Best abandonware games by year
Abandonware DOS hosts games from the early age of Personal Computer videogaming. I'm referring to a time when some of you weren't even born: the 80s.
The golden age of PC games came in the 90s, with classic games still remembered today. In the new millennium, many small developers struggled to stay afloat in the gaming sea now dominated by leviathan companies that ate one software house after another. The golden age ended and "abandonware" started to be a thing.
Here are the top 10 games for every year of that golden age, according to user's votes.
| # | 1981 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Galaxy | strategy | 4.03/5 |
| 02 | Ultima 1: The First Age of Darkness | rpg | 4.02/5 |
| 03 | Softporn Adventure | adventure | 4.00/5 |
| 04 | Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord | rpg | 3.94/5 |
| 05 | Chess | strategy | 3.83/5 |
| 06 | Akalabeth: World of Doom | rpg | 3.67/5 |
| 07 | B-1 Nuclear Bomber | vehicle simulation | 3.64/5 |
| # | 1982 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Zork I: The Great Underground Empire | adventure | 4.15/5 |
| 02 | PC-Man | action | 4.13/5 |
| 03 | Microsoft Decathlon | sports | 4.03/5 |
| 04 | Paratrooper | shooter | 3.98/5 |
| 05 | Executive Suite | simulation | 3.89/5 |
| 06 | Deadline | adventure | 3.87/5 |
| 07 | Wizardry 2: The knight of diamonds | rpg | 3.85/5 |
| 08 | BurgerTime | action | 3.83/5 |
| 09 | Car Builder | simulation | 3.81/5 |
| 10 | The Battle of the Bulge: Tigers in the Snow | strategy | 3.80/5 |
| # | 1983 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Lode Runner | action | 4.27/5 |
| 02 | Battlezone | shooter | 4.24/5 |
| 03 | Zork II: The Wizard of Frobozz | adventure | 4.22/5 |
| 04 | Defender | shooter | 4.21/5 |
| 05 | Planetfall | adventure | 4.16/5 |
| 06 | Digger | action | 4.16/5 |
| 07 | Frogger | action | 4.13/5 |
| 08 | Sleuth: A Murder Mystery | simulation | 4.08/5 |
| 09 | J-Bird | action | 4.07/5 |
| 10 | Donkey Kong | action | 4.03/5 |
| # | 1984 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Alley Cat | action | 4.29/5 |
| 02 | Montezuma's Revenge | action | 4.23/5 |
| 03 | King's Quest 1: Quest for the Crown | adventure | 4.22/5 |
| 04 | Archon: the Light and the Dark | strategy | 4.18/5 |
| 05 | The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy | adventure | 4.17/5 |
| 06 | dBASE III | application | 4.16/5 |
| 07 | Rogue | rpg | 4.16/5 |
| 08 | Soko-Ban | puzzle | 4.13/5 |
| 09 | Crime and Punishment | simulation | 4.12/5 |
| 10 | Xonix | action | 4.09/5 |
| # | 1985 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Ultima 3: Exodus | rpg | 4.20/5 |
| 02 | Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? | adventure | 4.19/5 |
| 03 | Alice: The Personal Pascal | application | 4.17/5 |
| 04 | A Mind Forever Voyaging | adventure | 4.14/5 |
| 05 | Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar | rpg | 4.13/5 |
| 06 | Rambo First Blood Part 2 | adventure | 4.12/5 |
| 07 | 9 Princes in Amber | adventure | 4.10/5 |
| 08 | Silent Service | vehicle simulation | 4.06/5 |
| 09 | King's Quest 2: Romancing the Throne | adventure | 4.06/5 |
| 10 | Star Trek: the Kobayashi alternative | adventure | 4.04/5 |
| # | 1986 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Space Quest 1: The Sarien Encounter | adventure | 4.27/5 |
| 02 | Gunship | vehicle simulation | 4.19/5 |
| 03 | Wordstar 4 | application | 4.18/5 |
| 04 | King's Quest 3: To Heir is Human | adventure | 4.16/5 |
| 05 | AutoCAD 2.5 | application | 4.15/5 |
| 06 | Orbiter | vehicle simulation | 4.14/5 |
| 07 | Leather Goddesses of Phobos | adventure | 4.14/5 |
| 08 | Starflight | rpg | 4.14/5 |
| 09 | The Chessmaster 2000 | strategy | 4.13/5 |
| 10 | Alter Ego: Female Version | simulation | 4.13/5 |
| # | 1987 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Leisure Suit Larry 1: In the Land of the Lounge Lizards | adventure | 4.28/5 |
| 02 | Police Quest 1: In Pursuit of the Death Angel | adventure | 4.23/5 |
| 03 | Driller | action-adventure | 4.21/5 |
| 04 | Maniac Mansion | adventure | 4.18/5 |
| 05 | Test Drive | racing | 4.18/5 |
| 06 | Borland Turbo C v1 | application | 4.15/5 |
| 07 | Mah Jongg Solitaire | puzzle | 4.15/5 |
| 08 | Falcon | vehicle simulation | 4.15/5 |
| 09 | Rockford: The Arcade Game | puzzle | 4.14/5 |
| 10 | Phantasie 3: The Wrath of Nikademus | rpg | 4.11/5 |
| # | 1988 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Skate or Die | sports | 4.24/5 |
| 02 | Impossible Mission 2 | action-adventure | 4.23/5 |
| 03 | Rampage | action | 4.23/5 |
| 04 | World Class Leader Board | sports | 4.22/5 |
| 05 | Battlehawks 1942 | vehicle simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 06 | Airborne Ranger | shooter | 4.21/5 |
| 07 | Battle Chess | strategy | 4.21/5 |
| 08 | Speedball | sports | 4.20/5 |
| 09 | Lombard RAC Rally | racing | 4.20/5 |
| 10 | Deluxe Paint 2 | application | 4.20/5 |
| # | 1989 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Turbo Assembler (TASM) | application | 4.38/5 |
| 02 | Operation Wolf | shooter | 4.28/5 |
| 03 | Rick Dangerous | action | 4.27/5 |
| 04 | Pipe Dream | puzzle | 4.27/5 |
| 05 | The Duel: Test Drive 2 | racing | 4.24/5 |
| 06 | Hero's Quest: So you want to be a hero | adventure | 4.24/5 |
| 07 | A-10 Tank Killer | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 08 | Bubble Bobble | action | 4.22/5 |
| 09 | Alien Syndrome | shooter | 4.21/5 |
| 10 | Carrier command | vehicle simulation | 4.21/5 |
| # | 1990 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Secret of Monkey Island | adventure | 4.32/5 |
| 02 | Loom | adventure | 4.24/5 |
| 03 | Ultima 6: The False Prophet | rpg | 4.23/5 |
| 04 | Red Baron | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 05 | Tetris 2.0 | puzzle | 4.23/5 |
| 06 | Prince of Persia | action | 4.22/5 |
| 07 | The Oregon Trail | simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 08 | Silent Service 2 | vehicle simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 09 | LadyLove | action | 4.22/5 |
| 10 | Ivan 'Iron Man' Stewart's Super Off Road | racing | 4.22/5 |
| # | 1991 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Volfied | action | 4.31/5 |
| 02 | QBASIC | application | 4.29/5 |
| 03 | Chip's Challenge | puzzle | 4.27/5 |
| 04 | Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge | adventure | 4.26/5 |
| 05 | Falcon 3.0 | vehicle simulation | 4.25/5 |
| 06 | Eye of the Beholder 2: The Legend of Darkmoon | rpg | 4.25/5 |
| 07 | Chuck Yeager's Air Combat | vehicle simulation | 4.25/5 |
| 08 | Eye of the Beholder | rpg | 4.24/5 |
| 09 | Panza Kick Boxing | sports | 4.24/5 |
| 10 | Gods | action | 4.24/5 |
| # | 1992 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Street Fighter 2 | action | 4.32/5 |
| 02 | Ultima 7 Part 1: The Black Gate | rpg | 4.31/5 |
| 03 | Tetris Classic | puzzle | 4.31/5 |
| 04 | Virtual Reality Studio 2.0 | application | 4.26/5 |
| 05 | Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis | adventure | 4.25/5 |
| 06 | B-17 Flying Fortress | vehicle simulation | 4.25/5 |
| 07 | Wizardry 7: Crusaders of the Dark Savant | rpg | 4.24/5 |
| 08 | Lamborghini: American Challenge | racing | 4.24/5 |
| 09 | Patrician | simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 10 | Heroes of the 357th | vehicle simulation | 4.22/5 |
| # | 1993 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Mortal Kombat | action | 4.30/5 |
| 02 | Populous 2: Trials of the Olympian Gods | strategy | 4.26/5 |
| 03 | Lemmings 2: The Tribes | puzzle | 4.24/5 |
| 04 | Flashback: The Quest for Identity | action-adventure | 4.24/5 |
| 05 | Dungeon Hack | rpg | 4.24/5 |
| 06 | Police Quest: Open Season | adventure | 4.23/5 |
| 07 | Space Hulk | strategy | 4.23/5 |
| 08 | Brutal Sports Football | sports | 4.23/5 |
| 09 | SimCity 2000 | simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 10 | Doom | shooter | 4.22/5 |
| # | 1994 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | X-COM: Ufo Defense | strategy | 4.31/5 |
| 02 | Borland DBase 5 | application | 4.29/5 |
| 03 | Micro Machines | racing | 4.28/5 |
| 04 | Doom 2: Hell on Earth | shooter | 4.25/5 |
| 05 | Alien Breed: Tower Assault | shooter | 4.24/5 |
| 06 | Pinball Fantasies | action | 4.24/5 |
| 07 | Hocus Pocus | action | 4.23/5 |
| 08 | Heretic | shooter | 4.23/5 |
| 09 | Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf | shooter | 4.23/5 |
| 10 | Disney's Aladdin | action | 4.23/5 |
| # | 1995 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Transport Tycoon Deluxe | simulation | 4.29/5 |
| 02 | Grand Prix 2 | racing | 4.25/5 |
| 03 | Screamer | racing | 4.24/5 |
| 04 | Comix Zone | action | 4.23/5 |
| 05 | Virtual Pool | sports | 4.23/5 |
| 06 | Albion | rpg | 4.23/5 |
| 07 | Disney's The Jungle Book | action | 4.22/5 |
| 08 | Whiplash | racing | 4.22/5 |
| 09 | Worms | strategy | 4.22/5 |
| 10 | The Need for Speed | racing | 4.22/5 |
| # | 1996 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Master of Orion 2: Battle at Antares | strategy | 4.29/5 |
| 02 | Super Street Fighter 2 | action | 4.28/5 |
| 03 | NeoPaint 3.2 | application | 4.28/5 |
| 04 | Jane's Combat Simulations: Advanced Tactical Fighters | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 05 | Quake | shooter | 4.24/5 |
| 06 | Road Rash | racing | 4.23/5 |
| 07 | Civilization 2 | strategy | 4.23/5 |
| 08 | The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall | rpg | 4.23/5 |
| 09 | Fantasy General | strategy | 4.22/5 |
| 10 | Conquest of the New World (Deluxe Edition) | strategy | 4.22/5 |
| # | 1997 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Carmageddon | racing | 4.24/5 |
| 02 | Interstate '76 | racing | 4.24/5 |
| 03 | Virtua Cop 2 | shooter | 4.24/5 |
| 04 | Blood | shooter | 4.20/5 |
| 05 | Pacific General | strategy | 4.20/5 |
| 06 | Star Wars: Jedi Knight - Dark Forces II | shooter | 4.20/5 |
| 07 | Warlords 3: Reign of Heroes | strategy | 4.20/5 |
| 08 | Dilbert's Desktop Games | action | 4.20/5 |
| 09 | Age of Empires | strategy | 4.20/5 |
| 10 | The Last Express | adventure | 4.19/5 |
| # | 1998 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Caesar 3 | simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 02 | Norton Commander 5.5 | application | 4.21/5 |
| 03 | Thief: The Dark Project | action-adventure | 4.21/5 |
| 04 | Dune 2000 | strategy | 4.20/5 |
| 05 | Railroad Tycoon 2 | simulation | 4.20/5 |
| 06 | Mega Man X3 | shooter | 4.19/5 |
| 07 | Dope Wars | simulation | 4.19/5 |
| 08 | Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines | strategy | 4.18/5 |
| 09 | People's General | strategy | 4.18/5 |
| 10 | Army Men | strategy | 4.17/5 |
| # | 1999 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings | strategy | 4.26/5 |
| 02 | Jagged Alliance 2 | strategy | 4.25/5 |
| 03 | Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia | strategy | 4.23/5 |
| 04 | Age of Wonders | strategy | 4.22/5 |
| 05 | Outcast | action-adventure | 4.21/5 |
| 06 | Pharaoh | simulation | 4.21/5 |
| 07 | Septerra Core: Legacy of the Creator | rpg | 4.20/5 |
| 08 | Roller Coaster Tycoon | simulation | 4.20/5 |
| 09 | Black Moon Chronicles | strategy | 4.19/5 |
| 10 | Three Sisters' Story | adventure | 4.18/5 |
| # | 2000 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Zeus: Master of Olympus | simulation | 4.20/5 |
| 02 | Nox | rpg | 4.19/5 |
| 03 | Vampire: The Masquerade - Redemption | rpg | 4.17/5 |
| 04 | Patrician 2: Quest for Power | simulation | 4.14/5 |
| 05 | The Sims | simulation | 4.11/5 |
| 06 | Unreal Gold | shooter | 4.11/5 |
| 07 | Deus Ex | rpg | 4.09/5 |
| 08 | Gal Pani X | action | 4.08/5 |
| 09 | Ground Control | strategy | 4.05/5 |
| 10 | Fairy Nights | adventure | 4.05/5 |
| # | 2001 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Capitalism 2 | simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 02 | Empire Earth | strategy | 4.23/5 |
| 03 | Zoo Tycoon | simulation | 4.20/5 |
| 04 | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone | action-adventure | 4.18/5 |
| 05 | Arcanum: of Steamworks and Magick Obscura | rpg | 4.17/5 |
| 06 | Anachronox | rpg | 4.14/5 |
| 07 | ScummVM | application | 4.14/5 |
| 08 | Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel | strategy | 4.12/5 |
| 09 | Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds | strategy | 4.08/5 |
| 10 | Ultra Mortal Kombat Vendetta | action | 4.06/5 |
| # | 2002 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Hooligans: Storm Over Europe | strategy | 4.20/5 |
| 02 | The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind | rpg | 4.19/5 |
| 03 | Chessmaster 9000 | strategy | 4.19/5 |
| 04 | Crazy Taxi | racing | 4.16/5 |
| 05 | Roller Coaster Tycoon 2 | simulation | 4.12/5 |
| 06 | Sid Meier's SimGolf | sports | 4.12/5 |
| 07 | DOSBox | application | 4.11/5 |
| 08 | Syberia | adventure | 4.05/5 |
| 09 | Port Royale | simulation | 4.00/5 |
| 10 | Industry Giant 2 | simulation | 3.95/5 |
| # | 2003 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Master of Orion 3 | strategy | 4.16/5 |
| 02 | Yu-Gi-Oh! Power of Chaos - Yugi the Destiny | strategy | 4.12/5 |
| 03 | The Temple of Elemental Evil | rpg | 4.05/5 |
| 04 | Lionheart: Legacy of the Crusader | rpg | 4.00/5 |
| 05 | Van Buren (Fallout 3) | rpg | 3.95/5 |
| 06 | Babylon 5: I've Found Her | vehicle simulation | 3.87/5 |
| 07 | ResidualVM | application | 3.81/5 |
| 08 | 1893: A World's Fair Mystery | adventure | 3.81/5 |
| 09 | Baldur's Gate III: The Black Hound | rpg | 3.75/5 |
| # | 2004 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Spider-Man 2: The Game | action-adventure | 4.22/5 |
| 02 | Dark Horizons Lore: Invasion | vehicle simulation | 4.21/5 |
| 03 | UFO 2000 | strategy | 4.00/5 |
| 04 | Yu-Gi-Oh! Power of Chaos - Joey the Passion | strategy | 3.98/5 |
| 05 | Maniac Mansion Deluxe | adventure | 3.90/5 |
| 06 | Blues Brothers RPG | rpg | 3.77/5 |