Abandonware DOS title

Classic Windows XP/98/95 games

At the end of the DOS era, PCs started to use the latest Operative Systems from Microsoft. Starting from version 3.1, Windows became very popular and more and more software houses began to create games for Windows.

The first games for Windows 3.1 weren't very popular; there were solitaire card games, puzzle games and little else. With the release of Windows 95, 98 and Windows XP, the Microsoft OS became central in the development of mainstream video games like Age of Empires and the Civilization series.

Unfortunately, backward compatibility quickly became a problem: run an old game on Windows it's tricky; it's easier to run a game made for DOS using a MS-DOS emulator. The only safe and sure way to play old Windows games on recent PCs is to install them directly on an older version of Windows or, if you know how, install and configure a Virtual Machine.

  • age_of_empires-7
    strategy1997demo Ensemble Studios

    Age of Empires, published by Microsoft and developed by Ensemble Studios, is one of the most popular historical RTS and started a successful series. The player must guide a civilization from prehistory to the iron age, battling other civilizations, building and gathering resources.

  • age-of-empires-2-04
    strategy1999demo Ensemble Studios
  • atomic-bomberman-03
    action1997 Interplay Productions
  • blade-runner-10
    adventure1997 Westwood Studios

    Blade Runner is one of those point & click adventure games that somewhat manages to fully capture the spirit of a cult movie without copying the original plot. Fans of the Blade Runner movie will enjoy this game, even without Harrison Ford.

  • broken-sword-1-01
    adventure2009 Revolution Software
  • capitalism-2-01
    simulation2001 Ensemble Studios

    Capitalism 2 is simulation game designed by Trevor Chan, developed by Ensemble Studios and released by UBI Soft in 2001 for Windows and Macintosh. Capitalism 2 is the quintessential capitalistic simulation and involves stock exchange, business management, marketing, etc.

  • capitalism-plus-01
    simulation1997 Enlight Software
  • carmageddon-4
    racing1997 Stainless Games

    Carmageddon was a controversial and violent vehicular combat / car racing game, where the player must compete against a number of computer controlled opponents. Running over pedestrians and damaging opponents cars grant time bonuses and credits to be spent for upgrades.

  • civilization2-4
    strategy1996 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 more.

  • commandos-behind-enemy-lines-09
    strategy1998 Pyro Studios
  • crazy-taxi-01
    racing2002 Sega

    Crazy Taxi is an abandoned driving / racing game developed by Sega and released by Activision in 2002 for Windows and other platforms (it's an arcade conversion). Crazy Taxi is set in a city full of potential passengers: get them on your taxi and drive them to various destinations in time.

  • darius-gaiden-05
    shooter1998 Taito
  • dune2000-splash
    strategy1998 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 Westwood Studios and released by Virgin Interactive for PC in 1998 and features both single player and multi player game modes.

  • empire-earth-06
    strategy2001 Stainless Steel Studios
  • gta2-06
    action-adventure1999 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 various platforms, including PlayStation, Microsoft Windows, and Game Boy Color. GTA2 is set in a fictional city called "Anywhere City," and players take on the role of a criminal working their way up in the criminal underworld. The gameplay involves completing various missions given by different criminal gangs, which helps players progress through the game.

  • interstate-76-03
    racing1997 Activision
  • jagged-alliance-2-04
    strategy1999 Sir-tech Software

    Jagged Alliance 2 is a turn-based tactical role-playing strategy game developed by Sir-Tech and released in 1999 for Windows. It is the sequel to the original Jagged Alliance and has earned a reputation as one of the best games in the turn-based strategy genre.Set in the fictional country of Arulco, Jagged Alliance 2 presents players with the task of liberating Arulco from the oppressive rule of a dictator named Deidranna. The player takes on the role of a commander who must assemble a team of mercenaries, each with their unique skills and personalities, to overthrow the dictator and restore freedom to the country.

  • magic-the-gathering-8
    strategy1997 MicroProse Software

    Magic: The Gathering (sometimes also referred as Shandalar) is an abandoned strategy game based on the popular collectible card game Magic: The Gathering, developed and released by MicroProse Software for Windows in 1997. MTG is set on the fictional plane of Shandalar. You can play a single-player campaign or simply play duels against computer opponents or against other players in one of the multi-player modes available.

  • midtown-madness-02
    racing1999demo Angel Studios

    Midtown Madness is a car racing game developed by Angel Studios (later known as Rockstar San Diego) and released by Microsoft in 1999 for Windows. Midtown Madness is known for its open-world design, allowing players to explore a virtual representation of Chicago and engage in various racing events and challenges within the city.

  • myth-fallen-lords-03
    strategy1997 Bungie
  • nox-04
    rpg2000 Westwood Studios
  • outcast-03
    action-adventure1999 Appeal
  • pharaoh-sierra-4
    simulation1999 Impressions Games
  • railroad-tycoon-2-03
    simulation1998 Pop Software

    Railroad Tycoon 2 is an abandoned train simulation game designed by Phil Steinmeyer, developed by Pop Software and released by Gathering of Developers for Windows, Linux and Mac in 1998. As the title suggests, Railroad Tycoon 2 is the sequel of the acclaimed train management simulation Railroad Tycoon designed by Sid Meier in 1990.

  • road-rash-win-05
    racing1996 Papyrus Design Group

    Road Rash is an abandoned motorcycle racing game developed by Papyrus Design Group and released by Electronic Arts in 1996. Road Rash runs on Windows XP/98/95 but was also published for Amiga, Sega Genesis, Sega Master System, 3DO, Game Gear, PlayStation, Saturn, Game Boy. In Road Rash you're a motorcycle racer that needs to win against other racers by any means possibile, including violent ones. Road Rash was quite successful and was followed by a few sequels.

  • roller-coaster-tycoon-2-05
    simulation2002 Chris Sawyer Productions

    Roller Coaster Tycoon 2 is a simulation game developed by Chris Sawyer Productions and published by Infogrames. It was released in 2002 as the sequel to the original  classic Roller Coaster Tycoon. In Roller Coaster Tycoon 2 players take on the role of an amusement park manager and are tasked with designing, building, and managing their own theme park.

  • simcity2000-1
    simulation1993 Maxis

    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.

  • yoda-stories-03
    action-adventure1997 LucasArts
  • system-shock-2-07
    action-adventure1999 Irrational Games

    System Shock 2 is a Windows science fiction cyberpunk game developed by Irrational Games, designed by Ken Levine and published by Electronic Arts in 1999. System Shock 2 is a blend of more than one genre: RPG, action-adventure, shooter, stealth game.

  • morrowind-01
    rpg2002 Bethesda Softworks

    The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind is a critically acclaimed open-world action role-playing video game developed by Bethesda Game Studios. It was released in 2002 and is the third installment in the Elder Scrolls series. The game is set in the fantasy world of Tamriel, on the island of Vvardenfell in the province of Morrowind.The game offers a vast and detailed open-world environment with diverse landscapes, including cities, towns, dungeons, and wilderness. Players can freely explore the game world, undertake quests, interact with non-player characters, join factions, and develop their character by gaining experience points and improving skills.

  • wizardry7-05
    rpg1992 Sir-tech Software

    Wizardry VII: Crusaders of the Dark Savant is a first-person perspective party-based RPG developed and released by Sir-tech Software in 1992 for Windows, Linux and DOS. Wizardry 7 is the seventh chapter in the Wizardry series and it's part of the Dark Savant trilogy, set in a world where sci-fi themes (space travel, androids) are mixed with fantasy themes (weapons and armors, magic).

  • zeus-poseidon-08
    simulation2000 Impressions Games
  • zoo-tycoon-07
    simulation2001 Blue Fang Games