Shareware MS-DOS Games

Shareware put the first episode of a game on a disk anyone was free to copy, and sold the rest by mail order. Apogee built a business on the idea with Commander Keen in 1990, and id Software's Doom spread the same way three years later. For many players the shareware episode was the whole game — and it is still the part that can be shared freely today.

Games tagged "Shareware" (by rating)

Related:

All Tags All Games

Duke Nukem 3D
Duke Nukem 3D – MS-DOS cover art
Duke Nukem 3D, released in 1996 by 3D Realms, is a fast-paced first-person shooter that became an instant classic thanks to its over-the-top action, destructible environments, and unforgettable one-liners. Players take on the role of Duke Nukem, a…
Genre: Shooter
Release: 1996
Developer: 3D Realms
Publisher: -

One Must Fall: 2097
One Must Fall: 2097 – MS-DOS cover art
One Must Fall: 2097, released in 1994 by Epic MegaGames, is a groundbreaking fighting game that combines intense robot combat with a futuristic storyline and deep customization options. Set in a dystopian future, the game pits giant humanoid robots,…
Genre: Fighting
Release: 1994
Developer: Diversions Entertainment
Publisher: Epic Games

Commander Keen in Goodbye, Galaxy
Commander Keen in Goodbye, Galaxy – MS-DOS cover art
Commander Keen in Goodbye, Galaxy!, released in 1991 by Apogee Software, is a vibrant and humorous platformer that follows the adventures of Billy Blaze, an eight-year-old genius who dons the persona of Commander Keen to save the galaxy. This…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1991
Developer: id Software
Publisher: 3D Realms

Descent
Descent – MS-DOS cover art
Descent, released in 1995 by Interplay Productions, is a groundbreaking first-person shooter that introduced players to full 360-degree movement in a fully 3D environment. Developed by Parallax Software, the game takes place in a series of…
Genre: Shooter
Release: 1995
Developer: Parallax Software
Publisher: Interplay Productions

Blood
Blood – MS-DOS cover art
Blood is a fast-paced first-person shooter released for MS-DOS in 1997 by Monolith Productions. Built on the enhanced Build engine, the game stands out for its fluid movement, interactive environments, and atmospheric level design. Players step into…
Genre: Shooter
Release: 1997
Developer: Monolith Productions
Publisher: GT Interactive

Terminal Velocity
Terminal Velocity – MS-DOS cover art
Terminal Velocity, released in 1995 by 3D Realms, is a futuristic combat flight simulator that blends high-speed action with arcade-style shooting. Set in a distant future where Earth faces hostile alien forces, players take control of an advanced…
Genre: Shooter
Release: 1995
Developer: Terminal Reality
Publisher: 3D Realms

Abuse
Abuse – MS-DOS cover art
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…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1996
Developer: Crack dot Com
Publisher: Electronic Arts

Shadow Warrior
Shadow Warrior – MS-DOS cover art
Shadow Warrior, released in 1997 by 3D Realms, is a fast-paced first-person shooter built on the Build engine, the same technology behind Duke Nukem 3D. Players take on the role of Lo Wang, a skilled modern ninja working for the corrupt Zilla…
Genre: Shooter
Release: 1997
Developer: 3D Realms
Publisher: GT Interactive

Heretic
Heretic – MS-DOS cover art
Heretic is a dark fantasy first-person shooter developed by Raven Software and published by id Software for MS-DOS in 1994. Powered by a modified Doom engine, the game casts players as a lone elven hero battling through corrupted cities, catacombs,…
Genre: Shooter
Release: 1994
Developer: Raven Software
Publisher: id Software

Quake
Quake – MS-DOS cover art
Quake, developed by id Software and released in 1996, marked a revolutionary step in first-person shooters. Running on a fully 3D engine, it immersed players in dark, gothic environments filled with twisted architecture, eerie lighting, and…
Genre: Shooter
Release: 1996
Developer: id Software
Publisher: GT Interactive

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

Scorched Earth
Scorched Earth – MS-DOS cover art
Scorched Earth, released in 1991 by Wendell Hicken, is a turn-based artillery game that became a staple of early '90s PC gaming. Dubbed “The Mother of All Games,” it pits players against each other in strategic tank battles across destructible, 2D…
Genre: Strategy
Release: 1991
Developer: Wendell Hicken
Publisher: -

Wolfenstein 3D
Wolfenstein 3D – MS-DOS cover art
Wolfenstein 3D, released in 1992 by id Software, is a revolutionary first-person shooter that laid the foundation for the genre as we know it today. In the game, players take on the role of B.J. Blazkowicz, an American spy who must escape from the…
Genre: Shooter
Release: 1992
Developer: id Software
Publisher: 3D Realms

Duke Nukem
Duke Nukem – MS-DOS cover art
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…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1991
Developer: 3D Realms
Publisher: -

Wacky Wheels
Wacky Wheels – MS-DOS cover art
Wacky Wheels is a colorful and fast-paced kart racing game released in 1994 for MS-DOS by Apogee Software. Set in a whimsical world populated by cartoon animals, the game puts players behind the wheel of quirky characters racing across imaginative…
Genre: Racing
Release: 1994
Developer: Beavis Soft
Publisher: 3D Realms

Death Rally
Death Rally – MS-DOS cover art
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…
Genre: Racing
Release: 1996
Developer: Remedy Entertainment
Publisher: 3D Realms

Tyrian
Tyrian – MS-DOS cover art
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…
Genre: Shooter
Release: 1995
Developer: Eclipse Software
Publisher: Epic Games

Crystal Caves
Crystal Caves – MS-DOS cover art
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…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1991
Developer: 3D Realms
Publisher: -

Monster Bash
Monster Bash – MS-DOS cover art
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,…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1993
Developer: 3D Realms
Publisher: -

Raptor: Call of the Shadows
Raptor: Call of the Shadows – MS-DOS cover art
Raptor: Call of the Shadows is a top-down vertical-scrolling shoot-'em-up developed by Cygnus Studios and published by Apogee Software for MS-DOS in 1994. Set in a near-future world of mercenaries and high-tech warfare, players pilot the powerful…
Genre: Shooter
Release: 1994
Developer: Cygnus Studios
Publisher: 3D Realms

Bio Menace
Bio Menace – MS-DOS cover art
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…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1993
Developer: 3D Realms
Publisher: -

Rise of the Triad
Rise of the Triad – MS-DOS cover art
Rise of the Triad, released in 1995 by Apogee Software, is a fast-paced, over-the-top first-person shooter that builds on the legacy of Wolfenstein 3D with more weapons, mayhem, and mid-'90s attitude. Players take on the role of a member of the HUNT…
Genre: Shooter
Release: 1995
Developer: 3D Realms
Publisher: -

Jill of the Jungle
Jill of the Jungle – MS-DOS cover art
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…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1992
Developer: Epic Games
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: -