Abandonware DOS retro gaming spotlight

The Terminator: Future Shock

In 1997 PC Powerplay wrote: "The Terminator: Future Shock offers a new slant on the tried and tested Doom formula. The control system makes the game more involving and really draws you into the realistic game world Bethesda have created. The way the plot updates between stages when ...

1995 in retro gaming: from Command & Conquer to The Need for Speed

Thirty years ago, in 1995, monitors were bulky, the word “multimedia” was plastered onto anything that moved, and CD-ROMs promised “realistic” gaming experiences that often looked like low-budget school plays filmed on a camcorder. Windows 95 had just arrived with its legendary startup chime, and PC gaming was ...

Robocop: the original video game

Robocop is an abandoned beat 'em up / run and gun shooter game developed and released by Data East in 1989 for a number of platforms, including DOS. Robocop is a conversion from an arcade game released by Data East in 1988 and it was based on the movie of the same name, ...

Oldies remade: the best remakes of old DOS games

Games developed for DOS or early microcomputers (such as the Spectrum, Commodore 64, BBC Micro, etc.) date back to the 1980s. Simply put, these games are old. Graphics, sound, user experience, and interface were vastly different compared to recent games.Game development has made significant strides over the years, and today&...

Space Harrier: third-person rail shooter

Space Harrier is a 3rd-person view rail-shooter developed by Sega in 1985. Space Harrier was a hit in the arcades, and later it was converted for a number of platforms, including DOS (4 years later!). The sequels - Space Harrier 3D and Space Harrier II - were never ported to DOS.

Mechwarrior 2: Mercenaries

MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries is a standalone expansion to MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat, released in 1996 by Activision. Part of the larger BattleTech universe, the game puts players in control of a customizable BattleMech as they assume the role of a freelance mercenary pilot in the turbulent 31st century. MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries introduces a ...

GDC Spotlight Awards: the best games of 1998

The Spotlight Awards was a prominent video game awards event held during the 1990s as part of the Game Developers Conference (GDC). This event recognized outstanding achievements in video game development across a wide range of gaming platforms, including PC, console, and arcade systems.By celebrating innovation and creativity within ...

Apogee: the shareware kings

Apogee Software was a key player in the early days of the PC gaming industry, making a significant impact as both a developer and publisher. Established in 1987 by Scott Miller and George Broussard, Apogee is widely credited with pioneering the shareware distribution model for video games. This innovative approach allowed ...

Demo versions: what happened to game demos?

Let's start by emphasizing a crucial point: not every classic game has been "abandoned". With the resurgence of all things "vintage", there's a renewed fascination with retro items, including video games. Consequently, certain companies have acquired entire back catalogs of old games and begun selling them anew. Hence, many captivating ...

System Shock 2: RPG shooter

System Shock 2 is a sci-fi first-person action role-playing game (RPG) developed by Irrational Games and Looking Glass Studios and released in 1999. System Shock 2 combines elements of first-person shooters with RPG mechanics.

Duke Nukem 3D: the Duke is back

I have to admit something to you all. I liked Duke Nukem 3D more than Doom. There, I said it. I know some of your consider this an heresy, but that's the truth. Doom was a wonderful game, but Duke Nukem 3D had a strange appeal on me. I wasn't ...

GameSpy's 25 Favorite PC Games of the '90s

"The 1990s were landmark years for PC gaming, giving rise to three of the most deeply ingrained genres on the platform, and delivering memorable classics in the role-playing and adventure genres that the PC had long been known for. To celebrate this monumental decade we've put together some reflections ...

Raiden: from the arcades to DOS

Raiden is a vertically scrolling shoot 'em up game developed by Seibu Kaihatsu and first released in arcades in 1990 and later for many home computers and consoles. Raiden follows the classic vertical scrolling shoot 'em up format. Players control a spaceship known as the R-9C "Red-Ray" and navigate vertically ...

Seek and Destroy

Seek and Destroy was a shoot'em up published by the well known Epic Megagames in 1996 that tried to change the usual shoot'em up gameplay for the better. Instead of wave after wave of enemies to shoot down, you are given short missions to accomplish with your helicopter or your tank (...

The shareware business model

Shareware is a type of software distribution model that allows users to try a program before purchasing it. It's a marketing strategy and distribution method that was particularly popular in the early days of personal computing, primarily during the 1980s and 1990s.Shareware games were released for free with limited ...