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 release years)

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

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: -

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

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

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

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: -

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: -

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: -

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: -

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

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

Cannon Fodder 2
Cannon Fodder 2 – MS-DOS cover art
Cannon Fodder 2 is a tactical action game developed by Sensible Software and released for MS-DOS in 1994. Building on the distinctive style of the original, the game once again puts you in command of a small squad of soldiers as they fight their way…
Genre: Action
Release: 1994
Developer: Sensible Software
Publisher: Virgin 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

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

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