Turn-based MS-DOS Games

Games that wait for you. Nothing moves until you have made your decision, which is why turn-based strategy and role-playing games reward planning over reflexes — and why they are as comfortable to play today, at any speed, as they were on a 386.

Games tagged "Turn-based" (alphabetical)

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Albion
Albion – MS-DOS cover art
Albion (1996) is a narrative-focused role-playing game for MS-DOS developed by Blue Byte, combining several classic RPG design approaches. Exploration is presented in a mix of a top-down 2D view and, in dungeons and caves, a first-person perspective…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1996
Developer: Blue Byte
Publisher: -

Battle Chess
Battle Chess – MS-DOS cover art
Battle Chess, released for MS-DOS in 1988 by Interplay Productions, brought the classic game of chess to life with a unique and entertaining twist. Instead of simple moves on a static board, each piece was represented by a fully animated character,…
Genre: Strategy
Release: 1988
Developer: Interplay Productions
Publisher: -

Battle Isle
Battle Isle – MS-DOS cover art
Battle Isle is a turn-based strategy game developed and published by Blue Byte in 1991. Set on the fictional planet Chromos, the game puts players in command of futuristic military forces fighting across a series of tactical battlefields. With its…
Genre: Strategy
Release: 1991
Developer: Blue Byte
Publisher: Ubisoft

Battle Isle 2
Battle Isle 2 – MS-DOS cover art
Battle Isle 2, released in 1994 by Blue Byte, is a turn-based strategy game that continues the sci-fi conflict on the planet Chromos. As the commander of the Drullian forces, players are tasked with repelling the invading Titan-Net army across a…
Genre: Strategy
Release: 1994
Developer: Blue Byte
Publisher: -

Betrayal at Krondor
Betrayal at Krondor – MS-DOS cover art
Betrayal at Krondor is a story-driven role-playing game developed by Dynamix and released for MS-DOS in 1993 under the Sierra label. Set in Raymond E. Feist’s richly imagined world of Midkemia, the game unfolds like a playable novel, following a…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1993
Developer: Dynamix
Publisher: Sierra On-Line

Civilization
Civilization – MS-DOS cover art
Sid Meier's Civilization, released in 1991 by MicroProse Software, is a groundbreaking strategy game that set the standard for the 4X (explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate) genre. In "Civilization," players take on the role of a leader guiding…
Genre: Strategy
Release: 1991
Developer: MicroProse
Publisher: -

Dark Sun: Shattered Lands
Dark Sun: Shattered Lands – MS-DOS cover art
Dark Sun: Shattered Lands is a classic role-playing game released in 1993 for MS-DOS by Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI). Set in the harsh and unforgiving world of Athas from the Dark Sun campaign setting of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, the game…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1993
Developer: Strategic Simulations
Publisher: -

Fantasy Empires
Fantasy Empires – MS-DOS cover art
Fantasy Empires is a grand strategy game released in 1993 for MS-DOS by Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI), set in the rich and expansive world of Mystara. Combining empire management with role-playing elements, the game allows players to step into…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1993
Developer: Silicon Knights
Publisher: Strategic Simulations

Heroes of Might and Magic
Heroes of Might and Magic – MS-DOS cover art
Heroes of Might and Magic (1995) is a classic turn-based strategy game developed by New World Computing for MS-DOS. It combines exploration, resource management, and tactical combat in a richly illustrated fantasy world. Players command one of…
Genre: Strategy
Release: 1995
Developer: New World Computing
Publisher: -

HeroQuest
HeroQuest – MS-DOS cover art
HeroQuest (MS-DOS, 1991) is a classic fantasy role-playing game developed by Gremlin Interactive, inspired by the popular board game of the same name. It brings the tabletop dungeon-crawling experience to computers, allowing players to step into the…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1991
Developer: Gremlin Interactive
Publisher: -

Jagged Alliance
Jagged Alliance – MS-DOS cover art
Jagged Alliance, released in 1995 by Sir-Tech for MS-DOS, is a tactical turn-based strategy game that combines deep gameplay mechanics with a gripping narrative. Set on the tropical island of Metavira, players take on the role of a commander tasked…
Genre: Strategy
Release: 1995
Developer: Madlab Software
Publisher: Sir-Tech

Master of Magic
Master of Magic – MS-DOS cover art
Master of Magic (1994) by MicroProse is a classic MS-DOS strategy game that blends 4X empire-building with deep fantasy role-playing elements. As a powerful wizard, the player commands armies, researches spells, and competes with rival sorcerers…
Genre: Strategy
Release: 1994
Developer: Simtex
Publisher: MicroProse

Master of Orion
Master of Orion – MS-DOS cover art
Master of Orion, released in 1993 by MicroProse, is a genre-defining 4X strategy game that invites players to explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate their way to galactic dominance. Set in a vast and procedurally generated universe, the game puts…
Genre: Strategy
Release: 1993
Developer: Simtex
Publisher: MicroProse

Might and Magic IV: Clouds of Xeen
Might and Magic IV: Clouds of Xeen – MS-DOS cover art
Might and Magic IV: Clouds of Xeen is a classic first-person role-playing game developed and published by New World Computing in 1992 for MS-DOS. Set in the high-fantasy world of Xeen, the game invites players to lead a party of adventurers across…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1992
Developer: New World Computing
Publisher: -

Panzer General
Panzer General – MS-DOS cover art
Panzer General is a 1994 turn-based strategy game for MS-DOS, developed and published by Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI). The game places players in command of German forces during World War II, offering a mix of historical accuracy and accessible…
Genre: Simulation
Release: 1994
Developer: Strategic Simulations
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: -

Sid Meier's Colonization
Sid Meier's Colonization – MS-DOS cover art
Sid Meier’s Colonization is a classic turn-based strategy game that challenges players to lead a European power to dominance in the New World. Originally released for MS-DOS in 1994 by MicroProse, the game builds upon the core mechanics of…
Genre: Strategy
Release: 1994
Developer: MicroProse
Publisher: -

Space Crusade
Space Crusade – MS-DOS cover art
Space Crusade is a tactical sci-fi strategy game released in 1992 for MS-DOS by Gremlin Graphics, based on the Milton Bradley board game. Blending elements of board gaming with early computer-based strategy, the game places players in control of…
Genre: Strategy
Release: 1992
Developer: Gremlin Interactive
Publisher: -

The Bard's Tale
The Bard's Tale – MS-DOS cover art
The Bard’s Tale (1985, released for MS-DOS in 1987), developed by Interplay Productions and published by Electronic Arts, is a landmark fantasy role-playing game that helped define the golden age of computer RPGs. Set in the icy city of Skara Brae,…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1985
Developer: Interplay Productions
Publisher: Electronic Arts

Warlords II Deluxe
Warlords II Deluxe – MS-DOS cover art
Warlords II Deluxe, released in 1995 by Strategic Studies Group, is an enhanced version of the classic turn-based strategy game that immerses players in epic fantasy warfare. Set in a richly detailed world of swords, sorcery, and conquest, players…
Genre: Strategy
Release: 1995
Developer: Strategic Studies Group
Publisher: -

Wizardry VII: Crusaders of the Dark Savant
Wizardry VII: Crusaders of the Dark Savant – MS-DOS cover art
Wizardry VII: Crusaders of the Dark Savant is a 1992 MS-DOS role-playing game developed by Sir-Tech and widely regarded as one of the most ambitious entries in the classic Wizardry series. It continues the tradition of first-person, party-based…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1992
Developer: Sir-Tech
Publisher: -

X-COM: UFO Defense
X-COM: UFO Defense – MS-DOS cover art
X-COM: UFO Defense, released in 1994 by MicroProse, is a groundbreaking strategy game that blends tactical combat with deep resource management. Known as UFO: Enemy Unknown in Europe, the game tasks players with leading X-COM, an elite international…
Genre: Strategy
Release: 1994
Developer: MicroProse
Publisher: -