Top 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.
| # | 1982 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Zork I: The great underground empire | adventure |
3.98
|
| 02 | Paratrooper | shooter |
3.73
|
| 03 | PC-Man | action |
3.68
|
| 04 | Executive Suite | simulation |
3.59
|
| 05 | Microsoft Decathlon | sports |
3.55
|
| 06 | Crossfire | shooter |
3.45
|
| 07 | Deadline | adventure |
3.42
|
| # | 1983 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Galaxian | action |
4.14
|
| 02 | Lode Runner | action |
4.06
|
| 03 | The Hobbit | adventure |
4.04
|
| 04 | Frogger | action |
4.00
|
| 05 | Rogue | rpg |
3.91
|
| 06 | Donkey Kong | action |
3.84
|
| 07 | Digger | action |
3.79
|
| 08 | Defender | action |
3.73
|
| 09 | Space commanders | action |
3.64
|
| 10 | Planetfall | adventure |
3.58
|
| # | 1984 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy | adventure |
4.09
|
| 02 | Alley Cat | action |
4.03
|
| 03 | Pong v.2.1 clone | action |
3.96
|
| 04 | Jumpman | action |
3.89
|
| 05 | Styx | action |
3.75
|
| 06 | Hack | rpg |
3.73
|
| 07 | Soko-Ban | puzzle |
3.68
|
| 08 | King's Quest 1: Quest for the Crown | adventure |
3.62
|
| 09 | Zork III: The dungeon master | adventure |
3.62
|
| 10 | Below The Root | adventure |
3.54
|
| # | 1985 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | A mind forever voyaging | adventure |
4.04
|
| 02 | The mist | adventure |
4.00
|
| 03 | King's Quest 2: Romancing the throne | adventure |
3.94
|
| 04 | James Bond 007: A View to a Kill | adventure |
3.85
|
| 05 | Hacker | simulation |
3.83
|
| 06 | Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar | rpg |
3.75
|
| 07 | Spacewar | action |
3.66
|
| 08 | Strip Poker: A Sizzling Game of Chance | strategy |
3.61
|
| 09 | Voodoo island | adventure |
3.58
|
| 10 | Ultima 3: Exodus | rpg |
3.57
|
| # | 1986 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Norton Commander 5.5 | application |
4.23
|
| 02 | Turbo Prolog 2.0 | application |
4.09
|
| 03 | Starflight | rpg |
4.05
|
| 04 | Alter Ego: Female Version | simulation |
4.04
|
| 05 | Space Quest 1: The Sarien Encounter | adventure |
4.00
|
| 06 | Alter Ego: Male Version | simulation |
3.97
|
| 07 | James Bond 007: Goldfinger | adventure |
3.95
|
| 08 | Conflict in Vietnam | strategy |
3.91
|
| 09 | Gunship | vehicle simulation |
3.90
|
| 10 | Wargame construction set | strategy |
3.90
|
| # | 1987 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Leisure Suit Larry 1: In the Land of the Lounge Lizards | adventure |
4.15
|
| 02 | Tetris | puzzle |
4.13
|
| 03 | Maniac Mansion | adventure |
4.09
|
| 04 | Sid Meier's Pirates! | strategy |
4.05
|
| 05 | Zeliard | rpg |
4.03
|
| 06 | Elite | vehicle simulation |
4.02
|
| 07 | Police Quest 1: In Pursuit of the Death Angel | adventure |
4.00
|
| 08 | Test Drive | racing |
3.93
|
| 09 | Project: Space Station | simulation |
3.92
|
| 10 | The Great Giana Sisters | action |
3.90
|
| # | 1988 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Star Wars | vehicle simulation |
4.14
|
| 02 | Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders | adventure |
4.10
|
| 03 | Pool of radiance | rpg |
4.08
|
| 04 | Battle Chess | strategy |
4.07
|
| 05 | Life & Death | simulation |
4.06
|
| 06 | F-19 Stealth fighter | vehicle simulation |
4.06
|
| 07 | Arkanoid | action |
4.06
|
| 08 | Gold Rush! | adventure |
4.04
|
| 09 | Ultima 5: Warriors of Destiny | rpg |
4.03
|
| 10 | Bad Dudes VS Dragon Ninja | action |
4.00
|
| # | 1989 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Batman: the Movie | action |
4.17
|
| 02 | Indianapolis 500 | racing |
4.11
|
| 03 | Dungeon master | rpg |
4.10
|
| 04 | Neuromancer | adventure |
4.09
|
| 05 | Stunt Car Racer | racing |
4.09
|
| 06 | Lakers vs. Celtics and the NBA Playoffs | sports |
4.08
|
| 07 | 007: License to Kill | shooter |
4.06
|
| 08 | Arkanoid 2: The revenge of Doh | action |
4.06
|
| 09 | SimCity | simulation |
4.06
|
| 10 | A-10 Tank Killer | vehicle simulation |
4.05
|
| # | 1990 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Secret of Monkey Island | adventure |
4.13
|
| 02 | Stunts (a.k.a. 4D Sports Driving) | racing |
4.12
|
| 03 | Prince of Persia | action |
4.12
|
| 04 | Midwinter | strategy |
4.12
|
| 05 | Buck Rogers: Countdown to doomsday | rpg |
4.12
|
| 06 | Loom | adventure |
4.08
|
| 07 | Kick off 2 | sports |
4.08
|
| 08 | Rick Dangerous 2 | action |
4.07
|
| 09 | Wing Commander | vehicle simulation |
4.05
|
| 10 | Champions of Krynn | rpg |
4.05
|
| # | 1991 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Death Knights of Krynn | rpg |
4.17
|
| 02 | Eye of the Beholder | rpg |
4.12
|
| 03 | Eye of the Beholder 2: The Legend of Darkmoon | rpg |
4.11
|
| 04 | Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge | adventure |
4.10
|
| 05 | Magnetic Scrolls Collection | adventure |
4.10
|
| 06 | Chuck Yeager's Air Combat | vehicle simulation |
4.09
|
| 07 | Lemmings | puzzle |
4.09
|
| 08 | Golden Axe | action |
4.08
|
| 09 | Night Hawk: F-117A Stealth Fighter | vehicle simulation |
4.08
|
| 10 | Another World (a.k.a. Out of this World) | adventure |
4.07
|
| # | 1992 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Dune II: The building of a dynasty | strategy |
4.12
|
| 02 | Ultima 7 Part 1: The Black Gate | rpg |
4.12
|
| 03 | Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis | adventure |
4.11
|
| 04 | Alone in the Dark | adventure |
4.11
|
| 05 | B-17 Flying fortress | vehicle simulation |
4.09
|
| 06 | Dune | strategy |
4.08
|
| 07 | Bomberman (a.k.a. Dyna Blaster) | action |
4.08
|
| 08 | Magic Pockets | action |
4.08
|
| 09 | Speedball 2 | sports |
4.08
|
| 10 | A-Train | simulation |
4.08
|
| # | 1993 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Doom | shooter |
4.16
|
| 02 | SimCity 2000 | simulation |
4.14
|
| 03 | The Settlers | strategy |
4.13
|
| 04 | Romance of the three kingdoms 3: Dragon of destiny | strategy |
4.13
|
| 05 | Lands of Lore 1: The Throne of Chaos | rpg |
4.12
|
| 06 | Legend of Kyrandia 2: Hand of fate | adventure |
4.10
|
| 07 | Master of Orion | strategy |
4.10
|
| 08 | Castle of the Winds | rpg |
4.10
|
| 09 | The Lost Vikings | action |
4.10
|
| 10 | Ultima 7 Part 2: Serpent Isle | rpg |
4.09
|
| # | 1994 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | X-COM: Ufo defense (a.k.a. Ufo: Enemy unknown) | strategy |
4.25
|
| 02 | Warcraft: Orcs and Humans | strategy |
4.15
|
| 03 | Transport Tycoon | simulation |
4.13
|
| 04 | The Incredible Machine 2 | puzzle |
4.12
|
| 05 | Master of Magic | strategy |
4.12
|
| 06 | Panzer General 1 | strategy |
4.11
|
| 07 | NASCAR Racing | racing |
4.10
|
| 08 | Knights of Xentar | rpg |
4.08
|
| 09 | 1942: The Pacific air war | vehicle simulation |
4.08
|
| 10 | Hocus Pocus | action |
4.07
|
| # | 1995 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Warcraft 2: Tides of Darkness | strategy |
4.12
|
| 02 | Myst | adventure |
4.11
|
| 03 | Heroes of Might and Magic | strategy |
4.10
|
| 04 | Grand Prix 2 | racing |
4.08
|
| 05 | Ascendancy | strategy |
4.08
|
| 06 | Ultimate Doom | shooter |
4.08
|
| 07 | FIFA Soccer 96 | sports |
4.06
|
| 08 | True love | adventure |
4.06
|
| 09 | X-COM: Terror from the Deep | strategy |
4.05
|
| 10 | The Need for Speed | racing |
4.05
|
| # | 1996 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Heroes of Might and Magic II | strategy |
4.24
|
| 02 | Master of Orion 2: Battle at Antares | strategy |
4.19
|
| 03 | Civilization 2 | strategy |
4.16
|
| 04 | The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall | rpg |
4.14
|
| 05 | Quake | shooter |
4.10
|
| 06 | Deadlock: Planetary Conquest | strategy |
4.10
|
| 07 | Adom v1.1 | rpg |
4.07
|
| 08 | Command & Conquer: Red Alert | strategy |
4.07
|
| 09 | Albion | rpg |
4.07
|
| 10 | Duke Nukem 3D | shooter |
4.07
|
| # | 1997 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Dungeon Keeper | strategy |
4.19
|
| 02 | Magic: The Gathering | strategy |
4.13
|
| 03 | Virtua Cop 2 | shooter |
4.10
|
| 04 | Blade Runner | adventure |
4.10
|
| 05 | Age of Empires | strategy |
4.10
|
| 06 | Fallout | rpg |
4.09
|
| 07 | Virtua Cop | shooter |
4.08
|
| 08 | Callahan's Crosstime Saloon | adventure |
4.08
|
| 09 | Blood | shooter |
4.08
|
| 10 | Championship Manager: Season 97/98 | sports |
4.07
|
| # | 1998 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines | strategy |
4.15
|
| 02 | House of the Dead | shooter |
4.14
|
| 03 | Dune 2000 | strategy |
4.09
|
| 04 | Dope Wars | simulation |
4.08
|
| 05 | Railroad Tycoon 2 | simulation |
4.07
|
| 06 | 101: The Airborne Invasion of Normandy | strategy |
4.05
|
| 07 | Axis and Allies | strategy |
3.98
|
| 08 | Fatal Relations | adventure |
3.93
|
| 09 | Avalon | rpg |
3.85
|
| 10 | Sanitarium | adventure |
3.76
|
| # | 1999 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | System Shock 2 | shooter |
4.14
|
| 02 | Tyrian 2000 | shooter |
4.06
|
| 03 | Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings | strategy |
4.05
|
| 04 | Age of Wonders | strategy |
4.04
|
| 05 | Three Sisters' Story | adventure |
4.02
|
| 06 | Pharaoh | simulation |
4.00
|
| 07 | Ultima 9: Ascension | rpg |
3.98
|
| 08 | Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia | strategy |
3.98
|
| 09 | Yoot Tower | simulation |
3.88
|
| 10 | Alpha Centauri (a.k.a. Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri) | strategy |
3.83
|
| # | 2000 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Zeus: Master of Olympus | simulation |
3.96
|
| 02 | Patrician 2: Quest for Power | simulation |
3.94
|
| # | 2001 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Arcanum: of Steamworks and Magick Obscura | rpg |
4.04
|
| 02 | Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds | strategy |
3.91
|
| 03 | Empire Earth | strategy |
3.82
|
| # | 2002 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Sid Meier's SimGolf | sports |
4.10
|
| 02 | Syberia | adventure |
3.91
|
| 03 | Roller Coaster Tycoon 2 | simulation |
3.79
|
| 04 | Industry Giant 2 | simulation |
3.77
|
| 05 | Icewind Dale 2 | rpg |
3.56
|
