Classic MS-DOS Games from 1990

1990 was the year VGA became the new standard, and MS-DOS games grew dramatically more colourful and detailed overnight. Wing Commander from Origin Systems delivered cinematic space combat that felt like playing a science-fiction film. The Secret of Monkey Island — LucasArts' debut SCUMM masterpiece — reinvented the adventure game with perfect comic writing and clever puzzles. King's Quest V transitioned Sierra's flagship series to a fully point-and-click interface. The golden age of DOS gaming had definitively arrived.

Games from 1990 (by rating)

Related:

All Years 1989 1991 All Games

Loom
Loom – MS-DOS cover art
Loom, released in 1990 by Lucasfilm Games, is a unique and atmospheric point-and-click adventure game set in a mystical, fantasy world. The game tells the story of Bobbin Threadbare, a young Weaver who discovers that his guild's elders have been…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1990
Developer: LucasArts
Publisher: -

Stunts
Stunts – MS-DOS cover art
Stunts, released in 1990 by Broderbund, is a groundbreaking racing game that lets players experience high-speed thrills on insane stunt tracks. Known for its innovative gameplay and freedom of creativity, Stunts allows players to race against the…
Genre: Racing
Release: 1990
Developer: Distinctive Software
Publisher: Broderbund

Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe
Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe – MS-DOS cover art
Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe is a fast-paced, futuristic sports game that blends elements of handball, hockey, and pinball into a uniquely aggressive competition. Developed by The Bitmap Brothers and released in 1990, it places players in a brutal…
Genre: Sports
Release: 1990
Developer: The Bitmap Brothers
Publisher: Image Works

Red Baron
Red Baron – MS-DOS cover art
Red Baron, released in 1990 by Dynamix and published by Sierra On-Line, is a legendary World War I flight simulator that lets players relive the dawn of aerial combat. Taking to the skies in fragile biplanes and triplanes, pilots engage in dogfights…
Genre: Simulation
Release: 1990
Developer: Dynamix
Publisher: Sierra On-Line

The Secret of Monkey Island
The Secret of Monkey Island – MS-DOS cover art
The Secret of Monkey Island, released in 1990 by Lucasfilm Games, is a seminal point-and-click adventure game that has become one of the most beloved titles in gaming history. Set in a whimsical and humorous pirate-themed world, the game follows the…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1990
Developer: LucasArts
Publisher: -

Prince of Persia
Prince of Persia – MS-DOS cover art
Prince of Persia, released in 1990 by Broderbund, is a groundbreaking action-platformer that set new standards for fluid animation and cinematic gameplay. Set in an exotic, ancient Persian setting, the game follows the story of an unnamed prince who…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1990
Developer: Broderbund
Publisher: -

The Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail – MS-DOS cover art
The Oregon Trail (1990), developed by MECC for MS-DOS, is a landmark educational simulation that blends historical learning with strategic resource management. Set during the 19th-century westward expansion of the United States, the game places…
Genre: Simulation
Release: 1990
Developer: MECC
Publisher: -

Silent Service II
Silent Service II – MS-DOS cover art
Silent Service II, released in 1990 by MicroProse for MS-DOS, is a realistic submarine warfare simulator set in the Pacific Ocean during World War II. As the sequel to the acclaimed Silent Service, the game puts players in command of an American…
Genre: Simulation
Release: 1990
Developer: MPS Labs
Publisher: MicroProse

Sharkey's 3D Pool
Sharkey's 3D Pool – MS-DOS cover art
Sharkey's 3D Pool is a classic billiards simulation released for MS-DOS in 1990 by MicroProse. The game aimed to deliver one of the most realistic pool experiences available on home computers at the time, combining detailed 3D table rendering with…
Genre: Simulation
Release: 1990
Developer: Aardvark Software
Publisher: MicroProse

LHX Attack Chopper
LHX Attack Chopper – MS-DOS cover art
LHX Attack Chopper, developed and published by Electronic Arts in 1990, is a classic combat flight simulator that puts players in the cockpit of advanced military helicopters. Designed for MS-DOS systems, the game blends arcade-style accessibility…
Genre: Simulation
Release: 1990
Developer: Electronic Arts
Publisher: -

Powermonger
Powermonger – MS-DOS cover art
Powermonger, released in 1990 by Bullfrog Productions, is a real-time strategy game that challenges players to conquer a living, breathing world through cunning, diplomacy, and military might. Set in a medieval-style landscape of towns, villages,…
Genre: Strategy
Release: 1990
Developer: Bullfrog Productions
Publisher: Electronic Arts

B.A.T.
B.A.T. – MS-DOS cover art
B.A.T. is a futuristic cyberpunk role-playing adventure game developed by Computer’s Dream and published by Ubi Soft in 1990 for MS-DOS and other platforms. Set in a gritty sci-fi metropolis, it blends traditional RPG elements with a strong emphasis…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1990
Developer: Computer's Dream
Publisher: Ubisoft

Operation Stealth
Operation Stealth – MS-DOS cover art
Operation Stealth, known as James Bond: The Stealth Affair in North America, is a spy-themed point-and-click adventure developed by Delphine Software and released for MS-DOS in 1990. The game follows CIA agent John Glames as he is assigned to…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1990
Developer: Delphine Software
Publisher: U.S. Gold

Rise of the Dragon
Rise of the Dragon – MS-DOS cover art
Rise of the Dragon, released in 1990 by Dynamix, is a cyberpunk adventure game that blends noir storytelling with point-and-click gameplay in a gritty, dystopian future. Set in a crime-ridden Los Angeles in the year 2053, players assume the role of…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1990
Developer: Dynamix
Publisher: Sierra On-Line

Elvira: Mistress of the Dark
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark – MS-DOS cover art
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark, released in 1990 by Horror Soft, is a horror-themed adventure RPG that blends dungeon-crawling mechanics with point-and-click gameplay. Based on the iconic horror hostess Elvira, the game follows the player, a hero…
Genre: Horror
Release: 1990
Developer: Horror Soft
Publisher: Accolade

Atomix
Atomix – MS-DOS cover art
Atomix, released in 1990 by Thalion Software, is a challenging and addictive puzzle game that tasks players with assembling molecules from individual atoms. Set on a grid-based playing field, players must slide atoms into position to recreate the…
Genre: Puzzle
Release: 1990
Developer: Günter Krämer
Publisher: Thalion Software

Centurion: Defender of Rome
Centurion: Defender of Rome – MS-DOS cover art
Centurion: Defender of Rome, released in 1990 by Electronic Arts, is a strategy game that places players in the role of a Roman centurion tasked with building and leading the Roman Empire to glory. Combining elements of turn-based strategy,…
Genre: Strategy
Release: 1990
Developer: Bits of Magic
Publisher: Electronic Arts

Ski or Die
Ski or Die – MS-DOS cover art
Ski or Die, released in 1990 by Electronic Arts, is a high-energy sports game that brings the thrill of extreme winter sports to life. Packed with humor and adrenaline-pumping action, the game offers players a variety of quirky and challenging…
Genre: Sports
Release: 1990
Developer: Electronic Arts
Publisher: -

North & South
North & South – MS-DOS cover art
North & South, released in 1989 by Infogrames, is a unique blend of strategy and action that brings the American Civil War to life with a mix of humor and historical themes. Based on the popular French-Belgian comic series Les Tuniques Bleues, the…
Genre: Strategy
Release: 1990
Developer: Infogrames
Publisher: -

Cadaver
Cadaver – MS-DOS cover art
Cadaver, released in 1990 by The Bitmap Brothers, is an isometric action-adventure game that combines puzzle solving, exploration, and combat. Players step into the role of Karadoc, a lone dwarf adventurer who dares to enter the sprawling fortress…
Genre: Action
Release: 1990
Developer: The Bitmap Brothers
Publisher: Image Works

Knights of the Sky
Knights of the Sky – MS-DOS cover art
Knights of the Sky is a classic World War I flight simulation developed and published by MicroProse in 1990 for MS-DOS. Set during the early days of aerial combat, the game places players in the cockpit of fragile biplanes, where skill, timing, and…
Genre: Simulation
Release: 1990
Developer: MicroProse
Publisher: -

Turn It
Turn It – MS-DOS cover art
Turn It is a puzzle game developed by Tale Software and published by Kingsoft in 1990 for MS-DOS. Inspired by traditional Mahjong solitaire, the game introduces a distinctive twist on the classic tile-matching formula. Instead of stacked tiles,…
Genre: Puzzle
Release: 1990
Developer: Tale Software
Publisher: Kingsoft GmbH