Classic MS-DOS Adventure Games

Adventure games defined MS-DOS gaming for an entire generation. LucasArts and Sierra On-Line turned the genre into an art form with classics like The Secret of Monkey Island, King's Quest, Space Quest, Leisure Suit Larry and Gabriel Knight. These point-and-click (and often text-parser) experiences placed storytelling, puzzle-solving and atmosphere above everything else. Many of the best DOS adventure games remain unsurpassed for their wit, writing and world-building — a true golden age for interactive fiction on the PC.

Games in the adventure genre

Maupiti Island
Maupiti Island – MS-DOS cover art
Maupiti Island, released in 1990 by Lankhor, is a deep and atmospheric detective adventure that immerses players in a gripping noir-style mystery. As private investigator Jérôme Lange, players find themselves stranded on the remote Maupiti Island…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1990
Developer: Lankhor
Publisher: Ubisoft

Return of the Phantom
Return of the Phantom – MS-DOS cover art
Return of the Phantom, released in 1993 by MicroProse, is a point-and-click adventure game steeped in gothic mystery and theatrical intrigue. Set in the opulent Paris Opera House, the story begins when a tragic accident strikes during a performance,…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1993
Developer: MPS Labs
Publisher: MicroProse

Countdown
Countdown – MS-DOS cover art
Countdown is a gripping point-and-click adventure thriller that plunges players into a world of espionage, conspiracy, and psychological intrigue. You awaken in a Turkish asylum with no memory of who you are, accused of a murder you don’t remember…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1990
Developer: Access Software
Publisher: -

Amazon: Guardians of Eden
Amazon: Guardians of Eden – MS-DOS cover art
Amazon: Guardians of Eden, released in 1992 by Access Software, is a classic point-and-click adventure set deep in the mysterious South American jungle. Players take on the role of private investigator Nigel Danvers, who embarks on a perilous…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1992
Developer: Access Software
Publisher: -

Tajemství Oslího ostrova
Tajemství Oslího ostrova – MS-DOS cover art
Tajemství Oslího ostrova is a charming and distinctly offbeat adventure game released in 1994 for MS-DOS by the Czech company Vochozka Trading. Set on a mysterious island shrouded in secrets, the game invites players into a quirky narrative filled…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1994
Developer: Vochozka Trading
Publisher: -

7 dní a 7 nocí
7 dní a 7 nocí – MS-DOS cover art
7 Days and 7 Nights is a distinctive MS-DOS adventure released in 1994 by Pterodon Software, offering players a dark, atmospheric journey through a mysterious and unforgiving world. Built on a foundation of exploration and puzzle-solving, the game…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1994
Developer: Pterodon Software
Publisher: Vochozka Trading

Maniac Mansion
Maniac Mansion – MS-DOS cover art
Maniac Mansion is a groundbreaking point-and-click adventure game that set the standard for the genre. Developed by Lucasfilm Games (later LucasArts), it follows a group of teenagers who must infiltrate the eerie Edison mansion to rescue their…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1989
Developer: LucasArts
Publisher: -

Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders
Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders – MS-DOS cover art
Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders, released in 1989 by Lucasfilm Games, is a comedic point-and-click adventure that follows tabloid reporter Zak McKracken on a bizarre quest to save humanity. The plot begins with Zak stumbling upon an alien…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1989
Developer: LucasArts
Publisher: -

Simon the Sorcerer
Simon the Sorcerer – MS-DOS cover art
Simon the Sorcerer, released in 1993 by Adventure Soft, is a whimsical point-and-click adventure game that combines clever puzzles, witty dialogue, and a charming fantasy world. Players step into the shoes of Simon, an ordinary teenager who is…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1993
Developer: Adventure Soft
Publisher: -

The Secret of Monkey Island
The Secret of Monkey Island – MS-DOS cover art
The Secret of Monkey Island, released in 1990 by Lucasfilm Games, is a seminal point-and-click adventure game that has become one of the most beloved titles in gaming history. Set in a whimsical and humorous pirate-themed world, the game follows the…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1990
Developer: LucasArts
Publisher: -

Dark Seed
Dark Seed – MS-DOS cover art
Dark Seed, released in 1992 by Cyberdreams, is a psychological horror adventure game that plunges players into a nightmarish world inspired by the disturbing biomechanical art of H.R. Giger. The game follows Mike Dawson, a writer who moves into a…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1992
Developer: Cyberdreams
Publisher: -

Hook
Hook – MS-DOS cover art
Hook is a side-scrolling action-adventure game based on Steven Spielberg's 1991 film of the same name. Players step into the shoes of Peter Banning—now rediscovering his identity as the legendary Peter Pan—as he embarks on a perilous journey to…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1992
Developer: Ocean Software
Publisher: -

BloodNet
BloodNet – MS-DOS cover art
BloodNet is a cyberpunk role-playing adventure game developed by MicroProse and released for MS-DOS in 1993. Set in a dystopian near-future New York, the game blends science fiction with gothic horror, creating a unique mix of cyberspace hacking,…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1993
Developer: MicroProse
Publisher: -

Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade
Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade – MS-DOS cover art
Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure, released in 1989 by Lucasfilm Games, is an adventure game based on the iconic Indiana Jones film of the same name. In this point-and-click adventure, players take on the role of the…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1989
Developer: LucasArts
Publisher: -

King's Quest: Quest for the Crown
King's Quest: Quest for the Crown – MS-DOS cover art
King's Quest: Quest for the Crown, released in 1984 by Sierra On-Line, is a groundbreaking adventure game that laid the foundation for the graphic adventure genre. Created by Roberta Williams, the game is set in the fantasy kingdom of Daventry,…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1984
Developer: Sierra On-Line
Publisher: -

Goblins 3
Goblins 3 – MS-DOS cover art
Goblins 3, released in 1993 by Coktel Vision, is the third installment in the beloved Goblins series, combining quirky humor, intricate puzzles, and a richly detailed fantasy world. In this point-and-click adventure, players take on the role of…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1993
Developer: Coktel Vision
Publisher: Sierra On-Line

Space Quest V
Space Quest V – MS-DOS cover art
Space Quest V: The Next Mutation, released in 1993 by Sierra On-Line, is a comedic point-and-click adventure game that continues the misadventures of Roger Wilco, an intergalactic janitor turned starship captain. This installment takes the series to…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1993
Developer: Dynamix
Publisher: Sierra On-Line

Teenagent
Teenagent – MS-DOS cover art
Teenagent, released in 1995 by Metropolis Software, is a humorous point-and-click adventure game that blends quirky humor with classic detective storytelling. Players step into the shoes of Mark Hopper, an ordinary teenager unexpectedly recruited by…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1995
Developer: Metropolis Software House
Publisher: Metropolis Software

Sam & Max Hit the Road
Sam & Max Hit the Road – MS-DOS cover art
Sam & Max Hit the Road, released in 1993 by LucasArts, is a classic point-and-click adventure game that follows the zany exploits of Sam, a laid-back canine detective, and Max, his hyperactive "rabbity-thing" sidekick. Based on Steve Purcell’s cult…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1993
Developer: LucasArts
Publisher: -

The Colonel's Bequest
The Colonel's Bequest – MS-DOS cover art
The Colonel's Bequest, released in 1989 by Sierra On-Line, is a mystery-adventure game that plunges players into a thrilling whodunit set in the 1920s. As Laura Bow, an inquisitive young journalist, players are invited to a secluded Louisiana…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1989
Developer: Sierra On-Line
Publisher: -

Lost in Time
Lost in Time – MS-DOS cover art
Lost in Time, released in 1993 by Coktel Vision, is an innovative point-and-click adventure game that combines time travel with a gripping mystery. Players take on the role of Doralice, a woman who finds herself trapped in a labyrinth of time after…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1993
Developer: Coktel Vision
Publisher: -

Curse of Enchantia
Curse of Enchantia – MS-DOS cover art
Curse of Enchantia, released in 1992 by Core Design, is a whimsical point-and-click adventure game set in a fantastical world filled with magic, humor, and bizarre characters. Players assume the role of Brad, a teenager mysteriously transported to…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1992
Developer: Core Design
Publisher: -

Quest for Glory III: Wages of War
Quest for Glory III: Wages of War – MS-DOS cover art
Quest for Glory III: Wages of War, released in 1992 by Sierra On-Line, is a unique blend of adventure and role-playing that continues the hero’s journey in the acclaimed Quest for Glory series. Set in the vibrant, African-inspired land of Tarna, the…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1992
Developer: Sierra On-Line
Publisher: -