Abandonware DOS retro gaming spotlight

Abandonware DOS favorite games from the 1980s

In my personal history with video games, there are many that would deserve the title of the best or at least my personal favorite. Creating the perfect ranking is difficult, and this one certainly isn’t. Many of these games have, over time, been recognized as milestones in their ...

Atomix: a puzzle for nuclear physicists

Zero Magazine Issue 7 (1990) - "Atomix is rather like Lego for the nuclear physicist. You're presented with a maze around which atoms are scattered and you have to build the molecule shown at the corner of the screen within a certain time limit by moving them horizontally or vertically. Things are ...

Command and Conquer: Red Alert

Command & Conquer: Red Alert is a real-time strategy (RTS) video game developed by Westwood Studios and published by Virgin Interactive in 1996. It is part of the Command & Conquer series and is set in an alternate history where World War II never occurred, leading to a different global conflict. ...

Black and White: the last good game from Bullfrog?

Game Revolution review (2001): "Black & White has captivated the entire GR staff with its amazingly creative and unique gameplay, graphics and humor. It's the sort of game that comes around once every few years and totally changes the gaming landscape. Take heed, heathens - there's a new god in town."

Populous 2 Trials of the Olympian Gods: the perfect god-game?

Populous 2: Trials of the Olympian Gods is an old sandbox strategy god-game. As the title suggests, the setting is more of less ancient Greek mythology and you're a god (hence the god-game label). Populous 2 is the sequel of the much acclaimed Populous, designed by Peter Molineaux. Populous 2 was developed ...

Electronic Games Arcade Awards: The best of 1980

Electronic Games was the first magazine dedicated to the video game world, published in the United States. Electronic Games ran from October 15 1981 to 1997 under different titles (Computer Entertainment, Intelligent Gamer, etc).The magazine is notable for holding the first Game of the Year Award ceremony, called (obviously) the ...

SimCity 2000: a sequel to THE city building game

SimCity 2000 is a classic city building simulation, part of the popular SimCity series, developed by Maxis and designed by Will Wright. SimCity 2000 is a huge step up from the 2D predecessor SimCity and boasts improvements like: isometric view, underground, water pipes, subways, new buildings like prisons, schools, libraries, museums, etc.

The second Eye of the Beholder

Eye of the Beholder II: The Legend of Darkmoon is a first-person party-based role-playing game developed by Westwood Associates and published by Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI). Set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe, specifically the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, the game follows the story of the adventurers known as the ...

Age of Wonders II: better than the original?

Age of Wonders II: The Wizard's Throne is a turn-based strategy game developed by Triumph Studios and published by Gathering of Developers. It was released in 2002 as a sequel to the original Age of Wonders. The game is set in a fantasy world where players take on the role of ...

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&...

Bomb Jack: an arcade classic

Bomb Jack is a classic arcade platformer developed and published by Tecmo in 1984. In the game, players must collect bombs while dodging enemies, all within the confines of a single, fixed-screen layout. The DOS version of Bomb Jack is a port of the original arcade game. Both the arcade release ...

Quest for Glory 2: Trial by Fire - Adventure and RPG combined

Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire is the second chapter in the Quest for Glory series. It’s an adventure game with RPG elements, where players must choose a class—fighter, wizard, or thief—at the very start. Set in a fantasy world inspired by Middle ...

Anachronox: soundtrack added

Anachronox is a 2001 role-playing video game developed by Ion Storm and published by Eidos Interactive with a futuristic, cyberpunk-inspired setting. The story of Anachronox takes place in a galaxy where technology and magic coexist. The game’s protagonist, Sylvester "Sly" Boots, is a down-on-his-luck private investigator who finds himself ...

Might and Magic 7: For Blood and Honor

Might and Magic VII: For Blood and Honor is a fantasy role-playing game (RPG) developed by New World Computing and released in 1999. It is the seventh installment in the long-running Might and Magic series. The game is set in the fictional world of Enroth and takes place in the same ...

Electronic Games Arcade Awards - 1984

The Electronic Games Arcade Awards, also known as the Electronic Games Awards or simply the Arcade Awards, were an annual awards ceremony that recognized achievements in the electronic gaming industry during the 1980s and 1990s. The awards were organized by Electronic Games magazine, which was a prominent publication during that ...

Star Trek: Birth of the Federation

Star Trek: Birth of the Federation is a turn-based strategy video game set in the Star Trek universe. The game was developed by MicroProse Software and published by Infogrames for Windows in 1999. Players take on the role of one of five major Star Trek races: the United Federation of Planets, ...

Rogue: the first roguelike

If you're into roguelikes, you already know what Rogue is. One of the first RPGs in video game history, Rogue is a text-based dungeon crawler where you must battle your way through the depths to recover the Amulet of Yendor. It gained popularity around 1980 on mainframes and was later ported ...

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.

Gods: soundtrack added

Gods is a video game developed by The Bitmap Brothers and initially released in 1991. It is a platformer that combines action and puzzle-solving elements. The game was originally released for various platforms, including the Commodore Amiga, Atari ST, and MS-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 ...

The History of CRPGs: Martian Dreams

Martian Dreams is an unusual and fascinating entry in the history of video gaming. It blends history, science fiction, and adventure into a single game. Developed by Origin Systems and released in 1991, Martian Dreams takes players on a journey to Mars in 1893. The game's storyline presents an ...

Play Archon online on Abandonware DOS

Archon: The Light and the Dark is an abandoned DOS fantasy blend of strategy and action game, developed by Free Fall Associates and published for DOS by Electronic Arts in 1984. Archon and its sequels are a unique mix of chess-like turn-based strategy and arcade action games. Take chess and add ...

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 ...

Company profile: Cinemaware

Cinemaware was a video game developer and publisher founded in 1985 by Bob Jacob. The company was known for pioneering a blend of gameplay and cinematic storytelling, drawing inspiration from classic films and television.Cinemaware's titles were especially popular on platforms like the Amiga. Their most iconic games include Defender of ...

Grand Theft Auto: the beginning

In Grand Theft Auto, players assume the role of a criminal who can explore the open world of Liberty City, taking on missions for local gangs. These tasks range from stealing cars to attacking pedestrians, all while evading law enforcement and the military. The game's open-world freedom and the thrill ...

Beat 'em ups: what are they?

A beat 'em up video game, often referred to as a brawler, is a subgenre of action games that emphasizes close-quarters combat against waves of enemies. In these games, players take control of a character who must fight through hordes of opponents, using hand-to-hand combat techniques or wielding melee weapons. ...

Dune: soundtrack added

Dune, released in 1992, is a game developed by Cryo Interactive and published by Virgin Games. It's based on the iconic science fiction novel of the same name by Frank Herbert. In Dune, players assume the role of Paul Atreides, the young scion of House Atreides, as he arrives on the ...

Have you ever played Ravenloft: Stone Prophet?

Ravenloft: Stone Prophet is a first-person role-playing game (RPG) released in 1995 for MS-DOS. It was developed by DreamForge Intertainment and published by Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI). The game is set in the Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting of Ravenloft, known for its Gothic horror themes, and is a direct sequel ...

Dreamweb: soundtrack added

Dreamweb is a top-down point-and-click adventure game set in a dark, cyberpunk city. You play as Ryan, a character plagued by strange and violent dreams. The game stands out for its unique top-down perspective, the wonderful soundtrack and the sheer number of items your character can interact with and collect. ...

Abandonware DOS in 2024: more of the same

As I do every year, before the end of it, I take stock of the updates to AbandonwareDOS. The main focus has been revising content, adding biographies of notable designers, more demos, descriptions, excerpts from game reviews, and, of course, games. The focus remains on abandoned DOS games, though I ...