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.
| # | 1981 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Galaxy | strategy | 4.05/5 |
| 02 | Softporn Adventure | adventure | 3.99/5 |
| 03 | Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord | rpg | 3.94/5 |
| 04 | Chess | strategy | 3.83/5 |
| 05 | Akalabeth: World of Doom | rpg | 3.68/5 |
| 06 | B-1 Nuclear Bomber | vehicle simulation | 3.64/5 |
| # | 1982 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Zork I: The Great Underground Empire | adventure | 4.16/5 |
| 02 | PC-Man | action | 4.13/5 |
| 03 | Microsoft Decathlon | sports | 4.03/5 |
| 04 | Paratrooper | shooter | 3.98/5 |
| 05 | Executive Suite | simulation | 3.89/5 |
| 06 | Deadline | adventure | 3.89/5 |
| 07 | Wizardry 2: The knight of diamonds | rpg | 3.85/5 |
| 08 | BurgerTime | action | 3.83/5 |
| 09 | Car Builder | simulation | 3.81/5 |
| 10 | The Battle of the Bulge: Tigers in the Snow | strategy | 3.80/5 |
| # | 1983 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Lode Runner | action | 4.28/5 |
| 02 | Battlezone | shooter | 4.24/5 |
| 03 | Zork II: The Wizard of Frobozz | adventure | 4.22/5 |
| 04 | Defender | shooter | 4.21/5 |
| 05 | Digger | action | 4.18/5 |
| 06 | Planetfall | adventure | 4.16/5 |
| 07 | Frogger | action | 4.13/5 |
| 08 | Sleuth: A Murder Mystery | simulation | 4.08/5 |
| 09 | J-Bird | action | 4.07/5 |
| 10 | Donkey Kong | action | 4.03/5 |
| # | 1984 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Alley Cat | action | 4.29/5 |
| 02 | King's Quest 1: Quest for the Crown | adventure | 4.24/5 |
| 03 | Montezuma's Revenge | action | 4.23/5 |
| 04 | Archon: the Light and the Dark | strategy | 4.18/5 |
| 05 | The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy | adventure | 4.17/5 |
| 06 | dBASE III | application | 4.16/5 |
| 07 | Rogue | rpg | 4.15/5 |
| 08 | Soko-Ban | puzzle | 4.12/5 |
| 09 | Xonix | action | 4.09/5 |
| 10 | Crime and Punishment | simulation | 4.09/5 |
| # | 1985 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Ultima 3: Exodus | rpg | 4.21/5 |
| 02 | Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? | adventure | 4.19/5 |
| 03 | Alice: The Personal Pascal | application | 4.17/5 |
| 04 | A Mind Forever Voyaging | adventure | 4.14/5 |
| 05 | Rambo First Blood Part 2 | adventure | 4.12/5 |
| 06 | Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar | rpg | 4.12/5 |
| 07 | 9 Princes in Amber | adventure | 4.10/5 |
| 08 | Silent Service | vehicle simulation | 4.06/5 |
| 09 | King's Quest 2: Romancing the Throne | adventure | 4.06/5 |
| 10 | Star Trek: the Kobayashi alternative | adventure | 4.04/5 |
| # | 1986 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Space Quest 1: The Sarien Encounter | adventure | 4.28/5 |
| 02 | Gunship | vehicle simulation | 4.19/5 |
| 03 | Wordstar 4 | application | 4.17/5 |
| 04 | Leather Goddesses of Phobos | adventure | 4.17/5 |
| 05 | King's Quest 3: To Heir is Human | adventure | 4.16/5 |
| 06 | AutoCAD 2.5 | application | 4.15/5 |
| 07 | Starflight | rpg | 4.14/5 |
| 08 | The Chessmaster 2000 | strategy | 4.13/5 |
| 09 | Alter Ego: Female Version | simulation | 4.13/5 |
| 10 | Conflict in Vietnam | strategy | 4.12/5 |
| # | 1987 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Leisure Suit Larry 1: In the Land of the Lounge Lizards | adventure | 4.28/5 |
| 02 | Police Quest 1: In Pursuit of the Death Angel | adventure | 4.24/5 |
| 03 | Driller | action-adventure | 4.21/5 |
| 04 | Test Drive | racing | 4.18/5 |
| 05 | Maniac Mansion | adventure | 4.18/5 |
| 06 | Mah Jongg Solitaire | puzzle | 4.15/5 |
| 07 | Rockford: The Arcade Game | puzzle | 4.14/5 |
| 08 | Borland Turbo C v1 | application | 4.13/5 |
| 09 | Phantasie 3: The Wrath of Nikademus | rpg | 4.11/5 |
| 10 | Borland Turbo Basic 1.0 | application | 4.11/5 |
| # | 1988 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Deluxe Paint 2 | application | 4.25/5 |
| 02 | Skate or Die | sports | 4.24/5 |
| 03 | Impossible Mission 2 | action-adventure | 4.24/5 |
| 04 | Battle Chess | strategy | 4.23/5 |
| 05 | World Class Leader Board | sports | 4.22/5 |
| 06 | Rampage | action | 4.22/5 |
| 07 | F-19 Stealth Fighter | vehicle simulation | 4.21/5 |
| 08 | Airborne Ranger | shooter | 4.21/5 |
| 09 | Speedball | sports | 4.20/5 |
| 10 | Lombard RAC Rally | racing | 4.20/5 |
| # | 1989 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Turbo Assembler (TASM) | application | 4.35/5 |
| 02 | Operation Wolf | shooter | 4.27/5 |
| 03 | Rick Dangerous | action | 4.27/5 |
| 04 | Pipe Dream | puzzle | 4.27/5 |
| 05 | The Duel: Test Drive 2 | racing | 4.24/5 |
| 06 | A-10 Tank Killer | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 07 | Hero's Quest: So you want to be a hero | adventure | 4.23/5 |
| 08 | Their Finest Hour: The Battle of Britain | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 09 | Carrier command | vehicle simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 10 | Bubble Bobble | action | 4.22/5 |
| # | 1990 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Secret of Monkey Island | adventure | 4.32/5 |
| 02 | Tetris 2.0 | puzzle | 4.24/5 |
| 03 | Loom | adventure | 4.24/5 |
| 04 | Red Baron | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 05 | Ultima 6: The False Prophet | rpg | 4.23/5 |
| 06 | Puzznic | puzzle | 4.23/5 |
| 07 | Jetfighter 2: Advanced Tactical Fighter | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 08 | SimEarth | simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 09 | Night Shift | puzzle | 4.23/5 |
| 10 | LadyLove | action | 4.22/5 |
| # | 1991 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Volfied | action | 4.31/5 |
| 02 | QBASIC | application | 4.29/5 |
| 03 | Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge | adventure | 4.27/5 |
| 04 | Chip's Challenge | puzzle | 4.27/5 |
| 05 | Chuck Yeager's Air Combat | vehicle simulation | 4.25/5 |
| 06 | Eye of the Beholder 2: The Legend of Darkmoon | rpg | 4.25/5 |
| 07 | Eye of the Beholder | rpg | 4.25/5 |
| 08 | Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 09 | Night Hawk: F-117A Stealth Fighter | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 10 | Falcon 3.0 | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| # | 1992 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Ultima 7 Part 1: The Black Gate | rpg | 4.32/5 |
| 02 | Street Fighter 2 | action | 4.32/5 |
| 03 | Tetris Classic | puzzle | 4.31/5 |
| 04 | Virtual Reality Studio 2.0 | application | 4.26/5 |
| 05 | Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis | adventure | 4.25/5 |
| 06 | Wizardry 7: Crusaders of the Dark Savant | rpg | 4.24/5 |
| 07 | Lamborghini: American Challenge | racing | 4.24/5 |
| 08 | Moonstone: A Hard Days Knight | rpg | 4.24/5 |
| 09 | B-17 Flying Fortress | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 10 | Comanche: Maximum overkill | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| # | 1993 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Mortal Kombat | action | 4.32/5 |
| 02 | Football Manager 3 | sports | 4.26/5 |
| 03 | Lotus: The ultimate challenge | racing | 4.24/5 |
| 04 | Strike Commander | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 05 | Lemmings 2: The Tribes | puzzle | 4.24/5 |
| 06 | Dungeon Hack | rpg | 4.24/5 |
| 07 | Tornado | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 08 | Police Quest: Open Season | adventure | 4.23/5 |
| 09 | Dogfight: 80 Years of Aerial Warfare | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 10 | Populous 2: Trials of the Olympian Gods | strategy | 4.23/5 |
| # | 1994 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | X-COM: Ufo Defense | strategy | 4.31/5 |
| 02 | Micro Machines | racing | 4.28/5 |
| 03 | Doom 2: Hell on Earth | shooter | 4.25/5 |
| 04 | Pinball Fantasies | action | 4.25/5 |
| 05 | Alien Breed: Tower Assault | shooter | 4.24/5 |
| 06 | Colonization | strategy | 4.24/5 |
| 07 | Aces of the deep | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 08 | Super Mariio Bros | action | 4.23/5 |
| 09 | Fleet Defender | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 10 | Hocus Pocus | action | 4.23/5 |
| # | 1995 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Albion | rpg | 4.24/5 |
| 02 | Transport Tycoon Deluxe | simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 03 | Screamer | racing | 4.23/5 |
| 04 | Virtual Pool | sports | 4.23/5 |
| 05 | Grand Prix 2 | racing | 4.23/5 |
| 06 | EF 2000 | vehicle simulation | 4.23/5 |
| 07 | Whiplash | racing | 4.22/5 |
| 08 | Caesar 2 | simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 09 | Apache Longbow | vehicle simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 10 | The Need for Speed | racing | 4.22/5 |
| # | 1996 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Master of Orion 2: Battle at Antares | strategy | 4.28/5 |
| 02 | NeoPaint 3.2 | application | 4.28/5 |
| 03 | Super Street Fighter 2 | action | 4.28/5 |
| 04 | Road Rash | racing | 4.24/5 |
| 05 | Jane's Combat Simulations: Advanced Tactical Fighters | vehicle simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 06 | Quake | shooter | 4.24/5 |
| 07 | The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall | rpg | 4.24/5 |
| 08 | Civilization 2 | strategy | 4.23/5 |
| 09 | Conquest of the New World (Deluxe Edition) | strategy | 4.22/5 |
| 10 | Fantasy General | strategy | 4.21/5 |
| # | 1997 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Carmageddon | racing | 4.24/5 |
| 02 | Virtua Cop 2 | shooter | 4.24/5 |
| 03 | Interstate '76 | racing | 4.24/5 |
| 04 | Dilbert's Desktop Games | action | 4.21/5 |
| 05 | Warlords 3: Reign of Heroes | strategy | 4.20/5 |
| 06 | Pacific General | strategy | 4.20/5 |
| 07 | Blood | shooter | 4.20/5 |
| 08 | Age of Empires | strategy | 4.19/5 |
| 09 | Star Wars: Jedi Knight - Dark Forces II | shooter | 4.19/5 |
| 10 | Broken Sword 2: The Smoking Mirror | adventure | 4.19/5 |
| # | 1998 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Thief: The Dark Project | action-adventure | 4.23/5 |
| 02 | Mega Man X3 | shooter | 4.22/5 |
| 03 | Caesar 3 | simulation | 4.22/5 |
| 04 | Norton Commander 5.5 | application | 4.21/5 |
| 05 | Dune 2000 | strategy | 4.21/5 |
| 06 | Railroad Tycoon 2 | simulation | 4.20/5 |
| 07 | Dope Wars | simulation | 4.19/5 |
| 08 | 101: The Airborne Invasion of Normandy | strategy | 4.19/5 |
| 09 | Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines | strategy | 4.18/5 |
| 10 | People's General | strategy | 4.18/5 |
| # | 1999 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Jagged Alliance 2 | strategy | 4.27/5 |
| 02 | Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings | strategy | 4.26/5 |
| 03 | Outcast | action-adventure | 4.24/5 |
| 04 | Age of Wonders | strategy | 4.22/5 |
| 05 | Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia | strategy | 4.21/5 |
| 06 | Pharaoh | simulation | 4.21/5 |
| 07 | Roller Coaster Tycoon | simulation | 4.20/5 |
| 08 | Three Sisters' Story | adventure | 4.18/5 |
| 09 | Septerra Core: Legacy of the Creator | rpg | 4.18/5 |
| 10 | Midtown Madness | racing | 4.18/5 |
| # | 2000 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Zeus: Master of Olympus | simulation | 4.20/5 |
| 02 | Nox | rpg | 4.18/5 |
| 03 | Unreal Gold | shooter | 4.18/5 |
| 04 | Vampire: The Masquerade - Redemption | rpg | 4.17/5 |
| 05 | Patrician 2: Quest for Power | simulation | 4.15/5 |
| 06 | The Sims | simulation | 4.12/5 |
| 07 | Deus Ex | rpg | 4.09/5 |
| 08 | Fairy Nights | adventure | 4.08/5 |
| 09 | Gal Pani X | action | 4.08/5 |
| 10 | Ground Control | strategy | 4.05/5 |
| # | 2001 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Capitalism 2 | simulation | 4.24/5 |
| 02 | Empire Earth | strategy | 4.23/5 |
| 03 | Arcanum: of Steamworks and Magick Obscura | rpg | 4.19/5 |
| 04 | Zoo Tycoon | simulation | 4.17/5 |
| 05 | Anachronox | rpg | 4.15/5 |
| 06 | ScummVM | application | 4.14/5 |
| 07 | Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel | strategy | 4.12/5 |
| 08 | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone | action-adventure | 4.11/5 |
| 09 | Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds | strategy | 4.08/5 |
| 10 | Mario and Luigi | action | 4.04/5 |
| # | 2002 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind | rpg | 4.23/5 |
| 02 | Hooligans: Storm Over Europe | strategy | 4.19/5 |
| 03 | Chessmaster 9000 | strategy | 4.18/5 |
| 04 | Crazy Taxi | racing | 4.15/5 |
| 05 | Roller Coaster Tycoon 2 | simulation | 4.14/5 |
| 06 | DOSBox | application | 4.13/5 |
| 07 | Sid Meier's SimGolf | sports | 4.11/5 |
| 08 | Syberia | adventure | 4.04/5 |
| 09 | Port Royale | simulation | 4.00/5 |
| 10 | Industry Giant 2 | simulation | 3.95/5 |
| # | 2003 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Master of Orion 3 | strategy | 4.14/5 |
| 02 | Yu-Gi-Oh! Power of Chaos - Yugi the Destiny | strategy | 4.10/5 |
| 03 | The Temple of Elemental Evil | rpg | 4.05/5 |
| 04 | Van Buren (Fallout 3) | rpg | 3.95/5 |
| 05 | Lionheart: Legacy of the Crusader | rpg | 3.90/5 |
| 06 | Babylon 5: I've Found Her | vehicle simulation | 3.87/5 |
| 07 | ResidualVM | application | 3.81/5 |
| 08 | 1893: A World's Fair Mystery | adventure | 3.75/5 |
| 09 | Baldur's Gate III: The Black Hound | rpg | 3.70/5 |
| # | 2004 | genre | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Spider-Man 2: The Game | action-adventure | 4.22/5 |
| 02 | Dark Horizons Lore: Invasion | vehicle simulation | 4.21/5 |
| 03 | UFO 2000 | strategy | 4.12/5 |
| 04 | Maniac Mansion Deluxe | adventure | 3.90/5 |
| 05 | Yu-Gi-Oh! Power of Chaos - Joey the Passion | strategy | 3.83/5 |
| 06 | Blues Brothers RPG | rpg | 3.77/5 |