The most popular 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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Flying Tigers

DOS19944.1/5 Ticsoft

Flying Tigers is an abandoned vertical-scrolling sci-fi themed shoot 'em up game developed and released by Ticsoft in 1994 for MS-DOS only. Flying Tigers is the first chapter of the two parts Flying Tigers video game series.

Yendorian Tales: The Tyrants of Thaine

DOS19973.9/5 SW Games

Rise of the Triad: Dark War

DOS1994protected3.9/5 Apogee Software

Air Traffic Controller

DOS19854.2/5 Cascoly Software

EGA Trek

DOS1988remake3.3/5

ZZT

DOS1991freeware4.2/5 Epic MegaGames

Secret Agent

DOS1992protected3.9/5 Apogee Software

Hugo 3: Jungle of Doom

DOS1992protected3.9/5 Gray Design Associates

Skyroads

DOS1993freeware4.2/5 Bluemoon Interactive

CHAMP Ms. Pac-man

DOS1994remake3.9/5 ChamProgramming corp.

Seek and Destroy

DOS19964.2/5 Safari Software

Seek and Destroy was a shoot'em up published by the well known Epic Megagames in 1996 that tried to change the usual shoot'em up gameplay for the better. Instead of wave after wave of enemies to shoot down, you are given short missions to accomplish with your helicopter or your tank (yes, you can choose). At first, missions could seem a bit repetit...

Skyroads: Xmas Special

DOS1994freeware3.4/5 Bluemoon Interactive

Aleshar World of Ice

DOS19973.8/5

Blackstar: Agent of Justice

DOS19953.4/5

Cosmo's Cosmic Adventures

DOS1992protected4.1/5 Apogee Software

Last Half of Darkness

DOS19893.9/5 SoftLab Laboratories

Hexxagon 2

DOS19934/5 Argo Games

Terminal Velocity

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

Shadow Warrior

DOS1997protected3.9/5 3d Realms

Bio Menace Episode 3: Master Cain

DOS1993freeware4.2/5 Apogee Software

AlphaMan

DOS19953.6/5

Commander Keen 5: The Armageddon Machine

DOS1991protected4/5 id software

Commander Keen 5: The Armageddon Machine is a science fiction action oriented platform game designed by Tom Hall, developed by id Software and released by Apogee Software in 1991 for DOS only. Commander Keen 5: The Armageddon Machine is part of the Commander Keen game series, specifically it's the second episode of Commander Keen in Goodbye, Galaxy.