Top-down perspective sorted by release date

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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Army Men 2

Windows XP/98/951998protected4.1/5 The 3DO Company

Avalon

DOS1998freeware3.8/5 MiG Outpost

Axis and Allies

Windows XP/98/9519984.2/5 Wargaming West

Dune 2000

Windows XP/98/9519984.2/5 Westwood Studios

Dune 2000 is an abandoned science fiction classic real-time strategy game based on the popular Dune franchise. The Dune "universe" took form in the books of science fiction writer Frank Herbert and went on to include movies, TV series, comics, and of course video games. Dune 2000 is one of the finest RTS of its era; it was developed by We...

Lego Loco

Windows XP/98/9519984.1/5 Intelligent Games

Monopoly (Adam Stevens)

DOS19983.9/5

People's General

Windows XP/98/951998protected4.2/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.

Populous: The Beginning

Windows XP/98/951998protected4.1/5 Bullfrog

Settlers of Catan

DOS19984.1/5

Axis and Allies: Iron Blitz

Windows XP/98/9519994.2/5 Wargaming West

BitStorm

DOS19993.3/5

Black Moon Chronicles

DOS1999protected4.1/5 Cryo Interactive Entertainment

Cap Man

Windows XP/98/9519993.9/5

Grand Theft Auto 2

Windows XP/98/9519994.1/5 DMA Design

Grand Theft Auto 2 is the second chapter in the successful Grand Theft Auto series. GTA 2 is an abandoned top-down action-adventure / driving hybrid game developed by DMA Design and released by Rockstar Games in 1999 for various platforms, including PlayStation, Microsoft Windows, and Game Boy Color. GTA2 is set in a fictional city called "Any...

Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia

Windows XP/98/951999protected4.2/5 New World Computing

Star Trek: Birth of the Federation

Windows XP/98/9519993.8/5 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...

Total Annihilation Kingdoms

Windows XP/98/951999protected4.1/5 Cavedog Entertainment

Tyrian 2000

DOS1999freeware4.1/5 Eclipse Software

Tyrian 2000 is an old DOS science fiction classic shoot'em up, developed by Eclipse Software and designed by Alexander Brandon, Jason Emery, Daniel Cook. Tyrian 2000 is one of the most popular shoot'em ups ever published for DOS and it's still remembered by retro gaming fans to this day.

ZAngband

WindowsMac OSDOSLinux1999freeware4.2/5

Zangband is a variant of the popular roguelike game Angband. Zangband, short for Zelazny Angband, was developed by Chris Weisiger and first released in 1994. The game features a fantasy world with diverse races, classes, and monsters. Players explore dungeons, caves, and other environments in a quest to reach the bottom level of the dungeon, d...

3D Ultra Lionel Traintown

Windows XP/98/9520004/5 Dynamix

Arrakis

DOS20003.9/5

Dark Reign 2

Windows XP/98/952000protected3.9/5 Pandemic Studios

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.

Ground Control

Windows XP/98/952000protected4/5 Massive Entertainment

Ground Control is a strategy game developed by Massive Entertainment and released by Sierra On-Line in 2000. More precisely Ground Control is a real time tactical game with a sci-fi setting.

Xenon 2000: Project PCF

Windows XP/98/952000remake4.1/5 Bitmap Brothers

Xenon 2000: Project PCF is a vertical-scrolling shoot 'em up video game and originally released in 2000. It is a sequel to the earlier game "Xenon 2: Megablast," which was developed by The Bitmap Brothers and released in 1989.In Xenon 2000, players control a spaceship and engage in fast-paced shooting action as they face off against waves of enemy ...

Outbound

Windows XP/98/952001freeware3.9/5

Chessmaster 9000

Windows XP/98/95Mac OS20024.2/5 UBI Soft

Chessmaster 9000 is a chess game developed by Ubisoft and released in 2002. It's part of the Chessmaster series, which has been around since the 1980s. Chessmaster 9000 was known for its strong chess engine and comprehensive tutorial features, making it popular among both beginners and advanced players. The software also included annotated gam...