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 (alphabetical)

Related:

All Years 1990 1992 All Games

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: -

Duke Nukem
Duke Nukem – MS-DOS cover art
Released in 1991 by Apogee Software, Duke Nukem is the game that introduced one of PC gaming's most iconic action heroes. This classic side-scrolling platformer follows Duke as he battles the evil Dr. Proton and his army of Techbots across three…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1991
Developer: 3D Realms
Publisher: -

D/Generation
D/Generation – MS-DOS cover art
D/Generation, released in 1991 by Mindscape, is a sci-fi action-puzzle game that immerses players in a suspenseful and challenging mission. Set in a high-tech skyscraper in near-future Singapore, players take on the role of a courier tasked with…
Genre: Action
Release: 1991
Developer: Robert Cook
Publisher: Mindscape

Crystal Caves
Crystal Caves – MS-DOS cover art
Crystal Caves, released in 1991 by Apogee Software, is a colorful side-scrolling platform game starring the quirky space prospector Mylo Steamwitz. Always on the lookout for a quick profit, Mylo ventures into a series of dangerous caves on distant…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1991
Developer: 3D Realms
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

Commander Keen in Goodbye, Galaxy
Commander Keen in Goodbye, Galaxy – MS-DOS cover art
Commander Keen in Goodbye, Galaxy!, released in 1991 by Apogee Software, is a vibrant and humorous platformer that follows the adventures of Billy Blaze, an eight-year-old genius who dons the persona of Commander Keen to save the galaxy. This…
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1991
Developer: id Software
Publisher: 3D Realms

Civilization
Civilization – MS-DOS cover art
Sid Meier's Civilization, released in 1991 by MicroProse Software, is a groundbreaking strategy game that set the standard for the 4X (explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate) genre. In "Civilization," players take on the role of a leader guiding…
Genre: Strategy
Release: 1991
Developer: MicroProse
Publisher: -

Chuck Yeager's Air Combat
Chuck Yeager's Air Combat – MS-DOS cover art
Chuck Yeager’s Air Combat is a classic combat flight simulator released in 1991 for MS-DOS by Electronic Arts. The game places players in the cockpit of a variety of real-world military aircraft, spanning different eras from the early jet age to…
Genre: Simulation
Release: 1991
Developer: Brent Iverson
Publisher: Electronic Arts

Blockout
Blockout – MS-DOS cover art
Blockout, is a 3D puzzle game developed by California Dreams and released in 1991. The game offers a fresh and challenging twist on the classic Tetris formula by introducing a three-dimensional playing field. Players must rotate and manipulate…
Genre: Puzzle
Release: 1991
Developer: Logical Design Works
Publisher: California Dreams

Battle Isle
Battle Isle – MS-DOS cover art
Battle Isle is a turn-based strategy game developed and published by Blue Byte in 1991. Set on the fictional planet Chromos, the game puts players in command of futuristic military forces fighting across a series of tactical battlefields. With its…
Genre: Strategy
Release: 1991
Developer: Blue Byte
Publisher: Ubisoft

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