The number of free games available to players nowadays is unmatched. The free-to-play concept is used by many of the most well-liked online games to draw in players. On Steam, in your browser, and on your smartphone, you can play free games.
You don’t always want the most recent AAA game or a free battle royale, though. You want to satisfy your nostalgic urge. Fortunately, there are several websites devoted to the love and preservation of vintage games. Here are the top websites for free old PC game downloads.
1. Abandonia
An index of abandoned software called Abandonia is “dedicated to classic DOS games.” Games with expired copyrights or outdated programs that the publisher no longer supports are examples of abandonedware. (What exactly is abandonware?)
When Abandonia was established in 1999, the idea of abandonware had only been around for two years. After a few years of inactivity, Abandonia grew into one of the top websites for downloading your favorite vintage games. At the time of writing, Abandonia has over 800,000 users and close to 1,400 downloadable games.
Each abandonware game is given a detailed review, screenshots, an editor and user rating, and more by Abandonia. Old PC games are searchable and downloadable by name, year, rating, and genre. You won’t find any of the “newer” abandonware games on this website because it is solely dedicated to DOS games, but the enormous DOS library should be able to meet the majority of your old gaming needs.
2. Abandonware Dos
Abandonware Dos is another website that specializes in outdated DOS games and is abandonware. It also offers a respectable selection of Windows games, though nothing particularly new. You may still get classics like Sid Meier’s SimGolf and Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds beyond 2002, but more modern games are starting to show up.
A popular website is Abandonware Dos. Each game has a site rating, title specification (such as abandonware, protected status, or freeware), release date, screenshots, a recent-ish video play-through, and tidbits of information about the game.
You can also find helpful lists and articles to help you in your hunt for the top vintage games to download.
What I appreciate about Abandonware Dos is how transparent it is about its status as an abandoned site. The website’s owner makes it very apparent that they abide with takedown orders. The website also offers direct access to GOG.com. Both the highlighted games and the direct games pages can be found on the website’s home page.
It can be challenging to remember every title you own once you begin to compile your library of abandoned software. Check out these video game launchers that allow you to add the games you wish to play if that describes you.
3. RGB Classic Games
Numerous vintage DOS games, unreleased games, and even some “current” DOS games are available at RGB Classic Games. The entire website is “committed to preserving old games for obsolete PC operating systems,” including DOS, CP/M-86, OS/2, Win16, and Win9x, as well as making them more accessible for play on contemporary platforms. In fact, RGB Classic Games is a fantastic choice if you’re interested in downloading vintage DOS games.
In addition to the firm name, legal status, year of release, operating system, and, intriguingly, video mode, you may search for games by genre and operating system. A considerable number of games, like Keen Dreams, Hexen, and one of my all-time favorites, Transport Tycoon, are playable on an emulator housed on the RGB Classic Games website, which is further evidence of the company’s commitment to its objective.
Of course, some of the best vintage games are not available as abandonware. For another trip down nostalgia lane, check out the top vintage games that are still worth playing.
4. My Abandonware
Old PC games can be downloaded from My Abandonware along with some of the list’s more recent entries.
Over 15,000 titles are included, some of which are “extremely unusual titles uncovered in the deep web” and others which have been “submitted by our great guests.” The small crew that runs My Abandonware continuously maintains the website, adding fresh content, abandonware games, vintage DOS games, and more.
5. Games Nostalgia
The final stop on our journey through your youth is Games Nostalgia. Hundreds of fantastic games that were released between 1985 and 1995 are featured in Games Nostalgia. You may browse games on the Games Nostalgia website easily by genres, tags, new releases, popularity, and other criteria.
Additionally, Games Nostalgia goes above and above by putting each game in its own emulator, which is accessible on both Windows and Mac (and in many cases, macOS, too). By eliminating these extra procedures, Games Nostalgia makes it easier to play your favorite classic games. Download it, unzip it, and then launch the game. It is much simpler to play these classic and retro games when they are packaged neatly in a container, which can be a problem on current devices.
What Are the Best Old PC Games?
There are many wonderful vintage PC games available. Finding enough time to play them all is the challenge. The ancient classics are kept alive and well through retro gaming and abandonware games. The simplicity with which you may play and download vintage PC games contributes to the revival. It’s now simpler than ever to download and play your favorite old games thanks to websites like Games Nostalgia that package downloads with emulators.
