Abandonware DOS title

The most popular 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
PC-Man
actionDOS

Top down games

  • dune2000-splash
    Windows XP/98/9519984.2/5 Westwood Studios

    Dune 2000 is an abandoned science fiction classic real-time strategy game based on the popular Dune franchise. The Dune "universe" took form in the books of science fiction writer Frank Herbert and went on to include movies, TV series, comics, and of course video games. Dune 2000 is one of the finest RTS of its era; it was developed by We...

  • pcman-1
    DOS1982remake4.2/5 Orion Software

    PC-Man is an abandoned top-down Pac-Man clone in every regard: from the shape of the protagonist, to the cute ghosts. PC-Man was designed by Greg Kuperberg, developed by Orion Software and released in 1982 for DOS. As PC-Man, you have to move through a one screen maze to collect dots (pills? wafers?) and avoid being touched by one of the usual Pac-...

  • ultima7-2
    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...

  • civilization2-4
    Windows XP/98/9519964.3/5 MicroProse Software

    Civilization 2, later renamed Sid Meier's Civilization II, is a turn based 4X strategy game developed and published by MicroProse in 1996. The gameplay is similar to the first Civilization, many aspects were improved and new features were introduced: a new isometric perspective, hit points for units, new civilizations, new wonders of the world and ...

  • civ1-7
    DOSWindows 3.x19914.2/5 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...

  • gta1-6
    DOSWindows XP/98/9519974.1/5 DMA Design

    In Grand Theft Auto the player takes the role of a criminal who can freely roam around the city (Liberty City) completing tasks for the local mobs: stealing cars, killing pedestrians, all of it while avoiding the police and the army. The freedom of gameplay and the "I'm the bad guy" appeal of the game made the Grand Theft Auto series very popular.

  • chips-challenge-win3-01
    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.

  • pipedreams-2
    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.

  • yoda-stories-03
    Windows XP/98/9519974.2/5 LucasArts
  • albion-4
    DOS19964.2/5 Blue Byte Software
  • red-alert-6
    DOS1996freeware4.2/5 Westwood Studios

    Command and Conquer: Red Alert is a RTS developed by Westwood Studios, a sequel to Command & Conquer. Allies and the Soviet Union battle for control over Europe in an alternate history setting.

  • gta2-06
    Windows XP/98/9519994.2/5 DMA Design

    Grand Theft Auto 2 is the second chapter in the successful Grand Theft Auto series. GTA 2 is an abandoned top-down action-adventure / driving hybrid game developed by DMA Design and released by Rockstar Games in 1999 for Windows. In GTA 2 you are a wannabe criminal roaming the streets of a fictional city, stealing and driving vehicles while escapin...

  • indy-desktop-adventures-2
    Windows 3.xMac19964.1/5 LucasArts
  • kingsbounty-1
    DOSMac19904/5 New World Computing
  • ultima1-3
    DOS19874.1/5 Origin Systems

    This is the first of the very popular RPG saga Ultima. The setting is the land of Sosaria, the enemy to defeat is Mondain. It's a classic cRPG. The wilderness and cities are represented from a top down perspective, while dungeons can be explored in a first person 3d view.

  • pinball-fantasies-03
    DOS19944.2/5 Digital Illusions
  • dynablaster-01
    DOS19924.1/5 Hudson soft
  • command-and-conquer-06
    DOS1995freeware4.1/5 Westwood Studios
  • piratesg_006
    DOSWindows 3.xMac1993protectedremake3.9/5 MicroProse Software

    Pirates! Gold is an open world game designed by Paul Murphy, developed and released by MicroProse Software in 1993 for DOS, Windows 3.x, Mac and also Sega Genesis and Amiga CD32. Pirates! Gold is a remake of the game Pirates, created by Sid Meier in 1987. Pirates! Gold gameplay is a unique mix of action, strategy, pirate life simulation, ...

  • deathrally-02
    DOS1996freeware4.1/5 Remedy Entertainment Ltd.
  • skateordie-5
    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.

  • sokoban-1
    DOS19844.1/5 ASCII Corporation
  • princessmaker2-3
    DOS19934.2/5 Gainax

    Princess Maker 2 is a life simulation anime-style game developed by Gainax in 1993. In Princess Maker 2, the player is the father of a young princess and must tutor and raise her to the age of 18 by scheduling jobs, school classes and programming other activities. The princess is defined by attributes (strength, cooking, etc.) that will change depe...

  • homm2-10
    DOSWindows XP/98/951996protected4.2/5 New World Computing
  • romancethree2-1
  • simcity-6
    DOSWindows 3.xWindows XP/98/951989protected4.1/5 Maxis

    SimCity (or SimCity Classic) is a popular city building simulation in which you, the mayor of a city, have to build a metropolis from the ground up. You can build police and fire departments, assign industrial, residential or commercial areas, manage power distribution, build ports and airports. Grow your city from village to metropolis and try to ...

  • hack-5
    DOS1984freeware3.8/5
  • dune2-7
    DOS19924.2/5 Westwood Studios

    Dune 2 is a real time strategy game set on Arrakis, the planet made famous by the popular series of science fiction books written by Frank Herbert. Dune 2 established the classic RTS genre that later spawned games like Starcraft, Warcraft and Red Alert.

  • colonization-6
    DOSWindows 3.xLinuxMac1994protected4.3/5 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...

  • sensiblesoccer-2
    DOS19924.2/5 Sensible Software