Best abandonware games by year
Abandonware DOS is home to games from the early days of personal computer gaming—I'm talking about the 1980s, a time when some of you weren’t even born.
The golden age of PC gaming truly blossomed in the 1990s, giving us classics that are still fondly remembered today. But with the arrival of the new millennium, many small developers found it hard to survive in a gaming industry now ruled by corporate giants swallowing up one studio after another. The golden age came to an end—and the era of "abandonware" began.
Here are the top 10 games for each year of that golden age, as voted by our users.
| # | 1981 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Ultima 1: The First Age of Darkness | rpg | 4.00/5 |
| 02 | Galaxy | strategy | 4.00/5 |
| 03 | Softporn Adventure | adventure | 3.98/5 |
| 04 | Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord | rpg | 3.94/5 |
| 05 | Chess | strategy | 3.88/5 |
| 06 | Akalabeth: World of Doom | rpg | 3.65/5 |
| 07 | B-1 Nuclear Bomber | vehicle simulation | 3.63/5 |
| # | 1982 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Zork I: The Great Underground Empire | adventure | 4.14/5 |
| 02 | PC-Man | action | 4.09/5 |
| 03 | Microsoft Decathlon | sports | 4.02/5 |
| 04 | Paratrooper | shooter | 3.91/5 |
| 05 | Wizardry 2: The knight of diamonds | rpg | 3.90/5 |
| 06 | Executive Suite | simulation | 3.89/5 |
| 07 | Deadline | adventure | 3.87/5 |
| 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 | 4.23/5 |
| 02 | Zork II: The Wizard of Frobozz | adventure | 4.22/5 |
| 03 | Battlezone | shooter | 4.22/5 |
| 04 | Defender | shooter | 4.21/5 |
| 05 | Planetfall | adventure | 4.14/5 |
| 06 | Digger | action | 4.13/5 |
| 07 | Frogger | action | 4.13/5 |
| 08 | Sleuth: A Murder Mystery | simulation | 4.08/5 |
| 09 | J-Bird | action | 4.07/5 |
| 10 | Pango | action | 4.05/5 |
| # | 1984 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Alley Cat | action | 4.27/5 |
| 02 | Montezuma's Revenge | action | 4.22/5 |
| 03 | King's Quest 1: Quest for the Crown | adventure | 4.18/5 |
| 04 | The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy | adventure | 4.18/5 |
| 05 | Archon: the Light and the Dark | strategy | 4.18/5 |
| 06 | Rogue | rpg | 4.16/5 |
| 07 | Soko-Ban | puzzle | 4.15/5 |
| 08 | Crime and Punishment | simulation | 4.12/5 |
| 09 | dBASE III | application | 4.11/5 |
| 10 | DND | rpg | 4.09/5 |
| # | 1985 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Ultima 3: Exodus | rpg | 4.15/5 |
| 02 | A Mind Forever Voyaging | adventure | 4.14/5 |
| 03 | Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar | rpg | 4.12/5 |
| 04 | Alice: The Personal Pascal | application | 4.11/5 |
| 05 | Silent Service | vehicle simulation | 4.11/5 |
| 06 | 9 Princes in Amber | adventure | 4.10/5 |
| 07 | Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? | adventure | 4.10/5 |
| 08 | Rambo First Blood Part 2 | adventure | 4.10/5 |
| 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 | 4.23/5 |
| 02 | Orbiter | vehicle simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 03 | Gunship | vehicle simulation | 4.18/5 |
| 04 | Leather Goddesses of Phobos | adventure | 4.16/5 |
| 05 | King's Quest 3: To Heir is Human | adventure | 4.16/5 |
| 06 | Wordstar 4 | application | 4.15/5 |
| 07 | The Chessmaster 2000 | strategy | 4.15/5 |
| 08 | AutoCAD 2.5 | application | 4.14/5 |
| 09 | Alter Ego: Female Version | simulation | 4.14/5 |
| 10 | Karateka | action | 4.13/5 |
| # | 1987 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Guild of Thieves | adventure | 4.25/5 |
| 02 | Leisure Suit Larry 1: In the Land of the Lounge Lizards | adventure | 4.25/5 |
| 03 | Driller | action-adventure | 4.21/5 |
| 04 | Police Quest 1: In Pursuit of the Death Angel | adventure | 4.20/5 |
| 05 | Test Drive | racing | 4.18/5 |
| 06 | Maniac Mansion | adventure | 4.16/5 |
| 07 | Falcon | vehicle simulation | 4.15/5 |
| 08 | Mah Jongg Solitaire | puzzle | 4.15/5 |
| 09 | Rockford: The Arcade Game | puzzle | 4.14/5 |
| 10 | Elite | vehicle simulation | 4.13/5 |
| # | 1988 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | World Class Leader Board | sports | 4.22/5 |
| 02 | Rampage | action | 4.22/5 |
| 03 | Impossible Mission 2 | action-adventure | 4.22/5 |
| 04 | Battlehawks 1942 | vehicle simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 05 | Battle Chess | strategy | 4.20/5 |
| 06 | Speedball | sports | 4.20/5 |
| 07 | Deluxe Paint 2 | application | 4.19/5 |
| 08 | Falcon AT | vehicle simulation | 4.19/5 |
| 09 | Rocket Ranger | action | 4.19/5 |
| 10 | Skate or Die | sports | 4.18/5 |
| # | 1989 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Turbo Assembler (TASM) | application | 4.37/5 |
| 02 | Operation Wolf | shooter | 4.27/5 |
| 03 | Pipe Dream | puzzle | 4.25/5 |
| 04 | Hero's Quest: So you want to be a hero | adventure | 4.22/5 |
| 05 | Carrier command | vehicle simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 06 | Alien Syndrome | shooter | 4.21/5 |
| 07 | Bubble Bobble | action | 4.21/5 |
| 08 | The Duel: Test Drive 2 | racing | 4.20/5 |
| 09 | A-10 Tank Killer | vehicle simulation | 4.20/5 |
| 10 | Balance of Power: The 1990 Edition | simulation | 4.20/5 |
| # | 1990 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Secret of Monkey Island | adventure | 4.32/5 |
| 02 | Ivan 'Iron Man' Stewart's Super Off Road | racing | 4.24/5 |
| 03 | Ultima 6: The False Prophet | rpg | 4.23/5 |
| 04 | Silent Service 2 | vehicle simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 05 | Prince of Persia | action | 4.22/5 |
| 06 | Red Baron | vehicle simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 07 | The Oregon Trail | simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 08 | Commander Keen 1: Marooned on Mars | action | 4.22/5 |
| 09 | Night Shift | puzzle | 4.21/5 |
| 10 | Puzznic | puzzle | 4.20/5 |
| # | 1991 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Volfied | action | 4.31/5 |
| 02 | QBasic 7.1 | application | 4.26/5 |
| 03 | Eye of the Beholder 2: The Legend of Darkmoon | rpg | 4.24/5 |
| 04 | Chip's Challenge | puzzle | 4.23/5 |
| 05 | Eye of the Beholder | rpg | 4.23/5 |
| 06 | Night Hawk: F-117A Stealth Fighter | vehicle simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 07 | Chuck Yeager's Air Combat | vehicle simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 08 | Civilization | strategy | 4.22/5 |
| 09 | Panza Kick Boxing | sports | 4.22/5 |
| 10 | Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge | adventure | 4.22/5 |
| # | 1992 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Street Fighter 2 | action | 4.31/5 |
| 02 | Tetris Classic | puzzle | 4.31/5 |
| 03 | Ultima 7 Part 1: The Black Gate | rpg | 4.31/5 |
| 04 | WinTrek | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 05 | B-17 Flying Fortress | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 06 | Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis | adventure | 4.23/5 |
| 07 | Virtual Reality Studio 2.0 | application | 4.23/5 |
| 08 | King's Quest 6: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow | adventure | 4.21/5 |
| 09 | Aces of the Pacific | vehicle simulation | 4.21/5 |
| 10 | Mega lo Mania | strategy | 4.20/5 |
| # | 1993 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Mortal Kombat | action | 4.26/5 |
| 02 | Populous 2: Trials of the Olympian Gods | strategy | 4.26/5 |
| 03 | Brutal Sports Football | sports | 4.23/5 |
| 04 | The Incredible Machine | puzzle | 4.23/5 |
| 05 | Space Hulk | strategy | 4.23/5 |
| 06 | SimCity 2000 | simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 07 | Doom | shooter | 4.22/5 |
| 08 | Lotus: The ultimate challenge | racing | 4.21/5 |
| 09 | Railroad Tycoon Deluxe | simulation | 4.21/5 |
| 10 | Dizzy: Prince of the Yolkfolk | action-adventure | 4.21/5 |
| # | 1994 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | X-COM: Ufo Defense | strategy | 4.30/5 |
| 02 | Micro Machines | racing | 4.27/5 |
| 03 | Doom 2: Hell on Earth | shooter | 4.25/5 |
| 04 | The Incredible Machine 2 | puzzle | 4.22/5 |
| 05 | Pinball Fantasies | action | 4.22/5 |
| 06 | Blackthorne | action | 4.22/5 |
| 07 | Heretic | shooter | 4.21/5 |
| 08 | Overlord | vehicle simulation | 4.21/5 |
| 09 | Colonization | strategy | 4.21/5 |
| 10 | Little Big Adventure | action-adventure | 4.20/5 |
| # | 1995 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Caesar 2 | simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 02 | Virtual Pool | sports | 4.23/5 |
| 03 | Screamer | racing | 4.22/5 |
| 04 | Comix Zone | action | 4.22/5 |
| 05 | Apache Longbow | vehicle simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 06 | The Need for Speed | racing | 4.21/5 |
| 07 | Albion | rpg | 4.21/5 |
| 08 | Transport Tycoon Deluxe | simulation | 4.20/5 |
| 09 | Ms Pac PC | action | 4.20/5 |
| 10 | Whiplash | racing | 4.19/5 |
| # | 1996 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Master of Orion 2: Battle at Antares | strategy | 4.28/5 |
| 02 | Civilization 2 | strategy | 4.23/5 |
| 03 | Super Street Fighter 2 | action | 4.23/5 |
| 04 | Quake | shooter | 4.23/5 |
| 05 | Fantasy General | strategy | 4.22/5 |
| 06 | Road Rash | racing | 4.22/5 |
| 07 | Jane's Combat Simulations: Advanced Tactical Fighters | vehicle simulation | 4.21/5 |
| 08 | The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall | rpg | 4.21/5 |
| 09 | F-22 Lightning 2 | vehicle simulation | 4.21/5 |
| 10 | Conquest of the New World (Deluxe Edition) | strategy | 4.20/5 |
| # | 1997 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Virtua Cop 2 | shooter | 4.23/5 |
| 02 | Carmageddon | racing | 4.21/5 |
| 03 | Blood | shooter | 4.21/5 |
| 04 | Interstate '76 | racing | 4.20/5 |
| 05 | Age of Empires | strategy | 4.18/5 |
| 06 | Dilbert's Desktop Games | action | 4.18/5 |
| 07 | Broken Sword 2: The Smoking Mirror | adventure | 4.18/5 |
| 08 | Star Wars: Jedi Knight - Dark Forces II | shooter | 4.17/5 |
| 09 | Warlords 3: Reign of Heroes | strategy | 4.17/5 |
| 10 | Blade Runner | adventure | 4.17/5 |
| # | 1998 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Caesar 3 | simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 02 | Norton Commander 5.5 | application | 4.21/5 |
| 03 | People's General | strategy | 4.21/5 |
| 04 | Dune 2000 | strategy | 4.20/5 |
| 05 | Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines | strategy | 4.19/5 |
| 06 | Thief: The Dark Project | action-adventure | 4.18/5 |
| 07 | Mega Man X3 | shooter | 4.18/5 |
| 08 | Army Men | strategy | 4.18/5 |
| 09 | Railroad Tycoon 2 | simulation | 4.17/5 |
| 10 | Dope Wars | simulation | 4.16/5 |
| # | 1999 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings | strategy | 4.24/5 |
| 02 | Age of Wonders | strategy | 4.23/5 |
| 03 | Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia | strategy | 4.21/5 |
| 04 | Outcast | action-adventure | 4.21/5 |
| 05 | Jagged Alliance 2 | strategy | 4.21/5 |
| 06 | Star Trek: Starfleet Command | vehicle simulation | 4.20/5 |
| 07 | Axis and Allies: Iron Blitz | strategy | 4.18/5 |
| 08 | Pharaoh | simulation | 4.18/5 |
| 09 | Three Sisters' Story | adventure | 4.18/5 |
| 10 | Midtown Madness | racing | 4.17/5 |
| # | 2000 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Zeus: Master of Olympus | simulation | 4.21/5 |
| 02 | Nox | rpg | 4.18/5 |
| 03 | Patrician 2: Quest for Power | simulation | 4.11/5 |
| 04 | Ground Control | strategy | 4.09/5 |
| 05 | Deus Ex | rpg | 4.09/5 |
| 06 | Vampire: The Masquerade - Redemption | rpg | 4.08/5 |
| 07 | Gal Pani X | action | 4.06/5 |
| 08 | Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn | rpg | 4.06/5 |
| 09 | Unreal Gold | shooter | 4.05/5 |
| 10 | Fairy Nights | adventure | 4.04/5 |
| # | 2001 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Capitalism 2 | simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 02 | Empire Earth | strategy | 4.22/5 |
| 03 | Anachronox | rpg | 4.17/5 |
| 04 | Zoo Tycoon | simulation | 4.15/5 |
| 05 | Arcanum: of Steamworks and Magick Obscura | rpg | 4.15/5 |
| 06 | Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel | strategy | 4.13/5 |
| 07 | Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds | strategy | 4.10/5 |
| 08 | ScummVM | application | 4.09/5 |
| 09 | Independence War 2: Edge Of Chaos | vehicle simulation | 4.06/5 |
| 10 | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone | action-adventure | 4.05/5 |
| # | 2002 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Bomb Jack remake | action | 4.19/5 |
| 02 | The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind | rpg | 4.19/5 |
| 03 | Hooligans: Storm Over Europe | strategy | 4.16/5 |
| 04 | Crazy Taxi | racing | 4.14/5 |
| 05 | Chessmaster 9000 | strategy | 4.13/5 |
| 06 | Roller Coaster Tycoon 2 | simulation | 4.11/5 |
| 07 | Sid Meier's SimGolf | sports | 4.11/5 |
| 08 | Lemonade Tycoon | simulation | 4.08/5 |
| 09 | DOSBox | application | 4.08/5 |
| 10 | Syberia | adventure | 4.06/5 |
| # | 2003 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Master of Orion 3 | strategy | 4.18/5 |
| 02 | The Temple of Elemental Evil | rpg | 4.05/5 |
| 03 | Yu-Gi-Oh! Power of Chaos - Yugi the Destiny | strategy | 3.95/5 |
| 04 | Van Buren (Fallout 3) | rpg | 3.90/5 |
| 05 | Lionheart: Legacy of the Crusader | rpg | 3.87/5 |
| 06 | Hulk | action | 3.85/5 |
| 07 | 1893: A World's Fair Mystery | adventure | 3.83/5 |
| 08 | Babylon 5: I've Found Her | vehicle simulation | 3.81/5 |
| 09 | Baldur's Gate III: The Black Hound | rpg | 3.80/5 |
| 10 | ResidualVM | application | 3.52/5 |
| # | 2004 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Ghosts 'n Goblins remake | action | 4.05/5 |
| 02 | Dark Horizons Lore: Invasion | vehicle simulation | 4.03/5 |
| 03 | Maniac Mansion Deluxe | adventure | 4.00/5 |
| 04 | UFO 2000 | strategy | 4.00/5 |
| 05 | Spider-Man 2: The Game | action-adventure | 3.93/5 |
| 06 | Blues Brothers RPG | rpg | 3.77/5 |
| 07 | Pyjamarama | action | 3.65/5 |
| 08 | Yu-Gi-Oh! Power of Chaos - Joey the Passion | strategy | 3.62/5 |
| 09 | Yu-Gi-Oh! Power of Chaos - Kaiba the Revenge | strategy | 3.38/5 |