Dungeon Hack (1993): SSI’s Roguelike Detour
An Unusual Choice for a Licensed AD&D Game Most of SSI’s AD&D catalog in the early ’90s was built around […]
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Free classic DOS game downloads and reviews
Ravenloft: Stone Prophet (1995): Trading Gothic Horror for Desert Curses
Leaving Barovia Behind DreamForge Intertainment followed up Ravenloft: Strahd’s Possession with Stone Prophet in 1995, and the boldest decision the
Warcraft II (1995): Blizzard’s Rise and the C&C Rivalry
How a twice-renamed studio called Blizzard beat Command & Conquer’s three-month head start to help define the real-time strategy genre.
Clouds of Xeen (1992): The RPG Built to Merge in Two
How Might and Magic IV: Clouds of Xeen was engineered to merge with its sequel into one world, plus DOSBox setup and early-game tips.
King’s Quest I (1984): Sierra’s IBM PCjr Showcase
IBM commissioned King’s Quest to sell its failed PCjr computer. Roberta Williams’ game outlived the hardware and invented the graphic adventure.
Eye of the Beholder (1991): SSI’s Real-Time D&D Gamble
Eye of the Beholder ditched SSI’s turn-based Gold Box formula for real-time combat under Waterdeep — here’s how Westwood’s D&D debut still plays.
Leisure Suit Larry: 1987 vs. 1991 VGA Remake Compared
How Al Lowe’s 1987 comedy adventure became a 1991 VGA remake — plus the real story behind its famous age-verification trivia quiz.
Star Wars: X-Wing (1993): LucasArts’ Real 3D Space Sim
How X-Wing’s real-time 3D polygon ships beat Wing Commander’s sprite tricks, and how its power-triangle combat holds up against TIE Fighter.
Beneath a Steel Sky: Dave Gibbons’ DOS Adventure
How Watchmen artist Dave Gibbons helped design 1994’s Beneath a Steel Sky, and how it became a freeware classic preserved by ScummVM.
Epic Pinball (1993): James Schmalz’s DOS Classic
One programmer wrote Epic Pinball in assembly language in 10 months — then used its success to found the studio behind Unreal and Warframe.
Daggerfall (1996): Bethesda’s Buggy, Enormous Gamble
Daggerfall’s procedurally generated world dwarfs Great Britain in size — how it was built, why it broke so often, and how to play it (free) in 2026.
Civilization (1991): From Board Game to PC
How Sid Meier and Bruce Shelley turned Francis Tresham’s board game roots into the 1991 MicroProse classic — the real prototyping story.