Abandonware DOS retro gaming news

The very first Elite was the kind of game that starts a whole genre. Space sims - I'm talking about the trade-fight-explore kind of sims - started with the creation of David Braben and Ian Bell. Games like Freelancer and EVE Online owe Elite a great deal. The Elite series ...

When I had to add sub-genres to the puzzle games category, I really didn't know how to do it. I consulted Wikipedia, Home of the Underdogs (the original one) and a few other gaming sites. I thought a lot about it and then I came up with the current sub-genres: ...

Jinxter is one of those games with feelies, items, manuals, etc. that makes "unboxing" an experience filled with pleasure. Jinxter (by Magnetic Scrolls) box contained: the magazine "The Independent Guardian", a staff memo (in the form of a letter), the adventure guide, a "Old Moose Bolter" beer mat (which is ...

I loved Doom (and Wolfenstein 3D before that). I used to play Duke Nukem 3D online with a friend (and I always lost to a cunning use of the Duke hologram). I played quite a few FPSs but I have to admit... I missed the Marathon series completely. To make ...

No, I'm not talking about the long gone site Home of the Underdogs, a milestone in the abandonware website scene, I'm actually talking about games available on Abandonware DOS that almost no one pay attention to (myself included).Download count for these games is low and - for a few ...

Windwalker is not one of the most popular games developed by Origin. It's a strange RPG-action mix. Not a great game, but the big box contains lots of paper: the manual (wonderfully illustrated), a small copy of the I Ching (the chinese Book of Changes), two floppy disks, the usual ...

"There are countless new features in the sequel, none of them gratuitous, all of them logical and perfect. Civilization 2 is immensely challenging, completely different every time you play and dangerously compulsive. If that sounds like the definition of the perfect computer game than so be it, for more than ...

"GP2 does make compromises. As sophisticated as its' driving model is, mastering it still happens quicker than with Indicar - which may still be regarded as possessing superior dynamics. This will only displease retired racing drivers thought, the game has been geared for demanding gamers and if the upper 1% ...

Master of Magic is a turn based 4x strategy game developed by SimTex and published by Microprose, very similar to Civilization, with a fantasy twist. You play as a wizard and your objective is to evolve your race from a small settlement to a bursting empire. To do so, you ...

After the success of Ultima 6: The False Prophet, Origin decided to "create worlds" not part of the popular Ultima series using the same engine as Ultima 6. They came up with two games: The Savage Empire and Martian Dreams. The Savage Empire is set in a stone-age-like time period and features ...

Space Quest games are all somewhat "abandoned". Sierra is defunct and no one is maintaining the old Space Quest games. (Un)fortunately a few digital stores have Space Quest games in their catalog (se GOG) and that's why almost all Sierra games on Abandonware DOS aren't available for download.

Cadaver (and the expansion Cadaver: The Payoff) is a blend of adventure and platform game. The gameplay reminds me of the glorious Head over Heels, with a fantasy setting, an inventory and the fact that you can die... and I died a lot, when I played it back in the ...

I own a small collection of old games from the era of those wonderful big boxes full of letters, maps, object, feelies. I own RPGs mostly, but also a few simulations, a couple of adventure games, strategy games, etc. From time to time I like to look at these old ...

The Aethra Chronicles is not a well know RPG, but it deserves some praise. It was developed by only one person (Micheal Lawrence) and, as the title implies, was intented to be the first volume of a saga. Unforunately, volume two and three were never made. For a shareware game, ...

InfoComics was an engine developed by Infocom, used for a series of games that today would be defined as visual novels (very similar to almost non-interactive comics). InfoComics weren't much popular and, apparently, were one of the causes that lead to Infocom demise.

Sierra On-Line published lots of games back in the 80s and the 90s and was famous for the various "Quest" series. Think about King's Quest, Quest for Glory, Space Quest, Leisure Suit Larry ("Love Quest"?). I'm sure you remember a few.Police Quest wasn't perhaps one of the most popular ...

Chess was a niche genre in video gaming. There were lots of chess simulations: black and white very old games, licensed games from chess champions, etc. No one ever attempted to broaden the audience until Interplay published Battle Chess. I'm a chess fan (I barely remember the rules), but I ...

I clearly remember the first time I heard about Populous. I was young and still living with my parents. It was a late sunday morning, the sun was high in the sky and the smell of roasted chicken was all around the house: lunch was almost ready, but I was ...

Back in the day, sequels were not always appreciated. That number "2" after the title for many meant lack of ideas. This wasn't just about video games, everything was subject to that kind of treatment "if it's good, why change it?".I don't see this kind of hate anymore. In fact, ...

Jones in the Fast Lane is the kind of game that you don't see often these days. It's a mix between a digital board game and a modern day life simulation. The goal of the game is to live the life of Jones, making choices about school, work, your home, ...