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 (by rating)

Better Dead Than Alien
Better Dead Than Alien – MS-DOS cover art
Better Dead Than Alien is a fast-paced sci-fi shoot ’em up developed by Oxford Digital Enterprises and released for MS-DOS in 1988. Taking control of a lone spacecraft, the player must fight through relentless waves of alien enemies while navigating…
Genre: Action
Release: 1988
Developer: Oxford Digital Enterprises
Publisher: Electra

Cadaver
Cadaver – MS-DOS cover art
Cadaver, released in 1990 by The Bitmap Brothers, is an isometric action-adventure game that combines puzzle solving, exploration, and combat. Players step into the role of Karadoc, a lone dwarf adventurer who dares to enter the sprawling fortress…
Genre: Action
Release: 1990
Developer: The Bitmap Brothers
Publisher: Image Works

Ugh!
Ugh! – MS-DOS cover art
Ugh!, released in 1992 by Play Byte, is a charming and quirky arcade-style game that blends action, strategy, and humor. Set in prehistoric times, players take on the role of a caveman who pilots a stone-age helicopter to transport passengers across…
Genre: Action
Release: 1992
Developer: Egosoft
Publisher: Play Byte

Dyna Blaster
Dyna Blaster – MS-DOS cover art
Dyna Blaster, released in 1990 by Hudson Soft, is a fast-paced action-puzzle game better known as Bomberman in other regions. This classic arcade-style game challenges players to strategically place bombs, destroy obstacles, and defeat enemies while…
Genre: Action
Release: 1990
Developer: Hudson Soft
Publisher: -

Marble Madness
Marble Madness – MS-DOS cover art
Marble Madness, released in 1984 by Electronic Arts, is a fast-paced and innovative arcade-style game that challenges players to navigate a rolling marble through a series of treacherous, obstacle-filled courses. Originally developed by Atari Games…
Genre: Action
Release: 1984
Developer: Electronic Arts
Publisher: -

Metal Mutant
Metal Mutant – MS-DOS cover art
Metal Mutant, released in 1991 by Silmarils, is a unique side-scrolling action-adventure game that puts players in control of a powerful biomechanical warrior on a mission to overthrow an evil robotic empire. What sets Metal Mutant apart is its…
Genre: Action
Release: 1991
Developer: Silmarils
Publisher: -

Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park – MS-DOS cover art
Jurassic Park, released in 1994 by Ocean Software, is an action-adventure game based on the blockbuster movie and novel by Michael Crichton. Combining top-down exploration with first-person shooter sequences, the game puts players in the role of Dr.…
Genre: Action
Release: 1994
Developer: Ocean Software
Publisher: -

Tom & Jerry: Yankee Doodle's CAT-astrophe
Tom & Jerry: Yankee Doodle's CAT-astrophe – MS-DOS cover art
Tom & Jerry: Yankee Doodle's CAT-astrophe, released in 1990 by Hi-Tech Expressions, is a lighthearted action game based on the classic animated duo. Set during the American Revolutionary War, the game follows Jerry the mouse as he tries to outsmart…
Genre: Action
Release: 1990
Developer: Hi-Tech Expressions
Publisher: -

Conan the Cimmerian
Conan the Cimmerian – MS-DOS cover art
Conan the Cimmerian, released in 1991 by Synergistic Software, is an action-adventure RPG that brings the brutal world of Robert E. Howard’s legendary barbarian to life. Players take on the role of Conan, rising from a pit-fighting slave to a…
Genre: Action
Release: 1991
Developer: Synergistic Software
Publisher: Virgin Interactive

Arkanoid
Arkanoid – MS-DOS cover art
Arkanoid is a classic arcade-style brick-breaking game developed by Taito and released for MS-DOS in 1986. A spiritual successor to Breakout, the game puts players in control of the "Vaus," a small paddle-like spacecraft tasked with destroying rows…
Genre: Action
Release: 1986
Developer: Taito
Publisher: -

The Last Ninja
The Last Ninja – MS-DOS cover art
The Last Ninja is an action-adventure game developed by System 3 and released for MS-DOS in 1987. Set in a mythical version of feudal Japan, it follows the journey of Armakuni, the last surviving ninja of his clan, who seeks revenge against the evil…
Genre: Action
Release: 1987
Developer: System 3
Publisher: Activision

DragonStrike
DragonStrike – MS-DOS cover art
DragonStrike is a fantasy flight-combat simulator that puts players in the saddle of a mighty dragon, soaring across the war-torn skies of Krynn. Developed by Westwood Associates and published by Strategic Simulations, Inc., the game blends…
Genre: Action
Release: 1990
Developer: Westwood Studios
Publisher: Strategic Simulations

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: -

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: -

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

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: -

Pinball Magic
Pinball Magic – MS-DOS cover art
Pinball Magic is a classic pinball game developed and published by the French company Loriciel for MS-DOS in 1990. Presented from a top-down perspective, it combines traditional pinball mechanics with a more arcade-oriented progression system,…
Genre: Action
Release: 1990
Developer: Loriciel
Publisher: -

Paperboy 2
Paperboy 2 – MS-DOS cover art
Paperboy 2 is an action-packed arcade game released for MS-DOS in 1991 by Mindscape. As the sequel to the classic Paperboy, the game puts players in the role of a newspaper delivery boy or girl riding a bicycle through chaotic suburban…
Genre: Action
Release: 1991
Developer: Tengen
Publisher: Mindscape

Ikari Warriors
Ikari Warriors – MS-DOS cover art
Ikari Warriors is a classic top-down run-and-gun action game released for MS-DOS in 1987 by Data East, based on SNK's popular 1986 arcade hit. Inspired by military action movies of the 1980s, the game puts you in control of an elite commando on a…
Genre: Action
Release: 1987
Developer: SNK
Publisher: Data East

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: -

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: -

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

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

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

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