Classic MS-DOS Games from 1991

1991 produced some of the most foundational MS-DOS games ever made. Sid Meier's Civilization at MicroProse created a turn-based empire-building game of such depth and 'one more turn' compulsion that it spawned a genre and a franchise still active today. Commander Keen from id Software and Apogee brought console-quality platforming to the PC and proved the shareware distribution model could work at scale. Duke Nukem made his original side-scrolling debut. The Ultima Underworld prototype established the template for the first-person RPG.

Games from 1991 (by rating)

Related:

All Years 1990 1992 All Games

Gods
Gods – MS-DOS cover art
Gods, released in 1991 by The Bitmap Brothers, is a mythological action-platformer that plunges players into a dangerous world of ancient gods and mythical creatures. Set in a crumbling city overrun by chaos, players assume the role of Hercules,…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1991
Developer: The Bitmap Brothers
Publisher: Renegade Software

Scorched Earth
Scorched Earth – MS-DOS cover art
Scorched Earth, released in 1991 by Wendell Hicken, is a turn-based artillery game that became a staple of early '90s PC gaming. Dubbed “The Mother of All Games,” it pits players against each other in strategic tank battles across destructible, 2D…
Genre: Strategy
Release: 1991
Developer: Wendell Hicken
Publisher: -

Street Rod 2
Street Rod 2 – MS-DOS cover art
Street Rod 2: The Next Generation, released in 1991 by California Dreams, is a classic racing and car customization game set in the nostalgic world of 1960s American muscle cars. Building on the success of its predecessor, the game puts players in…
Genre: Racing
Release: 1991
Developer: Logical Design Works
Publisher: California Dreams

Paperboy 2
Paperboy 2 – MS-DOS cover art
Paperboy 2 is an action-packed arcade game released for MS-DOS in 1991 by Mindscape. As the sequel to the classic Paperboy, the game puts players in the role of a newspaper delivery boy or girl riding a bicycle through chaotic suburban…
Genre: Action
Release: 1991
Developer: Tengen
Publisher: Mindscape

Lost Patrol
Lost Patrol – MS-DOS cover art
Lost Patrol is an atmospheric action-strategy game released for MS-DOS in 1991 by Ocean Software. Set during the Vietnam War, the game follows a small squad of American soldiers stranded deep behind enemy lines after their helicopter crashes. With…
Genre: Action
Release: 1991
Developer: Astros Productions
Publisher: Ocean Software

Street Fighter II
Street Fighter II – MS-DOS cover art
Street Fighter II by Capcom is a legendary fighting game that revolutionized the arcade gaming scene in 1991. The MS-DOS version brought the intense one-on-one battles to home computers, allowing players to choose from iconic fighters such as Ryu,…
Genre: Fighting
Release: 1991
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: -

4D Sports Boxing
4D Sports Boxing – MS-DOS cover art
4D Sports Boxing, released in 1991 by Mindscape, is a pioneering 3D boxing simulation that brought an unprecedented level of realism to the sport on PC. Players create a custom fighter and climb the ranks of a global boxing circuit, facing…
Genre: Sports
Release: 1991
Developer: Distinctive Software
Publisher: Mindscape

The Adventures of Robin Hood
The Adventures of Robin Hood – MS-DOS cover art
The Adventures of Robin Hood, released in 1991 by Millennium Interactive, is an isometric action-adventure game that reimagines the classic English legend. Players take on the role of Robin Hood, recently outlawed after losing his lands to the…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1991
Developer: Millennium Interactive
Publisher: -

Conan the Cimmerian
Conan the Cimmerian – MS-DOS cover art
Conan the Cimmerian, released in 1991 by Synergistic Software, is an action-adventure RPG that brings the brutal world of Robert E. Howard’s legendary barbarian to life. Players take on the role of Conan, rising from a pit-fighting slave to a…
Genre: Action
Release: 1991
Developer: Synergistic Software
Publisher: Virgin Interactive

Elf
Elf – MS-DOS cover art
Elf, released in 1991 by Ocean Software, is a side-scrolling action-platformer that plunges players into a vibrant fantasy world filled with danger, magic, and whimsy. You play as Cornelius, a young elf on a quest to rescue his kidnapped girlfriend…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1991
Developer: Ocean Software
Publisher: -

Metal Mutant
Metal Mutant – MS-DOS cover art
Metal Mutant, released in 1991 by Silmarils, is a unique side-scrolling action-adventure game that puts players in control of a powerful biomechanical warrior on a mission to overthrow an evil robotic empire. What sets Metal Mutant apart is its…
Genre: Action
Release: 1991
Developer: Silmarils
Publisher: -