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 |
3.92
|
| 02 | Paratrooper | shooter |
3.87
|
| 03 | PC-Man | action |
3.74
|
| 04 | Executive Suite | simulation |
3.74
|
| 05 | Deadline | adventure |
3.71
|
| 06 | Microsoft Decathlon | sports |
3.65
|
| 07 | Astro Dodge | shooter |
3.61
|
| 08 | Crossfire | shooter |
3.52
|
| 09 | Adventure in Serenia | adventure |
3.50
|
| 10 | The Battle of the Bulge: Tigers in the Snow | strategy |
3.48
|
| # | 1983 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Frogger | action |
4.05
|
| 02 | Lode Runner | action |
4.04
|
| 03 | Rogue | rpg |
4.00
|
| 04 | Digger | action |
3.96
|
| 05 | Sleuth: A Murder Mystery | simulation |
3.95
|
| 06 | Battlezone | shooter |
3.91
|
| 07 | Galaxian | shooter |
3.90
|
| 08 | Defender | shooter |
3.90
|
| 09 | The Hobbit | adventure |
3.86
|
| 10 | Donkey Kong | action |
3.82
|
| # | 1984 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Alley Cat | action |
4.11
|
| 02 | The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy | adventure |
3.99
|
| 03 | Soko-Ban | puzzle |
3.91
|
| 04 | Montezuma's Revenge | action |
3.91
|
| 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 |
3.75
|
| # | 1985 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | A mind forever voyaging | adventure |
4.07
|
| 02 | The mist | adventure |
4.00
|
| 03 | 9 Princes in Amber | adventure |
4.00
|
| 04 | Rambo First Blood Part 2 | adventure |
3.98
|
| 05 | King's Quest 2: Romancing the Throne | adventure |
3.97
|
| 06 | James Bond 007: A View to a Kill | adventure |
3.92
|
| 07 | Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar | rpg |
3.89
|
| 08 | Hacker | simulation |
3.88
|
| 09 | Spacewar | shooter |
3.83
|
| 10 | Silent Service | vehicle simulation |
3.71
|
| # | 1986 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Turbo Prolog 2.0 | application |
4.10
|
| 02 | Alter Ego: Female Version | simulation |
4.07
|
| 03 | Space Quest 1: The Sarien Encounter | adventure |
4.05
|
| 04 | Norton Commander 5.5 | application |
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 |
4.00
|
| 09 | The Chessmaster 2000 | strategy |
3.95
|
| 10 | Starflight | rpg |
3.93
|
| # | 1987 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Leisure Suit Larry 1: In the Land of the Lounge Lizards | adventure |
4.20
|
| 02 | Maniac Mansion | adventure |
4.09
|
| 03 | Elite | vehicle simulation |
4.09
|
| 04 | Borland Turbo Basic 1.0 | application |
4.08
|
| 05 | Sid Meier's Pirates! | strategy |
4.07
|
| 06 | Test Drive | racing |
4.05
|
| 07 | Tetris | puzzle |
4.05
|
| 08 | Police Quest 1: In Pursuit of the Death Angel | adventure |
4.03
|
| 09 | The Great Giana Sisters | action |
3.98
|
| 10 | The Bard's Tale | rpg |
3.92
|
| # | 1988 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Star Wars | vehicle simulation |
4.09
|
| 02 | Arkanoid | action |
4.07
|
| 03 | F-19 Stealth fighter | vehicle simulation |
4.07
|
| 04 | Alternate Reality: The City | rpg |
4.04
|
| 05 | Shadowgate | adventure |
4.04
|
| 06 | Ultima 5: Warriors of Destiny | rpg |
4.03
|
| 07 | Star Command | strategy |
4.03
|
| 08 | Leisure Suit Larry 2: Goes Looking for Love (in Several Wrong Places) | adventure |
4.03
|
| 09 | Grand Prix Circuit | racing |
4.00
|
| 10 | Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders | adventure |
4.00
|
| # | 1989 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Dungeon Master | rpg |
4.11
|
| 02 | Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade | adventure |
4.09
|
| 03 | F-15 Strike Eagle II | vehicle simulation |
4.08
|
| 04 | A-10 Tank Killer | vehicle simulation |
4.08
|
| 05 | Hero's Quest: So you want to be a hero | adventure |
4.08
|
| 06 | Rick Dangerous | action |
4.07
|
| 07 | Pipe Dream | puzzle |
4.07
|
| 08 | Street Rod | racing |
4.06
|
| 09 | A-Maze | action |
4.05
|
| 10 | Bubble Bobble | action |
4.05
|
| # | 1990 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Secret of Monkey Island | adventure |
4.22
|
| 02 | Prince of Persia | action |
4.10
|
| 03 | Kick off 2 | sports |
4.10
|
| 04 | Tetris 2.0 | puzzle |
4.07
|
| 05 | The Oregon Trail | simulation |
4.06
|
| 06 | The Bard's Tale 3: Thief of Fate | rpg |
4.06
|
| 07 | North and South | strategy |
4.06
|
| 08 | F29 Retaliator | vehicle simulation |
4.05
|
| 09 | Circuit's edge | rpg |
4.04
|
| 10 | Champions of Krynn | rpg |
4.04
|
| # | 1991 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Eye of the Beholder 2: The Legend of Darkmoon | rpg |
4.15
|
| 02 | Civilization | strategy |
4.14
|
| 03 | Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe | vehicle simulation |
4.12
|
| 04 | Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge | adventure |
4.10
|
| 05 | Golden Axe | action |
4.10
|
| 06 | Another World | action-adventure |
4.10
|
| 07 | Jones in the Fast Lane | simulation |
4.07
|
| 08 | Eye of the Beholder | rpg |
4.07
|
| 09 | Planet's Edge | rpg |
4.07
|
| 10 | Volfied | action |
4.06
|
| # | 1992 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Ultima 7 Part 1: The Black Gate | rpg |
4.18
|
| 02 | Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis | adventure |
4.14
|
| 03 | Sensible soccer | sports |
4.12
|
| 04 | Dune II: The building of a dynasty | strategy |
4.09
|
| 05 | Alone in the Dark | action-adventure |
4.09
|
| 06 | Aces of the Pacific | vehicle simulation |
4.09
|
| 07 | Mega lo Mania | strategy |
4.08
|
| 08 | Wolfenstein 3D | shooter |
4.08
|
| 09 | Dark Seed | adventure |
4.08
|
| 10 | Star Control 2 | strategy |
4.07
|
| # | 1993 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Lost Vikings | action |
4.16
|
| 02 | Doom | shooter |
4.15
|
| 03 | The Incredible Machine | puzzle |
4.13
|
| 04 | Syndicate | strategy |
4.12
|
| 05 | The Settlers | strategy |
4.12
|
| 06 | Populous 2: Trials of the Olympian Gods | strategy |
4.10
|
| 07 | Castle of the Winds | rpg |
4.10
|
| 08 | Frontier: Elite 2 | vehicle simulation |
4.10
|
| 09 | Legend of Kyrandia 2: Hand of fate | adventure |
4.10
|
| 10 | Mortal Kombat | action |
4.09
|
| # | 1994 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | X-COM: Ufo Defense | strategy |
4.22
|
| 02 | Panzer General | strategy |
4.13
|
| 03 | One Must Fall 2097 | action |
4.13
|
| 04 | Doom 2: Hell on Earth | shooter |
4.11
|
| 05 | Master of Magic | strategy |
4.10
|
| 06 | Warcraft: Orcs and Humans | strategy |
4.10
|
| 07 | The Incredible Machine 2 | puzzle |
4.09
|
| 08 | Disney's Aladdin | action |
4.08
|
| 09 | Heretic | shooter |
4.08
|
| 10 | Quarantine | racing |
4.08
|
| # | 1995 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Grand Prix 2 | racing |
4.14
|
| 02 | Frontier: First Encounters | vehicle simulation |
4.10
|
| 03 | Steel Panthers | strategy |
4.08
|
| 04 | The Dig | adventure |
4.08
|
| 05 | Heroes of Might and Magic | strategy |
4.07
|
| 06 | Worms | strategy |
4.06
|
| 07 | Screamer | racing |
4.05
|
| 08 | Extreme Pinball | action |
4.05
|
| 09 | Psycho Pinball | action |
4.04
|
| 10 | Micro Machines 2: Turbo Tournament | racing |
4.04
|
| # | 1996 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Master of Orion 2: Battle at Antares | strategy |
4.23
|
| 02 | Civilization 2 | strategy |
4.14
|
| 03 | FIFA 97 | sports |
4.13
|
| 04 | Duke Nukem 3D | shooter |
4.12
|
| 05 | Command & Conquer: Red Alert | strategy |
4.08
|
| 06 | Great Naval Battles vol. 5: Demise of the Dreadnoughts 1914-18 | vehicle simulation |
4.08
|
| 07 | Conquest of the New World (Deluxe Edition) | strategy |
4.07
|
| 08 | Albion | rpg |
4.07
|
| 09 | Fantasy General | strategy |
4.07
|
| 10 | Quake | shooter |
4.06
|
| # | 1997 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Age of Empires | strategy |
4.09
|
| 02 | Virtua Cop | shooter |
4.08
|
| 03 | Fallout | rpg |
4.08
|
| 04 | Virtua Cop 2 | shooter |
4.07
|
| 05 | Panzer General 2 | strategy |
4.07
|
| 06 | Theme Hospital | simulation |
4.05
|
| 07 | Blood | shooter |
4.05
|
| 08 | Season of the Sakura | adventure |
4.03
|
| 09 | Grand Theft Auto | action-adventure |
4.01
|
| 10 | Dungeon Keeper | strategy |
4.00
|
| # | 1998 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Dune 2000 | strategy |
4.08
|
| 02 | 101: The Airborne Invasion of Normandy | strategy |
4.06
|
| 03 | House of the Dead | shooter |
4.05
|
| 04 | Sanitarium | adventure |
4.04
|
| 05 | Dope Wars | simulation |
4.04
|
| 06 | Axis and Allies | strategy |
4.03
|
| 07 | Railroad Tycoon 2 | simulation |
4.03
|
| 08 | Mega Man X3 | shooter |
4.00
|
| 09 | People's General | strategy |
3.95
|
| 10 | Avalon | rpg |
3.93
|
| # | 1999 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Tyrian 2000 | shooter |
4.18
|
| 02 | Three Sisters' Story | adventure |
4.07
|
| 03 | Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings | strategy |
4.06
|
| 04 | System Shock 2 | action-adventure |
4.06
|
| 05 | Age of Wonders | strategy |
4.05
|
| 06 | Pharaoh | simulation |
4.00
|
| 07 | Star Trek: Starfleet Command | vehicle simulation |
3.98
|
| 08 | Commandos: Beyond the Call of Duty | strategy |
3.97
|
| 09 | Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia | strategy |
3.96
|
| 10 | Yoot Tower | simulation |
3.91
|
| # | 2000 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Zeus: Master of Olympus | simulation |
4.05
|
| 02 | Patrician 2: Quest for Power | simulation |
4.04
|
| 03 | Cultures | strategy |
3.96
|
| 04 | Ground Control | strategy |
3.82
|
| 05 | Icewind Dale | rpg |
3.82
|
| 06 | Arrakis | strategy |
3.76
|
| 07 | 3D Ultra Lionel Traintown | puzzle |
3.65
|
| # | 2001 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds | strategy |
3.99
|
| 02 | Empire Earth | strategy |
3.86
|
| 03 | Arcanum: of Steamworks and Magick Obscura | rpg |
3.83
|
| 04 | Mario and Luigi | action |
3.80
|
| # | 2002 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | DOSBox | application |
4.12
|
| 02 | Roller Coaster Tycoon 2 | simulation |
4.00
|
| 03 | Syberia | adventure |
3.97
|
| 04 | Sid Meier's SimGolf | sports |
3.92
|
| 05 | Icewind Dale 2 | rpg |
3.88
|
| 06 | Industry Giant 2 | simulation |
3.87
|
| 07 | Hooligans: Storm Over Europe | strategy |
3.65
|
