Classic MS-DOS Games from 1989

1989 was a landmark year. Jordan Mechner's Prince of Persia revolutionised platforming with rotoscoped animation and physics-based movement — a template that influenced developers for decades. Will Wright's SimCity invited players to build and manage entire cities, launching the city-builder and god-game genre. Bullfrog's Populous defined the deity simulation. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade brought cinematic adventure storytelling to the PC in a way that had rarely been achieved before.

Games from 1989 (by rating)

Related:

All Years 1988 1990 All Games

Budokan: The Martial Spirit
Budokan: The Martial Spirit – MS-DOS cover art
Budokan: The Martial Spirit, is a martial arts simulation game released in 1989 by Electronic Arts. The game immerses players in the world of traditional martial arts, offering a unique and authentic experience that emphasizes discipline, skill, and…
Genre: FIGHTING
Release: 1989
Developer: Electronic Arts
Publisher: -

Face Off!
Face Off! – MS-DOS cover art
Face Off!, released in 1989 by Gamestar, is a classic ice hockey simulation that captures the fast-paced action and strategic depth of the sport. Known for its detailed gameplay and focus on player control, the game offers a highly customizable…
Genre: SPORTS
Release: 1989
Developer: MindSpan
Publisher: Gamestar

F29 Retaliator
F29 Retaliator – MS-DOS cover art
F29 Retaliator, released in 1989 by Ocean Software, is an advanced flight simulator that puts players in the cockpit of cutting-edge fighter jets during a fictional modern conflict. Players take control of the stealthy F-29 and other futuristic…
Genre: SIMULATION
Release: 1989
Developer: Digital Image Design
Publisher: Ocean Software

Hole-In-One Miniature Golf
Hole-In-One Miniature Golf – MS-DOS cover art
Hole-In-One Miniature Golf, released in 1989 by DigiTek Software, is a fun and accessible miniature golf simulation that brings the charm of the mini-golf course to the computer screen. Designed with simple yet engaging gameplay, the game offers…
Genre: SPORTS
Release: 1989
Developer: DigiTek Software
Publisher: -

Operation Wolf
Operation Wolf – MS-DOS cover art
Operation Wolf, released in 1989 by Taito, is a fast-paced, side-scrolling rail shooter that brings the intensity of the arcade original to the home computer. As a lone special forces operative, players are dropped into enemy territory on a one-man…
Genre: SHOOTER
Release: 1989
Developer: Taito
Publisher: -

After Burner II
After Burner II – MS-DOS cover art
After Burner II is a fast-paced combat flight game that brings Sega’s famous arcade action to MS-DOS. Released in 1989, it puts you in the cockpit of a powerful fighter jet and sends you through a series of intense missions filled with enemy…
Genre: SIMULATION
Release: 1989
Developer: Sega
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: -

Arkanoid II: Revenge of Doh
Arkanoid II: Revenge of Doh – MS-DOS cover art
Arkanoid II: Revenge of Doh is a classic brick-breaking arcade game released for MS-DOS in 1989 by Taito. As the sequel to the original Arkanoid, it expands the familiar Breakout-style formula with more elaborate level designs, improved visuals, and…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1989
Developer: Taito
Publisher: -

Fighter Bomber
Fighter Bomber – MS-DOS cover art
Fighter Bomber is a combat flight simulator developed by Vektor Grafix and released for MS-DOS in 1989. Known as Strike Aces in the United States, the game puts you in the cockpit of some of the era’s most recognizable military jets and challenges…
Genre: SIMULATION
Release: 1989
Developer: Vektor Grafix
Publisher: Activision

Rambo III
Rambo III – MS-DOS cover art
Based on the 1988 action movie starring Sylvester Stallone, Rambo III is an action game developed by Ocean Software and released for MS-DOS in 1989. Taking on the role of John Rambo, the player travels to Soviet-occupied Afghanistan to rescue his…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1989
Developer: Taito
Publisher: -

Maniac Mansion
Maniac Mansion – MS-DOS cover art
Maniac Mansion is a groundbreaking point-and-click adventure game that set the standard for the genre. Developed by Lucasfilm Games (later LucasArts), it follows a group of teenagers who must infiltrate the eerie Edison mansion to rescue their…
Genre: ADVENTURE
Release: 1989
Developer: LucasArts
Publisher: -

Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders
Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders – MS-DOS cover art
Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders, released in 1989 by Lucasfilm Games, is a comedic point-and-click adventure that follows tabloid reporter Zak McKracken on a bizarre quest to save humanity. The plot begins with Zak stumbling upon an alien…
Genre: ADVENTURE
Release: 1989
Developer: LucasArts
Publisher: -

SimCity
SimCity – MS-DOS cover art
SimCity, released in 1989 by Maxis, is a groundbreaking city-building simulation game that pioneered the genre and became an instant classic. In "SimCity," players take on the role of a city planner and mayor, tasked with designing, building, and…
Genre: STRATEGY
Release: 1989
Developer: Maxis
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

Millennium: Return to Earth
Millennium: Return to Earth – MS-DOS cover art
Millennium: Return to Earth is a 1989 MS-DOS strategy and resource management game developed by Software Studios and published by Electric Dreams Software. Set in a distant, post-apocalyptic future, it places the player in command of humanity’s last…
Genre: STRATEGY
Release: 1989
Developer: Ian Bird
Publisher: Electric Dreams

Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade
Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade – MS-DOS cover art
Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure, released in 1989 by Lucasfilm Games, is an adventure game based on the iconic Indiana Jones film of the same name. In this point-and-click adventure, players take on the role of the…
Genre: ADVENTURE
Release: 1989
Developer: LucasArts
Publisher: -

Golden Axe
Golden Axe – MS-DOS cover art
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, a valkyrie, and a dwarf—each seeking vengeance against the evil Death Adder, who…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1989
Developer: Sega
Publisher: -

The Colonel's Bequest
The Colonel's Bequest – MS-DOS cover art
The Colonel's Bequest, released in 1989 by Sierra On-Line, is a mystery-adventure game that plunges players into a thrilling whodunit set in the 1920s. As Laura Bow, an inquisitive young journalist, players are invited to a secluded Louisiana…
Genre: ADVENTURE
Release: 1989
Developer: Sierra On-Line
Publisher: -

Populous
Populous – MS-DOS cover art
Populous, released in 1989 by Bullfrog Productions, is a groundbreaking real-time strategy game that pioneered the “god game” genre. As a deity, players wield divine powers to guide and protect their followers while shaping the landscape and waging…
Genre: STRATEGY
Release: 1989
Developer: Bullfrog Productions
Publisher: Electronic Arts

Future Wars
Future Wars – MS-DOS cover art
Future Wars, released in 1989 by Delphine Software, is a cinematic point-and-click adventure that blends science fiction with time travel. Players assume the role of a humble janitor who unexpectedly stumbles upon an alien conspiracy threatening…
Genre: ADVENTURE
Release: 1989
Developer: Delphine Software
Publisher: -

MechWarrior
MechWarrior – MS-DOS cover art
MechWarrior, released in 1989 by Dynamix, is a first-person mech combat simulator set in the BattleTech universe. Players assume the role of a mercenary commander whose family has been betrayed and destroyed by a rival noble house. To uncover the…
Genre: SIMULATION
Release: 1989
Developer: Dynamix
Publisher: Activision

Xenon 2: Megablast
Xenon 2: Megablast – MS-DOS cover art
Xenon 2: Megablast, released in 1989 by The Bitmap Brothers, is a vertically scrolling shoot ’em up that combines fast-paced arcade action with striking audiovisual style. Players pilot a heavily armed spacecraft through a series of alien-infested…
Genre: SHOOTER
Release: 1989
Developer: The Bitmap Brothers
Publisher: Image Works

Gauntlet II
Gauntlet II – MS-DOS cover art
Gauntlet II is a classic arcade-style dungeon crawler developed by Atari Games and released for MS-DOS in 1989. As a sequel to the original hit, it expands on the fast-paced, top-down action that made its predecessor so popular. Players choose from…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1989
Developer: Atari Games
Publisher: -