Abandonware DOS title

The best top down games

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).

Most popular top down games

Dune 2000
strategyWindows XP/98/95
Grand Theft Auto
action-adventureDOS, Windows XP/98/95
super-pinball-01

Super Pinball by Russco

DOS19874.5/5 Russco
mad-mix-02

Mad Mix

DOS19884.3/5 Topo Soft
ultima7-2

Ultima 7 Part 1: The Black Gate

DOS19924.3/5 Origin Systems
Ultima VII: The Black Gate is a top-down RPG where you, the Avatar, have to find out what's happening in Britannia by solving quests, meeting interesting NPCs and fight hordes of headleass monsters. The land of Britannia is shaken by mysterious earthquakes, a new religion (the Fellowship) is spreading and is replacing the old virtues, and who is th...
tomenet-04

TomeNET

Windows XP/98/95Linux2003freeware4.3/5
pipedreams-2

Pipe Dream

DOSWindows 3.x19894.3/5 The Assembly Line
Pipe Mania (also known as Pipe Dream is a tile-matching (sort of) puzzle game about flowing liquids developed by The Assembly Line in 1989. You must build a path made of pipe pieces to let a green liquid (sewer goo?) flow. It's simple, original and addicting, that's why Pipe Mania was cloned a number of times.
micromachines-1

Micro Machines

DOS19944.3/5 Codemasters
Micro Machines is an abandoned racing game developed and released by Codemasters in 1994 based on the Micro Machines toy line. Micro Machines was published for DOS, but also for Amiga, Game Boy, Game Gear, Genesis, NES, SEGA Master System and SNES. Codemasters released a sequel called Micro Machines 2: Turbo Tournament.
skateordie-5

Skate or Die

DOS19884.3/5 Electronic Arts
Skate or Die is an abandoned sports game, developed and released by Electronic Arts in 1988 for DOS and a number of other platforms. Skate or Die is a multi-sport kind of game, including every kind of unconventional "sport" done on skateboard. A sequel, Ski or Die, was released an year later.
time-bandit-08

Time Bandit

DOS19894.3/5 MichTron
Time Bandit is a classic top-down arcade-style video game that was released in 1982 for various home computer systems, such as the Atari 8-bit, Commodore 64, and others. It was developed by MichTron. In Time Bandit, players control a character who must navigate through a series of maze-like levels, battling various enemies and collecting treasure a...
volfied-0004

Volfied

DOS19914.3/5 Taito
Volfied is an abandoned action heavily inspired by the classic Qix (draw rectangles in a fixed screen to trap and destroy enemies). Volfied was designed by Fukio Mitsuji, developed by Taito and released by Empire Interactive in 1991 for DOS.
alien-syndrome-07

Alien Syndrome

DOS19894.3/5 Sega
war-lance-03

War of the Lance

DOS1990protected4.3/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
warlords-3-07

Warlords 3: Reign of Heroes

Windows XP/98/9519974.3/5 SSG Strategic Studies Group
Warlords 3: Reign of Heroes is an abandoned turn-based fantasy strategy game designed by Steve Fawkner, developed by SSG Strategic Studies Group and released by Red Orb Entertainment in 1997 for Windows. Warlords 3: Reign of Heroes is part of the Warlords game series and features quite a few multiplayer modes: from LAN to PBEM.
nhl_96-07

NHL 96

DOS19954.3/5 Electronic Arts
chips-challenge-win3-01

Chip's Challenge

DOSWindows 3.x19914.3/5 Epyx
Chip's Challenge is an abandoned top-down puzzle game designed by Chuck Sommerville, developed and released by Epyx in 1991. Chip's Challenge was released on DOS, Windows 3.x and many other home computers such as Atari ST, Amiga, C64, ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC.
clue-master-detective-03

Clue Master Detective

DOS19894.3/5 Dalali Software
Clue Master Detective is an abandoned strategy game developed by Dalali Software and released by Leisure Genius in 1989 for DOS, Amiga, Apple II, Atari ST, C64. Clue Master Detective is based on the well known board game Clue (also known as Cluedo). Clue can be played in single player, but the best gaming experience come from the multi-player mode.
lords-midnight-01

Lords of Midnight: The Citadel

DOS19954.3/5 Maelstrom Games
nfl-pro-league-03

NFL Pro League Football

DOS19894.3/5 Micro Sports
trog-04

Trog

DOS19904.3/5 Midway Manufacturing Company
colonization-6

Colonization

DOSWindows 3.xLinuxMac1994protected4.2/5 MicroProse Software
Colonization is a turn-based strategy 4x game developed and published by MicroProse in 1994 for DOS, Windows 3.1, Linux and Mac. The setting is the European Colonization of the New World. Colonization gameplay and interface are similar to Civilization, another Sid Meier game. However, there are some differences between Civilization and Colonization...
peoples-general-06

People's General

Windows XP/98/951998protected4.2/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
albion-4

Albion

DOSWindows XP/98/9519954.2/5 Blue Byte Software
Albion is a science fiction role-playing game (RPG) developed and published by German studio Blue Byte Software. It was released in 1995 for MS-DOS and later for Amiga. Albion is notable for its blend of traditional RPG elements with a unique setting and storyline.The game takes place on the planet Albion, a world with a rich history and diver...
free-enterprise-07

Free Enterprise

Windows XP/98/9519964.2/5 Tsunami Media
Dehumanizing offices? Check. Depressing environment? Check. No windows in the whole place? Check. Good, I'm ready to exploit my workers and become great entrepreneur. All of this thanks to Free Enterprise, a simulation for Windows by Tsunami Media, published in 1996.
sim-earth-3

SimEarth

DOSWindows 3.x19904.2/5 Maxis
SimEarth is a simulation in which you can shape and mold a planet in almost every way you can imagine. In SimEarth our planet is simulated as a whole: life, climate, atmosphere are all aspects of a single Gaia-like Earth. SimEarth can be played in two modes: game and experimental. In game mode, you have to to develop (and preserve) Earth with limit...
psychopinball-1

Psycho Pinball

DOS19954.2/5 Codemasters
pinball-fantasies-03

Pinball Fantasies

DOS19944.2/5 Digital Illusions
sword-of-aragon-05

Sword of Aragon

DOS1989protected4.2/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
zzt-2

ZZT

DOS1991freeware4.2/5 Epic MegaGames
civ1-7

Civilization

DOSWindows 3.xMac19914.2/5 MicroProse Software
Civilization is the critically acclaimed strategy game designed by Sid Meier and Bruce Campbell Shelley that became a staple in 4X turn-based strategy. Civilization was developed by MicroProse Software and released in 1991 for DOS, Windows 3.x, Amiga, Atari ST, Mac, etc. Civilization was followed by sequels, the last one being published recently. T...
civilization2-4

Civilization 2

Windows XP/98/9519964.2/5 MicroProse Software
Civilization II is a turn-based strategy game developed by MicroProse and released in 1996. It's the second installment in the "Civilization" series, created by Sid Meier. The game builds upon the concept of its predecessor, Civilization, and expands on its gameplay mechanics, graphics, and depth.In Civilization II, players take on the role of a le...
extremepinball-5

Extreme Pinball

DOS19954.2/5 Epic MegaGames