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 (alphabetical)

Related:

All Years 1989 1991 All Games

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: -

Space Crusade
Space Crusade – MS-DOS cover art
Space Crusade is a tactical sci-fi strategy game released in 1990 for MS-DOS, developed under the banner of Milton Bradley. Blending elements of board gaming with early computer-based strategy, the game places players in control of elite space…
Genre: STRATEGY
Release: 1990
Developer: Milton Bradley
Publisher: -

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

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

Test Drive III: The Passion
Test Drive III: The Passion – MS-DOS cover art
Test Drive III: The Passion, released in 1990 by Accolade, is a revolutionary entry in the Test Drive series that brought open-world exploration and advanced 3D graphics to the racing genre. Departing from the linear courses of its predecessors, the…
Genre: RACING
Release: 1990
Developer: Accolade
Publisher: -

The Gold of the Aztecs
The Gold of the Aztecs – MS-DOS cover art
The Gold of the Aztecs is a cinematic action-platform game published by U.S. Gold for MS-DOS in 1990. Players take control of Special Forces veteran Bret Conrad, who ventures deep into an ancient Aztec tomb in search of a legendary treasure. The…
Genre: PLATFORMER
Release: 1990
Developer: U.S. Gold
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: -

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: -

Tom & Jerry: Yankee Doodle's CAT-astrophe
Tom & Jerry: Yankee Doodle's CAT-astrophe – MS-DOS cover art
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 during the American Revolutionary War, the game follows Jerry the mouse as he tries to outsmart…
Genre: ACTION
Release: 1990
Developer: Hi-Tech Expressions
Publisher: -