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).
power-drive-03

Power Drive

DOS1994 Rage Games
In Power Drive, rally racing comes with an extra dose of “don’t hit the tree.” It’s all about navigating winding tracks with a sense of timing that borders on clairvoyance. The game rewards cautious drivers...
super-pinball-01

Super Pinball by Russco

DOS1987 Russco
taking-of-beverly-hills-02

The Taking of Beverly Hills

DOS1991 Off The Wall Productions
robbo-02

Robbo

DOS1993freeware xLand Games
dungeon-explorer-03

Dungeon Explorer

DOS1990
Dungeon Explorer takes the term “dungeon” very seriously—there’s a lot of it, and not much else. Released in 1990, this top-down adventure is part RPG, part patience test. You wander dark corridors, bash sk...
socrates-chess-03

Socrates

DOS1993
black-hole-02

Black Hole

DOS1993
Black Hole (1993) is a space shooter where you're thrown into the gravitational madness of, you guessed it, a black hole. The physics are wild, the enemies are relentless, and you’ll wonder if Newtonian mechanics were writte...
when2worldswar-2

When Two Worlds War

DOS1993 Impressions Games
star-trek-combat-arena-04

Star Trek Combat Arena

DOS1989
If Star Trek Combat Arena had a motto, it would be “talk diplomacy later.” Released in 1989 for DOS, this game tossed Starfleet’s peaceful ideals right out the airlock and said, “Let’s see what photon...
gold-of-the-americas-03

Gold of the Americas: The Conquest of the New World

DOS1989 SSG Strategic Studies Group
monopoly-avalon-02

Monopoly

DOS1985
othello-03

Othello

DOS1986
renegade-legion-interceptor-01

Renegade Legion Interceptor

DOS1990protected SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
nfl-pro-league-03

NFL Pro League Football

DOS1989 Micro Sports
witchhavenRL-01

WitchavenRL

Windows 10/11Linux2013
shard-of-spring-03

Shard of Spring

DOS1987protected SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
pictionary-01

Pictionary: The Game of Quick Draw

DOS1989 Oxford Mobius
navy-seal-02

Navy Seal

DOS1989 Cosmi Corporation
wtgolf-2

World tour golf

DOS1985 Electronic Arts
infiltrator-1-05

Infiltrator

DOS1987 Chris Gray Enterprises
xenopods-02

Xenopods

DOS1991 Softdisk Publishing
kings-table-01

King's Table: The Legend of Ragnarok

DOS1993protected Imagitec Design
boxerrebellion-splash

Boxer Rebellion

DOS1982
Before realistic fighting games, there was Boxer Rebellion—a 1982 title so primitive, it makes Pong look flashy. It’s boxing with fewer rules and more pixels per punch. The controls are stiffer than a week-old baguette...
Murder_on_The_Zinderneuf-03

Murder on the Zinderneuf

DOS1984 Free Fall Associates
rally-championship-02

Rally Championships

DOS1994 Flair Software
moonbase-03

Moonbase

DOS1990 Wesson International
Moonbase (1990) isn’t about blasting aliens or dodging meteors—it’s about survival, planning, and resource management. You’re tasked with building a functional colony on the Moon, juggling oxygen, power, an...
super-bomber-blast-02

Super Bomber Blast Beta

DOS1997remake
mcarthur-war-02

MacArthur's War

DOS1990 SSG Strategic Studies Group
flightmare-04

Flightmare

DOS1984freeware