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 |
4.20
|
02 | PC-Man | action |
4.18
|
03 | Microsoft Decathlon | sports |
3.98
|
04 | Paratrooper | shooter |
3.93
|
05 | Car Builder | simulation |
3.89
|
06 | Wizardry 2: The knight of diamonds | rpg |
3.89
|
07 | Executive Suite | simulation |
3.88
|
08 | Deadline | adventure |
3.84
|
09 | The Battle of the Bulge: Tigers in the Snow | strategy |
3.82
|
10 | BurgerTime | action |
3.82
|
# | 1983 | genre | rating |
---|---|---|---|
01 | Lode Runner | action |
4.27
|
02 | Zork II: The Wizard of Frobozz | adventure |
4.26
|
03 | Digger | action |
4.25
|
04 | Battlezone | shooter |
4.24
|
05 | Sleuth: A Murder Mystery | simulation |
4.19
|
06 | Defender | shooter |
4.19
|
07 | Planetfall | adventure |
4.15
|
08 | Frogger | action |
4.10
|
09 | Donkey Kong | action |
4.09
|
10 | J-Bird | action |
4.04
|
# | 1984 | genre | rating |
---|---|---|---|
01 | Alley Cat | action |
4.30
|
02 | King's Quest 1: Quest for the Crown | adventure |
4.27
|
03 | dBASE III | application |
4.26
|
04 | Montezuma's Revenge | action |
4.21
|
05 | Archon: the Light and the Dark | strategy |
4.18
|
06 | Rogue | rpg |
4.18
|
07 | The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy | adventure |
4.15
|
08 | Soko-Ban | puzzle |
4.12
|
09 | Crime and Punishment | simulation |
4.09
|
10 | DND | rpg |
4.09
|
# | 1985 | genre | rating |
---|---|---|---|
01 | Alice: The Personal Pascal | application |
4.34
|
02 | Ultima 3: Exodus | rpg |
4.16
|
03 | A Mind Forever Voyaging | adventure |
4.14
|
04 | Rambo First Blood Part 2 | adventure |
4.14
|
05 | Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar | rpg |
4.12
|
06 | Spacewar | shooter |
4.09
|
07 | 9 Princes in Amber | adventure |
4.08
|
08 | Star Trek: the Kobayashi alternative | adventure |
4.04
|
09 | Silent Service | vehicle simulation |
4.00
|
10 | Sierra Championship Boxing | sports |
3.97
|
# | 1986 | genre | rating |
---|---|---|---|
01 | Gunship | vehicle simulation |
4.25
|
02 | Space Quest 1: The Sarien Encounter | adventure |
4.24
|
03 | Wordstar 4 | application |
4.20
|
04 | Conflict in Vietnam | strategy |
4.17
|
05 | Leather Goddesses of Phobos | adventure |
4.15
|
06 | James Bond 007: Goldfinger | adventure |
4.14
|
07 | The Fellowship of the Ring | adventure |
4.14
|
08 | Psi 5 Trading Company | vehicle simulation |
4.13
|
09 | The Chessmaster 2000 | strategy |
4.11
|
10 | AutoCAD 2.5 | application |
4.11
|
# | 1987 | genre | rating |
---|---|---|---|
01 | Leisure Suit Larry 1: In the Land of the Lounge Lizards | adventure |
4.28
|
02 | Driller | action-adventure |
4.27
|
03 | Police Quest 1: In Pursuit of the Death Angel | adventure |
4.26
|
04 | Maniac Mansion | adventure |
4.21
|
05 | Borland Turbo C v1 | application |
4.20
|
06 | Test Drive | racing |
4.18
|
07 | La Abadia del Crimen | action-adventure |
4.16
|
08 | Earl Weaver Baseball | sports |
4.14
|
09 | Mah Jongg Solitaire | puzzle |
4.14
|
10 | Borland Turbo Basic 1.0 | application |
4.13
|
# | 1988 | genre | rating |
---|---|---|---|
01 | Deluxe Paint 2 | application |
4.34
|
02 | Skate or Die | sports |
4.29
|
03 | F-19 Stealth Fighter | vehicle simulation |
4.25
|
04 | World Class Leader Board | sports |
4.23
|
05 | Impossible Mission 2 | action-adventure |
4.23
|
06 | Battle Chess | strategy |
4.22
|
07 | Battlehawks 1942 | vehicle simulation |
4.22
|
08 | Star Wars | shooter |
4.21
|
09 | Rampage | action |
4.20
|
10 | Rocket Ranger | action |
4.20
|
# | 1989 | genre | rating |
---|---|---|---|
01 | Pipe Dream | puzzle |
4.29
|
02 | Hero's Quest: So you want to be a hero | adventure |
4.27
|
03 | Operation Wolf | shooter |
4.27
|
04 | Alien Syndrome | shooter |
4.25
|
05 | Clue Master Detective | strategy |
4.25
|
06 | Their Finest Hour: The Battle of Britain | vehicle simulation |
4.24
|
07 | Rick Dangerous | action |
4.24
|
08 | F-16 Combat Pilot | vehicle simulation |
4.24
|
09 | The Duel: Test Drive 2 | racing |
4.23
|
10 | A-10 Tank Killer | vehicle simulation |
4.23
|
# | 1990 | genre | rating |
---|---|---|---|
01 | The Secret of Monkey Island | adventure |
4.32
|
02 | Arj | application |
4.27
|
03 | Panza Kick Boxing | sports |
4.27
|
04 | Tetris 2.0 | puzzle |
4.25
|
05 | SimEarth | simulation |
4.24
|
06 | The Oregon Trail | simulation |
4.23
|
07 | Norton Editor 2 | application |
4.23
|
08 | Loom | adventure |
4.23
|
09 | Das Boot: German U-Boat Simulation | vehicle simulation |
4.22
|
10 | Prince of Persia | action |
4.22
|
# | 1991 | genre | rating |
---|---|---|---|
01 | QBASIC | application |
4.39
|
02 | Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe | vehicle simulation |
4.28
|
03 | Volfied | action |
4.28
|
04 | Chuck Yeager's Air Combat | vehicle simulation |
4.27
|
05 | Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge | adventure |
4.27
|
06 | Gobliiins | adventure |
4.26
|
07 | Chip's Challenge | puzzle |
4.26
|
08 | Eye of the Beholder 2: The Legend of Darkmoon | rpg |
4.26
|
09 | Cisco Heat | racing |
4.26
|
10 | Gods | action |
4.25
|
# | 1992 | genre | rating |
---|---|---|---|
01 | Virtual Reality Studio 2.0 | application |
4.39
|
02 | Street Fighter 2 | action |
4.32
|
03 | Ultima 7 Part 1: The Black Gate | rpg |
4.32
|
04 | Tetris Classic | puzzle |
4.32
|
05 | Ugh! | action |
4.28
|
06 | Links 386 Pro | sports |
4.27
|
07 | Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis | adventure |
4.25
|
08 | Pacific Islands | vehicle simulation |
4.25
|
09 | WaxWorks | adventure |
4.25
|
10 | Aces of the Pacific | vehicle simulation |
4.25
|
# | 1993 | genre | rating |
---|---|---|---|
01 | NeoPaint 3.2 | application |
4.45
|
02 | Lemmings 2: The Tribes | puzzle |
4.28
|
03 | Mortal Kombat | action |
4.28
|
04 | 3D Studio 3 | application |
4.27
|
05 | Space Hulk | strategy |
4.27
|
06 | Aces Over Europe | vehicle simulation |
4.27
|
07 | Strike Commander | vehicle simulation |
4.26
|
08 | Lotus: The ultimate challenge | racing |
4.26
|
09 | Bio Menace Episode 2: The Hidden Lab | action |
4.25
|
10 | Sid & Al's Incredible Toons | puzzle |
4.25
|
# | 1994 | genre | rating |
---|---|---|---|
01 | The Incredible Machine 2 | puzzle |
4.32
|
02 | X-COM: Ufo Defense | strategy |
4.30
|
03 | Micro Machines | racing |
4.29
|
04 | Doom 2: Hell on Earth | shooter |
4.28
|
05 | Heretic | shooter |
4.27
|
06 | Colonization | strategy |
4.25
|
07 | Dawn Patrol | vehicle simulation |
4.24
|
08 | Super Mariio Bros | action |
4.23
|
09 | Disney's Aladdin | action |
4.23
|
10 | Pinball Fantasies | action |
4.23
|
# | 1995 | genre | rating |
---|---|---|---|
01 | Whiplash | racing |
4.30
|
02 | Star Wars: Dark Forces | shooter |
4.27
|
03 | NHL 96 | sports |
4.27
|
04 | Grand Prix 2 | racing |
4.26
|
05 | Screamer | racing |
4.26
|
06 | Transport Tycoon Deluxe | simulation |
4.25
|
07 | Albion | rpg |
4.25
|
08 | EF 2000 | vehicle simulation |
4.25
|
09 | Psycho Pinball | action |
4.23
|
10 | Extreme Pinball | action |
4.23
|
# | 1996 | genre | rating |
---|---|---|---|
01 | Master of Orion 2: Battle at Antares | strategy |
4.29
|
02 | Battle Arena Toshinden | action |
4.28
|
03 | Super Street Fighter 2 | action |
4.27
|
04 | The Smurfs | action |
4.26
|
05 | The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall | rpg |
4.26
|
06 | Road Rash | racing |
4.26
|
07 | F-22 Lightning 2 | vehicle simulation |
4.24
|
08 | Pray for Death | action |
4.24
|
09 | Free Enterprise | simulation |
4.24
|
10 | Conquest of the New World (Deluxe Edition) | strategy |
4.24
|
# | 1997 | genre | rating |
---|---|---|---|
01 | Warlords 3: Reign of Heroes | strategy |
4.28
|
02 | Broken Sword 2: The Smoking Mirror | adventure |
4.26
|
03 | Virtua Cop 2 | shooter |
4.24
|
04 | Interstate '76 | racing |
4.24
|
05 | Lucky Luke | action |
4.21
|
06 | Dilbert's Desktop Games | action |
4.20
|
07 | Age of Empires | strategy |
4.20
|
08 | Carmageddon | racing |
4.20
|
09 | Blood | shooter |
4.20
|
10 | Total Annihilation | strategy |
4.20
|
# | 1998 | genre | rating |
---|---|---|---|
01 | Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines | strategy |
4.25
|
02 | Caesar 3 | simulation |
4.25
|
03 | People's General | strategy |
4.25
|
04 | Mega Man X3 | shooter |
4.24
|
05 | Dune 2000 | strategy |
4.21
|
06 | Norton Commander 5.5 | application |
4.21
|
07 | Railroad Tycoon 2 | simulation |
4.21
|
08 | Populous: The Beginning | strategy |
4.19
|
09 | 101: The Airborne Invasion of Normandy | strategy |
4.18
|
10 | Dope Wars | simulation |
4.17
|
# | 1999 | genre | rating |
---|---|---|---|
01 | Jagged Alliance 2 | strategy |
4.32
|
02 | Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings | strategy |
4.26
|
03 | Outcast | action-adventure |
4.26
|
04 | Civilization II: Test of Time | strategy |
4.25
|
05 | Age of Wonders | strategy |
4.21
|
06 | Might and Magic 7: For Blood and Honor | rpg |
4.20
|
07 | Midtown Madness | racing |
4.20
|
08 | Pharaoh | simulation |
4.18
|
09 | Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia | strategy |
4.18
|
10 | Roller Coaster Tycoon | simulation |
4.18
|
# | 2000 | genre | rating |
---|---|---|---|
01 | Nox | rpg |
4.20
|
02 | Zeus: Master of Olympus | simulation |
4.19
|
03 | Deus Ex | rpg |
4.15
|
04 | Patrician 2: Quest for Power | simulation |
4.13
|
05 | Ground Control | strategy |
4.10
|
06 | Gal Pani X | action |
4.07
|
07 | Dark Reign 2 | strategy |
4.03
|
08 | 3D Ultra Lionel Traintown | puzzle |
4.02
|
09 | Fairy Nights | adventure |
3.97
|
10 | Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn | rpg |
3.96
|
# | 2001 | genre | rating |
---|---|---|---|
01 | ScummVM | application |
4.37
|
02 | Empire Earth | strategy |
4.27
|
03 | Capitalism 2 | simulation |
4.27
|
04 | Arcanum: of Steamworks and Magick Obscura | rpg |
4.16
|
05 | Anachronox | rpg |
4.14
|
06 | Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds | strategy |
4.10
|
07 | Zoo Tycoon | simulation |
4.10
|
08 | Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel | strategy |
4.08
|
09 | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone | action-adventure |
4.08
|
10 | Mario and Luigi | action |
4.08
|
# | 2002 | genre | rating |
---|---|---|---|
01 | Hooligans: Storm Over Europe | strategy |
4.20
|
02 | The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind | rpg |
4.20
|
03 | Chessmaster 9000 | strategy |
4.18
|
04 | Roller Coaster Tycoon 2 | simulation |
4.16
|
05 | Crazy Taxi | racing |
4.12
|
06 | DOSBox | application |
4.11
|
07 | Sid Meier's SimGolf | sports |
4.10
|
08 | Syberia | adventure |
4.05
|
09 | Industry Giant 2 | simulation |
4.00
|
10 | Icewind Dale 2 | rpg |
3.88
|