Classic MS-DOS Platformer Games

While consoles had Mario and Sonic, DOS gamers enjoyed a rich library of platform games uniquely suited to the keyboard. Commander Keen by id Software and Jazz Jackrabbit by Epic MegaGames were beloved mascots of the shareware era. Prince of Persia introduced rotoscoped animation and fluid physics that felt revolutionary in 1989. Jill of the Jungle, Hocus Pocus and Cosmo's Cosmic Adventure rounded out a genre packed with creative level design and memorable characters. DOS platformers are a fascinating slice of gaming history that often gets overlooked next to console equivalents.

Games in the "platformer" genre (recently added)

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Duke Nukem
Duke Nukem
Released in 1991 by Apogee Software, Duke Nukem is the game that introduced one of PC gaming's most iconic action heroes. This classic side-scrolling platformer follows Duke as he battles the evil Dr. Proton and his army of Techbots across three acti...
Genre: PLATFORMER
Release: 1991
Developer: Apogee Software
Publisher: -

First Samurai
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

Zorro
Zorro
Zorro is a 1995 MS-DOS action platformer developed and published by Capstone Software, bringing the legendary masked hero to the PC screen. Players step into the boots of Don Diego de la Vega, who adopts the persona of Zorro to fight injustice in Spa...
Genre: PLATFORMER
Release: 1995
Developer: Capstone Software
Publisher: -

Earthworm Jim
Earthworm Jim
Earthworm Jim is a fast-paced, side-scrolling action platformer released for MS-DOS in 1994 by Shiny Entertainment. The game follows an ordinary earthworm who accidentally acquires a high-tech supersuit, transforming him into an unlikely hero with a ...
Genre: PLATFORMER
Release: -
Developer: Shiny Entertainment
Publisher: Interplay Entertainment

Crystal Caves
Crystal Caves
Crystal Caves, released in 1991 by Apogee Software, is a colorful side-scrolling platform game starring the quirky space prospector Mylo Steamwitz. Always on the lookout for a quick profit, Mylo ventures into a series of dangerous caves on distant pl...
Genre: PLATFORMER
Release: 1991
Developer: Apogee Software
Publisher: -

Abuse
Abuse
Abuse, released in 1996 by Crack dot Com, is a side-scrolling action game that blends fast-paced shooting with atmospheric sci-fi horror. Players control Nick Vrenna, a prisoner in a high-security facility where a genetic experiment has gone terribly...
Genre: PLATFORMER
Release: 1996
Developer: Crack dot Com
Publisher: Electronic Arts

Trolls
Trolls
Trolls, released in 1992 by Flair Software, is a colorful side-scrolling platform game starring the popular toy trolls with their distinctive wild hair. Players guide a cheerful troll through a series of vibrant, imaginative worlds in a quest to resc...
Genre: PLATFORMER
Release: 1992
Developer: Flair Software
Publisher: -

The Lion King
The Lion King
The Lion King, released by Virgin Interactive in 1994, is a platform game based on Disney’s beloved animated film. Players guide Simba through his journey from a playful cub to the rightful king of the Pride Lands, reliving key moments and iconic sce...
Genre: PLATFORMER
Release: 1994
Developer: East Point Software
Publisher: Virgin Interactive

Dylan Dog: The Murderers
Dylan Dog: The Murderers
Dylan Dog: The Murderers, released in 1992 by Italian developer Simulmondo, is an adventure game based on the popular comic book series featuring the “nightmare investigator” Dylan Dog. Set in a dark and mysterious London, the story plunges players i...
Genre: PLATFORMER
Release: 1992
Developer: Simulmondo
Publisher: -

Monster Bash
Monster Bash
Monster Bash, released by Apogee Software in 1993, is a side-scrolling platform game with a spooky yet humorous twist. Players control Johnny Dash, a young boy armed with a powerful slingshot, who ventures into creepy graveyards, haunted castles, and...
Genre: PLATFORMER
Release: 1993
Developer: Apogee Software
Publisher: -

Yo! Joe! Beat the Ghosts
Yo! Joe! Beat the Ghosts
Yo! Joe! Beat the Ghosts, developed by Play Byte and released for MS-DOS in 1993, is a colorful side-scrolling action platformer with a distinctive 90s comic-book style. Players take control of two street-smart heroes, Joe and Nat, who find themselve...
Genre: PLATFORMER
Release: 1993
Developer: Scipio
Publisher: Play Byte

Putty Squad
Putty Squad
Putty Squad is a quirky and colorful platformer developed by System 3 and released for MS-DOS in 1994. Players control Putty, a shape-shifting blue blob with the ability to stretch, bounce, inflate, and absorb enemies, on a mission to rescue his kidn...
Genre: PLATFORMER
Release: 1994
Developer: System 3
Publisher: -

Fury of the Furries
Fury of the Furries
Fury of the Furries is a colorful puzzle-platformer developed by Kalisto and published by Mindscape for MS-DOS in 1993. Players control a tribe of small, fuzzy creatures known as Tinies, each with unique elemental powers—fire, water, earth, and air—t...
Genre: PLATFORMER
Release: 1993
Developer: Atreid Concept
Publisher: Mindscape

Hocus Pocus
Hocus Pocus
Hocus Pocus is a colorful side-scrolling platformer developed by Moonlite Software and published by Apogee Software for MS-DOS in 1994. You play as Hocus, a young apprentice wizard on a quest to prove himself worthy of joining the Council of Wizards—...
Genre: PLATFORMER
Release: 1994
Developer: Moonlite Software
Publisher: Apogee Software

Bio Menace
Bio Menace
Bio Menace is a fast-paced side-scrolling action platformer developed by Apogee Software and released for MS-DOS in 1993. Built on the Commander Keen engine, the game follows Snake Logan, a tough CIA operative who must battle hordes of mutants and mo...
Genre: PLATFORMER
Release: 1993
Developer: Apogee Software
Publisher: -

Zool
Zool
Zool, released in 1993 by Gremlin Graphics, is a lightning-fast platformer starring a ninja from the Nth Dimension on a mission to prove his worth. With vibrant graphics, high-energy gameplay, and a surreal, candy-coated world, Zool was designed to r...
Genre: PLATFORMER
Release: 1993
Developer: Gremlin Graphics
Publisher: -

Elf
Elf
Elf, released in 1991 by Ocean Software, is a side-scrolling action-platformer that plunges players into a vibrant fantasy world filled with danger, magic, and whimsy. You play as Cornelius, a young elf on a quest to rescue his kidnapped girlfriend f...
Genre: PLATFORMER
Release: 1991
Developer: Ocean Software
Publisher: -

Superfrog
Superfrog
Superfrog, released in 1994 by Team17, is a colorful and energetic platformer that follows the story of a humble prince transformed into a frog by an evil witch. Empowered by a mysterious energy drink, the now-supercharged amphibian sets out on a whi...
Genre: PLATFORMER
Release: 1994
Developer: Team17
Publisher: -

Blackthorne
Blackthorne
Blackthorne, released in 1994 by Blizzard Entertainment, is a cinematic action-platformer that blends gritty sci-fi fantasy with smooth, rotoscoped animation and intense gunplay. Players take on the role of Kyle "Blackthorne" Vlaros, a rugged, shotgu...
Genre: PLATFORMER
Release: 1994
Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Publisher: Interplay Productions

Cool Spot
Cool Spot
Cool Spot, released in 1994 by Virgin Games, is a vibrant and stylish platformer starring the red, sunglasses-wearing mascot of 7UP. Set in a series of colorful and whimsical environments, the game follows Cool Spot on a mission to rescue his fellow ...
Genre: PLATFORMER
Release: 1994
Developer: Virgin Interactive
Publisher: -

Cosmo's Cosmic Adventure
Cosmo's Cosmic Adventure
Cosmo's Cosmic Adventure, released in 1992 by Apogee Software, is a charming platformer that follows the adventures of Cosmo, a young alien stranded on a mysterious planet while searching for his missing parents. With his suction-cup hands and boundl...
Genre: PLATFORMER
Release: 1992
Developer: Apogee Software
Publisher: -

Jill of the Jungle
Jill of the Jungle
Jill of the Jungle, released in 1992 by Epic MegaGames, is a vibrant action-platformer that stars Jill, a fearless Amazonian warrior on a quest through dangerous landscapes filled with traps, monsters, and puzzles. With its mix of fast-paced gameplay...
Genre: PLATFORMER
Release: 1992
Developer: Epic Games
Publisher: -

Rick Dangerous
Rick Dangerous
Rick Dangerous, released in 1989 by Core Design, is a classic action-platformer that pays homage to Indiana Jones-style adventure and exploration. Players take on the role of Rick Dangerous, a daring British secret agent, as he embarks on a perilous ...
Genre: PLATFORMER
Release: 1989
Developer: Core Design
Publisher: Firebird Software
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