Abandonware sports games

Time to hit the lanes in 10th Frame, a bowling simulator so committed to realism it even simulates the wait between turns. You line up your shot, set your spin, and pray the ancient gods of DOS let your pixel ball behave. The graphics depict a bowling alley with all the ambiance of a dentist’s office, and the sound effects could easily double...

If Doom and Laser Tag had a baby raised by dial-up modems, it would be 3D Cyber Blaster. Released in 1992, this shooter has you blasting neon enemies in a world that looks like a Tron-themed laser maze. The sound effects are gloriously crunchy, the enemies are dumb as bricks, and the gameplay feels like you're running through a server error. But th...

It’s cyber. It’s puck. It’s… basically cyberpunk air hockey with attitude. 3D Cyberpuck is a futuristic sport simulation from 1992 that nobody asked for, yet somehow needed. Imagine a gritty dystopia where everyone solves their differences with high-speed puck battles. The rules are vague, the AI is suspiciously good, and t...

Released in 1992, 3D World Boxing tried its best to bring the sweet science into the third dimension. The result is less Rocky and more “two mannequins in pajamas slap each other in a cube.” But bless its heart, it really tries. You can jab, hook, and block like a pro, assuming you’re okay with animations that look like interpreti...

Welcome to the squared circle of wireframe pain. Released in 1991 for DOS, this game puts you in the gloves of a boxer rendered entirely out of jagged geometry. The animation was revolutionary at the time, even if it now resembles two mannequins fighting in zero gravity. Customizable fighters and a career mode add a surprising level of depth, but l...

Before Virtua Tennis, there was this: 4D Sports Tennis, where physics and pixels politely shake hands and then forget why they were introduced. Released in 1990 for DOS, this game lets you relive the glory of tennis with characters that move like ambitious refrigerators. It’s fast-paced, surprisingly tricky, and features enough camera angles ...

Before Madden became a household name, 1988 gave us this DOS football classic, where plays are drawn like cave paintings and players move like molasses in January. Yet, for its time, this was the real deal. You could call plays, manage your team, and fumble in low-res glory. The sound effects are a symphony of beeps and buzzes, but there's genuine ...

Action Soccer (1995, DOS) is what happens when you try to make a soccer game fun without worrying too much about realism, physics, or gravity. The ball bounces like it’s filled with helium, and the players run like they’ve had six cups of coffee. But it’s all good fun — colorful, fast-paced, and blessedly free of VAR interru...

Ah, Advantage Tennis—where the graphics are flat, the physics are questionable, and the grunts are blessedly absent. This DOS-era sports sim serves up matches that somehow feel like both a relaxing afternoon and a fierce Wimbledon final. Timing your shots is half the game; the other half is praying your opponent glitches into the net. A charm...

The title Alex Higgins World Snooker might imply world-class snooker. What it delivers is 1986 DOS ball physics that sometimes feel like they were modeled in an alternate dimension. But who needs realism when you have charm, right? This game lets you play as the late, great Alex “Hurricane” Higgins—except “play” is a g...

Released in 1994, Alien Olympics answers the age-old question: “What if the Olympics were hosted by Martians on acid?” This wacky collection of mini-games has you competing in events like laser javelin and rocket racing, all while controlling gelatinous blobs and bug-eyed freaks. It’s not balanced, it’s barely controllable, ...

In Allan Border’s Cricket (1993), you get to live the thrill of... waiting. A lot. But when the action kicks in, it’s surprisingly engaging. Named after the Australian cricket legend, the game offers realistic mechanics, a full-featured simulation mode, and all the statistical depth you could dream of. For non-cricket fans, it’s p...

Remember the spandex-clad madness of 90s TV? American Gladiators brings it to your DOS screen with all the grace of a flying pugil stick. You’ll compete in various bizarre events like The Joust and The Wall, all while being chased by pixelated beefcakes named Nitro and Turbo. Controls are... not great, graphics are pure early 90s jank, and th...

Arcade Pool (1994) is like playing a game of billiards in your best friend’s basement—if your best friend happened to be a DOS machine with a serious competitive streak. It’s shockingly addictive, with physics that almost make sense and enough charm to make you forget you’re alone, playing pool against a smug AI who always s...

For those who think snooker is too posh and billiards too French, there's Archer Maclean's Pool, the most ‘90s way to simulate the timeless art of arguing over whether that shot was really legal. It’s pool in DOS — plain and pixelated, yet oddly hypnotic. Trick shots are as satisfying as they are completely accidental, and the AI ...

Archery (1985) is what happens when someone says, “Hey, what if we made a bow-and-arrow game with the graphical fidelity of a cave painting?” You shoot arrows. That’s it. You aim, fire, and pray the pixel lands where you want. The controls feel like they were designed for someone with three fingers and a vendetta against ergonomic...

Armchair Quarterback lets you live the dream of yelling at your TV — but on your DOS machine, and with even less control. It’s part simulator, part quiz show, and all weird. You make play calls, analyze stats, and pray the dice gods like you more than they did your last fantasy football team. Graphics are minimal, the commentary snarky,...

Ballistix asks: “What if air hockey was controlled by futuristic cannons?” The answer: chaos. You frantically shoot pucks with directional blasts while the physics engine does whatever it wants. It’s fast, it’s bizarre, and it kind of feels like trying to herd cats with a leaf blower. Multiplayer is where it shines — a...

If you've ever dreamed of throwing darts, arm wrestling, or playing a sleazy round of "Last Call Larry" without actually smelling like stale beer, Bar Games is your digital dive bar. Released in 1989, it’s a collection of mini-games that recreate the glory of barroom bravado with all the pixelated charm of late '80s DOS. Equal parts ridiculou...

Baseball Mogul (1997) was the original release that kicked off the whole franchise. Developed by Clay Dreslough and published by Infinite Monkey Systems, this was a pioneer in the world of sports management sims. It was released for Windows 95. ou played as the General Manager of a Major League Baseball team, starting in a recent season (the d...

Now with more charts than ever! Baseball Mogul 2006 lets you relive the thrilling world of late-season trades and player salary negotiations in glorious Windows XP-era style. It’s like fantasy baseball, except the fantasy is being broke and firing your underperforming shortstop. If you liked the original, this is more of the same, only with f...

What happens when a basketball game forgets about realism and goes full cartoon? Basket Master (1990), that’s what. This Spanish-developed DOS gem pits two oddly animated ballers in a 1-on-1 contest where the laws of physics are more suggestions than rules. Dribble? Nah. Dunk from half court? Absolutely. It's goofy, clunky, and strangely addi...

Fish or be fished could be the motto of Bass Duel (1993), a competitive angling game that pits you against a friend or an AI in a fight to the last splash. Strategy is key: where to cast, how to reel, and when to brag about your catch. It’s weirdly intense for a game about sitting in a boat. Pro tip: your rival might be a better fisherman, bu...

Think of Bass Tour (1992) as the road trip version of virtual fishing. More simulation than arcade, it lets you travel, pick locations, study conditions, and obsess over bait types like you're preparing for a National Geographic special. It’s fishing, but with menus. Lots of menus. Perfect for those who like their relaxation served with a sid...

If your idea of excitement is waiting... and waiting... and maybe catching a giant digital tuna, Big Game Fishing is your dream come true. Simulate the thrill of casting a line without ever leaving your ergonomic office chair. Just don’t expect action; this is a patience simulator cleverly disguised as a sport. Bonus points for fish puns in t...

Blades of Steel is hockey the way it was meant to be. Fast, brutal, and occasionally resembling a bar fight on ice. The game lets you punch other players mid-match and the announcer’s voice sounds like a robot trying to shout through a pillow. The graphics are chunky and glorious and the gameplay is pure arcade chaos. You can pass, shoot, and...

If pro wrestling in the '80s had a fever dream after drinking too much neon paint, it would be called Bop'N Wrestle (1988, DOS). You play as Gorgeous Greg, who’s about as gorgeous as a punch to the face, battling an array of muscle-bound goofs with names like Mr. Touc and Purple Hays. The gameplay is simple: grab, slam, and occasionally perfo...

Take American football, remove the rules, add swords and fireballs, and throw in some screaming. That is Brutal Sports Football. This is not about touchdowns. This is about survival. Players can be decapitated, the ball can explode, and nobody really seems to care about the score. The game is loud, chaotic, and weirdly satisfying. It is like rugby ...