RGB Classic Games

Alien Force is a space shooter for Windows 3.0, and one of the first Windows games I ever played. Gameplay takes place in a 10×10 grid, and each level pits your ship against 10 alien ships. Both you and each alien ship can only have one shot on the screen at a time, so a missed shot can leave you defenseless. At first the game is slow and the aliens are dumb, and they don't even shoot in Level 1. By Level 2 some of them start shooting back, and by Level 8 some of them can take two hits. Each kill is worth 100 points, and the level bonus is 500 times the level number. Your score ticks down 10 points at a time when you take too long to complete a level. To customize the level of challenge, you can start at any level you like.

Downloads

Alien Force v1.0 Freeware (16k)

Availability

This game was originally released under a freeware license.

Atomic Tetris 1991

User rating: No rating

DOS Freeware (always)

Puzzle

Developed by Jared Tarbell

Published by Jared Tarbell

Graphics: VGA 320×200×256c

Atomic Tetris is a two-player competitive game of Tetris. Features the same graphics as VGATetris, and the same lack of music and minimal sound effects. Two players play Tetris at the same time, while special blocks occasionally appear on the screen. Eliminating those blocks can do things like add lines to the bottom of your opponent's screen, reverse his controls, or speed up or slow down the game. Unlike some other Tetris battle games, removing two or more lines from your own screen doesn't add to your opponent's screen, and the special blocks are random, so there is a bit more luck in this game than others. Still, a bit of luck can shake things up a bit if one player would otherwise always beat the other.

Downloads

Atomic Tetris v1.1 Freeware (35k)

17 May 1991

Availability

This game was originally released under a freeware license.

Cheezi 1993

User rating: No rating

Win16 Freeware (always)

Traditional

Developed by Paul T. Dawson

Published by Paul T. Dawson

Cheezi is based on the ancient game of Pachisi, but it's basically played on a Parchisi board using the simplified rules of Trouble. The game is played on the familiar 72 square cross-shaped board from Parchisi, but without the 12 safe squares, and only one die is used. Each player has four pawns that begin in the "nest", and can only be entered onto the board if the player rolls a 6. The player can elect to move a piece that is already on the board or enter a new pawn, and then rolls again. Players can choose to pass on any roll if playing the roll might leave their pawn in a vulnerable position. Only one pawn can occupy each square. If a pawn lands on an enemy pawn, the captured pawn returns to the nest. The object of the game is get all four pawns around the board and into the safety zone, at which point they can bear off with an exact roll only. Options include allowing pawns to enter the board on any roll, and playing until all players finish or only until one player wins. The computer players can be customized by choosing how they evaluate nine situations, such as how high a priority they place on chasing or evading enemy pawns, and how willing they are to move in front of enemy pawns.

Downloads

Cheezi v2.1 Shareware (126k)

30 November 1993

Availability

This game was originally released under a freeware license.

Heroes 1998

User rating: No rating

DOS Freeware (always)

Arcade

Developed by RealTech VR

Published by RealTech VR

Graphics: VGA 320×200×256c

A super-enhanced version of SNAFU with five modes of play. Four snakes, played by the computer and 1 or 2 humans, move about a playing field and die if they are unable to move because they are surrounded by their own body, an enemy, or the terrain. An auto-pilot feature causes your snake to automatically turn when it runs into something, but this feature can be disabled. You won't survive long in this fast-paced game without it! Game maps are usually wraparound, and have two levels connected by ramps, and some have tunnels that allow you to pass underneath levels. Every map has a different background, graphics and soundtrack. Maps can have dips and hills, squares that prevent you from turning, speed you up, slow you down, or bring you to a complete stop for a few seconds. A boost bar allows you to speed up to outrun opponents. The speed of this game can get pretty intense. There are power-ups that make the snake longer or shorter, faster or slower, gain lives, score points, temporarily invert the direction keys, and they can effect either the player or all opponents. There are power-ups that cause the playing field to rotate 360° during play, and a "wave" effect that stretches and warps the screen like waves on the ocean. The soundtrack is awesome, and the visual effects are the most impressive that I have ever seen in a DOS game. Touching certain squares causes fiery explosions on a short time delay, which will kill any snake. The screen can fill with flames as they chase snakes across the explosion squares. The snakes' bodies are opaque so that you can see the squares underneath them. A radar screen shows all of the snakes and power-ups. In Quest mode, you must grow your snake and then find the gateway to the next level. In Kill'em All, the levels are full of "lemmings" in the color of the four snakes, and you must kill all of your opponents' lemmings while trying not to kill your own. The floor gets covered in blood. Death Match is a battle mode where the last snake alive wins. In Time Ca$h, the level is full of money, and the first snake to collect a randomly set amount wins. In Colors, there are pyramids in the color of the four snakes which are worth points, and X-pyramids that take points away. Collect your own pyramids and your opponents' X-pyramids until a random amount of time runs out, and the highest score wins. Custom levels can be created with a built-in level editor. This game must be seen to be believed.

Downloads

Heroes v1.0 Freeware (2914k)

Availability

This game was originally released under a freeware license.

Hyperoid 1991

User rating: No rating

Win16 Freeware (always)

Shooter

Developed by Hutchins Software

Published by Hutchins Software

Hyperoid is a clone of Atari's popular 1979 arcade game, Asteroids. Your goal is to destroy all of the asteroids on the screen, which break into smaller asteroids as you shoot them. Hostile spaceships attack from time to time which can destroy you by colliding with you or shooting you. The screen wraps around on all four sides. All of the graphics are wireframe polygons, imitating the vector graphics of the original game. Despite enhancements like color, shields, bombs, and more intelligent enemies, since the game is still faithful in concept to Asteroids, the author wisely released the game under a freeware license.

Downloads

Hyperoid v1.1 Freeware and source code in C (63k)		2 November 1991
Hyperoid v1.0 Freeware (23k)		27 October 1991

Availability

Edward Hutchins originally released this game as freeware under the GNU General Public License Version 1.

Jazz Jackrabbit: Holiday Hare 1994

User rating: 10

DOS Freeware (always)

Platform

Developed by Epic MegaGames

Published by Epic MegaGames

Released as "Jazz Jackrabbit Christmas Edition", this freeware episode lists itself as "Episode X: Holiday Hare" on the episode selection screen, beneath the 9 episodes from Jazz Jackrabbit. Episode X was never added to the original game, so Holiday Hare is a standalone game based on the Jazz Jackrabbit engine. Featuring the same awesome graphics as the original, tons of weapons, and a rock and roll soundtrack based on a medley of Christmas carols, Jazz travels to the wintry planet Holidaius to fight more tortoises and other enemies.

Downloads

Jazz Jackrabbit: Holiday Hare (1404k)

Availability

This game was originally released under a freeware license.

Jazz Jackrabbit: Holiday Hare 1995 1995

User rating: No rating

DOS Freeware (always)

Platform

Developed by Epic MegaGames

Published by Epic MegaGames

For the second year in a row, Epic released a freeware episode of Jazz Jackrabbit that lists itself as "Episode X: Holiday Hare" on the episode selection screen, beneath the 9 episodes from Jazz Jackrabbit. Despite the identical name and episode designation as 1994's "Christmas Edition", Holiday Hare 95 is a new standalone game based on the Jazz Jackrabbit engine. Featuring the same awesome graphics as the original, tons of weapons, and an incredible remix of Carol of the Bells for the soundtrack, this time Jazz travels to the planet Candion to fight more tortoises and other enemies, and eat lots of candy.

Downloads

Jazz Jackrabbit: Holiday Hare 1995 (1407k)

17 October 1995

Availability

This game was originally released under a freeware license.

Jetpack Christmas Special! 1993

User rating: No rating

DOS Freeware (always)

Platform

Developed by Adam Pedersen

Published by Software Creations (Impulse Software)

Graphics: VGA 320×200×256c

In this free promotional Christmas version of Jetpack, you play as Santa Claus! Instead of green orbs, you now need to collect all of the Christmas presents to move to the next level. Santa has a jetpack that allows him to fly (when he has fuel), and he can temporarily phase change bricks to trap enemies or move through walls, floors and ceilings. The levels and challenges are excellent, and make good use of stairs, barriers and different types of terrain. The Christmas edition still comes with a level editor, so you can make your own Christmas-themed levels. There are 10 levels in the game.

Downloads

Jetpack Christmas Special! Freeware (461k)

2 November 1993

Availability

This game was originally released under a freeware license.

Kalakh 1991

User rating: No rating

DOS Freeware (always)

Traditional

Developed by Sergey Ryzhkov

Published by Sergey Ryzhkov

Graphics: EGA 640×350×16c

Sergey Ryzhkov's first game, Kalakh is an EGA version of the game Kalah, known in Russia as Калах (pronounced "kalach", ending with the voiceless velar fricative, or "hard ch sound", found in most European languages). Usually called Mancala in the West, Kalah is a "sowing game", like Wari. The board consists of a row of six pits for each player, known as "houses", with six coins in each house, and a larger pit called a "store" (called a "kalakh" in this game) for each player to place their captured coins. Gameplay is simple, with each player taking turns removing all of the coins from one of his houses and distributing one coin at a time, counter-clockwise around the board, except for the house that he drew from. If this causes two or three coins to be left in any of his opponent's houses, he captures them and places them in his store. Kalah differs from Wari in that the player sows a coin into his own store, though not his opponent's, so the store is actually part of the board. If the player's last coin lands in his store, he gets to play again. If a player has no coins in any of his houses, his opponent scores all of his remaining coins into his store. The player with the most coins at the end of the game wins, and the difference in scores can be used to decide how much the losing players owes the winner if the game is played for money. The computer opponent has three difficulty levels. Though the author notes that he saw little commercial potential for the game, it's equally likely that he distributed the game as freeware because he would not have been entitled to profit from the game as a citizen of the Soviet Union.

Downloads

Kalakh Freeware (226k)

30 July 1991

Availability

This game was originally released under a freeware license.

Kentris 1991

User rating: No rating

DOS Freeware (always)

Puzzle

Developed by Ken Silverman

Published by Ken Silverman

If Tetris has gotten too easy for you, try Kentris. The playing fields move around the screen during gameplay and you can add garbage to the bottom of your opponent's screen as you compete. The background constantly changes colors and there are voices and sound effects. This can be a lot of fun if you like a challenge.

Downloads

Kentris v4.3 Freeware and source code in Microsoft C 6.00A (144k) Play online
Kentris v4.2 Freeware (131k)
Kentris v4.1 Freeware (142k)

Availability

Author Ken Silverman has generously released this game as freeware.

Mah Jongg -8514- 1991

User rating: No rating

DOS Freeware (always)

Traditional

Developed by Ron Balewski

Published by Ron Balewski

Graphics: 8514 1024×768×256c

Think about Mah Jongg -V-G-A-. Now think about it running at 1024×768 with 256 colors, featuring tiles with intricate, shaded pictograms and calligraphy that cast shadows across their tiles. This hidden gem is Mah Jongg -V-G-A- rewritten for the 8514 graphics standard (created by IBM to replace VGA), and it looks absolutely amazing. Sadly, there were no further versions because the standard never became widely adopted. To play it you'll need a genuine 8514/a graphics card, an 8514-compatible graphics card such as the ATI Mach 8 and Mach 32, and the IIT AGX, or a SVGA graphics card with at least 1MB of video RAM and an 8514 emulator. This game can be played in DOSBox by using the Multiple SVGA Chipset plugin to emulate a Tseng Labs ET4000 graphics card, and RIXAI8 to emulate the 8514. Version 0.6 was a public beta, and Ron Balewski confirmed that it may be considered freeware.

Downloads

Complete version history:

Mah Jongg -8514- v0.6 / Serial No. 0000 Freeware (236k)

19 April 1991

Availability

This game never left the beta stage and was never sold, and author Ron Balewski has generously released this game as freeware.

MasterMind 1995

User rating: No rating

DOS Freeware (always)

Traditional

Developed by Sverx

Published by Sverx

Graphics: EGA 640×350×16c

One of the best Mastermind games I've ever seen. Options must be set from the command line, but there isn't much to configure. It's extremely easy to play and requires no instructions. It is simple, yet attractive. You probably already know how to play this game, but it's interesting to watch the computer opponent play so you can learn the optimal strategy.

Downloads

MasterMind v1.00 Freeware (40k)

Availability

This game was originally released under a freeware license.

MicroMan 1993

User rating: 10

Win16 Freeware (always)

Platform

Developed by Brian L. Goble

Published by Brian L. Goble

MicroMan was created as a playable demo to promote Brian Goble's Windows Animation Package. It features a variety of mechanical enemies, three weapon upgrades, a super jump ability and a shield, moving platforms, platforms that fade in and out of existence, transporters, a mirror room where MicroMan is mirrored vertically and horizontally, and a total of 14 rooms and two bottomless pits. The free demo led to the creation of an entire game, The Adventures of MicroMan. Although designed to show off the abilities of WAP, the game is quite challenging and even includes a Cheat Mode to help players complete the game.

Downloads

MicroMan v1.0 Playable Demo (259k)

22 January 1993

Availability

This game was originally released under a freeware license.

Moraff's Flygame 1991

User rating: No rating

DOS Freeware (always)

Simulation

Developed by MoraffWare

Published by MoraffWare

A map with landscape features of various altitudes, such as mountains and valleys, is randomly generated. You can fly only up and down on the screen, at a fixed rate of speed, and you play until you crash into a mountain. I'll be honest, this game isn't likely to hold anyone's attention for more than a few minutes, but it is a classic piece of MoraffWare software and is interesting as a history curiosity. This game was mentioned in the ordering information of most other Moraff games, but there was never a registered version. Moraff's Flygame was always freely distributable.

Moraff's Flygame Freeware (10k)

Availability

This game was originally released under a freeware license.

One Must Fall 1993

User rating: 4

DOS Freeware (always)

Fighting

Developed by Diversions Entertainment

Published by Diversions Entertainment

Before releasing One Must Fall 2097, Diversions Entertainment released One Must Fall as freeware as a sort of public beta test. There is only one fighter, and you can only play against a human opponent. The characters look like low resolution photographs, reminiscent of Mortal Kombat. Fighters can punch, kick, throw fireballs, teleport, and shadow kick. There's not much to do, but it's a decent little fighter, and it's historically interesting for being an early version of One Must Fall 2097.

Complete version history:

One Must Fall Freeware (302k)

18 May 1993

Availability

This game was originally released this game under a freeware license.

Salad Scribble 1994

User rating: No rating

Win16 Freeware (always)

Educational

Developed by Paul T. Dawson

Published by Paul T. Dawson

A straightforward paint program for Windows 3.1 that can do a few things that Paintbrush can't. Designed with fun in mind, there is a color randomizer, and lots of options for drawing shapes, typing text with any installed font, creating inverse images, and just generally messing around at an amateur level. Salad Scribble is free for non-commercial use, and can load and save BMP images.

Salad Scribble v1.1 Shareware (79k)

1 January 1994

Availability

This game was originally released under a freeware license.

SkiFree 1991

User rating: 9

Win16 Freeware (always)

Sports

Developed by Chris Pirih

Published by Chris Pirih, Microsoft

In 1991, Chris Pirih made a little skiing game for Windows and distributed it as freeware, thus the name SkiFree. His employer, Microsoft, liked it so much that they acquired the copyright and added it to the Microsoft Entertainment Pack. Chris Pirih retained the right to create and publish new versions and, one way or another, a copy of this simple little game made its way onto computers around the world. There are three modes of play: Slalom, Free-style, and Tree Slalom, or you can just ski wherever you want. Slalom is a 540m race to the finish line, and you have to ski around the flags. Tree Slalom is 1040m version of Slalom, but with lots of trees to avoid. Free-style is an untimed 1040m course that requires you to get style points for hitting jumps and doing aerial tricks. The skier can be controlled with the keyboard or mouse, and can spin horizontally with the left and right arrow keys, or head over heels with the up and down arrow keys or the left mouse button. Style points are lost for crashing. The game is remembered for its many Easter eggs and extras, such as dogs, snowboarders and other skiers on the hill, walking trees, and an Abominable Snow Monster.

SkiFree v1.0 Freeware (30k)
SkiFree v0.2.7 Freeware (46k)

Availability

SkiFree v1.04, a Win32 port of the game, is available as a free download at the Official SkiFree Home Page.

Tetris 1986

User rating: 9

DOS Freeware (always)

Puzzle

Developed by Vadim Gerasimov

Published by Elorg

Graphics: ASCII 40×25×16c

In June 1984, Alexey Pajitnov created Tetris on an Elektronika 60 while working for the Soviet Academy of Sciences at their Computer Center in Moscow with Dmitry Pavlovsky. Dmitry approached Vadim Gerasimov to create a DOS port, which he created in Turbo Pascal. The game spread like wildfire, and is now the best-selling game of all time. It is frequently listed as the best game of all time. In Tetris, there are seven sets of pieces, called tetrominoes because they are made of four blocks. They fall from the top of the screen and need to be stacked so that entire rows are filled with no gaps between them, at which point the complete rows disappear and the pieces above them drop by the same number of rows. When the board is filled, the game is over. The controls in the DOS version are a bit difficult at first, but the game is perfectly playable if you use the spacebar instead of "4" to drop pieces. Because the Soviet Union was a Communist nation, it is difficult to say whether or not the original DOS version of Tetris was ever distributed under any license other than freeware. Vadim Gerasimov has made the final version of his original DOS port, v3.12, available on his website as a free download.

Tetris v3.12 Freeware (14k) Play online

Availability

Vadim Gerasimov has generously made this game available for download.

Three 1997

User rating: No rating

DOS Freeware (always)

Puzzle

Developed by Sverx

Published by Sverx

Graphics: VGA 320×200×256c

A pretty decent version of Columns. The help file is in Italian, but do you really need instructions? Columns of three colored pieces fall from the top of the screen, and the colors can be rotated as they fall. Get three or more pieces of the same color in any direction, and they are removed from the screen, causing all of the other pieces to fall and fill in any gaps.

Three Freeware (397k)

Availability

This game was originally released under a freeware license.

Tube 1995

User rating: No rating

DOS Freeware (always)

Racing

Developed by Bullfrog Productions

Published by Bullfrog Productions

Graphics: VGA 320×200×256c

Tube is essentially a development demo that Bullfrog published on the cover CD of the February 1995 edition of UK magazine PC Games, and the April 1995 edition of German magazine PC Player. Your goal is to reach the end of seemingly endless tube before the time runs out, while destroying enemies and collecting weapon upgrades. The tube often wraps all the way around the screen, allowing the player to drive upside down. The tracks obviously repeat, but there is an end and, despite being a very simple game, by the second level it can become quite enjoyable. Two players can play in split-screen mode. The PC Player release contains a license that stipulates that the game can be freely distributed online only.

Downloads

Tube PC Player release (1025k)		April 1995
Tube PC Games release (1025k)		February 1995

Availability

This game was originally released under a freeware license.

Turbo 1987

User rating: No rating

DOS Freeware (always)

Racing

Developed by Doug Ross

Published by Doug Ross

Graphics: CGA 320×200×4c

A simple CGA racing game that takes place on a road that has only one lane per direction of traffic. Generally speaking, you should try to drive on your own side of the road, and only enter the oncoming lane to pass. There are two gears and no brakes (though you can slow down by releasing the gas or shifting down to first gear). There's not much else to it, but it has the novelty of being one of the first racing games for the PC.

Turbo v1.0 (17k)

31 October 1987

Availability

I have been unable to locate the author online, but there is a mailing address in the game. The game indicates that you can send the author $5 as a sign of gratitude, and to get a free copy of a game he was working on at the time. The implication is that the game is freeware.

Velcro Mind 1995

User rating: No rating

DOS Freeware (always)

Arcade

Developed by Jazz Software

Published by Jazz Software

Graphics: VGA 320×240×256c

Using the mouse, you move a four-colored ball around the screen. The left and right mouse buttons rotate the ball left or right. Small, colored balls fly around the screen, and they will stick to your cursor if they hit the right color, otherwise they take away one hit point. Your cursor can collect any number of balls, but your goal is to eventually move the cursor over hands on the sides of the screen, each one representing one of the four colors, which will take the balls from your cursor and award points for them, which vary based on the color of the balls. Hit points can be restored by touching small galaxy-shaped spirals.

Velcro Mind v1.1 Freeware (39k)

26 May 1995

Availability

This game was originally released under a freeware license.

VGATetris 1991

User rating: No rating

DOS Freeware (always)

Puzzle

Developed by Jared Tarbell

Published by Jared Tarbell

Graphics: VGA 320×200×256c

There have been thousands of Tetris games for DOS, but this is one of the better ones. The VGA palette allows for some nice colors for the pieces and backgrounds. There are also some cheats and Easter eggs in the game. There's not much in the way of sound, but the visuals are nice enough to keep the game interesting.

VGATetris v1.1 Freeware (29k)

4 April 1991

Availability

This game was originally released under a freeware license.

Worm War 1990

User rating: No rating

Win16 Freeware (always)

Arcade

Developed by Kirk Saathoff

Published by Kirk Saathoff

Worm War is a clone of Atari's popular 1980 arcade game, Centipede. Your goal is to shoot everything that moves, particularly a long centipede that moves through the level and break into smaller centipedes. Designed to run on a slow computer, game runs too quickly to be playable on a modern computer, even in an emulated environment like DOSBox, so it will be necessary to reduce the emulation speed to as little as 1% or use slowdown software. The author wisely released the game under a freeware license.

Downloads

Worm War v1.0 Freeware (7k)

17 April 1990

Availability

This game was originally released under a freeware license.

Xerix 1992

User rating: No rating

DOS Freeware (always)

Shooter

Developed by Brenden Reville (Twilight Software)

Published by Brenden Reville (Twilight Software)

Graphics: VGA 320×200×256c

A simple autoscrolling shooter by Brendan Reville before he started publishing games under the Twilight Software label. An alien spaceship is bombarding Earth with radiation, so an advanced fighter is sent to enter and destroy it. Inside the ship, a defense system made of thousands of ships and guns attempts to stop you. A single hit destroys your ship, which is a concept that I've never been fond of. Fortunately a Novice difficulty level was added to v1.3 which gives you infinite lives. You'll need them!

Downloads

Complete version history:

Xerix v1.3 Freeware (130k)	December 1992	Play online
Xerix v1.2 Freeware (Still searching)	December 1992
Xerix v1.1 Freeware (127k)	September 1992
Xerix v1.0 (Still searching) Freeware	September 1992

Availability

This game was originally released under a freeware license.

Xmas Lemmings: 1991 Christmas Edition 1991

User rating: 2

DOS Freeware (always)

Puzzle

Developed by DMA Design