Top-down perspective
Top down games were very popular in the 80s and the 90s, when graphic cards were not capable of supporting 3D, and even when 3D started to become popular, 2D games continued to be easier to develop, at least in the infancy of 3D gaming. 2D game offered the player a viewpoint that helped keeping things easily under control (think about top down party-based RPGs or hex-based strategy games).
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The Aethra Chronicles
DOS1994
The Aethra Chronicles is not a well know fantasy RPG, but it deserves some praise. It was developed by only one person (Micheal Lawrence) and, as the title implies, was intended to be the first volume of a saga. Unfortunately, volume two and three were never made. For a shareware game, Aethra was pretty solid and is still loved by the ones who play...
The Ancient Art of War
DOS1984 Evryware
The Ancient Art of War is a classic video game that was released in the late 1980s. Developed by Evryware and published by Broderbund, it was available on various platforms, including Apple II, Atari ST, Amiga, and MS-DOS. The Ancient Art of War is a strategy game that takes place in various historical settings, such as ancient China, Greece, and t...
The Ancient Art of War at Sea
DOS1987 Evryware
The Ancient Art of War in the Skies
DOS1992 Evryware
The Basket Manager
DOS1991 Simulmondo
The Battle of the Bulge: Tigers in the Snow
DOS1982protected Tactical Design Group
The Big Three
DOS1989 SDJ Enterprises
The Blue & the Gray
DOS1993 Impressions Games
The Chaos Engine
DOS1994protected Bitmap Brothers
The Chessmaster 2000
DOS1986 The Software Toolworks
The Civil War
DOS1987 Avalon Hill
The Civil War
DOS1995 Dagger Interactive Technologies
The computer edition of Scrabble
DOS1989 Leisure Genius
The Final Crusade of Kroz
DOS1990freeware Apogee Software
The Global Dilemma: Guns or Butter
DOS1990 Mindscape
The Grandest Fleet
DOS1994 Quantum quality productions
The Great War: 1914 - 1918
DOS1993protected Blue Byte Software
The Hunt for Red October
DOSMac OS1987 Oxford Digital Enterprises
The Lost Patrol
DOS1991 Astros Productions
The Lost Patrol is an abandoned multi-type action game set in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam war. The Lost Patrol was developed by Astros Productions (DOS version) and released by Ocean Software in 1991 for DOS, Amiga and Atari ST.
The Magic Candle
DOS1989 Mindcraft Software
The Magic Candle: Volume 1 is the first chapter of a series of fantasy old school RPGs. The Magic Candle was developed and released by Mindcraft Software in 1989 for DOS but was also published for Apple II and Commodore 64. The whole Magic Candle series is very similar to some of the early Ultima games in every aspect: turn-based combat, top-down v...
The Magic Candle 2: The Four and Forty
DOS1991 Mindcraft Software
The Magic Candle 3
DOS1992 Mindcraft Software
The Perfect General
DOS1991 White Wolf Productions
The Perfect General is a turn-based strategy military game developed by White Wolf Productions and released in 1991 by Quantun Quality Production. The Perfect General gameplay is quite simple compared to other wargames, but it's based on a solid set of rules and let the players progress at their own pace through missions and scenarios. The Perfect ...
The Punisher
DOS1990 Paragon Software
The Taking of Beverly Hills
DOS1991 Off The Wall Productions
Thunderblade
DOS1989 Sega
Time Bandit
DOS1989 MichTron
Time Bandit is a classic top-down arcade-style video game that was released in 1982 for various home computer systems, such as the Atari 8-bit, Commodore 64, and others. It was developed by MichTron. In Time Bandit, players control a character who must navigate through a series of maze-like levels, battling various enemies and collecting treasure a...
Times of Lore
DOS1989 Origin Systems
Times of Lore is an abandoned action RPG designed by Chris Roberts, developed and released by Origin Systems in 1989 for DOS and many more 8 bit and 16 bit platforms. Compared to Ultima (the much more popular franchise also by Origin) Times of Lore is a washed down RPG, more similar to a NES game. In fact, Roberts was inspired by The Legend of Zelda.
Tiny Skweeks
DOS1992 Kalisto Entertainment
Titan
DOS1989 Titus Interactive