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: June 2025

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

#	game title	year	rating
01	Spider-Man 2: The Game	2004	5.00/5
02	1942: The Pacific Air War	1994	5.00/5
03	Falcon 3.0	1991	5.00/5
04	Need for Speed II: SE	1997	4.75/5
05	Yu-Gi-Oh! Power of Chaos - Yugi the Destiny	2003	4.75/5

The best old PC games ever

#	game title	year	rating
01	The Secret of Monkey Island	1990	4.32/5
02	Street Fighter 2	1992	4.32/5
03	Ultima 7 Part 1: The Black Gate	1992	4.31/5
04	Tetris Classic	1992	4.31/5
05	Volfied	1991	4.31/5
06	X-COM: Ufo Defense	1994	4.31/5
07	Overlord	1994	4.30/5
08	Mortal Kombat	1993	4.30/5
09	Stunt Island	1992	4.29/5
10	Alley Cat	1984	4.29/5
11	Master of Orion 2: Battle at Antares	1996	4.29/5
12	Das Boot: German U-Boat Simulation	1990	4.29/5
13	Aces Over Europe	1993	4.29/5
14	Transport Tycoon Deluxe	1995	4.29/5
15	ATAC: The Secret War Against Drugs	1992	4.28/5
16	Leisure Suit Larry 1: In the Land of the Lounge Lizards	1987	4.28/5
17	Strike Commander	1993	4.28/5
18	Jetfighter 2: Advanced Tactical Fighter	1990	4.28/5
19	Football Manager 3	1993	4.28/5
20	Chuck Yeager's Air Combat	1991	4.28/5
21	Lode Runner	1983	4.28/5
22	Dawn Patrol	1994	4.28/5
23	Operation Wolf	1989	4.28/5
24	Space Quest 1: The Sarien Encounter	1986	4.28/5
25	Micro Machines	1994	4.28/5
26	Super Street Fighter 2	1996	4.28/5
27	Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge	1991	4.28/5
28	Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe	1991	4.28/5
29	EF 2000	1995	4.28/5
30	Tornado	1993	4.27/5

This chart takes into consideration the games I have actually included on Abandonware DOS. There are many more games published 20 or more years ago, and my time to add them to the site is limited. However, I'm determined to continue expanding the collection, no matter what!