Abandonware DOS title

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 4.03/5
02 Ultima 1: The First Age of Darkness rpg 4.02/5
03 Softporn Adventure adventure 4.00/5
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 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 4.27/5
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 Donkey Kong action 4.03/5
# 1984 genre rating
01 Alley Cat action 4.29/5
02 Montezuma's Revenge action 4.23/5
03 King's Quest 1: Quest for the Crown adventure 4.22/5
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 4.12/5
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 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 4.27/5
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 Airborne Ranger shooter 4.21/5
07 Battle Chess strategy 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 4.38/5
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 Hero's Quest: So you want to be a hero adventure 4.24/5
07 A-10 Tank Killer vehicle simulation 4.23/5
08 Bubble Bobble 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 Silent Service 2 vehicle simulation 4.22/5
09 LadyLove action 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 4.27/5
04 Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge adventure 4.26/5
05 Falcon 3.0 vehicle simulation 4.25/5
06 Eye of the Beholder 2: The Legend of Darkmoon rpg 4.25/5
07 Chuck Yeager's Air Combat vehicle simulation 4.25/5
08 Eye of the Beholder rpg 4.24/5
09 Panza Kick Boxing sports 4.24/5
10 Gods 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 Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis adventure 4.25/5
06 B-17 Flying Fortress vehicle simulation 4.25/5
07 Wizardry 7: Crusaders of the Dark Savant rpg 4.24/5
08 Lamborghini: American Challenge racing 4.24/5
09 Patrician simulation 4.24/5
10 Heroes of the 357th vehicle simulation 4.22/5
# 1993 genre rating
01 Mortal Kombat action 4.30/5
02 Populous 2: Trials of the Olympian Gods strategy 4.26/5
03 Lemmings 2: The Tribes puzzle 4.24/5
04 Flashback: The Quest for Identity action-adventure 4.24/5
05 Dungeon Hack rpg 4.24/5
06 Police Quest: Open Season adventure 4.23/5
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 Borland DBase 5 application 4.29/5
03 Micro Machines racing 4.28/5
04 Doom 2: Hell on Earth shooter 4.25/5
05 Alien Breed: Tower Assault shooter 4.24/5
06 Pinball Fantasies action 4.24/5
07 Hocus Pocus action 4.23/5
08 Heretic shooter 4.23/5
09 Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf shooter 4.23/5
10 Disney's Aladdin action 4.23/5
# 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 Albion rpg 4.23/5
07 Disney's The Jungle Book action 4.22/5
08 Whiplash racing 4.22/5
09 Worms strategy 4.22/5
10 The Need for Speed racing 4.22/5
# 1996 genre rating
01 Master of Orion 2: Battle at Antares strategy 4.29/5
02 Super Street Fighter 2 action 4.28/5
03 NeoPaint 3.2 application 4.28/5
04 Jane's Combat Simulations: Advanced Tactical Fighters vehicle simulation 4.24/5
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 Fantasy General strategy 4.22/5
10 Conquest of the New World (Deluxe Edition) strategy 4.22/5
# 1997 genre rating
01 Carmageddon racing 4.24/5
02 Interstate '76 racing 4.24/5
03 Virtua Cop 2 shooter 4.24/5
04 Blood shooter 4.20/5
05 Pacific General strategy 4.20/5
06 Star Wars: Jedi Knight - Dark Forces II shooter 4.20/5
07 Warlords 3: Reign of Heroes strategy 4.20/5
08 Dilbert's Desktop Games action 4.20/5
09 Age of Empires strategy 4.20/5
10 The Last Express adventure 4.19/5
# 1998 genre rating
01 Caesar 3 simulation 4.23/5
02 Norton Commander 5.5 application 4.21/5
03 Thief: The Dark Project action-adventure 4.21/5
04 Dune 2000 strategy 4.20/5
05 Railroad Tycoon 2 simulation 4.20/5
06 Mega Man X3 shooter 4.19/5
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 4.17/5
# 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 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 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone action-adventure 4.18/5
05 Arcanum: of Steamworks and Magick Obscura rpg 4.17/5
06 Anachronox rpg 4.14/5
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 4.12/5
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 4.12/5
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 4.22/5
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 4.00/5
05 Maniac Mansion Deluxe adventure 3.90/5
06 Blues Brothers RPG rpg 3.77/5