List of self-booting IBM PC compatible games
Many IBM PC compatible games released between 1981 and about 1990 were self-booting and did not use MS-DOS, IBM PC DOS, or compatible disk operating systems. The phrase "IBM PC compatible self-booting disk" is sometimes shortened to "PC booter". Self-booting disks were common for other computers as well.
These games were distributed on 5+1⁄4" or, later, 3+1⁄2", floppy disks that booted directly, meaning once they were inserted in the drive and the computer was turned on, a minimal, custom operating system on the diskette took over. This was used as a form of copy protection until it became obsolete as games grew larger. Due to bit rot, original working versions of these floppy disks are rare, and many have largely been abandoned by their publishers. Some have been ported to other operating systems.
Title | Released | Genre | Publisher/developer |
---|---|---|---|
1984 | Strategy | IBM | |
Ace of Aces | 1986 | Combat flight simulator | Accolade / Artech |
Agent USA | 1984 | Adventure / strategy | Scholastic / Tom Snyder Productions |
Alley Cat | 1984 | Platform | IBM / Synapse Software |
1985 | Adventure | Random House | |
Amnesia | 1986 | Adventure | Electronic Arts |
Apple Panic | 1982 | Platform | Broderbund |
Archon: The Light and the Dark | 1984 | Strategy | Electronic Arts / Free Fall Associates |
1983 | Action | Windmill Software | |
Battlezone | 1983 | Action | Atarisoft |
BC's Quest for Tires | 1984 | Action | Sierra On-line / |
Below the Root | 1984 | Adventure | Windham Classics / |
Beneath Apple Manor | 1983 | RPG | Quality Software |
Beyond Castle Wolfenstein | 1984 | Stealth | Muse Software |
Big Top | 1983 | Platform | Funtastic / Michael Abrash |
The Black Cauldron | 1986 | Adventure | Sierra On-line |
Borrowed Time | 1985 | Adventure | Activision / Interplay |
Boulder Dash | 1984 | Puzzle | First Star Software |
1985 | Puzzle | First Star Software | |
Bruce Lee | 1984 | Platform | Datasoft |
Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom | 1984 | Action | Sega |
BurgerTime | 1983 | Platform | Mattel Electronics |
1983 | Fixed Shooter | SIRIUS | |
Centipede | 1983 | Action | Atarisoft |
Championship Lode Runner | 1984 | Platform | Broderbund Software |
1984 | Board game | Unknown | |
1987 | Platform | COMPUTE! Publications | |
Commando | 1987 | Run and gun | Quicksilver / Data East |
1986 | Simulation | MicroProse | |
Congo Bongo | 1984 | Isometric platformer | Sega |
1983 | Platform | Windmill Software | |
Cosmic Crusader | 1982 | Fixed shooter | Funtastic / Michael Abrash |
Crossfire | 1982 | Action | Sierra On-Line |
Crusade in Europe | 1985 | Simulation | MicroProse |
1983 | Puzzle | ||
Cutthroats | 1984 | Interactive fiction | Infocom |
Cyborg | 1982 | Interactive fiction | Sentient / Softsmith |
1983 | Action | / Howard W. Sams | |
Deadline | 1982 | Interactive fiction | Infocom |
Decision in the Desert | 1985 | Simulation | MicroProse |
Defender | 1983 | Scrolling shooter | Atarisoft |
Defender of the Crown | 1987 | Strategy game | / Mirrorsoft |
Demon Attack | 1982 | Fixed shooter | Imagic |
Demon's Forge | 1987 | Adventure | |
Destroyer | 1986 | Simulation | Epyx |
Dig Dug | 1982 | Maze | Atarisoft |
Digger | 1983 | Action | Windmill Software |
Donald Duck's Playground | 1986 | Educational | Sierra On-Line |
Donkey Kong | 1982 | Platform | Atarisoft |
Dr. J and Larry Bird Go One on One | 1983 | Sports | Electronic Arts |
Dunjonquest: Morloc's Tower | 1983 | Dungeon crawl | Epyx / Automated Simulations |
Earthly Delights | 1983 | Adventure | Datamost |
1987 | Adventure | ERE Informatique | |
Enchanter | 1986 | Interactive fiction | Infocom |
Evolution | 1982 | Action | |
1982 | Action | / Bubble Bus | |
F-15 Strike Eagle | 1984 | Combat flight simulator | MicroProse |
1982 | Educational | DesignWare / Spinnaker | |
1986 | Sports | Mastertronic Group | |
1983 | Action | Mirror Images | |
1982 | Action | Windmill Software | |
1985 | Adventure | / Mindscape | |
1983 | Adventure | ||
The Fourth Protocol | 1985 | Adventure | / |
1983 | Action | Mirror Images | |
1988 | Platform | Dinamic Software | |
1983 | Action | ||
1983 | Action | FriendlySoft | |
Frogger | 1983 | Action | Sierra On-Line |
Frogger II: Three Deep | 1984 | Action | Sega |
Full Count Baseball | 1984 | Sports | |
Galactic Gladiators | 1983 | Tactical combat | Strategic Simulations |
Galaxian | 1983 | Fixed shooter | Atarisoft |
Game Over | 1987 | Run and gun | Dinamic Software / Imagine Software |
Game Over II | 1987 | Shoot em' up | Dinamic Software |
1988 | Interactive fiction | Tom Snyder Productions / Infocom | |
Ghostbusters | 1986 | Miscellaneous | Activision |
Gremlins | 1984 | Fixed shooter | Atarisoft |
Guerrilla War | 1987 | Run and gun | Quicksilver / Data East |
Hacker II: The Doomsday Papers | 1986 | Puzzle / strategy | Activision |
Hard Hat Mack | 1984 | Platform game | Electronic Arts |
Harrier Combat Simulator | 1987 | Simulation | Mindscape |
1984 | First person shooter | MicroProse | |
1986 | Card game | Angelsoft / Mindscape | |
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy | 1984 | Interactive fiction | Infocom |
The Hobbit | 1983 | Interactive fiction | Beam Software / Melbourne House |
1984 | Adventure | Hayden Software | |
1985 | Interactive fiction | Imagic / | |
Ikari Warriors | 1987 | Run and gun | Quicksilver / Data East |
Ikari Warriors II: Victory Road | 1988 | Run and gun | Quicksilver / Data East |
Indianapolis 500: The Simulation | 1989 | Racing | Electronic Arts |
Infidel | 1983 | Interactive fiction | Infocom |
1987 | Sports | Artworx / | |
1983 | Puzzle | ||
1986 | Interactive fiction | Angelsoft / Mindscape | |
Jet | 1985 | Simulation | Sublogic |
John Elway's Quarterback | 1988 | Sports | Leland / Melbourne House |
Joust | 1983 | Platform | Atarisoft |
Jumpman | 1984 | Platform / puzzle | Epyx, IBM |
Jungle Hunt | 1983 | Action | Atarisoft |
Karnov | 1989 | Platform | Quicksilver / Data East |
1983 | Educational | Spinnaker | |
King's Quest: Quest for the Crown | 1984 | Adventure | Sierra On-Line |
King's Quest II: Romancing the Throne | 1985 | Adventure | Sierra On-Line |
Kobyashi Naru | 1987 | Adventure | Mastertronic |
1988 | Adventure | Tom Snyder Productions / Infocom | |
The Last Mission | 1987 | Action | Opera Soft |
1987 | First person shooter | , Data East | |
Lode Runner | 1983 | Platform / puzzle | Broderbund / Ariolasoft |
M.U.L.E. | 1983 | Strategy | Electronic Arts, K-Byte |
Marble Madness | 1986 | Platform / racing | Broderbund, Ariolasoft |
Master Miner | 1983 | Action | Funtastic |
1983 | Racing | DesignWare | |
1987 | Simulation | Arcadia Systems, Melbourne House | |
MicroLeague Baseball | 1984 | Sports | |
Microsoft Adventure | 1981 | Interactive fiction | Microsoft, IBM |
Microsoft Decathlon | 1982 | Sports | Microsoft, IBM |
Microsoft Flight Simulator 1.0 | 1982 | Simulation | Sublogic / Microsoft |
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2.0 | 1984 | Simulation | Sublogic / Microsoft |
Mindshadow | 1984 | Adventure | Interplay / Activision |
1983 | Puzzle | Sierra On-Line, IBM | |
Miner 2049er | 1983 | Platform | Big Five Software / |
Montezuma's Revenge | 1984 | Platform | |
1983 | Action | Windmill Software | |
Moon Patrol | 1983 | Scrolling shooter | Atarisoft |
1983 | Platform / puzzle | Gebelli Software, IBM | |
Ms. Pac-Man | 1983 | Maze | Atarisoft |
Mundial de Fútbol | 1990 | Sports | Opera Sports, Opera Soft |
Murder on the Zinderneuf | 1984 | Adventure | Free Fall Associates, Electronic Arts |
1989 | Action / shooter | , Dinamic Software | |
Night Mission Pinball | 1982 | Pinball | Sublogic |
Night Stalker | 1983 | Maze | Mattel Electronics |
Oil's Well | 1984 | Maze | Sierra On-Line |
Pac-Man | 1983 | Maze | Atarisoft |
Paratrooper | 1982 | Shooter | Greg Kuperberg, Orion Software |
1983 | Sports | Hesware, IBM | |
1984 | Sports | Hesware, IBM | |
1982 | Maze | Orion Software | |
Pinball Construction Set | 1985 | Pinball | Electronic Arts |
Pitfall II: Lost Caverns | 1984 | Platform | Activision |
Pitstop II | 1984 | Racing | Synergistic Software, Epyx |
Planetfall | 1983 | Interactive fiction | Infocom |
Portal | 1986 | RPG | , Activision |
1987 | Simulation | , Mastertronic | |
Rasterscan | 1987 | Puzzle | , Mastertronic |
Rescue at Rigel | 1983 | RPG | Epyx |
1991 | Shooter | Opera Soft | |
River Raid | 1984 | Scrolling shooter | Activision |
Robotron: 2084 | 1983 | Fixed shooter | Atarisoft |
Rockford | 1988 | Arcade | Arcadia Systems |
Rollo And The Brush Bros | 1983 | Puzzle | Windmill Software |
1990 | Platform | Dinamic Software | |
ScubaVenture | 1983 | Action | Gebelli Software, IBM |
Seastalker | 1984 | Interactive fiction | Infocom |
Serpentine | 1982 | Action | Broderbund |
1988 | Arcade | Opera Soft | |
The Seven Cities of Gold | 1987 | Adventure | Ozark Softscape, Electronic Arts |
Shamus | 1984 | Action | William Mataga, Synapse Software |
1985 | Adventure | Imagic, Bantam Software | |
Sid Meier's Pirates! | 1987 | Action / adventure | MicroProse |
Sidewinder | 1988 | Shoot em' up | Synergistic Software, Arcadia Systems |
Sierra Championship Boxing | 1985 | Sports | Evryware, Sierra On-Line |
Silent Service | 1986 | Submarine simulator | MicroProse |
1988 | Sports | Ocean Software, Mastertronic | |
Snack Attack II | 1982 | Maze | Funtastic |
Solo Flight | 1983 | Simulation | MicroProse |
Solomon's Key | 1988 | Puzzle | U.S. Gold |
Sorcerer | 1984 | Interactive fiction | Infocom |
Space Strike | 1982 | Action | Michael Abrash, Datamost |
1983 | Edutainment | DesignWare | |
Spiderbot | 1988 | Platform | Addictive Games, Epyx |
Spitfire Ace | 1984 | Flying shooter | MicroProse |
Spy Hunter | 1984 | Vehicular combat | Sega |
Starcross | 1982 | Interactive fiction | Infocom |
Stargate | 1983 | Scrolling shooter | Atarisoft |
Storm | 1987 | Puzzle | Mastertronic |
1983 | Strategy | IBM | |
Styx | 1983 | Puzzle | Windmill Software |
Sub Mission | 1987 | Shooter | Tom Snyder Productions, Mindscape |
Summer Games II | 1986 | Sports | Epyx |
1986 | Action | First Star Software, Electronic Arts | |
1985 | Sports | Quest / Avalon Hill | |
Super Zaxxon | 1984 | Shoot em' up | Sega |
Suspect | 1984 | Interactive fiction | Infocom |
Suspended | 1983 | Interactive fiction | Infocom |
Tag Team Wrestling | 1985 | Sports | Quicksilver / Data East |
Tapper | 1983 | Action | Bally Midway |
Tass Times in Tonetown | 1986 | Adventure | Brainwave Creations / Interplay, Activision |
1986 | Interactive fiction | , Electronic Arts | |
1984 | Sports | Imagic, IBM | |
1984 | Adventure | Interplay / Activision | |
1987 | Adventure | Mastertronic | |
1984 | Educational | , IBM | |
Troll's Tale | 1984 | Adventure | Sierra On-Line |
1984 | Game show | Digital Learning Systems, IBM | |
Ulysses and the Golden Fleece | 1982 | Hi-res adventure | Sierra On-Line |
Up'n Down | 1984 | Platform | Sega Enterprise, Ltd. |
1985 | Interactive fiction | Angelsoft / Mindscape | |
Warrior of Ras: Volume I - Dunzhin | 1982 | RPG | , Computer Applications Unlimited |
1984 | Educational | Electronic Arts | |
Winter Games | 1986 | Sports | Epyx |
The Witness | 1983 | Interactive fiction | Infocom |
Wizard and the Princess | 1982 | Adventure | On-Line Systems |
Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord | 1984 | RPG | Sir-Tech |
Wizardry II: The Knight of Diamonds | 1985 | RPG | Sir-Tech |
Wizardry III: Legacy of Llylgamyn | 1986 | RPG | Sir-Tech |
Wizardry IV: The Return of Werdna | 1987 | RPG | Sir-Tech |
Wizardry V: Heart of the Maelstrom | 1988 | RPG | Sir-Tech |
Wizball | 1987 | Shoot 'em up | Sensible Software, Ocean Software |
1984 | Educational | The Learning Company | |
World Games | 1986 | Sports | / Epyx |
World Karate Championship | 1986 | Fighting | Epyx / System 3 |
1985 | Sports | Quest Inc., Epyx | |
Zaxxon | 1984 | Action | Sega |
Zork: The Great Underground Empire | 1982 | Interactive fiction | Infocom |
Zork II: The Wizard of Frobozz | 1983 | Interactive fiction | Infocom |
Zork III: The Dungeon Master | 1984 | Interactive fiction | Infocom |
1988 | Adventure | Tom Snyder Productions / Infocom | |
1989 | Adventure | Tom Snyder Productions / Infocom | |
Zyll | 1984 | Interactive fiction | IBM |
See also[]
- Lists of PC games
- Video game lists by technology or feature