Abandonware DOS title

The best grid-based games

Grid-based movement in video games refers to a movement system where characters or objects can only move along a predefined grid or set of discrete positions. The game world is divided into a grid, composed of squares or tiles, and the movement is typically restricted to the cardinal directions (up, down, left, and right).

Grid-based movement has been widely used in various types of games, including turn-based strategy games, role-playing games (RPGs), and tactical games. This movement system allows for precise positioning and strategic planning, as the player must consider the grid layout and plan their movements accordingly.
One of the advantages of grid-based movement is that it simplifies navigation and collision detection, as the game engine can easily determine valid movement paths and detect collisions with other objects on the grid.

legendsilvertalisman-1

Legend of the Silver Talisman

DOS1996freeware Inter-Active Arts
wizardry-3-01

Wizardry 3: Legacy of Llylgamyn

DOS1983 Sir-tech Software
Wizardry III: Legacy of Llylgamyn is a classic role-playing video game developed by Sir-Tech and released in 1983. It is the third installment in the Wizardry series. Originally released for the Apple II, it was later ported to other platforms, including the Commodore 64, IBM PC, and various Japanese computers. The game is set in the fant...
ishar1-splash

Ishar: Legend of the Fortress

DOS1992protected Silmarils
Ishar: Legend of the Fortress is a first-person grid-based RPG developed by Silmarils and released in 1992 for DOS, Amiga and Atari ST. Ishar: Legend of the Fortress is the second game, part of the Ishar game series (the first being Crystals of Arborea). Ishar is a classic RPG like Wizardry or Might & Magic and it plays the same way, but the en...
larn-5

Larn

DOS1986freeware
anvilofdawn-splash

Anvil of dawn

DOS1995protected DreamForge Intertainment
empire2-art-war-05

Empire II: The Art of War

DOSWindows XP/98/951995 White Wolf Productions
wizardry2-splash

Wizardry 2: The knight of diamonds

DOS1982 Sir-tech Software
hack-5

Hack

DOS1984freeware
incursion-04

Incursion

Windows 10/11LinuxMac OS2007freeware
omega-rpg-01

Omega

DOSLinux1988freeware
bloodwych-4

Bloodwych

DOS1989
Bloodwych is an abandoned RPG set in the fantasy world of Trazere. Two players can play at the same time in split screen mode, a feature that was unusual at the time, especially for an RPG. Bloodwych was released in 1989 by Image Works for DOS, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, C64, ZX Spectrum.
magiccandle2-6

The Magic Candle 2: The Four and Forty

DOS1991 Mindcraft Software
adom1.1-05

Ancient Domains of Mystery (ADOM) v1.1

Windows XP/98/95DOSLinux1996freeware
ishar-3-3

Ishar 3: The Seven Gates of Infinity

DOS1994protected Silmarils
nethack-falcon-eye-02

NetHack - Falcon's Eye

Windows XP/98/952001freeware
ivan-rl-04

IVAN (Iter Vehemens ad Necem)

DOSWindows 10/11LinuxMac OS2001freeware
witchhavenRL-01

WitchavenRL

Windows 10/11Linux2013
questron2-4

Questron 2

DOS1988protected Westwood Studios
Questron II is a role-playing game (RPG) developed by Westwood Associates and published by Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) in 1988. It serves as the sequel to the original Questron (1984) and builds upon its predecessor’s formula, offering more expansive gameplay, refined mechanics, and a richer world to explore. The player embarks on a...
xcom-alliance-03

X-COM: Alliance

Windows XP/98/952002canceled MicroProse Software
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, which is composed of four elemental realms: air, earth, fire, and water. The game features a first-person perspective and ...
boulderdash-3

Boulder Dash

DOS1984 First Star Software
Boulder Dash is a classic action-puzzle video game that was first released in 1984 by First Star Software. In Boulder Dash, players control a character named Rockford as he digs through caves to collect diamonds while avoiding falling boulders and other hazards. The game is set in a scrolling, grid-based environment, and players must strategic...
exile3-03

Exile III: Ruined World

Windows XP/98/95Mac OSWindows 3.x1997freeware Spiderweb Software
nethack-2

NetHack

DOSWindows XP/98/95Mac OSLinux1987freeware
NetHack is an open-source roguelike game that's been around since the early 1980s. It's a single-player dungeon exploration game where you navigate your character through a randomly generated dungeon filled with monsters, traps, treasures, and various items. The goal is to retrieve the Amulet of Yendor, located deep within the dungeon's lowest leve...
exile2-04

Exile II: Crystal Souls

Windows XP/98/95Mac OSWindows 3.x1996freeware Spiderweb Software
archon-ultra-1

Archon Ultra

DOS1994protected Free Fall Associates
hardnova-9

Hard Nova

DOS1990 Malibu Interactive
Hard Nova is a sci-fi role-playing game (RPG) developed by Malibu Interactive and published by Electronic Arts. Released in 1990, it is available on platforms such as the DOS, Amiga, Atari ST. Hard Nova is set in a distant future where players navigate through various star systems. The player takes on the role of a mercenary leader in charge of a s...