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 Zork I: The Great Underground Empire adventure
4.19
02 PC-Man action
4.16
03 Microsoft Decathlon sports
3.94
04 Paratrooper shooter
3.90
05 Executive Suite simulation
3.88
06 Wizardry 2: The knight of diamonds rpg
3.86
07 Car Builder simulation
3.85
08 Deadline adventure
3.84
09 The Battle of the Bulge: Tigers in the Snow strategy
3.79
10 BurgerTime action
3.78
# 1983 genre rating
01 Battlezone shooter
4.29
02 Lode Runner action
4.27
03 Digger action
4.25
04 Sleuth: A Murder Mystery simulation
4.24
05 Zork II: The Wizard of Frobozz adventure
4.23
06 Defender shooter
4.19
07 Planetfall adventure
4.13
08 Donkey Kong action
4.12
09 Frogger action
4.10
10 Borland Turbo Pascal 2.0 application
4.05
# 1984 genre rating
01 Montezuma's Revenge action
4.31
02 Alley Cat action
4.29
03 Crime and Punishment simulation
4.25
04 King's Quest 1: Quest for the Crown adventure
4.23
05 Rogue rpg
4.22
06 GATO vehicle simulation
4.20
07 dBASE III application
4.19
08 Archon: the Light and the Dark strategy
4.18
09 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy adventure
4.15
10 DND rpg
4.12
# 1985 genre rating
01 Alice: The Personal Pascal application
4.36
02 9 Princes in Amber adventure
4.21
03 A Mind Forever Voyaging adventure
4.14
04 Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar rpg
4.13
05 Rambo First Blood Part 2 adventure
4.13
06 Ultima 3: Exodus rpg
4.13
07 Spacewar shooter
4.07
08 Star Trek: the Kobayashi alternative adventure
4.04
09 Monopoly strategy
4.00
10 King's Quest 2: Romancing the Throne adventure
3.96
# 1986 genre rating
01 Space Quest 1: The Sarien Encounter adventure
4.24
02 Wordstar 4 application
4.22
03 Gunship vehicle simulation
4.21
04 Starflight rpg
4.19
05 Conflict in Vietnam strategy
4.17
06 Gauntlet action
4.16
07 James Bond 007: Goldfinger adventure
4.14
08 Psi 5 Trading Company vehicle simulation
4.13
09 Alter Ego: Female Version simulation
4.12
10 Alter Ego: Male Version simulation
4.12
# 1987 genre rating
01 Leisure Suit Larry 1: In the Land of the Lounge Lizards adventure
4.30
02 Police Quest 1: In Pursuit of the Death Angel adventure
4.26
03 Driller action-adventure
4.25
04 Borland Turbo C v1 application
4.23
05 Earl Weaver Baseball sports
4.22
06 Maniac Mansion adventure
4.20
07 Test Drive racing
4.19
08 Bad Street Brawler action
4.18
09 Tau Ceti vehicle simulation
4.15
10 La Abadia del Crimen action-adventure
4.14
# 1988 genre rating
01 Deluxe Paint 2 application
4.31
02 Skate or Die sports
4.29
03 Battlehawks 1942 vehicle simulation
4.28
04 MicroProse Soccer sports
4.26
05 Airborne Ranger shooter
4.25
06 GW-BASIC 3 application
4.25
07 Battle Chess strategy
4.24
08 Impossible Mission 2 action-adventure
4.23
09 Star Wars shooter
4.21
10 World class leaderboard sports
4.20
# 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 Hero's Quest: So you want to be a hero adventure
4.28
05 F-16 Combat Pilot vehicle simulation
4.26
06 Rick Dangerous action
4.24
07 Oil Imperium simulation
4.24
08 Lakers vs. Celtics and the NBA Playoffs sports
4.23
09 Bubble Bobble action
4.23
10 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade adventure
4.22
# 1990 genre rating
01 Norton Editor 2 application
4.32
02 The Secret of Monkey Island adventure
4.32
03 Night Shift puzzle
4.27
04 Loom adventure
4.27
05 Arj application
4.26
06 Jetfighter 2: Advanced Tactical Fighter vehicle simulation
4.26
07 Panza Kick Boxing sports
4.25
08 LadyLove action
4.24
09 Ultima 6: The False Prophet rpg
4.24
10 Prince of Persia action
4.23
# 1991 genre rating
01 QBASIC application
4.51
02 Chip's Challenge puzzle
4.30
03 Cisco Heat racing
4.29
04 Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge adventure
4.29
05 Volfied action
4.27
06 Gobliiins adventure
4.26
07 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe vehicle simulation
4.26
08 Duke Nukem action
4.26
09 Gods action
4.26
10 Eye of the Beholder 2: The Legend of Darkmoon rpg
4.25
# 1992 genre rating
01 Virtual Reality Studio 2.0 application
4.37
02 Tetris Classic puzzle
4.33
03 Street Fighter 2 action
4.32
04 Ultima 7 Part 1: The Black Gate rpg
4.32
05 Ugh! action
4.30
06 Wizardry 7: Crusaders of the Dark Savant rpg
4.30
07 Links 386 Pro sports
4.27
08 Double Dragon 3: The Rosetta Stone action
4.26
09 Spear of Destiny shooter
4.26
10 F-15 Strike Eagle III vehicle simulation
4.26
# 1993 genre rating
01 NeoPaint 3.2 application
4.44
02 Aces Over Europe vehicle simulation
4.33
03 Lemmings 2: The Tribes puzzle
4.30
04 Tornado vehicle simulation
4.30
05 Mortal Kombat action
4.28
06 Populous 2: Trials of the Olympian Gods strategy
4.27
07 Space Hulk strategy
4.27
08 Strike Commander vehicle simulation
4.26
09 The Lost Vikings action
4.26
10 Freddy Pharkas: Frontier Pharmacist adventure
4.26
# 1994 genre rating
01 X-COM: Ufo Defense strategy
4.31
02 The Incredible Machine 2 puzzle
4.31
03 Heretic shooter
4.29
04 Wing Commander 3 vehicle simulation
4.28
05 Doom 2: Hell on Earth shooter
4.28
06 Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf shooter
4.27
07 Colonization strategy
4.26
08 Diggers puzzle
4.26
09 Super Mariio Bros action
4.25
10 Disney's Aladdin action
4.25
# 1995 genre rating
01 Runaway City adventure
4.30
02 Screamer racing
4.27
03 Virtual Pool sports
4.26
04 Destruction Derby racing
4.26
05 Whiplash racing
4.26
06 Grand Prix 2 racing
4.26
07 Transport Tycoon Deluxe simulation
4.26
08 Albion rpg
4.26
09 Phantasmagoria adventure
4.26
10 Star Wars: Dark Forces shooter
4.25
# 1996 genre rating
01 Super Street Fighter 2 action
4.31
02 Master of Orion 2: Battle at Antares strategy
4.31
03 Battle Arena Toshinden action
4.30
04 F-22 Lightning 2 vehicle simulation
4.29
05 Quake shooter
4.29
06 Road Rash racing
4.28
07 The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall rpg
4.27
08 Heroes of Might and Magic II strategy
4.27
09 Civilization 2 strategy
4.26
10 Gloriana simulation
4.26
# 1997 genre rating
01 Broken Sword 2: The Smoking Mirror adventure
4.28
02 Warlords 3: Reign of Heroes strategy
4.26
03 Star Wars: Jedi Knight - Dark Forces II shooter
4.25
04 Virtua Cop 2 shooter
4.24
05 Age of Empires strategy
4.24
06 Blood shooter
4.23
07 Carmageddon racing
4.23
08 Interstate '76 racing
4.22
09 Warheads strategy
4.22
10 Magic: The Gathering strategy
4.21
# 1998 genre rating
01 Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines strategy
4.26
02 Caesar 3 simulation
4.26
03 StarCraft strategy
4.25
04 Norton Commander 5.5 application
4.23
05 Dune 2000 strategy
4.22
06 Mega Man X3 shooter
4.22
07 People's General strategy
4.22
08 Army Men strategy
4.21
09 Populous: The Beginning strategy
4.21
10 101: The Airborne Invasion of Normandy strategy
4.19
# 1999 genre rating
01 Midtown Madness racing
4.29
02 Might and Magic 7: For Blood and Honor rpg
4.29
03 Jagged Alliance 2 strategy
4.28
04 Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings strategy
4.27
05 Outcast action-adventure
4.27
06 Axis and Allies: Iron Blitz strategy
4.23
07 Age of Wonders strategy
4.22
08 Pharaoh simulation
4.21
09 System Shock 2 action-adventure
4.21
10 Mick's Strip Poker strategy
4.20
# 2000 genre rating
01 Nox rpg
4.25
02 Dark Reign 2 strategy
4.25
03 Zeus: Master of Olympus simulation
4.20
04 Deus Ex rpg
4.15
05 Patrician 2: Quest for Power simulation
4.12
06 Gal Pani X action
4.12
07 Ground Control strategy
4.08
08 3D Ultra Lionel Traintown puzzle
4.04
09 Fairy Nights adventure
4.03
10 Cultures strategy
3.96
# 2001 genre rating
01 ScummVM application
4.36
02 Capitalism 2 simulation
4.30
03 Empire Earth strategy
4.29
04 Zoo Tycoon simulation
4.23
05 Arcanum: of Steamworks and Magick Obscura rpg
4.18
06 Anachronox rpg
4.14
07 Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds strategy
4.08
08 Mario and Luigi action
4.08
09 Independence War 2: Edge Of Chaos vehicle simulation
4.04
10 Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel strategy
4.02
# 2002 genre rating
01 The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind rpg
4.50
02 DOSBox application
4.22
03 Hooligans: Storm Over Europe strategy
4.22
04 Chessmaster 9000 strategy
4.19
05 Crazy Taxi racing
4.19
06 Roller Coaster Tycoon 2 simulation
4.19
07 Sid Meier's SimGolf sports
4.11
08 Syberia adventure
4.04
09 Industry Giant 2 simulation
4.00
10 Icewind Dale 2 rpg
3.81