Abandonware DOS title

The most popular obscure / rare game games

Rare and/or obscure video games are titles that were released in limited numbers, distributed only in specific regions, or simply overlooked by most players. Many are difficult to find today and never achieved mainstream popularity. These games sometimes feature unusual ideas, experimental gameplay, or unique historical value. Collectors obviously seek them out for their rarity.
warheads-04

Warheads

Windows XP/98/951997
Warheads is a turn-based artillery game in the grand tradition of blowing your friends to pieces with ridiculous weapons. You control a team of tiny, heavily armed soldiers and tak...
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Legend of Cao Cao

Windows XP/98/951998 KOEI
ballrace-03

Ball Race

DOS1988
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Time Slaughter

DOS1996freeware Bloodlust Software
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God of Thunder

DOSWindows XP/98/951993freeware Adept Software
God of Thunder is a classic computer game developed by Adept Software and released in 1993. It's a puzzle platformer with a fantasy theme. In the game, you control Thor, the Norse ...
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Xatax

DOS1994 Pixel Painters Corporation
Xatax is a no-nonsense arcade shooter that focuses on delivering fast, straightforward action without unnecessary distractions. You pilot your ship through waves of enemies, dodgin...
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Ancients 2: Approaching Evil

DOS1994 Farr-Ware Software
A direct sequel to Deathwatch, Ancients 2: Approaching Evil is like returning to your childhood neighborhood, except everyone’s still trying to kill you. Released in 1994, it...
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Ancients 1: Deathwatch

DOS1991 Farr-Ware Software
In Ancients 1: Deathwatch, you gather your pixelated party and set off to cleanse a city of evil, or at least try not to get mugged by slimes. It's a dungeon crawler in classic DOS...
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Blitz Runner

Windows XP/98/951997 Compile
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Dark Designs 2: Closing the Gate

DOS1990 Softdisk Publishing
Dark Designs 2: Closing the Gate picks up right where the first game left off, with your party stumbling into yet another world-threatening mess. The stakes are higher, the enemies...
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Shooting Gallery

DOS1990 Arcanum Computing
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Subtrade: Return to Irata

DOS1993 Century Interactive
Subtrade: Return to Irata is an abandoned science fiction business simulation game developed by Century Interactive and published by Boeder Software in 1993 for Amiga and later por...
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Tunnels & Trolls: Crusaders of Khazan

DOS1990 New World Computing
Tunnels & Trolls: Crusaders of Khazan is a computer RPG released in 1990 for MS-DOS and PC-98 platforms. It is based on the tabletop role-playing game Tunnels & Trolls crea...
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Invasion of the Mutant Space Bats of Doom

DOS1995 Pop Software
Invasion of the Mutant Space Bats of Doom has perhaps the greatest title-to-content ratio in gaming history. Released in 1995, it embraces absurdity with every pixel, delivering ar...
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EGA Trek

DOS1988remake
A loving parody of science fiction tropes, EGA Trek takes obvious inspiration from Star Trek and runs with it, humor first. You command a starship, making decisions that range from...
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Night Raid

DOS1992remake Argo Games
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D-Zone

DOS1992
D-Zone is what you’d get if someone blended city-building with military strategy and sprinkled in a dash of chaos. You’re tasked with running a base while fending off a...
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Cave Wars

DOS1996
If you’ve ever looked at a cave and thought, “Yes, this is where I’ll build my empire,” then Cave Wars is your jam. Released in 1996, this strategy game thr...
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Arrakis

DOS2000
No relation to Dune (except for being a total rip-off), Arrakis is a homebrew strategy game that feels like a tribute to the sandiest planet in sci-fi. You mine spice, fight vaguel...
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Caves of Thor

DOS1989 Apogee Software
If you thought Norse mythology needed more monochrome graphics, Caves of Thor (1989) has you covered. It’s an early Apogee game, meaning it’s tough, quirky, and uses le...
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Legend of the Red Dragon

DOS1989 Robinson Technologies
Legend of the Red Dragon (1989) isn’t so much a traditional game as it is a slice of online history. This BBS door game allowed players to log in, fight monsters, flirt with ...
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Gunboat

DOS1990protected Accolade
Gunboat trades fighter jets for naval tension, placing you in command of a small but heavily armed vessel navigating hostile waters. The gameplay mixes simulation detail with actio...
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Questron 2

DOS1988protected Westwood Studios
Questron II is a role-playing game (RPG) developed by Westwood Associates and published by Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) in 1988. It serves as the sequel to the original Questro...
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Transland

DOS1996 Origin Systems
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Axet

DOS1994freeware
Few games from 1994 dared to ask the real question: “What if you gave an axe to someone with absolutely no training and dropped them into a dungeon with the reflexes of a slo...
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Mach 3

DOS1987 Loriciel
Flying at incredible speed sounds glamorous until you realize mountains have absolutely no intention of moving out of the way. Mach 3 delivers fast-paced action by placing players ...
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Top Secret

DOS1986 Loriciel