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" (alphabetical)

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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

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: -

Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold
Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold – MS-DOS cover art
Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold, released in 1993 by Apogee Software, is a sci-fi first-person shooter set in a futuristic world overrun by hostile alien forces. Players step into the boots of Blake Stone, a secret agent tasked with infiltrating the…
Genre: Shooter
Release: 1993
Developer: JAM Productions
Publisher: 3D Realms

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

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

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: -

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: -

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

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

DOOM
DOOM – MS-DOS cover art
DOOM, released in 1993 by id Software, is a landmark first-person shooter that revolutionized the gaming industry. Set in a futuristic, sci-fi horror environment, players assume the role of a space marine, often referred to as "Doomguy," who must…
Genre: Shooter
Release: 1993
Developer: id Software
Publisher: -

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: -

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: -

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

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

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: -

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: -

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: -

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

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

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

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: -

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: -

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

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