Classic MS-DOS Action Games

Action games were one of the most popular genres in the MS-DOS era, offering fast-paced, adrenaline-fuelled gameplay that pushed early PC hardware to its limits. From side-scrolling platform shooters to top-down brawlers, DOS action games demanded quick reflexes and sharp timing. Iconic titles like Commander Keen, Duke Nukem, Dangerous Dave and Cosmo's Cosmic Adventure were staples of the shareware scene, often distributed on floppy disks through Apogee Software. If you like your games immediate, kinetic and challenging, DOS action titles deliver.

Games in the "action" genre

Grand Theft Auto
Grand Theft Auto – MS-DOS cover art
Grand Theft Auto is an open-world action game developed by DMA Design and released for MS-DOS in 1997. Played from a top-down perspective, the game lets players step into the shoes of a criminal rising through the ranks by completing missions,…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1997
Developer: DMA Design
Publisher: BMG Interactive

Crusader: No Remorse
Crusader: No Remorse – MS-DOS cover art
Crusader: No Remorse is a classic isometric action game released for MS-DOS in 1995 by Origin Systems. Set in a dystopian 22nd century, you take on the role of a former elite Silencer who defects from the oppressive World Economic Consortium and…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1995
Developer: Origin Systems
Publisher: Electronic Arts

System Shock
System Shock – MS-DOS cover art
System Shock, released in 1994 by LookingGlass Technologies, is a groundbreaking first-person action-adventure that redefined immersive gameplay and storytelling in the cyberpunk genre. Set aboard the derelict space station Citadel in the year 2072,…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1994
Developer: LookingGlass Technologies
Publisher: Origin Systems

Alley Cat
Alley Cat – MS-DOS cover art
Alley Cat, is a classic action game released in 1984 by Synapse Software. In this charming and whimsical game, players control a stray cat named Freddy, who navigates through an urban environment in search of food, companionship, and adventure. The…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1984
Developer: Synapse Software
Publisher: -

Gauntlet II
Gauntlet II – MS-DOS cover art
Gauntlet II is a classic arcade-style dungeon crawler developed by Atari Games and released for MS-DOS in 1989. As a sequel to the original hit, it expands on the fast-paced, top-down action that made its predecessor so popular. Players choose from…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1989
Developer: Atari Games
Publisher: -

Magic Carpet
Magic Carpet – MS-DOS cover art
Magic Carpet is a groundbreaking first-person action game developed by Bullfrog Productions and released for MS-DOS in 1994. Set in a fully 3D world, the game places players in the role of a wizard flying a magic carpet, battling rival sorcerers,…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1994
Developer: Bullfrog Productions
Publisher: Electronic Arts

Karateka
Karateka – MS-DOS cover art
Karateka (1984) is a classic side-scrolling martial arts game developed by Jordan Mechner and published by Brøderbund for MS-DOS and other platforms. Renowned for its cinematic presentation and fluid rotoscoped animation, Karateka was one of the…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1984
Developer: Jordan Mechner
Publisher: Broderbund

Space Hulk
Space Hulk – MS-DOS cover art
Space Hulk, released in 1993 by Electronic Arts, is a tactical turn-based strategy game set in the dark, war-torn universe of Warhammer 40,000. Players command squads of Space Marines as they navigate derelict spacecraft infested with deadly…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1993
Developer: Electronic Arts
Publisher: -

RoboCop 3
RoboCop 3 – MS-DOS cover art
RoboCop 3 is a 3D action game developed by Digital Image Design and released for MS-DOS in 1991. Based on the movie of the same name, it puts players in the role of RoboCop as he battles to protect the citizens of Detroit from the corrupt OCP…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1991
Developer: Digital Image Design
Publisher: Ocean Software

SEAL Team
SEAL Team – MS-DOS cover art
SEAL Team, released in 1993 by Electronic Arts for MS-DOS, is a tactical military simulation that puts players in command of an elite squad of U.S. Navy SEALs during the Vietnam War. Combining first-person action with strategic planning, the game…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1993
Developer: Electronic Arts
Publisher: -

Alien Breed
Alien Breed – MS-DOS cover art
Alien Breed, released in 1993 by Team17, is a top-down sci-fi shooter that plunges players into the heart of a deadly alien invasion aboard a futuristic space station. Drawing inspiration from classic sci-fi horror, the game puts you in the role of…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1993
Developer: Team17
Publisher: -

Quarantine
Quarantine – MS-DOS cover art
Quarantine, released in 1996 by GameTek, is a gritty, futuristic vehicular combat game that blends high-speed driving with first-person shooter elements. Set in the dystopian city of Kemo, where a failed corporate experiment has turned the…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1996
Developer: Imagexcel
Publisher: GameTek

The Simpsons
The Simpsons – MS-DOS cover art
The Simpsons, released in 1991 by Novotrade, is a side-scrolling action game based on the hit animated TV series. Originally an arcade game developed by Konami, this MS-DOS adaptation offers a single-player experience where players take on the role…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1991
Developer: Novotrade
Publisher: Konami

Cannon Fodder
Cannon Fodder – MS-DOS cover art
Cannon Fodder, released in 1993 by Sensible Software, is a tactical action-strategy game that blends humor, fast-paced combat, and strategic squad-based gameplay. Players command a small team of soldiers as they embark on deadly missions across…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1993
Developer: Sensible Software
Publisher: Virgin Interactive

The Chaos Engine
The Chaos Engine – MS-DOS cover art
The Chaos Engine, released in 1993 by The Bitmap Brothers, is a top-down run-and-gun shooter set in a steampunk-inspired alternate history. In a world where a rogue inventor’s machine has twisted time and unleashed monstrous cybernetic creatures,…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1993
Developer: The Bitmap Brothers
Publisher: Renegade Software

D/Generation
D/Generation – MS-DOS cover art
D/Generation, released in 1991 by Mindscape, is a sci-fi action-puzzle game that immerses players in a suspenseful and challenging mission. Set in a high-tech skyscraper in near-future Singapore, players take on the role of a courier tasked with…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1991
Developer: Robert Cook
Publisher: Mindscape

Syndicate
Syndicate – MS-DOS cover art
Syndicate, released in 1993 by Electronic Arts, is a gritty real-time tactical game set in a cyberpunk future where corporations rule the world through violence and espionage. Developed by Bullfrog Productions, the game places players at the head of…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1993
Developer: Bullfrog Productions
Publisher: Electronic Arts

Moonstone: A Hard Days Knight
Moonstone: A Hard Days Knight – MS-DOS cover art
Moonstone: A Hard Days Knight, released in 1992 by Mindscape, is a brutal action-RPG that blends arcade-style combat with strategic exploration and a touch of fantasy. Set in a mythical world, players take on the role of a knight chosen to retrieve…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1992
Developer: Rob Anderson
Publisher: Mindscape

Golden Axe
Golden Axe – MS-DOS cover art
Golden Axe, released in 1989 by Sega, is a classic side-scrolling beat-’em-up set in a mythical fantasy world. Players choose from three distinct heroes—a barbarian, a valkyrie, and a dwarf—each seeking vengeance against the evil Death Adder, who…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1989
Developer: Sega
Publisher: -

Desert Strike
Desert Strike – MS-DOS cover art
Desert Strike, released in 1992 by Electronic Arts, is an isometric shoot-'em-up that combines fast-paced action with light strategy elements. Set in the Middle East, players pilot an Apache attack helicopter on a series of high-risk missions to…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1992
Developer: Electronic Arts
Publisher: -

Rambo III
Rambo III – MS-DOS cover art
Based on the 1988 action movie starring Sylvester Stallone, Rambo III is an action game developed by Ocean Software and released for MS-DOS in 1989. Taking on the role of John Rambo, the player travels to Soviet-occupied Afghanistan to rescue his…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1989
Developer: Taito
Publisher: -

Lost Patrol
Lost Patrol – MS-DOS cover art
Lost Patrol is an atmospheric action-strategy game released for MS-DOS in 1991 by Ocean Software. Set during the Vietnam War, the game follows a small squad of American soldiers stranded deep behind enemy lines after their helicopter crashes. With…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1991
Developer: Astros Productions
Publisher: Ocean Software

Arkanoid II: Revenge of Doh
Arkanoid II: Revenge of Doh – MS-DOS cover art
Arkanoid II: Revenge of Doh is a classic brick-breaking arcade game released for MS-DOS in 1989 by Taito. As the sequel to the original Arkanoid, it expands the familiar Breakout-style formula with more elaborate level designs, improved visuals, and…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1989
Developer: Taito
Publisher: -

Starquake
Starquake – MS-DOS cover art
Starquake is a classic sci-fi action platformer released for MS-DOS in 1988 by Bubble Bus Software. Originally created by Stephen Crow, the game places you in the role of BLOB (Bio-Logically Operated Being), a robotic explorer sent deep beneath the…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1988
Developer: Bubble Bus Software
Publisher: -