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 | Softporn Adventure | adventure | 3.99/5 |
| 03 | Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord | rpg | 3.94/5 |
| 04 | Chess | strategy | 3.83/5 |
| 05 | Akalabeth: World of Doom | rpg | 3.67/5 |
| 06 | 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 | 4.21/5 |
| 05 | Archon: the Light and the Dark | strategy | 4.18/5 |
| 06 | Castle Adventure | action-adventure | 4.17/5 |
| 07 | The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy | adventure | 4.17/5 |
| 08 | Rogue | rpg | 4.14/5 |
| 09 | Soko-Ban | puzzle | 4.12/5 |
| 10 | Crime and Punishment | simulation | 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 | Rambo First Blood Part 2 | adventure | 4.13/5 |
| 06 | Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar | rpg | 4.12/5 |
| 07 | 9 Princes in Amber | adventure | 4.08/5 |
| 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 | Leather Goddesses of Phobos | adventure | 4.17/5 |
| 04 | Wordstar 4 | application | 4.17/5 |
| 05 | King's Quest 3: To Heir is Human | adventure | 4.16/5 |
| 06 | Starflight | rpg | 4.14/5 |
| 07 | The Chessmaster 2000 | strategy | 4.13/5 |
| 08 | AutoCAD 2.5 | application | 4.13/5 |
| 09 | Conflict in Vietnam | strategy | 4.12/5 |
| 10 | Alter Ego: Female Version | simulation | 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 | 4.24/5 |
| 03 | Driller | action-adventure | 4.21/5 |
| 04 | Test Drive | racing | 4.18/5 |
| 05 | Maniac Mansion | adventure | 4.18/5 |
| 06 | Mah Jongg Solitaire | puzzle | 4.15/5 |
| 07 | Rockford: The Arcade Game | puzzle | 4.14/5 |
| 08 | Borland Turbo C v1 | application | 4.13/5 |
| 09 | Borland Turbo Basic 1.0 | application | 4.12/5 |
| 10 | Phantasie 3: The Wrath of Nikademus | rpg | 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 | Battle Chess | strategy | 4.23/5 |
| 05 | F-19 Stealth Fighter | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 06 | World Class Leader Board | sports | 4.22/5 |
| 07 | Rampage | action | 4.22/5 |
| 08 | Airborne Ranger | shooter | 4.21/5 |
| 09 | Speedball | sports | 4.20/5 |
| 10 | Rocket Ranger | action | 4.19/5 |
| # | 1989 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Turbo Assembler (TASM) | application | 4.33/5 |
| 02 | Operation Wolf | shooter | 4.27/5 |
| 03 | Pipe Dream | puzzle | 4.26/5 |
| 04 | Rick Dangerous | action | 4.25/5 |
| 05 | The Duel: Test Drive 2 | racing | 4.24/5 |
| 06 | F-16 Combat Pilot | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 07 | Hero's Quest: So you want to be a hero | adventure | 4.23/5 |
| 08 | A-10 Tank Killer | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 09 | Their Finest Hour: The Battle of Britain | vehicle simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 10 | Bubble Bobble | action | 4.22/5 |
| # | 1990 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Secret of Monkey Island | adventure | 4.32/5 |
| 02 | LadyLove | action | 4.24/5 |
| 03 | Tetris 2.0 | puzzle | 4.24/5 |
| 04 | Loom | adventure | 4.24/5 |
| 05 | SimEarth | simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 06 | Puzznic | puzzle | 4.23/5 |
| 07 | Red Baron | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 08 | Night Shift | puzzle | 4.23/5 |
| 09 | Prince of Persia | action | 4.22/5 |
| 10 | The Oregon Trail | simulation | 4.22/5 |
| # | 1991 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Volfied | action | 4.32/5 |
| 02 | Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge | adventure | 4.29/5 |
| 03 | Chip's Challenge | puzzle | 4.27/5 |
| 04 | Chuck Yeager's Air Combat | vehicle simulation | 4.27/5 |
| 05 | QBASIC | application | 4.27/5 |
| 06 | Eye of the Beholder | rpg | 4.25/5 |
| 07 | Eye of the Beholder 2: The Legend of Darkmoon | rpg | 4.25/5 |
| 08 | Falcon 3.0 | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 09 | Cisco Heat | racing | 4.24/5 |
| 10 | Night Hawk: F-117A Stealth Fighter | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| # | 1992 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Ultima 7 Part 1: The Black Gate | rpg | 4.32/5 |
| 02 | Tetris Classic | puzzle | 4.32/5 |
| 03 | Street Fighter 2 | action | 4.32/5 |
| 04 | Virtual Reality Studio 2.0 | application | 4.26/5 |
| 05 | Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis | adventure | 4.25/5 |
| 06 | Wizardry 7: Crusaders of the Dark Savant | rpg | 4.24/5 |
| 07 | Aces of the Pacific | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 08 | Lamborghini: American Challenge | racing | 4.24/5 |
| 09 | Heroes of the 357th | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 10 | Moonstone: A Hard Days Knight | rpg | 4.24/5 |
| # | 1993 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Mortal Kombat | action | 4.35/5 |
| 02 | Football Manager 3 | sports | 4.30/5 |
| 03 | Lotus: The ultimate challenge | racing | 4.24/5 |
| 04 | Dogfight: 80 Years of Aerial Warfare | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 05 | Lemmings 2: The Tribes | puzzle | 4.24/5 |
| 06 | Dungeon Hack | rpg | 4.24/5 |
| 07 | Strike Commander | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 08 | Space Hulk | strategy | 4.23/5 |
| 09 | Populous 2: Trials of the Olympian Gods | strategy | 4.23/5 |
| 10 | Tornado | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| # | 1994 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | X-COM: Ufo Defense | strategy | 4.31/5 |
| 02 | Overlord | vehicle simulation | 4.27/5 |
| 03 | Micro Machines | racing | 4.27/5 |
| 04 | Doom 2: Hell on Earth | shooter | 4.25/5 |
| 05 | Pinball Fantasies | action | 4.24/5 |
| 06 | 1942: The Pacific Air War | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 07 | Colonization | strategy | 4.24/5 |
| 08 | Disney's Aladdin | action | 4.23/5 |
| 09 | Hocus Pocus | action | 4.23/5 |
| 10 | Heretic | shooter | 4.23/5 |
| # | 1995 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Albion | rpg | 4.24/5 |
| 02 | Transport Tycoon Deluxe | simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 03 | Screamer | racing | 4.23/5 |
| 04 | Virtual Pool | sports | 4.23/5 |
| 05 | Whiplash | racing | 4.22/5 |
| 06 | Grand Prix 2 | racing | 4.22/5 |
| 07 | The Need for Speed | racing | 4.22/5 |
| 08 | EF 2000 | vehicle simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 09 | Caesar 2 | simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 10 | Guilty | adventure | 4.21/5 |
| # | 1996 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Super Street Fighter 2 | action | 4.29/5 |
| 02 | Master of Orion 2: Battle at Antares | strategy | 4.28/5 |
| 03 | NeoPaint 3.2 | application | 4.28/5 |
| 04 | F-22 Lightning 2 | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 05 | Road Rash | racing | 4.24/5 |
| 06 | Jane's Combat Simulations: Advanced Tactical Fighters | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 07 | Quake | shooter | 4.24/5 |
| 08 | The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall | rpg | 4.23/5 |
| 09 | Civilization 2 | strategy | 4.23/5 |
| 10 | Conquest of the New World (Deluxe Edition) | strategy | 4.22/5 |
| # | 1997 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Virtua Cop 2 | shooter | 4.24/5 |
| 02 | Interstate '76 | racing | 4.24/5 |
| 03 | Carmageddon | racing | 4.23/5 |
| 04 | Dilbert's Desktop Games | action | 4.21/5 |
| 05 | Pacific General | strategy | 4.20/5 |
| 06 | Atomic Bomberman | action | 4.19/5 |
| 07 | Blood | shooter | 4.19/5 |
| 08 | Age of Empires | strategy | 4.19/5 |
| 09 | Broken Sword 2: The Smoking Mirror | adventure | 4.19/5 |
| 10 | Warlords 3: Reign of Heroes | strategy | 4.19/5 |
| # | 1998 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Mega Man X3 | shooter | 4.22/5 |
| 02 | Caesar 3 | simulation | 4.21/5 |
| 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 | Thief: The Dark Project | action-adventure | 4.20/5 |
| 07 | Dope Wars | simulation | 4.19/5 |
| 08 | Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines | strategy | 4.19/5 |
| 09 | 101: The Airborne Invasion of Normandy | 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 | 4.26/5 |
| 03 | Outcast | action-adventure | 4.23/5 |
| 04 | Pharaoh | simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 05 | Age of Wonders | strategy | 4.22/5 |
| 06 | Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia | strategy | 4.21/5 |
| 07 | Mick's Strip Poker | strategy | 4.21/5 |
| 08 | Roller Coaster Tycoon | simulation | 4.20/5 |
| 09 | Civilization II: Test of Time | strategy | 4.18/5 |
| 10 | Three Sisters' Story | adventure | 4.18/5 |
| # | 2000 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Zeus: Master of Olympus | simulation | 4.20/5 |
| 02 | Nox | rpg | 4.18/5 |
| 03 | Unreal Gold | shooter | 4.18/5 |
| 04 | Vampire: The Masquerade - Redemption | rpg | 4.17/5 |
| 05 | Patrician 2: Quest for Power | simulation | 4.15/5 |
| 06 | The Sims | simulation | 4.12/5 |
| 07 | Deus Ex | rpg | 4.09/5 |
| 08 | Gal Pani X | action | 4.08/5 |
| 09 | Fairy Nights | adventure | 4.05/5 |
| 10 | Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn | rpg | 4.03/5 |
| # | 2001 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Empire Earth | strategy | 4.23/5 |
| 02 | Capitalism 2 | simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 03 | Arcanum: of Steamworks and Magick Obscura | rpg | 4.19/5 |
| 04 | Anachronox | rpg | 4.16/5 |
| 05 | Zoo Tycoon | simulation | 4.15/5 |
| 06 | ScummVM | application | 4.14/5 |
| 07 | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone | action-adventure | 4.11/5 |
| 08 | Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel | strategy | 4.10/5 |
| 09 | Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds | strategy | 4.08/5 |
| 10 | Ultra Mortal Kombat Vendetta | action | 4.07/5 |
| # | 2002 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind | rpg | 4.24/5 |
| 02 | Hooligans: Storm Over Europe | strategy | 4.19/5 |
| 03 | Chessmaster 9000 | strategy | 4.16/5 |
| 04 | Roller Coaster Tycoon 2 | simulation | 4.15/5 |
| 05 | Crazy Taxi | racing | 4.14/5 |
| 06 | Port Royale | simulation | 4.14/5 |
| 07 | DOSBox | application | 4.11/5 |
| 08 | Sid Meier's SimGolf | sports | 4.11/5 |
| 09 | Syberia | adventure | 4.04/5 |
| 10 | Industry Giant 2 | simulation | 3.95/5 |
| # | 2003 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Master of Orion 3 | strategy | 4.14/5 |
| 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 | Van Buren (Fallout 3) | rpg | 4.00/5 |
| 05 | Babylon 5: I've Found Her | vehicle simulation | 3.87/5 |
| 06 | ResidualVM | application | 3.75/5 |
| 07 | Baldur's Gate III: The Black Hound | rpg | 3.70/5 |
| # | 2004 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Spider-Man 2: The Game | action-adventure | 4.24/5 |
| 02 | Dark Horizons Lore: Invasion | vehicle simulation | 4.21/5 |
| 03 | UFO 2000 | strategy | 4.12/5 |
| 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 |