Abandonware DOS title

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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Total Annihilation

Windows XP/98/951997protected4.1/5 Cavedog Entertainment
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Warcraft 2: Tides of Darkness

DOS1995protected4.2/5 Blizzard Entertainment
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Tristan Pinball

DOS19914/5 Littlewing
nuclearwar-1

Nuclear War

DOS19894/5 New World Computing
Nuclear War is an abandoned turn-based strategy game designed by Eric Hyman and Jon Van Caneghem. Nuclear War was developed and released by New World Computing in 1989 for Amiga and, later, for DOS, and it's loosely based on a card game of the same name. Nuclear War took a satirical approach to the grim possibility of a global nuclear war and succe...
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Star Trek: Birth of the Federation

Windows XP/98/9519994/5 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...
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Heroes of Might and Magic II

DOSWindows XP/98/951996protected4.2/5 New World Computing
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Centurion: Defender of Rome

DOS19904.1/5 Bits of magic
Centurion: Defender of Rome is a turn-based strategy game set in ancient Rome times. As a centurion of the Roman Empire, you will fight against the enemies of Rome in real time battles in every corner of Italy and Europe, you'll be a gladiator, race chariots, fight naval battles and more.
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Gal Pani X

Windows XP/98/952000freewareNSFW4.1/5
Gal Pani X is an action-puzzle game reminiscent of the classic arcade Qix, developed by D2 and released in 2000 for Windows. Gal Pani X is an adult-themed Doujin game: it was made by fans and wasn't for profit.
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Panzer General

DOS1994protected4.2/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
Panger General is a turn based strategy wargame developed by SSI set in World War 2. The player can choose Axis or Allies and fight against the AI or another human player in more than 30 scenarios on a classic hex based map.
magiccandle3-5

The Magic Candle 3

DOS19923.9/5 Mindcraft Software
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Tempest 2000

DOS1996remake4.2/5 Atari
Tempest 2000 is a video game developed by Llamasoft and published by Atari Corporation. It was released in 1994 for DOS, Mac, the Atari Jaguar console, etc. Tempest 2000 is an enhanced remake of the original Tempest, which was released in arcades in 1981.In Tempest 2000, players control a claw-shaped ship that moves around the edges of geometric sh...
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Dark Sun: Shattered Lands

DOS1993protected4.1/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
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Castle Wolfenstein

DOS19844.1/5 Muse Software
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SimLife

DOSMacWindows 3.x19924/5 Maxis
SimLife is an abandoned simulation game focused on managing a ecosystems and experimenting with genetics. SimLife was designed by Ken Karakotsios, developed and released by Maxis in 1992 for DOS and later also published for Macintosh, Amiga, Windows 3.x and Amiga.
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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...
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Hard Nova

DOS19903.7/5 Malibu Interactive
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Rogue

Windows XP/98/95DOSLinuxMac19844.2/5 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...
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Decisive Battles of the American Civil War: Vol. 2

DOS19893.9/5 SSG Strategic Studies Group
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Panzer General 2

Windows XP/98/951997protected4.1/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
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Pirates! Gold

DOSWindows 3.xMac1993protectedremakedemo4/5 MicroProse Software
Pirates! Gold is an open world game designed by Paul Murphy, developed and released by MicroProse Software in 1993 for DOS, Windows 3.x, Mac and also Sega Genesis and Amiga CD32. Pirates! Gold is a remake of the game Pirates, created by Sid Meier in 1987. Pirates! Gold gameplay is a unique mix of action, strategy, pirate life simulation, ...
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If It Moves, Shoot It!

DOS19893.3/5 Emerald Software
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Populous: The Beginning

Windows XP/98/951998protected4.2/5 Bullfrog
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Amberstar

DOS19924/5 Thalion
Amberstar is a fantasy old school RPG very similar to Ultima 6 that uses a top-down view for interiors and small locations and a first person pseudo 3D view for everything else. Unfortunately, the sequel (called Ambermoon) was available for Amiga only and no version existed for DOS or Windows. Amberstar was developed and published by Thalion for DO...
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Ultima 2: Revenge of the Enchantress

DOS19834/5 Origin Systems
The second chapter of the Ultima saga is much similar to the first one (same top down visual, same dungeon 3d visual, same gameplay), although there are many small improvements. The series begins to take the shape of the detailed, deep, rpg saga that gamers will always remember.
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Ultima 7 Part 2: Serpent Isle

DOS19934/5 Origin Systems
After the well received Ultima 7 The Black Gate, Origin decided that their Ultima engine could be used for one more game. Ultima 7 Part 2: Serpent Isle begins right after The Black Gate ends. This time the Avatar travels to a whole new land, far away from the usual Britannia. Serpent Isle brings its own charm to the series; exploring new lands...
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Command HQ

DOS19904/5 Ozark Softscape
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Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday

DOS1990protected4.2/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
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Heroes of Might and Magic

DOSWindows XP/98/951995protected4.2/5 New World Computing
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Command & Conquer: Sole Survivor

Windows XP/98/9519973.8/5 Westwood Studios