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 | 4.01/5 |
| 02 | Galaxy | strategy | 3.98/5 |
| 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 | 4.12/5 |
| 03 | Microsoft Decathlon | sports | 4.02/5 |
| 04 | Paratrooper | shooter | 3.91/5 |
| 05 | Executive Suite | simulation | 3.89/5 |
| 06 | Wizardry 2: The knight of diamonds | rpg | 3.88/5 |
| 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 | 4.25/5 |
| 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 | 4.16/5 |
| 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 | 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 | Archon: the Light and the Dark | strategy | 4.18/5 |
| 05 | The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy | adventure | 4.17/5 |
| 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 | Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? | adventure | 4.21/5 |
| 02 | A Mind Forever Voyaging | adventure | 4.14/5 |
| 03 | Ultima 3: Exodus | rpg | 4.14/5 |
| 04 | Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar | rpg | 4.12/5 |
| 05 | Rambo First Blood Part 2 | adventure | 4.11/5 |
| 06 | Alice: The Personal Pascal | application | 4.11/5 |
| 07 | Silent Service | vehicle simulation | 4.11/5 |
| 08 | 9 Princes in Amber | 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 | 4.19/5 |
| 03 | Gunship | vehicle simulation | 4.18/5 |
| 04 | King's Quest 3: To Heir is Human | adventure | 4.16/5 |
| 05 | Wordstar 4 | application | 4.15/5 |
| 06 | The Chessmaster 2000 | strategy | 4.15/5 |
| 07 | Leather Goddesses of Phobos | adventure | 4.14/5 |
| 08 | AutoCAD 2.5 | application | 4.14/5 |
| 09 | Alter Ego: Female Version | simulation | 4.14/5 |
| 10 | Conflict in Vietnam | strategy | 4.12/5 |
| # | 1987 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Leisure Suit Larry 1: In the Land of the Lounge Lizards | adventure | 4.26/5 |
| 02 | Police Quest 1: In Pursuit of the Death Angel | adventure | 4.22/5 |
| 03 | Driller | action-adventure | 4.21/5 |
| 04 | Maniac Mansion | adventure | 4.18/5 |
| 05 | Test Drive | racing | 4.18/5 |
| 06 | Falcon | vehicle simulation | 4.16/5 |
| 07 | Mah Jongg Solitaire | puzzle | 4.15/5 |
| 08 | Rockford: The Arcade Game | puzzle | 4.14/5 |
| 09 | Borland Turbo C v1 | application | 4.12/5 |
| 10 | Elite | vehicle simulation | 4.11/5 |
| # | 1988 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Falcon AT | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 02 | World Class Leader Board | sports | 4.22/5 |
| 03 | Rampage | action | 4.22/5 |
| 04 | Impossible Mission 2 | action-adventure | 4.22/5 |
| 05 | Battlehawks 1942 | vehicle simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 06 | Battle Chess | strategy | 4.21/5 |
| 07 | Star Wars | shooter | 4.20/5 |
| 08 | Speedball | sports | 4.20/5 |
| 09 | Deluxe Paint 2 | application | 4.19/5 |
| 10 | Rocket Ranger | action | 4.19/5 |
| # | 1989 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Turbo Assembler (TASM) | application | 4.36/5 |
| 02 | Operation Wolf | shooter | 4.27/5 |
| 03 | Pipe Dream | puzzle | 4.25/5 |
| 04 | Carrier command | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 05 | Rick Dangerous | action | 4.23/5 |
| 06 | Hero's Quest: So you want to be a hero | adventure | 4.22/5 |
| 07 | The Duel: Test Drive 2 | racing | 4.22/5 |
| 08 | A-10 Tank Killer | vehicle simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 09 | Alien Syndrome | shooter | 4.21/5 |
| 10 | Bubble Bobble | action | 4.21/5 |
| # | 1990 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Secret of Monkey Island | adventure | 4.33/5 |
| 02 | Ultima 6: The False Prophet | rpg | 4.23/5 |
| 03 | Ivan 'Iron Man' Stewart's Super Off Road | racing | 4.23/5 |
| 04 | Prince of Persia | action | 4.23/5 |
| 05 | Jetfighter 2: Advanced Tactical Fighter | vehicle simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 06 | Silent Service 2 | vehicle simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 07 | The Oregon Trail | simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 08 | Night Shift | puzzle | 4.21/5 |
| 09 | LadyLove | action | 4.21/5 |
| 10 | Commander Keen 1: Marooned on Mars | action | 4.21/5 |
| # | 1991 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Volfied | action | 4.31/5 |
| 02 | QBasic 7.1 | application | 4.26/5 |
| 03 | Chip's Challenge | puzzle | 4.24/5 |
| 04 | Chuck Yeager's Air Combat | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 05 | Eye of the Beholder 2: The Legend of Darkmoon | rpg | 4.24/5 |
| 06 | Gods | action | 4.23/5 |
| 07 | Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 08 | Eye of the Beholder | rpg | 4.23/5 |
| 09 | The Blues Brothers | action | 4.23/5 |
| 10 | Panza Kick Boxing | sports | 4.22/5 |
| # | 1992 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Street Fighter 2 | action | 4.31/5 |
| 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 | B-17 Flying Fortress | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 06 | Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis | adventure | 4.23/5 |
| 07 | F-15 Strike Eagle III | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 08 | Stunt Island | vehicle simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 09 | Aces of the Pacific | vehicle simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 10 | Dune II: The building of a dynasty | strategy | 4.21/5 |
| # | 1993 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Mortal Kombat | action | 4.26/5 |
| 02 | Populous 2: Trials of the Olympian Gods | strategy | 4.26/5 |
| 03 | Strike Commander | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 04 | Tornado | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 05 | Dungeon Hack | rpg | 4.23/5 |
| 06 | Brutal Sports Football | sports | 4.23/5 |
| 07 | Subwar 2050 | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 08 | Space Hulk | strategy | 4.23/5 |
| 09 | SimCity 2000 | simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 10 | The Incredible Machine | puzzle | 4.22/5 |
| # | 1994 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | X-COM: Ufo Defense | strategy | 4.31/5 |
| 02 | Micro Machines | racing | 4.26/5 |
| 03 | Doom 2: Hell on Earth | shooter | 4.25/5 |
| 04 | Pinball Fantasies | action | 4.23/5 |
| 05 | The Incredible Machine 2 | puzzle | 4.22/5 |
| 06 | Blackthorne | action | 4.22/5 |
| 07 | Heretic | shooter | 4.21/5 |
| 08 | Colonization | strategy | 4.21/5 |
| 09 | Little Big Adventure | action-adventure | 4.20/5 |
| 10 | Borland DBase 5 | application | 4.20/5 |
| # | 1995 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Transport Tycoon Deluxe | simulation | 4.26/5 |
| 02 | Virtual Pool | sports | 4.23/5 |
| 03 | Screamer | racing | 4.22/5 |
| 04 | Ka-50 Hokum | vehicle simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 05 | Caesar 2 | simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 06 | Albion | rpg | 4.22/5 |
| 07 | Disney's The Jungle Book | action | 4.22/5 |
| 08 | Comix Zone | action | 4.21/5 |
| 09 | Grand Prix 2 | racing | 4.21/5 |
| 10 | The Need for Speed | racing | 4.21/5 |
| # | 1996 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Master of Orion 2: Battle at Antares | strategy | 4.28/5 |
| 02 | Super Street Fighter 2 | action | 4.24/5 |
| 03 | NeoPaint 3.2 | application | 4.23/5 |
| 04 | Civilization 2 | strategy | 4.23/5 |
| 05 | Road Rash | racing | 4.23/5 |
| 06 | Quake | shooter | 4.22/5 |
| 07 | Fantasy General | strategy | 4.22/5 |
| 08 | The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall | rpg | 4.21/5 |
| 09 | Jane's Combat Simulations: Advanced Tactical Fighters | vehicle simulation | 4.20/5 |
| 10 | Dogs of War | strategy | 4.20/5 |
| # | 1997 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Virtua Cop 2 | shooter | 4.23/5 |
| 02 | The Last Express | adventure | 4.22/5 |
| 03 | Pacific General | strategy | 4.21/5 |
| 04 | Carmageddon | racing | 4.21/5 |
| 05 | Blood | shooter | 4.21/5 |
| 06 | Dilbert's Desktop Games | action | 4.20/5 |
| 07 | Interstate '76 | racing | 4.20/5 |
| 08 | Age of Empires | strategy | 4.19/5 |
| 09 | Myth: The Fallen Lords | strategy | 4.19/5 |
| 10 | Flying Corps | vehicle simulation | 4.18/5 |
| # | 1998 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Caesar 3 | simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 02 | Norton Commander 5.5 | application | 4.21/5 |
| 03 | Dune 2000 | strategy | 4.20/5 |
| 04 | People's General | strategy | 4.19/5 |
| 05 | Army Men | strategy | 4.19/5 |
| 06 | Mega Man X3 | shooter | 4.18/5 |
| 07 | Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines | strategy | 4.18/5 |
| 08 | Railroad Tycoon 2 | simulation | 4.17/5 |
| 09 | Dope Wars | simulation | 4.17/5 |
| 10 | Axis and Allies | strategy | 4.16/5 |
| # | 1999 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings | strategy | 4.24/5 |
| 02 | Age of Wonders | strategy | 4.22/5 |
| 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 | Pharaoh | simulation | 4.18/5 |
| 07 | Three Sisters' Story | adventure | 4.18/5 |
| 08 | Midtown Madness | racing | 4.18/5 |
| 09 | Axis and Allies: Iron Blitz | strategy | 4.17/5 |
| 10 | Star Trek: Starfleet Command | vehicle simulation | 4.17/5 |
| # | 2000 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Zeus: Master of Olympus | simulation | 4.20/5 |
| 02 | Nox | rpg | 4.18/5 |
| 03 | Patrician 2: Quest for Power | simulation | 4.15/5 |
| 04 | Deus Ex | rpg | 4.09/5 |
| 05 | Unreal Gold | shooter | 4.08/5 |
| 06 | Vampire: The Masquerade - Redemption | rpg | 4.08/5 |
| 07 | Ground Control | strategy | 4.07/5 |
| 08 | Gal Pani X | action | 4.06/5 |
| 09 | Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn | rpg | 4.06/5 |
| 10 | Fairy Nights | adventure | 4.04/5 |
| # | 2001 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Empire Earth | strategy | 4.22/5 |
| 02 | Capitalism 2 | simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 03 | Anachronox | rpg | 4.17/5 |
| 04 | Zoo Tycoon | simulation | 4.17/5 |
| 05 | Arcanum: of Steamworks and Magick Obscura | rpg | 4.15/5 |
| 06 | Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel | strategy | 4.12/5 |
| 07 | Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds | strategy | 4.10/5 |
| 08 | ScummVM | application | 4.09/5 |
| 09 | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone | action-adventure | 4.08/5 |
| 10 | Independence War 2: Edge Of Chaos | vehicle simulation | 4.06/5 |
| # | 2002 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind | rpg | 4.19/5 |
| 02 | Hooligans: Storm Over Europe | strategy | 4.17/5 |
| 03 | Crazy Taxi | racing | 4.17/5 |
| 04 | Chessmaster 9000 | strategy | 4.16/5 |
| 05 | Roller Coaster Tycoon 2 | simulation | 4.11/5 |
| 06 | Sid Meier's SimGolf | sports | 4.11/5 |
| 07 | DOSBox | application | 4.09/5 |
| 08 | Syberia | adventure | 4.06/5 |
| 09 | Lemonade Tycoon | simulation | 4.04/5 |
| 10 | Port Royale | simulation | 4.00/5 |
| # | 2003 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Master of Orion 3 | strategy | 4.16/5 |
| 02 | Hulk | action | 4.07/5 |
| 03 | The Temple of Elemental Evil | rpg | 4.05/5 |
| 04 | Yu-Gi-Oh! Power of Chaos - Yugi the Destiny | strategy | 4.04/5 |
| 05 | Van Buren (Fallout 3) | rpg | 3.90/5 |
| 06 | Lionheart: Legacy of the Crusader | rpg | 3.87/5 |
| 07 | 1893: A World's Fair Mystery | adventure | 3.83/5 |
| 08 | Baldur's Gate III: The Black Hound | rpg | 3.80/5 |
| 09 | Babylon 5: I've Found Her | vehicle simulation | 3.76/5 |
| 10 | ResidualVM | application | 3.52/5 |
| # | 2004 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Dark Horizons Lore: Invasion | vehicle simulation | 4.06/5 |
| 02 | Ghosts 'n Goblins remake | action | 4.05/5 |
| 03 | Spider-Man 2: The Game | action-adventure | 4.01/5 |
| 04 | UFO 2000 | strategy | 4.00/5 |
| 05 | Maniac Mansion Deluxe | adventure | 3.95/5 |
| 06 | Blues Brothers RPG | rpg | 3.77/5 |
| 07 | Yu-Gi-Oh! Power of Chaos - Joey the Passion | strategy | 3.70/5 |
| 08 | Yu-Gi-Oh! Power of Chaos - Kaiba the Revenge | strategy | 3.29/5 |