or more identical tiles touch, they vanish. Puzznic was ported to various platforms, including:NES, Gam...
rastan-05

Rastan

DOS1990 Taito
stun-runner-03

S.T.U.N. Runner

DOS1990 Atari
trog-04

Trog

DOS1990 Midway Manufacturing Company
turbo-outrun-03

Turbo OutRun

DOS1990 Sega
Turbo OutRun is an abandoned DOS action racing game set in North America, developed and published by Sega in 1990. Turbo OutRun is a conversion from the arcade classic of the same name and it's the sequel of the popular OutRun. The OutRun games are regarded as iconic and representative of the late 80s/early 90s, often cited by retrowave enthusiasts.
cisco-heat-04

Cisco Heat

DOS1991 Jaleco
Cisco Heat is an abandoned racing game set in North America developed by Jaleco and released by Image Works in 1991 for DOS and other platforms. Cisco Heat was converted from the original arcade version. The difference between other similar racing games of the time is that the player drives a police car.
forgotten-worlds-07

Forgotten Worlds

DOS1991 Capcom
goldenaxe-3

Golden Axe

DOS1991 Sega
Golden Axe is a classic arcade game developed by Sega and released in 1989. It's a side-scrolling beat 'em up game set in a fantasy world where players choose one of three characters: a barbarian, a dwarf, or an amazon, each with their own strengths and abilities.The game follows the quest of these heroes to rescue the King and Princess of Yuria fr...
joe-mac-ninja-03

Joe and Mac Cavemen Ninja

DOS1991 Data East
Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja is a side-scrolling platformer video game developed and released by Data East in 1991. Known as "Joe & Mac" in North America and "Caveman Ninja" in other regions, the game gained popularity for its humorous take on prehistoric themes, cooperative gameplay, and challenging levels.The game is set in a colorful and car...