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 (by rating)

Montezuma’s Revenge
Montezuma’s Revenge – MS-DOS cover art
Montezuma’s Revenge, released in 1984 by Parker Brothers, is a classic platform adventure game that transports players to the depths of a mysterious Aztec pyramid. Players control the brave explorer Panama Joe as he navigates a maze of rooms filled…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1984
Developer: Utopia Software
Publisher: Parker Brothers

Trolls
Trolls – MS-DOS cover art
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…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1992
Developer: Flair Software
Publisher: -

Alcatraz
Alcatraz – MS-DOS cover art
Alcatraz, is a 1992 action-adventure game developed by Infogrames. Set in the infamous Alcatraz prison, the game combines elements of stealth, strategy, and combat. Players assume the roles of two special agents, Bird and Fist, who are tasked with…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1992
Developer: 221B Software Productions
Publisher: Infogrames

Cosmo's Cosmic Adventure
Cosmo's Cosmic Adventure – MS-DOS cover art
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…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1992
Developer: 3D Realms
Publisher: -

Superfrog
Superfrog – MS-DOS cover art
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…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1994
Developer: Team17
Publisher: -

Elf
Elf – MS-DOS cover art
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…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1991
Developer: Ocean Software
Publisher: -

Zool
Zool – MS-DOS cover art
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…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1993
Developer: Gremlin Interactive
Publisher: -

Hocus Pocus
Hocus Pocus – MS-DOS cover art
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…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1994
Developer: Moonlite Software
Publisher: 3D Realms

Putty Squad
Putty Squad – MS-DOS cover art
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…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1994
Developer: System 3
Publisher: -

Yo! Joe! Beat the Ghosts
Yo! Joe! Beat the Ghosts – MS-DOS cover art
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…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1993
Developer: Scipio
Publisher: Play Byte

Zorro
Zorro – MS-DOS cover art
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…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1995
Developer: Capstone Software
Publisher: -

The Gold of the Aztecs
The Gold of the Aztecs – MS-DOS cover art
The Gold of the Aztecs is a cinematic action-platform game published by U.S. Gold for MS-DOS in 1990. Players take control of Special Forces veteran Bret Conrad, who ventures deep into an ancient Aztec tomb in search of a legendary treasure. The…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1990
Developer: U.S. Gold
Publisher: -

Batman: The Movie
Batman: The Movie – MS-DOS cover art
Step into the shadows of Gotham City in Batman: The Movie, a 1989 action game developed by Ocean Software for MS-DOS. Inspired by Tim Burton’s blockbuster film, the game puts you behind the mask of the Dark Knight as he battles criminals, navigates…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1989
Developer: Ocean Software
Publisher: -

El Capitán Trueno
El Capitán Trueno – MS-DOS cover art
El Capitán Trueno is an action-adventure game released for MS-DOS by Dinamic Software in 1990. Based on the famous Spanish comic-book hero created by Víctor Mora and Ambrós, the game takes players into a medieval world filled with dangerous enemies,…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1990
Developer: Dinamic Software
Publisher: -

The Adventures of Captain Comic
The Adventures of Captain Comic – MS-DOS cover art
The Adventures of Captain Comic is a colorful side-scrolling platform game released for MS-DOS in 1988 and created by Michael Denio. Players take control of Captain Comic, a brave space explorer who travels to the mysterious planet Tambi in search…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1988
Developer: Color Dreams
Publisher: Michael Denio

RoboCop
RoboCop – MS-DOS cover art
RoboCop is an action-packed MS-DOS game released by Data East in 1988, based on the iconic sci-fi film. Players take control of RoboCop, the heavily armored cybernetic police officer, and fight their way through the crime-ridden streets of Detroit.…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1988
Developer: Data East
Publisher: -

Dangerous Dave
Dangerous Dave – MS-DOS cover art
Dangerous Dave, released in 1988 by Softdisk, is a classic platformer that challenges players to guide the adventurous Dave through a series of perilous levels filled with traps, enemies, and treasures. Created by John Romero, one of the masterminds…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1988
Developer: John Romero
Publisher: Softdisk

Dylan Dog: The Murderers
Dylan Dog: The Murderers – MS-DOS cover art
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…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1992
Developer: Simulmondo
Publisher: -

Rick Dangerous
Rick Dangerous – MS-DOS cover art
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

Manic Miner
Manic Miner – MS-DOS cover art
Manic Miner, released in 1983 by Software Projects, is a pioneering platform game that defined the side-scrolling adventure genre. In Manic Miner, players control Miner Willy, a daring explorer venturing through a series of increasingly dangerous…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1997
Developer: Alchemist Research
Publisher: -

Jazz Jackrabbit
Jazz Jackrabbit – MS-DOS cover art
Jazz Jackrabbit, released in 1994 by Epic MegaGames, is a fast-paced platform shooter that blends action, humor, and vibrant graphics into an unforgettable gaming experience. Players control Jazz, a green, sunglasses-wearing jackrabbit on a mission…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1994
Developer: Epic Games
Publisher: -

Prehistorik 2
Prehistorik 2 – MS-DOS cover art
Prehistorik 2, released in 1993 by Titus France, is a humorous platformer that takes players on a wild journey through prehistoric times. As a club-wielding caveman, players embark on a quest to gather food by bashing their way through a variety of…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1993
Developer: Titus France
Publisher: -

Disney's Aladdin
Disney's Aladdin – MS-DOS cover art
Disney's Aladdin, released in 1993 by Virgin Interactive Entertainment, is a vibrant action-platformer based on the classic Disney animated film. Players step into the shoes of Aladdin, a street-smart hero armed with a scimitar and a bag of tricks,…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1993
Developer: Virgin Interactive
Publisher: Virgin Interactive