MS-DOS was the primary platform for PC games before Microsoft launched Windows 95. Thus, there was a golden age of DOS games in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It was during that time that developers attempted to squeeze everything from limited DOS PCs. Although Windows 95 sparked the PC gaming explosion, developers released numerous classic games for the DOS platform before it. These were seven of the best DOS games from that era.
Doom
Doom was originally a DOS game that Microsoft later ported to the Windows platform. Although Doom was the very first first-person shooter, this was the game that perfected the FPS genre. Doom was one of the best DOS games in history, a technical marvel for its time with intense combat action against demonic hordes and a memorable heavy metal soundtrack. Furthermore, Doom pioneered multiplayer gaming that popularized the deathmatch game mode.
ID Software released a Doom + Doom II remastered package. That package includes graphically enhanced versions of the first two Doom games, which also support cross-player multiplayer. You can download Doom + Doom II for Windows 10 from this Steam page.
Sid Meier’s Civilization
The original Civilization was the game that defined the turn-based 4X genre during the MS-DOS era. This was a game based on the premise of empire-building throughout history. It was a revolutionary game for its time because of the tech tree it introduced, which enabled players to research technologies throughout the ages. Players loved the deep strategic layers, open-ended gameplay, and replayability value of Civilization.
The Secret of Monkey Island
The point-and-click adventure genre was somewhat bigger during the MS-DOS era. Monkey Island was one of the best adventure games in history due to its humorous storytelling and script, beautiful VGA graphics (for its time), and atmospheric soundtrack. Unlike other adventure games, LucasArts also designed Monkey Island in such a way to ensure that players couldn’t get permanently stuck because of missed items.
Players can play a Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition remake of the swashbuckling pirate adventure for the Windows platform. Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition is a remake with a reimagined contemporary art style and remastered musical score. It also incorporates a revamped game interface and controls.
Wolfenstein 3D
Wolfenstein 3D was a groundbreaking FPS game for the DOS platform with enthralling Nazi-busting action. This was among the best DOS games in history because it pioneered the 2.5D engine for first-person shooters at a time when PC’s lacked more genuine 3D acceleration. Wolfenstein 3D’s fast-paced action and more impactful audio-visual quality were also quite revolutionary for its era. Thus, this was the true grandfather of first-person shooters before Doom.
X-COM: UFO Defence
X-COM: UFO Defense (also known as Enemy Unknown) was the first game of the X-COM series that continues today. It was a turn-based strategy in which players battled against aliens with X-COM ground forces. This game had rave reviews because of how it combined tactical turn-based combat with base management simulation. It was a game with a truly intense atmosphere, emergent gameplay, high replay value, and deep research strategy.
Firaxis Games released an X-COM: Enemy Unknown remake for Windows platforms, which is a reimaging of the original game. That remake has remastered 3D graphics and a new alien invasion story. With a Metacritic score of 89, the remastered version is also highly rated.
SimCity 2000
SimCity 2000 was a landmark simulation game that enabled players to build the cities of their dreams. Players loved the SimCity 2000 game because of its unique 2.5D perspective that provided a sense of scale and detail that few other, if any, alternative simulation games from its era could match. It was a game that offered an altogether deeper city-building simulation with diverse infrastructure. The enduring creativity of building highly customizable cities in SimCity 2000 established a simulator benchmark.
Elite
Elite was among the very first 3D games for home computers when it was released during the 1980s. This milestone in PC gaming had a revolutionary 3D procedural universe for players to explore with customized spaceships. It was a pioneering open-world space trading game in which players could explore galaxies as pirates, traders, bounty hunters, or miners. The unprecedented gameplay freedom and revolutionary 3D graphics in Elite made it a truly special game for its time.
How to Play the Best DOS Games Today
You can play some of the best DOS games above with their remakes, such as Doom + Doom II, Monkey Island: Special Edition, and X-COM: Enemy Unknown. To play the original games, however, check out some of the DOS emulator websites that include them. Such sites enable you to play classic DOS games in your browser. These are some of the best DOS emulator sites from which you can play those MS-DOS games.
The best DOS games above are among the most influential in history. Games like Elite, Doom, Civilization, X-COM: UFO Defense, and Wolfenstein defined new genres and established exciting gaming series that remain popular. They’re classic games that popularized the PC gaming niche before the Windows platform replaced MS-DOS.
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