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.


# 1982 genre rating
01 PC-Man action
4.17
02 Zork I: The Great Underground Empire adventure
4.16
03 Microsoft Decathlon sports
3.94
04 Paratrooper shooter
3.90
05 Executive Suite simulation
3.88
06 Car Builder simulation
3.85
07 The Battle of the Bulge: Tigers in the Snow strategy
3.81
08 Deadline adventure
3.81
09 Wizardry 2: The knight of diamonds rpg
3.79
10 BurgerTime action
3.78
# 1983 genre rating
01 Battlezone shooter
4.29
02 Lode Runner action
4.25
03 Digger action
4.22
04 Sleuth: A Murder Mystery simulation
4.21
05 Defender shooter
4.19
06 Frogger action
4.19
07 Planetfall adventure
4.19
08 Zork II: The Wizard of Frobozz adventure
4.15
09 Donkey Kong action
4.14
10 Borland Turbo Pascal 2.0 application
4.08
# 1984 genre rating
01 Alley Cat action
4.29
02 Rogue rpg
4.27
03 DBase 3 application
4.26
04 Crime and Punishment simulation
4.25
05 Montezuma's Revenge action
4.23
06 GATO vehicle simulation
4.20
07 King's Quest 1: Quest for the Crown adventure
4.16
08 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy adventure
4.15
09 Archon: the Light and the Dark strategy
4.14
10 Soko-Ban puzzle
4.11
# 1985 genre rating
01 Alice: The Personal Pascal application
4.39
02 9 Princes in Amber adventure
4.23
03 Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar rpg
4.16
04 A Mind Forever Voyaging adventure
4.13
05 Rambo First Blood Part 2 adventure
4.13
06 Ultima 3: Exodus rpg
4.11
07 Spacewar shooter
4.06
08 Star Trek: the Kobayashi alternative adventure
4.04
09 Monopoly strategy
4.00
10 Crusade in Europe strategy
3.97
# 1986 genre rating
01 Trinity adventure
4.25
02 Space Quest 1: The Sarien Encounter adventure
4.24
03 Wordstar 4 application
4.19
04 Leather Goddesses of Phobos adventure
4.18
05 Starflight rpg
4.16
06 Alter Ego: Male Version simulation
4.14
07 Conflict in Vietnam strategy
4.13
08 Psi 5 Trading Company vehicle simulation
4.13
09 Gauntlet action
4.13
10 Gunship vehicle simulation
4.12
# 1987 genre rating
01 Borland Turbo C v1 application
4.36
02 Leisure Suit Larry 1: In the Land of the Lounge Lizards adventure
4.30
03 Mah Jongg Solitaire puzzle
4.28
04 Police Quest 1: In Pursuit of the Death Angel adventure
4.25
05 Earl Weaver Baseball sports
4.24
06 Maniac Mansion adventure
4.19
07 Bad Street Brawler action
4.19
08 Test Drive racing
4.16
09 Space Quest 2: Vohaul's Revenge adventure
4.14
10 Borland Turbo Basic 1.0 application
4.14
# 1988 genre rating
01 Deluxe Paint 2 application
4.30
02 GW-BASIC 3 application
4.27
03 Skate or Die sports
4.27
04 Impossible Mission 2 action-adventure
4.26
05 MicroProse Soccer sports
4.25
06 Battle Chess strategy
4.25
07 Speedball sports
4.20
08 Alternate Reality: The City rpg
4.18
09 Double Dragon II: The Revenge action
4.18
10 Classic Concentration puzzle
4.18
# 1989 genre rating
01 Operation Wolf shooter
4.31
02 The Duel: Test Drive 2 racing
4.30
03 Pipe Dream puzzle
4.29
04 Rick Dangerous action
4.25
05 Hero's Quest: So you want to be a hero adventure
4.24
06 Lakers vs. Celtics and the NBA Playoffs sports
4.23
07 Bubble Bobble action
4.22
08 Oil Imperium simulation
4.21
09 Heavy Metal vehicle simulation
4.21
10 OutRun racing
4.21
# 1990 genre rating
01 The Secret of Monkey Island adventure
4.32
02 Tank Wars strategy
4.29
03 Loom adventure
4.28
04 Norton Editor 2 application
4.26
05 Night Shift puzzle
4.25
06 The Bard's Tale 3: Thief of Fate rpg
4.25
07 Mario Bros VGA action
4.24
08 Tetris 2.0 puzzle
4.24
09 LadyLove action
4.24
10 Ultima 6: The False Prophet rpg
4.24
# 1991 genre rating
01 QBASIC application
4.49
02 Chip's Challenge puzzle
4.32
03 Duke Nukem action
4.29
04 Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge adventure
4.28
05 Bundesliga Manager Professional sports
4.27
06 Eye of the Beholder rpg
4.26
07 DOS Navigator v 1.5 application
4.26
08 Cisco Heat racing
4.26
09 Eye of the Beholder 2: The Legend of Darkmoon rpg
4.25
10 Gods action
4.25
# 1992 genre rating
01 Virtual Reality Studio 2.0 application
4.41
02 Tetris Classic puzzle
4.39
03 Street Fighter 2 action
4.32
04 Wizardry 7: Crusaders of the Dark Savant rpg
4.32
05 Ultima 7 Part 1: The Black Gate rpg
4.31
06 Links 386 Pro sports
4.28
07 Ugh! action
4.27
08 The Oregon Trail Deluxe simulation
4.26
09 Spear of Destiny shooter
4.25
10 B.A.T. 2 : The Koshan Conspiracy adventure
4.25
# 1993 genre rating
01 NeoPaint 3.2 application
4.50
02 Mortal Kombat action
4.27
03 Bio Menace Episode 2: The Hidden Lab action
4.25
04 Lemmings 2: The Tribes puzzle
4.25
05 Carnage racing
4.25
06 3D Studio 3 application
4.25
07 Freddy Pharkas: Frontier Pharmacist adventure
4.24
08 Dungeon Hack rpg
4.24
09 Space Hulk strategy
4.24
10 The Lost Vikings action
4.24
# 1994 genre rating
01 Doom 2: Hell on Earth shooter
4.32
02 Disney's Aladdin action
4.30
03 Heretic shooter
4.30
04 Colonization strategy
4.29
05 Super Mariio Bros action
4.29
06 X-COM: Ufo Defense strategy
4.28
07 Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf shooter
4.28
08 Diggers puzzle
4.27
09 Cannon Fodder strategy
4.25
10 The Incredible Machine 2 puzzle
4.25
# 1995 genre rating
01 Transport Tycoon Deluxe simulation
4.32
02 The Terminator: Future Shock shooter
4.31
03 Phantasmagoria adventure
4.28
04 Jungle Strike shooter
4.27
05 Star Wars: Dark Forces shooter
4.26
06 Grand Prix 2 racing
4.25
07 Witchaven shooter
4.25
08 Screamer racing
4.25
09 Destruction Derby racing
4.25
10 Whiplash racing
4.24
# 1996 genre rating
01 Master of Orion 2: Battle at Antares strategy
4.31
02 Alien Trilogy shooter
4.30
03 The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall rpg
4.29
04 Road Rash racing
4.29
05 Super Street Fighter 2 action
4.28
06 Dogs of War strategy
4.28
07 Civilization 2 strategy
4.27
08 F-22 Lightning 2 vehicle simulation
4.26
09 Quake shooter
4.26
10 Pray for Death action
4.26
# 1997 genre rating
01 Warlords 3: Reign of Heroes strategy
4.29
02 Carmageddon racing
4.26
03 Lucky Luke action
4.26
04 Virtua Cop 2 shooter
4.24
05 Warheads strategy
4.24
06 Age of Empires strategy
4.23
07 Star Wars: Jedi Knight - Dark Forces II shooter
4.22
08 Amulets & Armor rpg
4.22
09 Magic: The Gathering strategy
4.22
10 Blood shooter
4.21
# 1998 genre rating
01 Caesar 3 simulation
4.27
02 People's General strategy
4.27
03 Populous: The Beginning strategy
4.24
04 Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines strategy
4.24
05 Army Men strategy
4.24
06 Dune 2000 strategy
4.23
07 Norton Commander 5.5 application
4.22
08 Mega Man X4 shooter
4.20
09 101: The Airborne Invasion of Normandy strategy
4.17
10 Axis and Allies strategy
4.16
# 1999 genre rating
01 Outcast action-adventure
4.29
02 Midtown Madness racing
4.28
03 Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings strategy
4.28
04 Axis and Allies: Iron Blitz strategy
4.26
05 Might and Magic 7: For Blood and Honor rpg
4.25
06 Jagged Alliance 2 strategy
4.24
07 Mick's Strip Poker strategy
4.24
08 Age of Wonders strategy
4.23
09 Grand Theft Auto 2 action-adventure
4.22
10 Pharaoh simulation
4.21
# 2000 genre rating
01 Nox rpg
4.24
02 Zeus: Master of Olympus simulation
4.18
03 Ground Control strategy
4.16
04 Deus Ex rpg
4.14
05 Patrician 2: Quest for Power simulation
4.11
06 3D Ultra Lionel Traintown puzzle
4.06
07 Gal Pani X action
4.06
08 Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn rpg
4.04
09 Cultures strategy
4.02
10 The Operative: No One Lives Forever shooter
3.96
# 2001 genre rating
01 Empire Earth strategy
4.26
02 ScummVM application
4.22
03 Zoo Tycoon simulation
4.21
04 Arcanum: of Steamworks and Magick Obscura rpg
4.20
05 Capitalism 2 simulation
4.18
06 Anachronox rpg
4.13
07 Mario and Luigi action
4.08
08 Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds strategy
4.05
09 Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel strategy
4.02
10 Independence War 2: Edge Of Chaos vehicle simulation
4.00
# 2002 genre rating
01 Crazy Taxi racing
4.25
02 DOSBox application
4.19
03 Chessmaster 9000 strategy
4.18
04 Hooligans: Storm Over Europe strategy
4.18
05 Roller Coaster Tycoon 2 simulation
4.14
06 Sid Meier's SimGolf sports
4.10
07 Syberia adventure
4.01
08 Industry Giant 2 simulation
4.00
09 Icewind Dale 2 rpg
3.81
10 X-COM: Alliance shooter
3.78