The Best DOS Games You Need to Play: A Nostalgic Gamer's Guide

Relive the Glory Days: Must-Play DOS Games for Retro Enthusiasts

Once upon a floppy disk...

You kids today don’t even know the struggle.

Nowadays, you can launch a DOS game with a click. One shortcut, boom—you’re playing Commander Keen or Doom like it’s nothing. But back in the day? Playing a DOS game felt like hacking into the Matrix. Every game had a different set of demands. Not enough conventional memory? Time to tweak your config.sys. No Sound Blaster detected? Get ready for eerie silence. Want to save your game? Better pray your boot disk didn’t get corrupted.

But man... it was worth it.

Because DOS games weren’t just nostalgic artifacts—they were revolutionary. They laid the foundation for entire genres and introduced millions to the magic of PC gaming. And even now, they absolutely hold up.

So grab your digital time machine (or emulator of choice), and let’s dive into the best DOS games you need to play.

1. Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness

Genre: Real-Time Strategy
Released: 1995

Warcraft II didn’t invent RTS games, but it perfected them. You’d mine gold, chop wood, build little medieval towns, and then unleash armies of orcs or humans to crush your enemies. The voice acting was iconic (“Work work...”), the music was majestic, and the gameplay was surprisingly balanced.

Multiplayer over dial-up was chaotic genius—assuming no one picked up the phone mid-match.

If you’re a fan of StarCraft, Age of Empires, or Command & Conquer, you owe this one a go. It’s charming, strategic, and still ridiculously fun.

2. The Secret of Monkey Island

Genre: Point-and-Click Adventure
Released: 1990

Adventure games hit their peak with this swashbuckling gem. You play as Guybrush Threepwood (mighty pirate™), solve absurd puzzles, and duel enemies using insult sword fighting. Yeah, that’s a thing. It’s as hilarious as it sounds.

The writing is whip-smart, the puzzles are just the right amount of ridiculous, and the fourth-wall-breaking humor still slaps. If you’ve never dipped your toes into LucasArts adventures, start here.

3. Heroes of Might and Magic II

Genre: Turn-Based Strategy / RPG
Released: 1996

You know a game is good when “just one more turn” turns into an all-night session. In Heroes II, you build castles, gather armies, and cast spells across a sprawling fantasy world. Each faction plays differently, the pixel art is gorgeous, and the music is legendary.

It’s challenging, deep, and dangerously addictive. Strategy fans—especially those who love Civ or Total War—should not skip this one.

4. Lemmings

Genre: Puzzle
Released: 1991

Ever wanted to feel like the world's worst manager? Say hello to Lemmings. Your job is to guide dozens of brainless critters safely across traps, pits, and explosions. They’ll happily walk off cliffs unless you assign them jobs like digging, blocking, or building.

It starts off cute. Then it becomes chaos. You’ll scream at the screen, laugh in frustration, and feel like a genius when you finally pull off the perfect rescue.

It’s still one of the most satisfying puzzle games out there.

5. Duke Nukem 3D

Genre: First-Person Shooter
Released: 1996

It’s like an action movie and an FPS had a baby, fed it steroids and one-liners, and let it loose in a pixelated world. Duke Nukem 3D oozed ‘90s cool. It had destructible environments, strip clubs, pig cops, and a hero who didn’t care about political correctness—because he didn’t care about anything.

Is it dated? A little. Is it fun? Hell yes. The level design is creative, the guns are wild, and it’s still a blast to play.

6. Ultima VII

Genre: RPG
Released: 1992

Before Skyrim or Baldur’s Gate, there was Ultima VII—an ambitious open-world RPG with deep lore, sandbox mechanics, and surprisingly mature storytelling.

You could bake bread, join cults, investigate murders, or just rob every shop in town. NPCs had schedules. Shops opened and closed. It was alive in a way that no game had really done before.

The combat hasn’t aged perfectly, but the world-building is unparalleled. If you're into CRPGs, this is a foundational title.

7. Descent

Genre: 3D Shooter / Space Sim
Released: 1995

Imagine a shooter where you’re flying through a 3D maze, dodging enemy drones and dealing with full 360-degree movement. That’s Descent. It was the first time many gamers experienced true 3D freedom—and mild nausea.

Once you get the hang of the controls, it’s fast, smooth, and ridiculously fun. The game holds up as a unique blend of shooter and space sim.

8. Commander Keen Series

Genre: Platformer
Released: 1990–1991

Before Doom, id Software gave us Commander Keen. You’re an 8-year-old genius exploring alien worlds with a ray gun and a pogo stick. It’s colorful, creative, and plays like a Saturday morning cartoon turned into a game.

Keen 4 is a fan favorite, but the whole series is worth playing. Platformer fans—this one’s for you.

9. Civilization

Genre: Turn-Based Strategy / 4X
Released: 1991

The granddaddy of the 4X genre. Build an empire from a single settler. Research tech, make alliances, wage war, and try not to nuke everyone. Sid Meier’s Civilization is addictive in the best way.

Sure, the graphics are simple, and the UI is ancient—but the core gameplay is timeless. If you’ve played any modern Civ games, go back and see where it all began.

10. DOOM

Genre: First-Person Shooter
Released: 1993

You knew this was coming. Doom is the godfather of first-person shooters, and it still rocks harder than ever. It’s fast, brutal, and beautifully designed. There’s no reloading, no regenerating health—just you, your guns, and a legion of demons that need a good gibbing.

The music? Pure MIDI metal. The weapons? Perfection. The modding community? Still active 30 years later.

If you haven’t played Doom, you haven’t lived.

These games weren’t just good for their time. They’re still good now. Tight gameplay, unforgettable design, and more creativity than most modern AAA titles. Whether you're a retro veteran or new to the DOS world, this list is your cheat code to greatness.

So dust off that keyboard, fire up your emulator, and dive into a golden age of PC gaming.

Stay pixel-powered and keep it retro with more gaming flashbacks at Land of Geek Magazine!

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