Side-scrolling MS-DOS Games

Dylan Dog: The Murderers, released in 1992 by Italian developer Simulmondo, is an action-adventure game based on the popular comic book series featuring the “nightmare investigator” Dylan Dog. Set in a dark and mysterious mansion, the story plunges…

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,…

Yo! Joe! Beat the Ghosts, developed by Scipio 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 themselves…

Putty Squad is a quirky and colorful platformer developed by System 3 and first released for the Super Nintendo in 1994, with an MS-DOS version that was sent to magazines as a demo but never officially released. Players control Putty, a…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Tom & Jerry: Yankee Doodle's CAT-astrophe, released in 1990 by Hi-Tech Expressions, is a lighthearted action game based on the classic animated duo. Set in a basement, the game follows Jerry the mouse as he tries to outsmart Tom the cat across a…

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…

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…

Tubular Worlds, released in 1994 by Creative Game Design, is a vibrant side-scrolling shoot-’em-up that plunges players into a surreal sci-fi universe teeming with alien threats. As the pilot of an advanced starfighter, your mission is to traverse…

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,…

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…

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…

The Simpsons, released in 1991 by Novotrade, is a side-scrolling action game based on the hit animated TV series. Originally an arcade game developed by Konami, this MS-DOS adaptation lets players take on the roles of Homer, Marge, Bart, and Lisa…

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…

Metal Mutant, released in 1991 by Silmarils, is a unique side-scrolling action-adventure game that puts players in control of a powerful biomechanical warrior on a mission to overthrow an evil robotic empire. What sets Metal Mutant apart is its…

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…

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…

Prince of Persia 2: The Shadow and the Flame, released in 1993 by Brøderbund, is a cinematic action-platformer that continues the legendary saga of the nameless prince. Picking up where the original Prince of Persia left off, the game follows the…

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…

Fantastic Dizzy, released in 1991 by Codemasters, is a charming puzzle-platformer that follows the adventures of Dizzy, a brave egg-shaped hero, on a quest to rescue his girlfriend Daisy and defeat the evil wizard Zaks. Set in the whimsical land of…

Gods, released in 1991 by The Bitmap Brothers, is a mythological action-platformer that plunges players into a dangerous world of ancient gods and mythical creatures. Set in a crumbling city overrun by chaos, players assume the role of Hercules,…

Golden Axe, released in 1989 by Sega, is a classic side-scrolling beat-’em-up set in a mythical fantasy world. Players choose from three distinct heroes—a barbarian, an amazon, and a dwarf—each seeking vengeance against the evil Death Adder, who has…