Top 10 PC Games of the 1980s

computer gaming was just getting started

computer gaming was just getting started in this decade but developers still

in this decade but developers still

in this decade but developers still managed to put together some amazing

managed to put together some amazing

managed to put together some amazing titles welcome to watchmojo.com and

titles welcome to watchmojo.com and

titles welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’ll be counting down our picks

today we’ll be counting down our picks

today we’ll be counting down our picks for the top 10 PC games of the 1980s for

for the top 10 PC games of the 1980s for

for the top 10 PC games of the 1980s for this list we chose the best early

this list we chose the best early

this list we chose the best early computer games of the 80s be it on Apple

computer games of the 80s be it on Apple

computer games of the 80s be it on Apple twos Commodores or Microsoft built PC

twos Commodores or Microsoft built PC

twos Commodores or Microsoft built PC and ranked the titles based on how good

and ranked the titles based on how good

and ranked the titles based on how good they seemed at the time and on how well

they seemed at the time and on how well

they seemed at the time and on how well they’ve held up no we had to limit

they’ve held up no we had to limit

they’ve held up no we had to limit ourselves to games that debuted on the

ourselves to games that debuted on the

ourselves to games that debuted on the PC due to the sheer amount of titles

PC due to the sheer amount of titles

PC due to the sheer amount of titles meaning that anything ported from the

meaning that anything ported from the

meaning that anything ported from the arcade or consoles are out as usual one

arcade or consoles are out as usual one

arcade or consoles are out as usual one game per franchise

number 10 Leisure Suit Larry in the land

number 10 Leisure Suit Larry in the land of the Lounge Lizards technology may

of the Lounge Lizards technology may

of the Lounge Lizards technology may have been simplistic in the 1980s but

have been simplistic in the 1980s but

have been simplistic in the 1980s but this point and click game still set the

this point and click game still set the

this point and click game still set the standard for smut in video games for a

standard for smut in video games for a

standard for smut in video games for a while at least

while at least

while at least protagonist Larry laugher is a

protagonist Larry laugher is a

protagonist Larry laugher is a middle-aged virgin who lives in his

middle-aged virgin who lives in his

middle-aged virgin who lives in his mother’s basement and hopes to get laid

his cheesy disco outfit perpetual use of

his cheesy disco outfit perpetual use of double entendres and bad luck with women

double entendres and bad luck with women

double entendres and bad luck with women make it tough but the game is so funny

make it tough but the game is so funny

make it tough but the game is so funny that it’s entertaining to try

number nine maniac mansion telltale

number nine maniac mansion telltale games recently made the point and click

games recently made the point and click

games recently made the point and click game cool again with their Walking Dead

game cool again with their Walking Dead

game cool again with their Walking Dead series but this title is widely credited

series but this title is widely credited

series but this title is widely credited with starting the genre the evil dr.

with starting the genre the evil dr.

with starting the genre the evil dr. fred has been sucking out people’s

fred has been sucking out people’s

fred has been sucking out people’s brains and protagonist Dave Miller

brains and protagonist Dave Miller

brains and protagonist Dave Miller suspects that his girlfriend might be

suspects that his girlfriend might be

suspects that his girlfriend might be the villains latest victim you can take

the villains latest victim you can take

the villains latest victim you can take two friends with you to rescue her and

two friends with you to rescue her and

two friends with you to rescue her and whoever you choose the witty dialogue

whoever you choose the witty dialogue

whoever you choose the witty dialogue and writing will help you enjoy the

and writing will help you enjoy the

and writing will help you enjoy the journey

before Sid Meier solidified his place in

before Sid Meier solidified his place in history with his civilization series he

history with his civilization series he

history with his civilization series he made this open-world strategy game you

made this open-world strategy game you

made this open-world strategy game you start as a privateer for one of four

start as a privateer for one of four

start as a privateer for one of four countries though since you’re a pirate

countries though since you’re a pirate

countries though since you’re a pirate your allegiance can change fairly easily

your allegiance can change fairly easily

your allegiance can change fairly easily many of the factors which affect your

many of the factors which affect your

many of the factors which affect your experience such as diplomatic relations

experience such as diplomatic relations

experience such as diplomatic relations between countries are randomized and put

between countries are randomized and put

between countries are randomized and put out of your control but again being a

out of your control but again being a

out of your control but again being a pirate sometimes it’s best to answer

pirate sometimes it’s best to answer

pirate sometimes it’s best to answer diplomacy with a sword number 7 where in

diplomacy with a sword number 7 where in

diplomacy with a sword number 7 where in the world is Carmen Sandiego

we all hated geography class but we had

we all hated geography class but we had a lot more fun with these games you had

a lot more fun with these games you had

a lot more fun with these games you had to chase the titular villain and her

to chase the titular villain and her

to chase the titular villain and her henchmen around the world all in the

henchmen around the world all in the

henchmen around the world all in the hopes of arresting her before time runs

hopes of arresting her before time runs

hopes of arresting her before time runs out

out

out the game gave you clues about the cities

the game gave you clues about the cities

the game gave you clues about the cities where you could find these suspects thus

where you could find these suspects thus

where you could find these suspects thus teaching you about the world in the

teaching you about the world in the

teaching you about the world in the process of your search the game has been

process of your search the game has been

process of your search the game has been constantly remade throughout the years

constantly remade throughout the years

constantly remade throughout the years to make use of new technology though the

to make use of new technology though the

to make use of new technology though the foundations have always stayed the same

many credit this turn-based RPG with

many credit this turn-based RPG with being the first post-apocalyptic game

being the first post-apocalyptic game

being the first post-apocalyptic game and it started the genre well it begins

and it started the genre well it begins

and it started the genre well it begins after a nuclear war between the u.s. and

after a nuclear war between the u.s. and

after a nuclear war between the u.s. and the Soviets all but destroyed the world

the Soviets all but destroyed the world

the Soviets all but destroyed the world and you have to help the American desert

and you have to help the American desert

and you have to help the American desert Rangers to save survivors and fight bad

Rangers to save survivors and fight bad

Rangers to save survivors and fight bad guys it may not look like much today but

guys it may not look like much today but

guys it may not look like much today but for 1988 wasteland was considered to be

for 1988 wasteland was considered to be

for 1988 wasteland was considered to be groundbreaking both in terms of

groundbreaking both in terms of

groundbreaking both in terms of strategic gameplay and its graphics

this action-platformer started off one

this action-platformer started off one of the most beloved series of all time

of the most beloved series of all time

of the most beloved series of all time and this title itself was pretty great

and this title itself was pretty great

and this title itself was pretty great in under an hour you have to defeat the

in under an hour you have to defeat the

in under an hour you have to defeat the evil wizard Jafar free your love

evil wizard Jafar free your love

evil wizard Jafar free your love interest and escape the dungeon you’ll

interest and escape the dungeon you’ll

interest and escape the dungeon you’ll also face challenges like spike traps

also face challenges like spike traps

also face challenges like spike traps guillotines and hostile swordsmen along

guillotines and hostile swordsmen along

guillotines and hostile swordsmen along the way all of which keep things

the way all of which keep things

the way all of which keep things interesting

additionally the animation was

additionally the animation was revolutionary for the time though the

revolutionary for the time though the

revolutionary for the time though the slower pace may throw off gamers today

number four Kings quest for the perils

number four Kings quest for the perils of rozilla even before point-and-click

of rozilla even before point-and-click

of rozilla even before point-and-click adventures were a thing

adventures were a thing

adventures were a thing there were graphic text adventures where

there were graphic text adventures where

there were graphic text adventures where you had to type in your input and this

you had to type in your input and this

you had to type in your input and this series was at the forefront with the

series was at the forefront with the

series was at the forefront with the fourth game featuring one of the

fourth game featuring one of the

fourth game featuring one of the earliest female protagonists in video

earliest female protagonists in video

earliest female protagonists in video games her name is rose Ola and she’s a

games her name is rose Ola and she’s a

games her name is rose Ola and she’s a princess who you have to help get magic

princess who you have to help get magic

princess who you have to help get magic fruit to save her dying father

the innovative gameplay takes place in

the innovative gameplay takes place in real-time over about a 24-hour period

real-time over about a 24-hour period

real-time over about a 24-hour period and the beautifully drawn graphics were

and the beautifully drawn graphics were

and the beautifully drawn graphics were equally impressive

number three Ultima 4 quest of the

number three Ultima 4 quest of the avatar

preceded by three hack-and-slash games

preceded by three hack-and-slash games this RPG title was more story-driven and

this RPG title was more story-driven and

this RPG title was more story-driven and concerned with ethics creating fantastic

concerned with ethics creating fantastic

concerned with ethics creating fantastic results instead of allowing you to

results instead of allowing you to

results instead of allowing you to assign stats to your player his virtues

assign stats to your player his virtues

assign stats to your player his virtues get determined by your answers to

get determined by your answers to

get determined by your answers to ethical dilemmas making for a more

ethical dilemmas making for a more

ethical dilemmas making for a more personalized and complex experience than

personalized and complex experience than

personalized and complex experience than other RPGs at the time ethics aside

other RPGs at the time ethics aside

other RPGs at the time ethics aside fighting your way around the world of

fighting your way around the world of

fighting your way around the world of Britannia was a lot of fun which was

Britannia was a lot of fun which was

Britannia was a lot of fun which was what really counted

if you’re the right age you probably

if you’re the right age you probably remember this game from elementary

remember this game from elementary

remember this game from elementary school but it still holds up beautifully

school but it still holds up beautifully

school but it still holds up beautifully outside the classroom you play as a

outside the classroom you play as a

outside the classroom you play as a settler tasked with getting his family

settler tasked with getting his family

settler tasked with getting his family from Missouri to Oregon and you are sure

from Missouri to Oregon and you are sure

from Missouri to Oregon and you are sure to encounter hardships like bandits and

to encounter hardships like bandits and

to encounter hardships like bandits and diminishing supplies along the way

diminishing supplies along the way

diminishing supplies along the way you’ll definitely learn something from

you’ll definitely learn something from

you’ll definitely learn something from the experience no matter how many times

the experience no matter how many times

the experience no matter how many times you die of dysentery

hmm before we get to our number one

hmm before we get to our number one let’s take a look at some honorable

let’s take a look at some honorable

let’s take a look at some honorable mentions

taking the top spot is a city simulator

taking the top spot is a city simulator that forever altered the landscape of

that forever altered the landscape of

that forever altered the landscape of strategy games designer Will Wright

strategy games designer Will Wright

strategy games designer Will Wright managed to make urban planning both fun

managed to make urban planning both fun

managed to make urban planning both fun and educational all while creating one

and educational all while creating one

and educational all while creating one of the most influential games ever made

of the most influential games ever made

of the most influential games ever made it allows you to construct buildings set

it allows you to construct buildings set

it allows you to construct buildings set tax rates and build power grids all in

tax rates and build power grids all in

tax rates and build power grids all in the interest of developing your city to

the interest of developing your city to

the interest of developing your city to its maximum potential most importantly

its maximum potential most importantly

its maximum potential most importantly it allowed players to be creative in a

it allowed players to be creative in a

it allowed players to be creative in a time when what you could do in games was

time when what you could do in games was

time when what you could do in games was rigidly limited do you agree with our

rigidly limited do you agree with our

rigidly limited do you agree with our list which PC game of the 1980s fills

list which PC game of the 1980s fills

list which PC game of the 1980s fills you with nostalgia well done the people

you with nostalgia well done the people

you with nostalgia well done the people of the South Pacific are happy to have a

of the South Pacific are happy to have a

of the South Pacific are happy to have a treasure safe again for more classic top

treasure safe again for more classic top

treasure safe again for more classic top 10s published daily be sure to subscribe

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