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 | 4.02/5 |
| 02 | Galaxy | strategy | 3.98/5 |
| 03 | Softporn Adventure | adventure | 3.97/5 |
| 04 | Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord | rpg | 3.94/5 |
| 05 | Chess | strategy | 3.83/5 |
| 06 | Akalabeth: World of Doom | rpg | 3.67/5 |
| 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 | 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 | 4.27/5 |
| 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 | Pango | action | 4.05/5 |
| # | 1984 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Alley Cat | action | 4.28/5 |
| 02 | King's Quest 1: Quest for the Crown | adventure | 4.23/5 |
| 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 | Rogue | rpg | 4.16/5 |
| 07 | dBASE III | application | 4.15/5 |
| 08 | Soko-Ban | puzzle | 4.13/5 |
| 09 | Crime and Punishment | simulation | 4.12/5 |
| 10 | Xonix | action | 4.09/5 |
| # | 1985 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Ultima 3: Exodus | rpg | 4.20/5 |
| 02 | Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? | adventure | 4.19/5 |
| 03 | A Mind Forever Voyaging | adventure | 4.14/5 |
| 04 | Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar | rpg | 4.13/5 |
| 05 | Rambo First Blood Part 2 | adventure | 4.12/5 |
| 06 | Alice: The Personal Pascal | application | 4.11/5 |
| 07 | 9 Princes in Amber | adventure | 4.10/5 |
| 08 | Silent Service | vehicle simulation | 4.08/5 |
| 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 | 4.27/5 |
| 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 | Orbiter | vehicle simulation | 4.14/5 |
| 07 | Leather Goddesses of Phobos | adventure | 4.14/5 |
| 08 | Starflight | rpg | 4.14/5 |
| 09 | The Chessmaster 2000 | strategy | 4.13/5 |
| 10 | Alter Ego: Female Version | simulation | 4.13/5 |
| # | 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 | 4.17/5 |
| 07 | Mah Jongg Solitaire | puzzle | 4.15/5 |
| 08 | Falcon | vehicle simulation | 4.15/5 |
| 09 | Rockford: The Arcade Game | puzzle | 4.14/5 |
| 10 | Phantasie 3: The Wrath of Nikademus | rpg | 4.11/5 |
| # | 1988 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Impossible Mission 2 | action-adventure | 4.25/5 |
| 02 | Skate or Die | sports | 4.24/5 |
| 03 | Rampage | action | 4.23/5 |
| 04 | World Class Leader Board | sports | 4.22/5 |
| 05 | Battlehawks 1942 | vehicle simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 06 | Battle Chess | strategy | 4.21/5 |
| 07 | Airborne Ranger | shooter | 4.21/5 |
| 08 | Speedball | sports | 4.20/5 |
| 09 | Lombard RAC Rally | racing | 4.20/5 |
| 10 | Deluxe Paint 2 | application | 4.20/5 |
| # | 1989 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Turbo Assembler (TASM) | application | 4.39/5 |
| 02 | Operation Wolf | shooter | 4.28/5 |
| 03 | Pipe Dream | puzzle | 4.27/5 |
| 04 | Hero's Quest: So you want to be a hero | adventure | 4.24/5 |
| 05 | The Duel: Test Drive 2 | racing | 4.22/5 |
| 06 | Bubble Bobble | action | 4.22/5 |
| 07 | A-10 Tank Killer | vehicle simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 08 | Rick Dangerous | action | 4.22/5 |
| 09 | Alien Syndrome | shooter | 4.21/5 |
| 10 | Carrier command | vehicle simulation | 4.21/5 |
| # | 1990 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Secret of Monkey Island | adventure | 4.32/5 |
| 02 | Loom | adventure | 4.24/5 |
| 03 | Ultima 6: The False Prophet | rpg | 4.23/5 |
| 04 | Red Baron | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 05 | Tetris 2.0 | puzzle | 4.23/5 |
| 06 | Prince of Persia | action | 4.22/5 |
| 07 | The Oregon Trail | simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 08 | LadyLove | action | 4.22/5 |
| 09 | Silent Service 2 | vehicle simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 10 | Ivan 'Iron Man' Stewart's Super Off Road | racing | 4.22/5 |
| # | 1991 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Volfied | action | 4.31/5 |
| 02 | QBASIC | application | 4.29/5 |
| 03 | Chip's Challenge | puzzle | 4.26/5 |
| 04 | Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge | adventure | 4.25/5 |
| 05 | Chuck Yeager's Air Combat | vehicle simulation | 4.25/5 |
| 06 | Eye of the Beholder 2: The Legend of Darkmoon | rpg | 4.25/5 |
| 07 | Panza Kick Boxing | sports | 4.24/5 |
| 08 | Eye of the Beholder | rpg | 4.24/5 |
| 09 | Gods | action | 4.24/5 |
| 10 | Joe and Mac Cavemen Ninja | action | 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 | Wizardry 7: Crusaders of the Dark Savant | rpg | 4.25/5 |
| 06 | Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis | adventure | 4.25/5 |
| 07 | B-17 Flying Fortress | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 08 | Lamborghini: American Challenge | racing | 4.24/5 |
| 09 | Legends of Valour | rpg | 4.24/5 |
| 10 | Patrician | simulation | 4.24/5 |
| # | 1993 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Mortal Kombat | action | 4.31/5 |
| 02 | Populous 2: Trials of the Olympian Gods | strategy | 4.26/5 |
| 03 | Police Quest: Open Season | adventure | 4.24/5 |
| 04 | Lemmings 2: The Tribes | puzzle | 4.24/5 |
| 05 | Flashback: The Quest for Identity | action-adventure | 4.24/5 |
| 06 | Dungeon Hack | rpg | 4.24/5 |
| 07 | Space Hulk | strategy | 4.23/5 |
| 08 | Brutal Sports Football | sports | 4.23/5 |
| 09 | SimCity 2000 | simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 10 | Doom | shooter | 4.22/5 |
| # | 1994 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | X-COM: Ufo Defense | strategy | 4.31/5 |
| 02 | Micro Machines | racing | 4.27/5 |
| 03 | Doom 2: Hell on Earth | shooter | 4.25/5 |
| 04 | Pinball Fantasies | action | 4.24/5 |
| 05 | Alien Breed: Tower Assault | shooter | 4.24/5 |
| 06 | Hocus Pocus | action | 4.23/5 |
| 07 | Heretic | shooter | 4.23/5 |
| 08 | Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf | shooter | 4.23/5 |
| 09 | Borland DBase 5 | application | 4.23/5 |
| 10 | Blackthorne | action | 4.22/5 |
| # | 1995 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Transport Tycoon Deluxe | simulation | 4.29/5 |
| 02 | Grand Prix 2 | racing | 4.25/5 |
| 03 | Screamer | racing | 4.24/5 |
| 04 | Comix Zone | action | 4.23/5 |
| 05 | Virtual Pool | sports | 4.23/5 |
| 06 | Disney's The Jungle Book | action | 4.22/5 |
| 07 | The Need for Speed | racing | 4.22/5 |
| 08 | Whiplash | racing | 4.22/5 |
| 09 | Albion | rpg | 4.22/5 |
| 10 | Guilty | adventure | 4.21/5 |
| # | 1996 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | NeoPaint 3.2 | application | 4.30/5 |
| 02 | Master of Orion 2: Battle at Antares | strategy | 4.29/5 |
| 03 | Super Street Fighter 2 | action | 4.28/5 |
| 04 | Quake | shooter | 4.24/5 |
| 05 | Road Rash | racing | 4.23/5 |
| 06 | Civilization 2 | strategy | 4.23/5 |
| 07 | The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall | rpg | 4.23/5 |
| 08 | Fantasy General | strategy | 4.22/5 |
| 09 | Conquest of the New World (Deluxe Edition) | strategy | 4.22/5 |
| 10 | Jane's Combat Simulations: Advanced Tactical Fighters | vehicle simulation | 4.22/5 |
| # | 1997 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Interstate '76 | racing | 4.25/5 |
| 02 | Virtua Cop 2 | shooter | 4.24/5 |
| 03 | Carmageddon | racing | 4.23/5 |
| 04 | The Last Express | adventure | 4.22/5 |
| 05 | Star Wars: Jedi Knight - Dark Forces II | shooter | 4.21/5 |
| 06 | Blood | shooter | 4.20/5 |
| 07 | Warlords 3: Reign of Heroes | strategy | 4.20/5 |
| 08 | Pacific General | strategy | 4.20/5 |
| 09 | Dilbert's Desktop Games | action | 4.20/5 |
| 10 | Age of Empires | strategy | 4.20/5 |
| # | 1998 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Caesar 3 | simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 02 | Norton Commander 5.5 | application | 4.22/5 |
| 03 | Dune 2000 | strategy | 4.21/5 |
| 04 | Thief: The Dark Project | action-adventure | 4.20/5 |
| 05 | Mega Man X3 | shooter | 4.20/5 |
| 06 | StarCraft | strategy | 4.19/5 |
| 07 | Railroad Tycoon 2 | simulation | 4.19/5 |
| 08 | Dope Wars | simulation | 4.19/5 |
| 09 | Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines | strategy | 4.18/5 |
| 10 | People's General | strategy | 4.18/5 |
| # | 1999 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings | strategy | 4.26/5 |
| 02 | Jagged Alliance 2 | strategy | 4.25/5 |
| 03 | Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia | strategy | 4.23/5 |
| 04 | Age of Wonders | strategy | 4.22/5 |
| 05 | Outcast | action-adventure | 4.21/5 |
| 06 | Pharaoh | simulation | 4.21/5 |
| 07 | Roller Coaster Tycoon | simulation | 4.20/5 |
| 08 | Black Moon Chronicles | strategy | 4.19/5 |
| 09 | Three Sisters' Story | adventure | 4.19/5 |
| 10 | Midtown Madness | racing | 4.18/5 |
| # | 2000 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Zeus: Master of Olympus | simulation | 4.20/5 |
| 02 | Vampire: The Masquerade - Redemption | rpg | 4.20/5 |
| 03 | Nox | rpg | 4.18/5 |
| 04 | Patrician 2: Quest for Power | simulation | 4.15/5 |
| 05 | The Sims | simulation | 4.14/5 |
| 06 | Unreal Gold | shooter | 4.14/5 |
| 07 | Deus Ex | rpg | 4.09/5 |
| 08 | Gal Pani X | action | 4.07/5 |
| 09 | Ground Control | strategy | 4.07/5 |
| 10 | Fairy Nights | adventure | 4.06/5 |
| # | 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 | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone | action-adventure | 4.18/5 |
| 05 | Arcanum: of Steamworks and Magick Obscura | rpg | 4.15/5 |
| 06 | TomeNET | rpg | 4.15/5 |
| 07 | Anachronox | rpg | 4.14/5 |
| 08 | ScummVM | application | 4.14/5 |
| 09 | Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel | strategy | 4.12/5 |
| 10 | Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds | strategy | 4.09/5 |
| # | 2002 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind | rpg | 4.21/5 |
| 02 | Chessmaster 9000 | strategy | 4.19/5 |
| 03 | Hooligans: Storm Over Europe | strategy | 4.18/5 |
| 04 | Crazy Taxi | racing | 4.16/5 |
| 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 | Lemonade Tycoon | simulation | 4.10/5 |
| 09 | Syberia | adventure | 4.05/5 |
| 10 | Port Royale | simulation | 4.00/5 |
| # | 2003 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Master of Orion 3 | strategy | 4.16/5 |
| 02 | Yu-Gi-Oh! Power of Chaos - Yugi the Destiny | strategy | 4.12/5 |
| 03 | Hulk | action | 4.05/5 |
| 04 | The Temple of Elemental Evil | rpg | 4.05/5 |
| 05 | Lionheart: Legacy of the Crusader | rpg | 4.00/5 |
| 06 | Van Buren (Fallout 3) | rpg | 3.91/5 |
| 07 | 1893: A World's Fair Mystery | adventure | 3.82/5 |
| 08 | Babylon 5: I've Found Her | vehicle simulation | 3.76/5 |
| 09 | Baldur's Gate III: The Black Hound | rpg | 3.75/5 |
| 10 | ResidualVM | application | 3.68/5 |
| # | 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 | Yu-Gi-Oh! Power of Chaos - Joey the Passion | strategy | 4.07/5 |
| 04 | UFO 2000 | strategy | 4.00/5 |
| 05 | Maniac Mansion Deluxe | adventure | 3.90/5 |
| 06 | Blues Brothers RPG | rpg | 3.77/5 |