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

Related:

All Years 1989 1991 All Games

E-Motion
E-Motion – MS-DOS cover art
E-Motion is an inventive action-puzzle game developed by The Assembly Line and published by U.S. Gold for MS-DOS in 1990. Set in a series of minimalist, abstract arenas, the game places you in control of a small spherical spacecraft surrounded by…
Genre: Puzzle
Release: 1990
Developer: The Assembly Line
Publisher: U.S. Gold

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

El Capitán Trueno
El Capitán Trueno – MS-DOS cover art
El Capitán Trueno is an action-adventure game released for MS-DOS by Dinamic Software in 1990. Based on the famous Spanish comic-book hero created by Víctor Mora and Ambrós, the game takes players into a medieval world filled with dangerous enemies,…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1990
Developer: Dinamic Software
Publisher: -

Dyna Blaster
Dyna Blaster – MS-DOS cover art
Dyna Blaster, released in 1990 by Hudson Soft, is a fast-paced action-puzzle game better known as Bomberman in other regions. This classic arcade-style game challenges players to strategically place bombs, destroy obstacles, and defeat enemies while…
Genre: Action
Release: 1990
Developer: Hudson Soft
Publisher: -

DragonStrike
DragonStrike – MS-DOS cover art
DragonStrike is a fantasy flight-combat simulator that puts players in the saddle of a mighty dragon, soaring across the war-torn skies of Krynn. Developed by Westwood Associates and published by Strategic Simulations, Inc., the game blends…
Genre: Action
Release: 1990
Developer: Westwood Studios
Publisher: Strategic Simulations

Countdown
Countdown – MS-DOS cover art
Countdown is a gripping point-and-click adventure thriller that plunges players into a world of espionage, conspiracy, and psychological intrigue. You awaken in a Turkish asylum with no memory of who you are, accused of a murder you don’t remember…
Genre: Adventure
Release: 1990
Developer: Access Software
Publisher: -

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

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

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

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