The best abandonware PC games of all time

Retro gamers like myself are convinced that the best PC games ever published were developed during the golden age of PC gaming, in the 80s and 90s. This era was marked by innovation, creativity, and the birth of many genres that defined the industry. I myself have collected quite a few of those games and own a small big-box PC game collection. Some of you may remember most of these titles fondly, while a few of you probably remember and played every single "abandoned" Windows and DOS game that made it into this chart.

Actually, some of the games listed below are not abandoned at all - you can buy them on GOG or Steam - but they definitely deserve to be included anyway.

I know that every "best games" chart is far from perfect; there's always a couple of games that you think are missing. Personal preferences and nostalgic memories often influence our opinions on what should be included. That's why this abandonware games list is exclusively based on votes cast by users, reflecting a broader consensus within the community.

The best games of the month: July 2026

These are the top games based on user votes for the current month.

#	game title	year	rating
01	Commander Keen 1: Marooned on Mars action	1990	5.00/5
02	Final Doom shooter	1996	4.75/5
03	Bloodrayne action-adventure	2003	4.67/5
04	Mech Commander: Gold strategy	1999	4.50/5
05	Interstate '76 racing	1997	4.50/5
06	Donkey Kong action	1983	4.50/5
07	Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit racing	1998	4.50/5
08	Logical puzzle	1991	4.50/5
09	House of the Dead shooter	1998	4.33/5
10	Star Wars: Yoda Stories action-adventure	1997	4.33/5

The best old PC games ever

These are the best games on Abandonware DOS, according to your votes.

#	game title	year	rating
01	Final Doom shooter	1996	4.32/5
02	Ultima 7 Part 1: The Black Gate rpg	1992	4.31/5
03	Tetris Classic puzzle	1992	4.31/5
04	The Secret of Monkey Island adventure	1990	4.31/5
05	Street Fighter 2 action	1992	4.31/5
06	Volfied action	1991	4.30/5
07	X-COM: Ufo Defense strategy	1994	4.29/5
08	Mortal Kombat action	1993	4.27/5
09	Micro Machines racing	1994	4.27/5
10	Master of Orion 2: Battle at Antares strategy	1996	4.27/5
11	Doom 2: Hell on Earth shooter	1994	4.26/5
12	Pipe Dream puzzle	1989	4.25/5
13	Leisure Suit Larry 1: In the Land of the Lounge Lizards adventure	1987	4.25/5
14	Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis adventure	1992	4.25/5
15	Alley Cat action	1984	4.24/5
16	Eye of the Beholder 2: The Legend of Darkmoon rpg	1991	4.24/5
17	Populous 2: Trials of the Olympian Gods strategy	1993	4.24/5
18	Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings strategy	1999	4.24/5
19	Chuck Yeager's Air Combat vehicle simulation	1991	4.23/5
20	SimCity 2000 simulation	1993	4.23/5
21	Virtua Cop 2 shooter	1997	4.23/5
22	Rampage action	1988	4.22/5
23	The Incredible Machine 2 puzzle	1994	4.22/5
24	Zeus: Master of Olympus simulation	2000	4.22/5
25	Chip's Challenge puzzle	1991	4.22/5
26	Civilization strategy	1991	4.22/5
27	Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge adventure	1991	4.22/5
28	Jagged Alliance: Deadly Games strategy	1996	4.22/5
29	Prince of Persia action	1990	4.22/5
30	Police Quest: Open Season adventure	1993	4.22/5

This chart takes into account only the games I’ve actually included on Abandonware DOS. Many more games were published 20 or more years ago, and my time to add them is limited. That said, I’m determined to keep expanding the collection, no matter what!