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 | 4.05/5 |
| 02 | Ultima 1: The First Age of Darkness | rpg | 4.01/5 |
| 03 | Softporn Adventure | adventure | 3.99/5 |
| 04 | Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord | rpg | 3.94/5 |
| 05 | Chess | strategy | 3.83/5 |
| 06 | Akalabeth: World of Doom | rpg | 3.68/5 |
| 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 | 4.28/5 |
| 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 | King's Quest 1: Quest for the Crown | adventure | 4.24/5 |
| 03 | Montezuma's Revenge | action | 4.23/5 |
| 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 | 4.13/5 |
| 10 | Xonix | action | 4.09/5 |
| # | 1985 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Ultima 3: Exodus | rpg | 4.21/5 |
| 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 | 4.28/5 |
| 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 | Leather Goddesses of Phobos | adventure | 4.14/5 |
| 07 | Starflight | rpg | 4.13/5 |
| 08 | The Chessmaster 2000 | strategy | 4.13/5 |
| 09 | Alter Ego: Female Version | simulation | 4.13/5 |
| 10 | Conflict in Vietnam | strategy | 4.12/5 |
| # | 1987 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Leisure Suit Larry 1: In the Land of the Lounge Lizards | adventure | 4.28/5 |
| 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 | Rockford: The Arcade Game | puzzle | 4.14/5 |
| 09 | Falcon | vehicle simulation | 4.13/5 |
| 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 | 4.24/5 |
| 03 | F-19 Stealth Fighter | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 04 | World Class Leader Board | sports | 4.22/5 |
| 05 | Battle Chess | strategy | 4.22/5 |
| 06 | Rampage | action | 4.22/5 |
| 07 | Airborne Ranger | shooter | 4.21/5 |
| 08 | Speedball | sports | 4.20/5 |
| 09 | Lombard RAC Rally | racing | 4.20/5 |
| 10 | Battlehawks 1942 | vehicle simulation | 4.20/5 |
| # | 1989 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Turbo Assembler (TASM) | application | 4.39/5 |
| 02 | Operation Wolf | shooter | 4.28/5 |
| 03 | Rick Dangerous | action | 4.27/5 |
| 04 | Pipe Dream | puzzle | 4.27/5 |
| 05 | Their Finest Hour: The Battle of Britain | vehicle simulation | 4.26/5 |
| 06 | A-10 Tank Killer | vehicle simulation | 4.26/5 |
| 07 | Carrier command | vehicle simulation | 4.25/5 |
| 08 | The Duel: Test Drive 2 | racing | 4.24/5 |
| 09 | Hero's Quest: So you want to be a hero | adventure | 4.24/5 |
| 10 | F-16 Combat Pilot | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| # | 1990 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Secret of Monkey Island | adventure | 4.32/5 |
| 02 | Das Boot: German U-Boat Simulation | vehicle simulation | 4.28/5 |
| 03 | Jetfighter 2: Advanced Tactical Fighter | vehicle simulation | 4.28/5 |
| 04 | Red Baron | vehicle simulation | 4.26/5 |
| 05 | Joe Montana Football | sports | 4.25/5 |
| 06 | Night Shift | puzzle | 4.24/5 |
| 07 | Loom | adventure | 4.24/5 |
| 08 | Ultima 6: The False Prophet | rpg | 4.23/5 |
| 09 | North and South | strategy | 4.23/5 |
| 10 | Tetris 2.0 | puzzle | 4.23/5 |
| # | 1991 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Volfied | action | 4.31/5 |
| 02 | QBASIC | application | 4.29/5 |
| 03 | Chuck Yeager's Air Combat | vehicle simulation | 4.28/5 |
| 04 | Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge | adventure | 4.28/5 |
| 05 | Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe | vehicle simulation | 4.27/5 |
| 06 | Chip's Challenge | puzzle | 4.27/5 |
| 07 | Falcon 3.0 | vehicle simulation | 4.26/5 |
| 08 | Night Hawk: F-117A Stealth Fighter | vehicle simulation | 4.26/5 |
| 09 | Eye of the Beholder 2: The Legend of Darkmoon | rpg | 4.25/5 |
| 10 | Eye of the Beholder | rpg | 4.25/5 |
| # | 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 | Stunt Island | vehicle simulation | 4.28/5 |
| 05 | ATAC: The Secret War Against Drugs | vehicle simulation | 4.28/5 |
| 06 | Shuttle: The Space Flight Simulator | vehicle simulation | 4.26/5 |
| 07 | Comanche: Maximum overkill | vehicle simulation | 4.26/5 |
| 08 | Virtual Reality Studio 2.0 | application | 4.26/5 |
| 09 | B-17 Flying Fortress | vehicle simulation | 4.25/5 |
| 10 | Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis | adventure | 4.25/5 |
| # | 1993 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Mortal Kombat | action | 4.30/5 |
| 02 | Football Manager 3 | sports | 4.28/5 |
| 03 | Aces Over Europe | vehicle simulation | 4.28/5 |
| 04 | Strike Commander | vehicle simulation | 4.28/5 |
| 05 | Tornado | vehicle simulation | 4.27/5 |
| 06 | Dogfight: 80 Years of Aerial Warfare | vehicle simulation | 4.26/5 |
| 07 | Evasive Action | vehicle simulation | 4.25/5 |
| 08 | Lemmings 2: The Tribes | puzzle | 4.24/5 |
| 09 | Dungeon Hack | rpg | 4.24/5 |
| 10 | Police Quest: Open Season | adventure | 4.23/5 |
| # | 1994 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Borland DBase 5 | application | 4.35/5 |
| 02 | X-COM: Ufo Defense | strategy | 4.31/5 |
| 03 | Overlord | vehicle simulation | 4.28/5 |
| 04 | Micro Machines | racing | 4.28/5 |
| 05 | Dawn Patrol | vehicle simulation | 4.27/5 |
| 06 | Fleet Defender | vehicle simulation | 4.26/5 |
| 07 | Doom 2: Hell on Earth | shooter | 4.25/5 |
| 08 | 1942: The Pacific Air War | vehicle simulation | 4.25/5 |
| 09 | Pinball Fantasies | action | 4.25/5 |
| 10 | Aces of the deep | vehicle simulation | 4.25/5 |
| # | 1995 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Transport Tycoon Deluxe | simulation | 4.29/5 |
| 02 | Wipeout | racing | 4.27/5 |
| 03 | EF 2000 | vehicle simulation | 4.27/5 |
| 04 | Grand Prix 2 | racing | 4.25/5 |
| 05 | Apache Longbow | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 06 | Screamer | racing | 4.23/5 |
| 07 | Comix Zone | action | 4.23/5 |
| 08 | Ka-50 Hokum | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 09 | Virtual Pool | sports | 4.23/5 |
| 10 | Albion | rpg | 4.23/5 |
| # | 1996 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Master of Orion 2: Battle at Antares | strategy | 4.29/5 |
| 02 | NeoPaint 3.2 | application | 4.28/5 |
| 03 | Super Street Fighter 2 | action | 4.28/5 |
| 04 | Jane's Combat Simulations: Advanced Tactical Fighters | vehicle simulation | 4.26/5 |
| 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 | Conquest of the New World (Deluxe Edition) | strategy | 4.22/5 |
| 10 | F-22 Lightning 2 | vehicle simulation | 4.22/5 |
| # | 1997 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Interstate '76 | racing | 4.25/5 |
| 02 | Carmageddon | racing | 4.25/5 |
| 03 | Virtua Cop 2 | shooter | 4.24/5 |
| 04 | Dilbert's Desktop Games | action | 4.21/5 |
| 05 | Warlords 3: Reign of Heroes | strategy | 4.20/5 |
| 06 | Pacific General | strategy | 4.20/5 |
| 07 | Star Wars: Jedi Knight - Dark Forces II | shooter | 4.20/5 |
| 08 | Blood | shooter | 4.20/5 |
| 09 | Age of Empires | strategy | 4.19/5 |
| 10 | Magic: The Gathering | strategy | 4.18/5 |
| # | 1998 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Caesar 3 | simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 02 | Thief: The Dark Project | action-adventure | 4.22/5 |
| 03 | Norton Commander 5.5 | application | 4.21/5 |
| 04 | Dune 2000 | strategy | 4.20/5 |
| 05 | Railroad Tycoon 2 | simulation | 4.20/5 |
| 06 | Dope Wars | simulation | 4.20/5 |
| 07 | Mega Man X3 | shooter | 4.19/5 |
| 08 | Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines | strategy | 4.18/5 |
| 09 | People's General | strategy | 4.18/5 |
| 10 | Lego Loco | simulation | 4.17/5 |
| # | 1999 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings | strategy | 4.25/5 |
| 02 | Jagged Alliance 2 | strategy | 4.24/5 |
| 03 | Age of Wonders | strategy | 4.22/5 |
| 04 | Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia | 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 | Arcanum: of Steamworks and Magick Obscura | rpg | 4.19/5 |
| 05 | Anachronox | rpg | 4.18/5 |
| 06 | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone | action-adventure | 4.16/5 |
| 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 | 4.11/5 |
| 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 | 4.11/5 |
| 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 | 4.21/5 |
| 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 | 3.92/5 |
| 05 | Maniac Mansion Deluxe | adventure | 3.90/5 |
| 06 | Blues Brothers RPG | rpg | 3.77/5 |