Text-based games: ASCII, etc. sorted by release date
In the past, lots of games used ASCII characters (text) to represent the game world. These text-only video games may seem primitive and outdated and, in fact, the genre almost died with the fast evolving graphics of modern games.
A few genres traditionally linked to the beautiful world of ascii characters still survives: roguelikes (nethack, angband, etc.) and interactive fiction, for example.
A few genres traditionally linked to the beautiful world of ascii characters still survives: roguelikes (nethack, angband, etc.) and interactive fiction, for example.
Most popular text-based games
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VisiCalc 1.0
DOS1979freeware Software Arts
VisiCalc was the first spreadsheet software for personal computers, and it played a pivotal role in the early history of personal computing. It was developed by Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston and first released in 1979 for the App...
B-1 Nuclear Bomber
DOS1981 Avalon Hill
Ever wanted to be responsible for ending the world in fewer than ten keypresses? B-1 Nuclear Bomber (1981) gives you that chance, wrapping global annihilation in glorious monochrome and a user interface that feels like it was desi...
Galaxy
DOS1981 Microcomputer Games Inc.
Softporn Adventure
DOS1981freewareNSFW Sierra On-Line
The Wizard's Castle
DOS1981freeware
The Wizard's Castle is a classic text-based, dungeon-crawling adventure game released in 1980, designed by Joseph R. Power. The game was originally developed for the Exidy Sorcerer computer and later ported to various platforms, s...
Adventure in Serenia
DOS1982 Sierra On-Line
Before heroes had inventory screens and voice acting, there was Adventure in Serenia, the lovechild of a text parser and a fever dream. Released in 1982, this proto-graphic adventure gave players a taste of magic, mystery, and con...
Deadline
DOS1982 Infocom
Executive Suite
DOS1982 Armonk Corporation
Microsoft Cobol
DOS1982 Microsoft
Pac Gal
DOS1982
Pac-girl
DOS1982 Magicom Multimedia
Starcross
DOS1982 Infocom
Video Trek 88
DOS1982 Windmill Software
Volkswriter 3
DOS1982 Lifetree Software
Zork I: The Great Underground Empire
DOS1982 Infocom
Zork is one of the most popular text-adventures and one of the first interactive fiction games ever created. The first Zork was developed in the seventies and ported on various platform by Infocom in the early 80s. Infocom wa...
Air Trax
DOS1983
Ah yes, Air Trax from 1983 - a game where “flight” is more of a philosophical concept. It’s clunky, it's slow, and it looks like it was coded in someone’s garage (because it probably was). But there’s...
Black Friday
DOS1983
Black Friday (1983) isn’t about shopping mayhem—though you might wish it were after trying to figure out what’s going on. This early DOS title is part stock market simulator, part existential crisis. You play as ...
Borland Turbo Pascal 1.0
DOS1983 Borland Software Corporation
Borland Turbo Pascal 2.0
DOS1983 Borland Software Corporation
Classic Hangman
DOS1983 Norland Software
Enchanter
DOS1983 Infocom
Forbidden Quest
DOS1983 Pryority software
IBM Fixed Disk Organizer
DOS1983 IBM
Infidel
DOS1983 Infocom
Microsoft Word
Windows XP/98/95Windows 3.x1983 Microsoft
Midway Campaign
DOS1983 Microcomputer Games Inc.
Murder by the Dozen
DOS1983 BrainBank
Planetfall
DOS1983 Infocom
Planetfall is an interactive fiction sci-fie game released in 1983 by Infocom, written by Steve Meretzky. It is often considered one of Infocom's best titles. You play as a low-ranking Ensign Seventh Class in the Stellar Patr...
Sleuth: A Murder Mystery
DOS1983freeware Norland Software
Suspended
DOS1983 Infocom