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 (alphabetical)

Related:

All Years 1988 1990 All Games

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: -

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

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: -

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

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: -

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

Pipe Mania
Pipe Mania – MS-DOS cover art
Pipe Mania is a classic puzzle game developed by The Assembly Line and released for MS-DOS in 1989. The game challenges players to construct a network of pipes before a mysterious green liquid, known as Flooz, begins flowing through them. With its…
Genre: Puzzle
Release: 1989
Developer: The Assembly Line
Publisher: Empire Interactive

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: -

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

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

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: -

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: -

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: -

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: -

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: -

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: -

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

Fantasy World Dizzy
Fantasy World Dizzy – MS-DOS cover art
Fantasy World Dizzy is a charming platform adventure game developed by the Oliver Twins and published by Codemasters in 1989. As the third main installment in the popular Dizzy series, the game follows the adventures of a lovable, egg-shaped hero…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1989
Developer: Codemasters
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

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: -