Spotlight: top 15 game discoveries of 2025

Blog article by MrFlibble

DOS Games Archive continued to expand its collection in 2025, adding many new and interesting titles. Some of these clearly deserve more attention than others. Let's have a look!

Quadrax (1995)

This little puzzle game from a Slovak developer has a lot of charm and will put up a good challenge for your brain. Guide 2 archaeologists over dangerous tombs, temples and ruins, solving puzzles that slightly resemble The Lost Vikings.

Play in browser or download 'Quadrax' from DOS Games Archive

XOP Ultra (2011)

An indie vertical-scrolling shoot-'em-up of the "bullet hell" variety, highly praised by hardcore fans of the genre. It's actually an updated version of a Windows shareware game that gained less commercial success than it deserved. The author is also a well-known DOOM and Heretic map creator.

Play in browser or download 'XOP Ultra' from DOS Games Archive

Jet Pack Rat (2020)

A fun indie platformer with skill-based gameplay. Guide a rat with a jetpack to treasure while avoiding monsters and hazards! The game has lovely visuals and a good soundtrack.

Play in browser or download 'Jet Pack Rat' from DOS Games Archive

Kinetic Worm Dimension (1999)

The good old Nibbles, but with a twist: the worm now moves across a faux 3D landscape, complicating things a good deal.

Play in browser or download 'Kinetic Worm Dimension' from DOS Games Archive

World of Atom Gods (1999)

If you played Warlords or Warlords II, you'll feel right at home. World of Atom Gods makes no secret of its inspirations, but also adds elements from other turn-based strategy games like Civilization to result in an engaging, if slightly unpolished game. Recommended for all fans of the genre, and bonus points for being exceptionally obscure. A true discovery indeed!

Play in browser or download 'World of Atom Gods' from DOS Games Archive

Dracula's Shadow (2001)

This is a fangame inspired by Castlevania II, built entirely from scratch using the Allegro library. Dracula's Shadow was known to have issues when running in DOSBox, but a VOGONS user by the name M-HT kindly provided a fix for these problems so we can now enjoy the game.

Play in browser or download 'Dracula's Shadow' from DOS Games Archive

Sword of Honour (1993)

In this very beautiful side-scrolling action/adventure game made in Germany, you control a ninja tasked with retrieving a fabled sword stolen by a rival clan. The game mixes exploration, item collecting and martial arts combat. Alas, this is only a demo version, but there's enough scenery in it to appreciate the artist's skill.

Play in browser or download the demo of 'Sword of Honour' from DOS Games Archive

Overheat (1997)

It's an originally commercial 3D racing game along the lines of The Need for Speed, made in Italy. You can participate in regular street races or the "cop chase" mode which wasn't introduced in the NFS series until the third instalment in 1999. The developer declared the game freeware, so what are you waiting for?

Download 'Overheat' from DOS Games Archive

Dschump! (1993)

You pronounce "Dschump" like "jump", but in a thick German accent. This is an originally shareware game that was somewhat inspired by Gremlin Interactive's Bounder for Commodore 64. The player must guide a jumping ball across a very unsafe path of platforms that float over an endless body of water, collecting gems along the way. Much dexterity is required, and the fun factor varies from person to person. Author Peter Hinz declared the game freeware, so check it out! A level editor is included.

Play in browser or download 'Dschump!' from DOS Games Archive

Secret Legacy of the Ancient Caves (2025)

It's a graphical "lite" roguelike that is still work-in-progress, but already quite playable. As usual, you control a brave hero who must descent into scary caves to free the population from the monsters that hide there. You can't save or load the game unless you exit, so if the player character perishes, a successor will carry on the quest, inheriting some useful features and items. There's a very nice graphical tileset in this game, and it can certainly help while the time away.

Play in browser or download 'Secret Legacy of the Ancient Caves' from DOS Games Archive

Panda 2 (1999)

A very sweet, if somewhat easy puzzle game that could very well have been a commercial title! You need to get the panda to the exit, but it will walk in a straight line and never stop unless an obstacle stands in the way, so each level requires to carefully plot an excessively convoluted route to solve the puzzle. There's a level editor, and unlike some other games that came with one, users have created several level packs for Panda 2. A native Windows version is also available.

Play in browser or download 'Panda 2' from DOS Games Archive

Shariki (1996)

This game may look unimpressive at first, but it's incredibly addictive! That's right, you're looking here at the original progenitor of all Bejeweled and Candy Crush "match 3" type of puzzles. Check it out, and try not to waste too much time! (seriously)

Play in browser or download 'Shariki' from DOS Games Archive

Lunar Lander (2002)

Here we have a masterful recreation of the 1979 arcade game of the same name. Carefully steer the landing module to the surface of the moon. More difficult landings earn you more points. This version introduces a career mode and other features, while playing "Over the Blue Danube" in the background.

Play in browser or download 'Lunar Lander' from DOS Games Archive

Crystal Stacker (2001)

A very pleasant Columns variant with several game modes, including a competitive one, which is reminiscent of Puyo Puyo. A native Windows version is also available.

Play in browser or download 'Crystal Stacker' from DOS Games Archive

BlocX (1997)

It's simple, this is a straightforward Breakout clone written in Pascal by an anonymous author. There are 125 levels that you'll need to complete in one sitting, because there is no save/load game feature or level passwords. Nevertheless, there's a polished quality about this game that makes it stand out.

Play in browser or download 'BlocX' from DOS Games Archive

Other recent additions

You can browse many other recent additions to DOS Games Archive.