Top 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 |
3.96
|
| 02 | Paratrooper | shooter |
3.87
|
| 03 | Executive Suite | simulation |
3.74
|
| 04 | PC-Man | action |
3.70
|
| 05 | Deadline | adventure |
3.68
|
| 06 | Microsoft Decathlon | sports |
3.65
|
| 07 | Astro Dodge | shooter |
3.59
|
| 08 | Crossfire | shooter |
3.52
|
| 09 | Adventure in Serenia | adventure |
3.50
|
| 10 | The Battle of the Bulge: Tigers in the Snow | strategy |
3.41
|
| # | 1983 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Frogger | action |
4.08
|
| 02 | Lode Runner | action |
4.04
|
| 03 | Rogue | rpg |
4.00
|
| 04 | Digger | action |
4.00
|
| 05 | Sleuth: A Murder Mystery | simulation |
3.95
|
| 06 | The Hobbit | adventure |
3.91
|
| 07 | Galaxian | shooter |
3.90
|
| 08 | Defender | shooter |
3.90
|
| 09 | Battlezone | shooter |
3.87
|
| 10 | Donkey Kong | action |
3.80
|
| # | 1984 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Alley Cat | action |
4.08
|
| 02 | Montezuma's Revenge | action |
4.05
|
| 03 | The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy | adventure |
3.99
|
| 04 | Soko-Ban | puzzle |
3.96
|
| 05 | DND | rpg |
3.84
|
| 06 | Zork III: The Dungeon Master | adventure |
3.79
|
| 07 | King's Quest 1: Quest for the Crown | adventure |
3.77
|
| 08 | Jumpman | action |
3.77
|
| 09 | Pong v.2.1 clone | action |
3.77
|
| 10 | Hack | rpg |
3.74
|
| # | 1985 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | A mind forever voyaging | adventure |
4.09
|
| 02 | Rambo First Blood Part 2 | adventure |
4.01
|
| 03 | The mist | adventure |
4.00
|
| 04 | James Bond 007: A View to a Kill | adventure |
4.00
|
| 05 | 9 Princes in Amber | adventure |
4.00
|
| 06 | King's Quest 2: Romancing the Throne | adventure |
3.97
|
| 07 | Spacewar | shooter |
3.89
|
| 08 | Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar | rpg |
3.89
|
| 09 | Hacker | simulation |
3.88
|
| 10 | Rendezvous with Rama | adventure |
3.85
|
| # | 1986 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Turbo Prolog 2.0 | application |
4.14
|
| 02 | Norton Commander 5.5 | application |
4.08
|
| 03 | Alter Ego: Female Version | simulation |
4.08
|
| 04 | Space Quest 1: The Sarien Encounter | adventure |
4.04
|
| 05 | Gunship | vehicle simulation |
4.03
|
| 06 | The Great Escape | action-adventure |
4.00
|
| 07 | Alter Ego: Male Version | simulation |
4.00
|
| 08 | Conflict in Vietnam | strategy |
3.97
|
| 09 | James Bond 007: Goldfinger | adventure |
3.95
|
| 10 | Wargame Construction Set | strategy |
3.93
|
| # | 1987 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Borland Turbo Basic 1.0 | application |
4.34
|
| 02 | Leisure Suit Larry 1: In the Land of the Lounge Lizards | adventure |
4.16
|
| 03 | Maniac Mansion | adventure |
4.09
|
| 04 | Elite | vehicle simulation |
4.07
|
| 05 | Tetris | puzzle |
4.07
|
| 06 | Sid Meier's Pirates! | strategy |
4.06
|
| 07 | Test Drive | racing |
4.05
|
| 08 | Police Quest 1: In Pursuit of the Death Angel | adventure |
4.00
|
| 09 | The Great Giana Sisters | action |
3.98
|
| 10 | Beyond Zork: The Coconut of Quendor | adventure |
3.96
|
| # | 1988 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Star Wars | vehicle simulation |
4.12
|
| 02 | Arkanoid | action |
4.09
|
| 03 | Alternate Reality: The City | rpg |
4.09
|
| 04 | 2400 A.D. | rpg |
4.07
|
| 05 | Ultima 5: Warriors of Destiny | rpg |
4.05
|
| 06 | F-19 Stealth fighter | vehicle simulation |
4.05
|
| 07 | Autoduel | racing |
4.04
|
| 08 | Rampage | action |
4.04
|
| 09 | Star Command | strategy |
4.01
|
| 10 | Grand Prix Circuit | racing |
4.00
|
| # | 1989 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Dungeon Master | rpg |
4.14
|
| 02 | Lakers vs. Celtics and the NBA Playoffs | sports |
4.10
|
| 03 | Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade | adventure |
4.10
|
| 04 | Pipe Dream | puzzle |
4.10
|
| 05 | Indianapolis 500 | racing |
4.10
|
| 06 | A-10 Tank Killer | vehicle simulation |
4.10
|
| 07 | Cartooners | application |
4.09
|
| 08 | F-15 Strike Eagle II | vehicle simulation |
4.09
|
| 09 | Bubble Bobble | action |
4.07
|
| 10 | Hero's Quest: So you want to be a hero | adventure |
4.07
|
| # | 1990 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Secret of Monkey Island | adventure |
4.21
|
| 02 | Prince of Persia | action |
4.13
|
| 03 | Kick off 2 | sports |
4.10
|
| 04 | Worlds of Ultima: The Savage Empire | rpg |
4.09
|
| 05 | Centurion: Defender of Rome | strategy |
4.09
|
| 06 | Elvira: Mistress of the Dark | adventure |
4.08
|
| 07 | F29 Retaliator | vehicle simulation |
4.08
|
| 08 | Operation Stealth | adventure |
4.07
|
| 09 | The Bard's Tale 3: Thief of Fate | rpg |
4.06
|
| 10 | Spellcasting 101: Sorcerers get all the girls | adventure |
4.06
|
| # | 1991 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Eye of the Beholder 2: The Legend of Darkmoon | rpg |
4.18
|
| 02 | Civilization | strategy |
4.16
|
| 03 | Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe | vehicle simulation |
4.13
|
| 04 | Eye of the Beholder | rpg |
4.11
|
| 05 | Another World | action-adventure |
4.10
|
| 06 | SimAnt: The Electronic Ant Colony | simulation |
4.09
|
| 07 | Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge | adventure |
4.09
|
| 08 | Commander Keen 6: Aliens Ate my Baby Sitter! | action |
4.09
|
| 09 | Chip's Challenge | puzzle |
4.08
|
| 10 | Night Hawk: F-117A Stealth Fighter | vehicle simulation |
4.08
|
| # | 1992 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Ultima 7 Part 1: The Black Gate | rpg |
4.19
|
| 02 | Dune | strategy |
4.13
|
| 03 | Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis | adventure |
4.11
|
| 04 | Wolfenstein 3D | shooter |
4.10
|
| 05 | Titus the Fox | action |
4.10
|
| 06 | B-17 Flying fortress | vehicle simulation |
4.10
|
| 07 | Aces of the Pacific | vehicle simulation |
4.09
|
| 08 | KGB | adventure |
4.08
|
| 09 | F-15 Strike Eagle III | vehicle simulation |
4.08
|
| 10 | Sensible soccer | sports |
4.08
|
| # | 1993 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Lost Vikings | action |
4.17
|
| 02 | Doom | shooter |
4.17
|
| 03 | The Incredible Machine | puzzle |
4.13
|
| 04 | Syndicate | strategy |
4.12
|
| 05 | Castle of the Winds | rpg |
4.12
|
| 06 | The Settlers | strategy |
4.12
|
| 07 | Space Hulk | strategy |
4.10
|
| 08 | Ultima 7 Part 2: Serpent Isle | rpg |
4.10
|
| 09 | Legend of Kyrandia 2: Hand of fate | adventure |
4.10
|
| 10 | Championship Manager Italia | sports |
4.09
|
| # | 1994 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | X-COM: Ufo Defense | strategy |
4.23
|
| 02 | Panzer General | strategy |
4.11
|
| 03 | Master of Magic | strategy |
4.10
|
| 04 | Disney's Aladdin | action |
4.10
|
| 05 | One Must Fall 2097 | action |
4.09
|
| 06 | Warcraft: Orcs and Humans | strategy |
4.09
|
| 07 | Quarantine | racing |
4.08
|
| 08 | Fleet Defender | vehicle simulation |
4.08
|
| 09 | Legend of Kyrandia 3: Malcolm's Revenge | adventure |
4.08
|
| 10 | Strip Poker Professional | strategy |
4.08
|
| # | 1995 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Grand Prix 2 | racing |
4.14
|
| 02 | FIFA Soccer 96 | sports |
4.11
|
| 03 | Worms | strategy |
4.10
|
| 04 | Frontier: First Encounters | vehicle simulation |
4.10
|
| 05 | Steel Panthers | strategy |
4.10
|
| 06 | Heroes of Might and Magic | strategy |
4.09
|
| 07 | Screamer | racing |
4.08
|
| 08 | The Dig | adventure |
4.08
|
| 09 | Warcraft 2: Tides of Darkness | strategy |
4.08
|
| 10 | The Need for Speed | racing |
4.06
|
| # | 1996 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Master of Orion 2: Battle at Antares | strategy |
4.24
|
| 02 | Civilization 2 | strategy |
4.18
|
| 03 | Duke Nukem 3D | shooter |
4.13
|
| 04 | Command & Conquer: Red Alert | strategy |
4.08
|
| 05 | Conquest of the New World (Deluxe Edition) | strategy |
4.07
|
| 06 | Albion | rpg |
4.07
|
| 07 | FIFA 97 | sports |
4.07
|
| 08 | Fantasy General | strategy |
4.05
|
| 09 | Discworld 2: Mortality Bytes! | adventure |
4.05
|
| 10 | Crusader: No Regret | shooter |
4.05
|
| # | 1997 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Age of Empires | strategy |
4.11
|
| 02 | Dungeon Keeper | strategy |
4.10
|
| 03 | Theme Hospital | simulation |
4.10
|
| 04 | Virtua Cop 2 | shooter |
4.08
|
| 05 | Blood | shooter |
4.08
|
| 06 | Fallout | rpg |
4.08
|
| 07 | Virtua Cop | shooter |
4.07
|
| 08 | Blade Runner | adventure |
4.06
|
| 09 | Panzer General 2 | strategy |
4.05
|
| 10 | Grand Theft Auto | racing |
4.04
|
| # | 1998 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Dune 2000 | strategy |
4.10
|
| 02 | House of the Dead | shooter |
4.08
|
| 03 | 101: The Airborne Invasion of Normandy | strategy |
4.06
|
| 04 | Railroad Tycoon 2 | simulation |
4.05
|
| 05 | Sanitarium | adventure |
4.05
|
| 06 | Dope Wars | simulation |
4.05
|
| 07 | Axis and Allies | strategy |
4.05
|
| 08 | Mega Man X3 | shooter |
4.03
|
| 09 | Avalon | rpg |
3.93
|
| 10 | Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines | strategy |
3.93
|
| # | 1999 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Tyrian 2000 | shooter |
4.17
|
| 02 | System Shock 2 | action-adventure |
4.09
|
| 03 | Three Sisters' Story | adventure |
4.07
|
| 04 | Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings | strategy |
4.03
|
| 05 | Age of Wonders | strategy |
4.03
|
| 06 | Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia | strategy |
4.00
|
| 07 | Star Trek: Starfleet Command | vehicle simulation |
3.98
|
| 08 | Commandos: Beyond the Call of Duty | strategy |
3.93
|
| 09 | Pharaoh | simulation |
3.91
|
| 10 | Yoot Tower | simulation |
3.89
|
| # | 2000 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Patrician 2: Quest for Power | simulation |
4.04
|
| 02 | Zeus: Master of Olympus | simulation |
3.98
|
| 03 | Cultures | strategy |
3.87
|
| 04 | Arrakis | strategy |
3.85
|
| 05 | Ground Control | strategy |
3.76
|
| 06 | Icewind Dale | rpg |
3.70
|
| 07 | 3D Ultra Lionel Traintown | puzzle |
3.68
|
| # | 2001 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds | strategy |
4.05
|
| 02 | Arcanum: of Steamworks and Magick Obscura | rpg |
3.90
|
| 03 | Mario and Luigi | action |
3.85
|
| 04 | Empire Earth | strategy |
3.80
|
| # | 2002 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | DOSBox | application |
4.08
|
| 02 | Syberia | adventure |
3.97
|
| 03 | Roller Coaster Tycoon 2 | simulation |
3.97
|
| 04 | Sid Meier's SimGolf | sports |
3.94
|
| 05 | Industry Giant 2 | simulation |
3.84
|
| 06 | Icewind Dale 2 | rpg |
3.82
|
