Best Classic DOS Games from the 1990s

The 1990s were arguably the greatest decade in PC gaming history. MS-DOS games reached new heights of complexity, storytelling, and technical achievement. The early 90s saw the rise of the FPS with Wolfenstein 3D and DOOM, while mid-decade brought legendary RPGs like Ultima VII and Baldur's Gate. Real-time strategy boomed with Dune II, Warcraft, and StarCraft. By the late 90s, DOS was giving way to Windows — but the games from this era remain some of the most beloved in all of gaming. Explore the best of the decade below.

Games of all genres (alphabetical)

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Destruction Derby

Released in 1995 by Psygnosis, Destruction Derby for MS-DOS delivers a raw and chaotic racing experience that prioritizes impact over precision. Unlike traditional racing games of its era, the focus here is not simply on crossing the finish line firs...

Genre: RACING
Release: 1995
Developer: Reflections Interactive
Publisher: Psygnosis

Slipstream 5000

Slipstream 5000 is a fast-paced futuristic racing game released in 1995 for MS-DOS, developed by Gremlin Interactive. Set in a stylized vision of the year 5000, the game puts players behind the controls of high-speed anti-gravity vehicles, racing acr...

Genre: RACING
Release: 1995
Developer: The Software Refinery
Publisher: Gremlin Interactive

Fantasy Empires

Fantasy Empires is a grand strategy game released in 1993 for MS-DOS by Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI), set in the rich and expansive world of the Forgotten Realms. Combining empire management with role-playing elements, the game allows players to...

Genre: RPG
Release: 1993
Developer: Silicon Knights
Publisher: Strategic Simulations

Chuck Yeager's Air Combat

Chuck Yeager’s Air Combat is a classic combat flight simulator released in 1991 for MS-DOS by Electronic Arts. The game places players in the cockpit of a variety of real-world military aircraft, spanning different eras from the early jet age to more...

Genre: SIMULATION
Release: 1991
Developer: Brent Iverson
Publisher: Electronic Arts

First Samurai

First Samurai is a side-scrolling action platformer released for MS-DOS in 1992, developed by Vivid Image. Set in a stylized feudal Japan mixed with mythological fantasy, the game follows a lone samurai warrior on a quest to defeat a powerful demon w...

Genre: PLATFORMER
Release: 1992
Developer: Vivid Image
Publisher: Ubisoft

Inferno

Inferno is a fast-paced action game for MS-DOS developed by Digital Image Design and released in 1994. Set in a futuristic cyber-warfare environment, the game places the player inside a heavily armed combat vehicle navigating through hostile virtual ...

Genre: SIMULATION
Release: 1994
Developer: Digital Image Design
Publisher: Ocean Software

Anvil of Dawn

Anvil of Dawn is a classic first-person dungeon crawler released for MS-DOS in 1995 by New World Computing. Set in a dark fantasy realm threatened by chaos, the game casts players as a lone hero chosen to confront the malevolent warlord who has unlea...

Genre: RPG
Release: 1995
Developer: DreamForge Intertainment
Publisher: New World Computing

Dungeon Hack

Dungeon Hack is a classic dungeon crawler for MS-DOS released in 1993 by Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI). Built on the iconic Gold Box engine, the game uses Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition rules, placing players in control of a party of adv...

Genre: RPG
Release: 1993
Developer: DreamForge Intertainment
Publisher: Strategic Simulations

HeroQuest

HeroQuest (MS-DOS, 1991) is a classic fantasy role-playing game developed by Gremlin Interactive, inspired by the popular board game of the same name. It brings the tabletop dungeon-crawling experience to computers, allowing players to step into the ...

Genre: RPG
Release: 1991
Developer: Gremlin Interactive
Publisher: -

Alien Legacy

Alien Legacy (1994) is a science-fiction strategy and simulation game for MS-DOS developed and published by Sierra On-Line. The player leads humanity’s first interstellar colony on the distant planet Calypso, following a richly written narrative that...

Genre: STRATEGY
Release: 1994
Developer: Ybarra Productions
Publisher: Sierra On-Line

Beneath a Steel Sky

Beneath a Steel Sky is a classic point-and-click adventure game released for MS-DOS in 1994 by Revolution Software. Set in a dystopian cyberpunk future, the game takes place almost entirely within Union City, a vast and oppressive metropolis controll...

Genre: ADVENTURE
Release: 1994
Developer: Revolution Software
Publisher: Virgin Interactive

Hired Guns

Hired Guns (1993) is a cyberpunk first-person action game for MS-DOS published by Psygnosis and developed by DMA Design. Set in a dark, dystopian future ruled by megacorporations, the game places the player in the role of a freelance mercenary tasked...

Genre: RPG
Release: 1993
Developer: DMA Design
Publisher: Psygnosis

Star Wars: X-Wing

Star Wars: X-Wing is a landmark space combat simulator released in 1993 for MS-DOS by LucasArts. Set during the events of the original Star Wars trilogy, the game places the player in the role of a Rebel Alliance pilot fighting against the Galactic E...

Genre: SIMULATION
Release: 1993
Developer: Totally Games
Publisher: LucasArts

Quadrax

Quadrax is a classic MS-DOS puzzle game released in 1995 by the Slovak developer Cauldron. Built on a simple but demanding concept, the game challenges players to think several steps ahead while reacting quickly under constant pressure. Its minimalis...

Genre: PUZZLE
Release: 1995
Developer: Cauldron
Publisher: -

Death Rally

Death Rally (1996) is a top-down arcade racing game for MS-DOS developed by Remedy Entertainment and published by Apogee Software. Set in a brutal, post-apocalyptic future, the game places players in illegal death races where winning is not just abou...

Genre: RACING
Release: 1996
Developer: Remedy Entertainment
Publisher: 3D Realms

PowerSlave

PowerSlave (known as Exhumed in some regions) is a first-person shooter released in 1996 for MS-DOS by Lobotomy Software. Set in ancient Egypt, the game places the player in the role of an elite special forces operative sent to the city of Karnak, wh...

Genre: SHOOTER
Release: 1996
Developer: Lobotomy Software
Publisher: Playmates Interactive Entertainment

Dark Sun: Shattered Lands

Dark Sun: Shattered Lands is a classic role-playing game released in 1993 for MS-DOS by Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI). Set in the harsh and unforgiving world of Athas from the Dark Sun campaign setting of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, the game dep...

Genre: RPG
Release: 1993
Developer: Strategic Simulations
Publisher: -

Star Trek: Judgment Rites

Star Trek: Judgment Rites is a classic point-and-click adventure game for MS-DOS that places the player in command of the USS Enterprise during the era of Star Trek: The Original Series. Released in 1993 by Interplay Productions, the game serves as a...

Genre: ADVENTURE
Release: 1993
Developer: Interplay Productions
Publisher: -

Eternam

Eternam is a point-and-click adventure game released for MS-DOS in 1992 by Infogrames. The game tells the story of Bob Wilson, a young man living in the distant future, where society is obsessed with achieving immortality through advanced technology ...

Genre: ADVENTURE
Release: 1992
Developer: Infogrames
Publisher: -

Albion

Albion (1996) is a narrative-focused role-playing game for MS-DOS developed by Blue Byte, combining several classic RPG design approaches. Exploration is presented in a first-person perspective reminiscent of dungeon crawlers, while combat shifts to ...

Genre: RPG
Release: 1996
Developer: Blue Byte
Publisher: -

The Elder Scrolls: Arena

The Elder Scrolls: Arena is the first entry in Bethesda Softworks’ acclaimed fantasy RPG series, released for MS-DOS in 1994. The game introduces players to the vast continent of Tamriel, offering an unusually large, procedurally generated world for ...

Genre: RPG
Release: 1994
Developer: Bethesda Softworks
Publisher: -

Whiplash

Whiplash (released as Fatal Racing in some regions) is a high-speed, futuristic racing game developed by Interplay Productions for MS-DOS in 1996. The game focuses on aggressive, stunt-heavy driving across wild, roller-coaster-like tracks filled with...

Genre: RACING
Release: 1996
Developer: Gremlin Interactive
Publisher: Interplay Productions

The Settlers II

The Settlers II (1996) by Blue Byte Software is a classic real-time strategy and city-building game originally released for MS-DOS. The game challenges players to guide a stranded Roman expedition as they build a thriving settlement from the ground u...

Genre: STRATEGY
Release: 1996
Developer: Blue Byte
Publisher: -

Star Trek: 25th Anniversary

Star Trek: 25th Anniversary for MS-DOS, released by Interplay Productions in 1992, is a story-driven adventure that captures the spirit of the original Star Trek series. Players take command of the USS Enterprise as Captain Kirk, accompanied by the f...

Genre: ADVENTURE
Release: 1992
Developer: Interplay Productions
Publisher: -

Tyrian

Tyrian is a fast-paced vertical-scrolling shoot ’em up released in 1995 for MS-DOS by Epic MegaGames. Known for its smooth action and vibrant pixel art, the game follows the story of ace pilot Trent Hawkins as he battles the sinister Microsol corpora...

Genre: SHOOTER
Release: 1995
Developer: Eclipse Software
Publisher: Epic Games

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