Abandonware DOS title

The most popular demo games

Let's begin with a crucial point: not every old game is abandoned. With the resurgence of "vintage," there's a renewed interest in all things retro, including video games. As a direct consequence, some companies have acquired entire back catalogs of old games and started selling them. That's why many interesting games on Abandonware DOS are marked as "NOT abandonware"; they are available for purchase online.

Enter demos. As you probably already know, game demos, short for demonstration, are limited versions of video games that are released by game developers or publishers to give players a taste of the gameplay before they decide to purchase the full game. These demos are often released ahead of the full game's launch or alongside it. Game demos typically showcase a portion of the game, allowing players to experience the mechanics, graphics, and overall feel of the gameplay.

Game demo versions are a relic of the past. You don't often see demos of recent games on platforms like Steam or GOG, but in the late 80s and 90s, demo versions of games were quite common. This trend was especially notable when video game magazines started including floppy disks or CDs, at a time when the internet was almost non-existent.

Building on this premise, I have embarked on a journey to collect old game demos and make them accessible online through Abandonware DOS, with a specific focus on commercial games. Enjoy!

qfg2-2

Quest for Glory 2: Trial by Fire

DOS1990protecteddemo Sierra On-Line
Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire is the second installment in Sierra On-Line's Quest for Glory series, blending classic adventure gameplay with RPG elements in a world inspired by Middle Eastern folklore. Released in 1990 for Ami...
fallout-tactics-04

Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel

Windows XP/98/952001protecteddemo Interplay Productions
Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel is a tactical role-playing game published by Interplay Entertainment in 2001. Unlike its predecessors, which were traditional RPGs with turn-based combat, Fallout Tactics took a different appr...
the-dig-08

The Dig

DOSMac OS1995protecteddemo LucasArts
The Dig is a point-and-click adventure game developed and published by LucasArts. It was originally released in 1995 for MS-DOS and later for other platforms, including Mac OS and Windows. The game is known for its atmospheric sto...
van-buren-02

Van Buren (Fallout 3)

Windows XP/98/952003canceleddemo Black Isle Studios
Van Buren was a science fiction post-apocalyptic RPG being developed by Black Isle Studios and never published. Van Buren was the direct sequel to Fallout 2, part of the Fallout franchise. Van Buren was canceled in 2003.
might-and-magic-4-6

Might and Magic 4: Clouds of Xeen

DOS1992protecteddemo New World Computing
Might and Magic IV: Clouds of Xeen is a role-playing video game developed and published by New World Computing in 1992. It's part of the long-running Might and Magic series. In Clouds of Xeen, players explore the world of Xeen, wh...
questforglory3-3

Quest for Glory 3: Wages of War

DOS1992protecteddemo Sierra On-Line
Quest for Glory III: Wages of War is an adventure/role-playing game developed and published by Sierra On-Line in 1992. The player takes on the role of the Hero, who has journeyed from the city of Shapeir to the savannahs and ...
gabrielknight-5

Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers

DOSWindows 3.xMac OS1993protecteddemo Sierra On-Line
Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers is a point-and-click adventure game developed and published by Sierra On-Line. It was released in 1993 and designed by Jane Jensen. The game is the first installment in the Gabriel Knight series...
kingsquest4-1

King's Quest 4: The Perils of Rosella

DOS1988protecteddemo Sierra On-Line
King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella is an adventure game developed and published by Sierra On-Line in 1988. It is the fourth installment in the popular King's Quest series created by Roberta Williams. The game was originally re...
mm-world-of-xeen-06

Might and Magic: World of Xeen

DOSMac OS1994protecteddemo New World Computing
Might and Magic: World of Xeen is a fantasy role-playing game (RPG) released in 1994, which is a combination of two games: Clouds of Xeen and Darkside of Xeen. These games were part of the Might and Magic series, a franchise of RP...
hugo3-06

Hugo 3: Jungle of Doom

DOS1992protecteddemo Gray Design Associates
Hugo III: Jungle of Doom is a point-and-click adventure game released in 1992. It is the third game in the Hugo adventure series, developed by David P. Gray for MS-DOS. Hugo and his girlfriend, Penelope, crash-land in a jungl...
f15strikeeagle-splash

F-15 Strike Eagle

DOS1985demo MicroProse Software
crusadernoregret-4

Crusader: No Regret

DOS1996protecteddemo Origin Systems
In Crusader: No Regret, subtlety is left at the door. You’re a heavily armed operative on a mission to blast your way through enemy installations, leaving nothing but rubble in your wake. The action is fast, the explosions f...
martianmemo-2

Martian Memorandum

DOS1991protecteddemo Access Software
Martian Memorandum is a point-and-click adventure game developed and published by Access Software. It was released in 1991 and is the sequel to the game Mean Streets. The game is set in a dystopian future on Mars, where players ta...
peppers-adventures-in-time-1

Pepper's Adventures in Time

DOS1993demo Sierra On-Line
ishar2-7

Ishar 2: Messengers of Doom

DOS1994protecteddemo Silmarils
Ishar 2 (1994, DOS) picks up where the first game left off, and then throws in more ways to punish careless adventurers. It’s a first-person RPG where managing your party isn’t just about stats—it’s about p...
11th-hour-07

The 11th Hour

Windows XP/98/951995protecteddemo Trilobyte
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Dragonsphere

DOS1994protecteddemo MicroProse Software
By 1994, point-and-click adventures were everywhere, but Dragonsphere carved out its niche with lush graphics, an intriguing plot, and plenty of puzzles. You play a young king tasked with facing down a sorcerer, only to uncover de...
raptor-1

Raptor: Call of the Shadows

DOSWindows XP/98/95Mac OS1994protecteddemo Cygnus Studios
Raptor: Call of the Shadows is a vertically scrolling shoot 'em up video game developed by Cygnus Studios and published by Apogee Software. The game was first released in 1994 for MS-DOS and later ported to other platforms. In Rap...
silentservice-splash

Silent Service

DOSMac OS1985protecteddemo MicroProse Software
Silent Service is a submarine simulation game developed and published by MicroProse. The first game in the series, Silent Service, was released in 1985. It was designed by Sid Meier and inspired by his interest in naval histo...
kings-quest-6-4

King's Quest 6: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow

DOSWindows 3.x1992protecteddemo Sierra On-Line
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The Journeyman Project 2: Buried in Time

Windows XP/98/95Mac OSWindows 3.x1995protecteddemo Presto Studios
The Journeyman Project 2: Buried in Time is a point-and-click adventure game developed by Presto Studios, released in 1995 as a sequel to The Journeyman Project. The Journeyman Project series is set in a future where time tra...
crusaderremorse-1

Crusader: No Remorse

DOS1995protecteddemo Origin Systems
The original Crusader: No Remorse sets the tone for the series: brutal, explosive, and unapologetically action-focused. You’re a rogue operative taking on a dystopian corporate regime, and your main argument is a grenade lau...
xmen-children-atom-04

X-Men: Children of the Atom

DOS1997demo Capcom
X-Men: Children of the Atom is a fighting video game developed by Capcom and released in arcades in 1994. The game features characters from Marvel Comics' X-Men series, including popular mutants like Wolverine, Cyclops, Storm, and...
strife-04

Strife

DOS1996protecteddemo Velocity
Strife from 1996 is a first-person shooter game developed by Rogue Entertainment and published by Velocity, based on the Doom engine. It's often remembered for being one of the earlier games to blend first-person shooter gameplay ...