The best shareware games

Shareware is a type of software distribution model that allows users to try a program before purchasing it. It's a marketing strategy and distribution method that was particularly popular in the early days of personal computing, primarily during the 1980s and 1990s.
Shareware games were released for free with limited functionality (for example: no saving, missing levels, time limit), often via a BBS (Bulletin Board System), a floppy disc or a CD included in a printed magazine or by direct download (when internet was in its infancy). If the user liked the shareware product, they could pay to obtain an upgrade and unlock the full game. When digital distribution started to become popular, shareware games slowly faded into oblivion.

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Dark Ages Volume I - Prince of Destiny

DOS1991freeware4/5 Scenerio Software

Dark Designs 2: Closing the Gate

DOS19904/5 Softdisk Publishing

Grand Prix

DOS19894/5 Wizard Games

Jumpman Lives!

DOS1991remake4/5 Apogee Software

LineWars

DOS19904/5 Safari Software

LineWars 2

DOS19944/5 Safari Software

Realms of Chaos

DOSMac OSLinux1995protected4/5 Apogee Software

Reaping The Dungeon

DOS19934/5 Frontline Software

Softporn Adventure

DOS1981freewareNSFW4/5 Sierra On-Line

Stargunner

DOS19964/5 GT Interactive Software

Xargon

DOS1993freeware4/5 Epic MegaGames

Xixit

DOS19954/5 Optik Software

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 ...

Bio Menace Episode 1: Dr. Mangle's Lab

DOS1993freeware4/5 Apogee Software

Major Stryker

DOSWindows XP/98/951993freeware4/5 Apogee Software

CHAMP Ms. Pac-man

DOS1994remake3.9/5 ChamProgramming corp.

Jazz Jackrabbit Holiday Hare

DOS1994protected3.9/5 Epic MegaGames

Exile: Escape from the Pit

Windows XP/98/95Mac OSWindows 3.x1995freeware3.9/5 Spiderweb Software

Xenophage: Alien BloodSport

DOS1996freeware3.9/5 Argo Games

Terminal Velocity

Windows XP/98/95DOSLinuxMac OS1995protected3.9/5 Terminal Reality

Abuse

DOSLinuxMac OS1995freeware3.9/5 Crack dot Com

Azalta: Cult of the Raven

DOS19963.9/5

OverKill

DOS1992freeware3.9/5 Tech-Noir

Shadow Warrior

DOS1997protected3.9/5 3d Realms

The Aethra Chronicles

DOS19943.9/5

The Aethra Chronicles is not a well know fantasy RPG, but it deserves some praise. It was developed by only one person (Micheal Lawrence) and, as the title implies, was intended to be the first volume of a saga. Unfortunately, volume two and three were never made. For a shareware game, Aethra was pretty solid and is still loved by the ones who play...