Abandonware DOS title

Abandonware action games sorted by release date

Action video games are a genre of video games that emphasize physical challenges, hand-eye coordination, and reaction time. These games typically involve fast-paced gameplay, where players control a character who must navigate through a dynamic environment filled with obstacles, enemies, and other challenges. The primary focus is on the player's ability to react quickly and make split-second decisions.
freddy-hardest-03

Freddy Hardest

DOS1988 platform
kingdomkroz-splash

Kingdom of Kroz

DOS1988freeware maze
mad-mix-02

Mad Mix

DOS1988 maze
mad-show-01

Mad Show

DOS1988
nebulus-1

Nebulus

DOS1988 platform
Nebulus, also known as Tower Toppler in some regions, is a classic video game released in the 1980s. It was developed by John M. Phillips and published by Hewson Consultants. The game was initially released for various home comput...
night-hunter-06

Night Hunter

DOS1988 platform
paperboy-4

Paperboy

DOS1988
Paperboy was one of (if not THE) arcade hit of 1985. It was developed by Atari for the arcades and later published by Mindscape for DOS in 1988. More conversion were made for quite a few other platforms. Paperboy gameplay is pecul...
popcorn-04

Popcorn

DOS1988freeware block breaker
rampage-splash

Rampage

DOS1988
renegade-1

Renegade

DOS1988 beat 'em up
rocketranger-7

Rocket Ranger

DOS1988protected
solomonskey-splash

Solomon's Key

DOS1988
Solomon’s Key is an arcade puzzle-platformer developed by Tecmo and released in 1986. It gained popularity for its challenging gameplay and was later ported to various home systems, including the NES, Commodore 64, and other...
starquake-splash

Starquake

DOS1988 platform
Starquake is a weird DOS science fiction platform game developed by Bubble Bus Software in 1988 and designed by Stephen Crow and Dave Collins. The Commodore 64 version boasts a wonderful soundtrack. Unfortunately, the PC...
street-fighter-2

Street Fighter

DOS1988 fighting
vixen-01

Vixen

DOS1988 beat 'em up
willow-03

Willow

DOS1988
nightmareelmstreet-1

A Nightmare on Elm street

DOS1989 maze
Forget Freddy’s razor glove for a second - A Nightmare on Elm Street (1989) for DOS is terrifying in its own way. Mostly because of the controls. You play as a teen trying to stay awake and alive while navigating dreamscapes...
amaze-01

A-Maze

DOS1989 maze
If you’ve ever thought, “What if Pac-Man got lost in a modernist art gallery?”, then A-Maze is your oddly specific dream come true. Released in 1989 for DOS, this game is a labyrinthine puzzle fest where the grap...
aldo2-03

Aldo Again

DOS1989remake platform
Aldo Again (1989) is the platformer that dares to say, “Hey, what if Donkey Kong but with 100% more confusion?” You play as Aldo, a mustachioed man of mystery (and questionable balance) who’s trying to climb plat...
all-dogs-go-to-heaven-04

All Dogs Go to Heaven

DOS1989 action puzzle, word puzzle
This 1989 game is based on the animated movie where dogs die, go to heaven, then come back for revenge (sort of). The DOS adaptation? Well, it’s more like All Pixels Go Nowhere Fast. You jump, you dodge, you squint at the sc...
arkanoid2-splash

Arkanoid 2: The Revenge of Doh

DOS1989 block breaker, action puzzle
Doh is back, and he’s mad - presumably because no one understood what he was in the first place. Arkanoid 2 takes the original formula and dials everything up: more levels, more power-ups, more neon madness. It’s still...
artura-splash

Artura

DOS1989 platform
Artura is a hack-and-slash side-scroller that looks like someone tried to draw Gauntlet from memory after a power outage. You’re some kind of Celtic warrior on a mystical mission, but really you’re just trying not to d...
avoidthenoid-3

Avoid the Noid

DOS1989
Domino’s Pizza once had a mascot called the Noid and someone decided he deserved his own video game. Avoid the Noid is about a heroic pizza delivery guy trying to bring food to hungry customers while the Noid, a chaotic grem...
barbarian2-1

Axe of Rage

DOS1989 beat 'em up
If Conan had a bad day and took it out on a few dozen goblins, you'd get something close to Axe of Rage. This 1989 DOS hack-n-slash isn't exactly subtle—you're a barbarian, there’s an evil warlord, and everything must ...
barbarian-splash

Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior

DOS1989 platform
Ah, Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior—the game where loincloths are tiny and sword swings are deadly. This 1989 fighter slashed its way onto DOS with decapitations, grunts, and enough low-res gore to make Conan blush. Forget f...
beyond-black-hole-01

Beyond the Black Hole

DOS1989
Beyond the Black Hole promises an interstellar voyage into mystery—and delivers... a disorienting 3D shooter that kind of feels like flying a cardboard spaceship through a kaleidoscope. The idea is noble: space combat meets ...
boot-camp-02

Boot Camp

DOS1989 unconventional sports
Boot Camp (1989, DOS) is the game that turns military training into a button-mashing festival of pain. Ever dreamed of surviving basic training without breaking a sweat? This is it—if your definition of “not sweating&r...
bubblebobble-3

Bubble Bobble

DOS1989
Bubble Bobble is widely regarded as one of the most beloved and charming platform arcade games of all time. The gameplay objective in Bubble Bobble is straightforward: players must clear each screen of various monsters and advance...
budokan-04

Budokan: the Martial Spirit

DOS1989 fighting
Ah, Budokan, the game where patience and discipline meet awkwardly slow combat and the occasional flying kick. You play as a martial arts student training in various dojos, culminating in a tournament that’s less Enter the D...