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 | 4.16/5 |
| 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 | 3.89/5 |
| 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 | Digger | action | 4.18/5 |
| 06 | Planetfall | adventure | 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 | dBASE III | application | 4.19/5 |
| 05 | Archon: the Light and the Dark | strategy | 4.18/5 |
| 06 | The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy | adventure | 4.17/5 |
| 07 | Rogue | rpg | 4.15/5 |
| 08 | Crime and Punishment | simulation | 4.13/5 |
| 09 | Soko-Ban | puzzle | 4.12/5 |
| 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 | 4.17/5 |
| 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 | 4.14/5 |
| 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 | Phantasie 3: The Wrath of Nikademus | rpg | 4.11/5 |
| 10 | Borland Turbo Basic 1.0 | application | 4.11/5 |
| # | 1988 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Deluxe Paint 2 | application | 4.25/5 |
| 02 | Skate or Die | sports | 4.24/5 |
| 03 | Impossible Mission 2 | action-adventure | 4.24/5 |
| 04 | World Class Leader Board | sports | 4.22/5 |
| 05 | Battle Chess | strategy | 4.22/5 |
| 06 | Rampage | action | 4.22/5 |
| 07 | F-19 Stealth Fighter | vehicle simulation | 4.21/5 |
| 08 | Airborne Ranger | shooter | 4.21/5 |
| 09 | Speedball | sports | 4.20/5 |
| 10 | Lombard RAC Rally | racing | 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 | Carrier command | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 07 | Hero's Quest: So you want to be a hero | adventure | 4.24/5 |
| 08 | A-10 Tank Killer | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 09 | Their Finest Hour: The Battle of Britain | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 10 | Knights of Legend | rpg | 4.22/5 |
| # | 1990 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Secret of Monkey Island | adventure | 4.32/5 |
| 02 | Joe Montana Football | sports | 4.25/5 |
| 03 | Jetfighter 2: Advanced Tactical Fighter | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 04 | Night Shift | puzzle | 4.24/5 |
| 05 | Red Baron | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 06 | Loom | adventure | 4.24/5 |
| 07 | Ultima 6: The False Prophet | rpg | 4.23/5 |
| 08 | Puzznic | puzzle | 4.23/5 |
| 09 | LadyLove | action | 4.23/5 |
| 10 | Prince of Persia | action | 4.22/5 |
| # | 1991 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Volfied | action | 4.31/5 |
| 02 | QBASIC | application | 4.29/5 |
| 03 | Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge | adventure | 4.27/5 |
| 04 | Chip's Challenge | puzzle | 4.27/5 |
| 05 | Chuck Yeager's Air Combat | vehicle simulation | 4.26/5 |
| 06 | Eye of the Beholder 2: The Legend of Darkmoon | rpg | 4.25/5 |
| 07 | Eye of the Beholder | rpg | 4.25/5 |
| 08 | Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe | vehicle simulation | 4.25/5 |
| 09 | Night Hawk: F-117A Stealth Fighter | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 10 | Falcon 3.0 | vehicle simulation | 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 | Stunt Island | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 07 | Wizardry 7: Crusaders of the Dark Savant | rpg | 4.24/5 |
| 08 | B-17 Flying Fortress | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 09 | Lamborghini: American Challenge | racing | 4.24/5 |
| 10 | Shuttle: The Space Flight Simulator | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| # | 1993 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Mortal Kombat | action | 4.30/5 |
| 02 | Football Manager 3 | sports | 4.26/5 |
| 03 | Strike Commander | vehicle simulation | 4.25/5 |
| 04 | Dogfight: 80 Years of Aerial Warfare | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 05 | Tornado | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 06 | Aces Over Europe | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 07 | Lemmings 2: The Tribes | puzzle | 4.24/5 |
| 08 | Lotus: The ultimate challenge | racing | 4.24/5 |
| 09 | Dungeon Hack | rpg | 4.24/5 |
| 10 | Police Quest: Open Season | adventure | 4.23/5 |
| # | 1994 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | X-COM: Ufo Defense | strategy | 4.31/5 |
| 02 | Micro Machines | racing | 4.28/5 |
| 03 | Doom 2: Hell on Earth | shooter | 4.25/5 |
| 04 | Pinball Fantasies | action | 4.25/5 |
| 05 | Fleet Defender | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 06 | Alien Breed: Tower Assault | shooter | 4.24/5 |
| 07 | Dawn Patrol | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 08 | Super Mariio Bros | action | 4.23/5 |
| 09 | Aces of the deep | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 10 | Disney's Aladdin | action | 4.23/5 |
| # | 1995 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Transport Tycoon Deluxe | simulation | 4.25/5 |
| 02 | EF 2000 | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 03 | Albion | rpg | 4.24/5 |
| 04 | Grand Prix 2 | racing | 4.23/5 |
| 05 | Screamer | racing | 4.23/5 |
| 06 | Virtual Pool | sports | 4.23/5 |
| 07 | Whiplash | racing | 4.22/5 |
| 08 | Caesar 2 | simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 09 | The Need for Speed | racing | 4.22/5 |
| 10 | Wipeout | racing | 4.22/5 |
| # | 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 | Road Rash | racing | 4.24/5 |
| 05 | Jane's Combat Simulations: Advanced Tactical Fighters | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 06 | Quake | shooter | 4.24/5 |
| 07 | The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall | rpg | 4.23/5 |
| 08 | Civilization 2 | strategy | 4.23/5 |
| 09 | Conquest of the New World (Deluxe Edition) | strategy | 4.22/5 |
| 10 | Fantasy General | strategy | 4.21/5 |
| # | 1997 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Carmageddon | racing | 4.24/5 |
| 02 | Virtua Cop 2 | shooter | 4.24/5 |
| 03 | Interstate '76 | racing | 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 | Blood | shooter | 4.20/5 |
| 08 | Age of Empires | strategy | 4.19/5 |
| 09 | Star Wars: Jedi Knight - Dark Forces II | shooter | 4.19/5 |
| 10 | Magic: The Gathering | strategy | 4.18/5 |
| # | 1998 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Thief: The Dark Project | action-adventure | 4.22/5 |
| 02 | Caesar 3 | simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 03 | Norton Commander 5.5 | application | 4.21/5 |
| 04 | Dune 2000 | strategy | 4.21/5 |
| 05 | Railroad Tycoon 2 | simulation | 4.20/5 |
| 06 | Mega Man X3 | shooter | 4.20/5 |
| 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 | 4.16/5 |
| # | 1999 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Jagged Alliance 2 | strategy | 4.27/5 |
| 02 | Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings | strategy | 4.27/5 |
| 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 | Roller Coaster Tycoon | simulation | 4.19/5 |
| 08 | Midtown Madness | racing | 4.18/5 |
| 09 | Three Sisters' Story | adventure | 4.18/5 |
| 10 | Septerra Core: Legacy of the Creator | rpg | 4.18/5 |
| # | 2000 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Zeus: Master of Olympus | simulation | 4.20/5 |
| 02 | Nox | rpg | 4.18/5 |
| 03 | Vampire: The Masquerade - Redemption | rpg | 4.17/5 |
| 04 | Patrician 2: Quest for Power | simulation | 4.15/5 |
| 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 | Arcanum: of Steamworks and Magick Obscura | rpg | 4.19/5 |
| 04 | Zoo Tycoon | simulation | 4.18/5 |
| 05 | Anachronox | rpg | 4.18/5 |
| 06 | ScummVM | application | 4.14/5 |
| 07 | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone | action-adventure | 4.13/5 |
| 08 | Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel | strategy | 4.12/5 |
| 09 | Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds | strategy | 4.08/5 |
| 10 | Mario and Luigi | action | 4.04/5 |
| # | 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 | 4.15/5 |
| 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 | 4.04/5 |
| 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 | 4.07/5 |
| 03 | The Temple of Elemental Evil | rpg | 4.05/5 |
| 04 | Van Buren (Fallout 3) | rpg | 3.95/5 |
| 05 | Lionheart: Legacy of the Crusader | rpg | 3.90/5 |
| 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 | 3.70/5 |
| # | 2004 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Spider-Man 2: The Game | action-adventure | 4.23/5 |
| 02 | Dark Horizons Lore: Invasion | vehicle simulation | 4.21/5 |
| 03 | UFO 2000 | strategy | 4.00/5 |
| 04 | Maniac Mansion Deluxe | adventure | 3.90/5 |
| 05 | Yu-Gi-Oh! Power of Chaos - Joey the Passion | strategy | 3.86/5 |
| 06 | Blues Brothers RPG | rpg | 3.77/5 |