List of self-booting IBM PC compatible games

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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+14" or, later, 3+12", 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 [ citation needed ] until it became obsolete as games grew larger. Due to bit rot, original working versions of these floppy disks are rare. Some have been ported to other operating systems.

TitleReleasedGenrePublisher/developer
3-K Trivia 1984Strategy IBM
Ace of Aces 1986Combat flight simulator Accolade / Artech
Agent USA 1984Adventure / strategy Scholastic / Tom Snyder Productions
Alley Cat 1984PlatformIBM / Synapse Software
The Alpine Encounter 1985Adventure Random House
Amnesia 1986Adventure Electronic Arts
Apple Panic 1982Platform Broderbund
Archon: The Light and the Dark 1984StrategyElectronic Arts / Free Fall Associates
Attack On Altair 1983Action Windmill Software
Bannercatch 1984Action Scholastic
Battlezone 1983Action Atarisoft
B.C.'s Quest for Tires 1984Action Sierra On-line / Sydney Development
Below the Root 1984Adventure Windham Classics / Dale Disharoon
Beneath Apple Manor 1983RPG Quality Software
Beyond Castle Wolfenstein 1984Stealth Muse Software
Big Top 1983PlatformFuntastic / Michael Abrash
The Black Cauldron 1986AdventureSierra On-line
Borrowed Time 1985Adventure Activision / Interplay
Boulder Dash 1984Puzzle First Star Software
Boulder Dash II 1985PuzzleFirst Star Software
Bruce Lee 1984Platform Datasoft
Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom 1984Action Sega
Buggy Ranger 1988Arcade Dinamic Software / Iron Byte
BurgerTime 1983Platform Mattel Electronics
Buzzard Bait 1983Fixed Shooter SIRIUS
Centipede 1983Action Atarisoft
Championship Lode Runner 1984PlatformBroderbund Software
Chess88 1984Board gameUnknown
Climber 5 1987Platform COMPUTE! Publications
Commando 1987Run and gun Quicksilver / Data East
Conflict in Vietnam 1986Simulation MicroProse
Congo Bongo 1984Isometric platformerSega
Conquest1983PlatformWindmill Software
Cosmic Crusader 1982Fixed shooterFuntastic / Michael Abrash
Crossfire 1982ActionSierra On-Line
Crusade in Europe 1985SimulationMicroProse
Crypto Cube 1983Puzzle DesignWare
Cutthroats 1984Interactive fiction Infocom
Cyborg 1982Interactive fictionSentient / Softsmith
Czorian Siege 1983Action Computer Applications Unlimited / Howard W. Sams
Deadline 1982Interactive fictionInfocom
Decision in the Desert 1985SimulationMicroProse
Defender 1983Scrolling shooterAtarisoft
Defender of the Crown 1987Strategy game Master Designer Software / Mirrorsoft
Demon Attack 1982Fixed shooter Imagic
Demon's Forge 1987Adventure Saber Software
Destroyer 1986Simulation Epyx
Dig Dug 1982MazeAtarisoft
Digger 1983ActionWindmill Software
Donald Duck's Playground 1986EducationalSierra On-Line
Donkey Kong 1982PlatformAtarisoft
Dr. J and Larry Bird Go One on One 1983SportsElectronic Arts
Dunjonquest: Morloc's Tower 1983Dungeon crawlEpyx / Automated Simulations
Earthly Delights 1983Adventure Datamost
Eden Blues 1987Adventure ERE Informatique
Enchanter 1986Interactive fictionInfocom
Evolution1982Action Sydney Development Corp.
Executive Suite 1982Life simulation Armonk Corporation
The Exterminator 1982Action Nufekop / Bubble Bus
F-15 Strike Eagle 1984Combat flight simulatorMicroProse
FaceMaker 1982EducationalDesignWare / Spinnaker
Five-a-Side Indoor Soccer 1986Sports Mastertronic Group
Fleet Sweep 1983ActionMirror Images
Floppy Frenzy 1982ActionWindmill Software
Forbidden Castle 1985Adventure Angelsoft / Mindscape
Forbidden Quest 1983Adventure Pryority Software
The Fourth Protocol 1985Adventure Electronic Pencil Company / Hutchinson Computer Publishing
Freddy Fish 1983ActionMirror Images
Freddy Hardest 1988Platform Dinamic Software
Freddy Hardest in South Manhattan 1989Platform Dinamic Software/ Iron Byte
FriendlyWare P.C. Action 1983Action FriendlySoft
FriendlyWare PC Introductory Set 1983ActionFriendlySoft
Frogger 1983ActionSierra On-Line
Frogger II: ThreeeDeep! 1984ActionSega
Full Count Baseball 1984Sports Lance Haffner Games
Galactic Gladiators 1983Tactical combat Strategic Simulations
Galaxian 1983Fixed shooterAtarisoft
Game Over 1987Run and gun Dinamic Software / Imagine Software
Game Over II 1987Shoot em' up Dinamic Software
Gamma Force in Pit of a Thousand Screams 1988Interactive fictionTom Snyder Productions / Infocom
Ghostbusters 1986MiscellaneousActivision
Gremlins 1984Fixed shooterAtarisoft
Guerrilla War 1987Run and gunQuicksilver / Data East
Hacker II: The Doomsday Papers 1986Puzzle / strategyActivision
Hard Hat Mack 1984Platform gameElectronic Arts
Harrier Combat Simulator 1987SimulationMindscape
HellCat Ace 1984First person shooterMicroProse
High Stakes 1986Card gameAngelsoft / Mindscape
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy 1984Interactive fictionInfocom
The Hobbit 1983Interactive fiction Beam Software / Melbourne House
The Holy Grail 1984Adventure Hayden Software
I, Damiano: The Wizard of Partestrada 1985Interactive fictionImagic / Bantam Software
Ikari Warriors 1987Run and gunQuicksilver / Data East
Ikari Warriors II: Victory Road 1988Run and gunQuicksilver / Data East
Indianapolis 500: The Simulation 1989RacingElectronic Arts
Infidel 1983Interactive fictionInfocom
International Hockey 1987Sports Artworx / Superior Quality Software
J-Bird 1983Puzzle Orion Software
James Bond 007: Goldfinger 1986Interactive fictionAngelsoft / Mindscape
Jet 1985SimulationSublogic
John Elway's Quarterback 1988Sports Leland / Melbourne House
Joust 1983PlatformAtarisoft
Jumpman 1984Platform / puzzleEpyx, IBM
Jungle Hunt 1983ActionAtarisoft
Karnov 1989PlatformQuicksilver / Data East
Kindercomp 1983EducationalSpinnaker
King's Quest: Quest for the Crown 1984AdventureSierra On-Line
King's Quest II: Romancing the Throne 1985AdventureSierra On-Line
Kobyashi Naru 1987AdventureMastertronic
Lane Mastodon vs. the Blubbermen 1988AdventureTom Snyder Productions / Infocom
Livingstone supongo 1987Action Opera Soft
Livingstone supongo II 1989Action Opera Soft
Lock-On 1987First person shooter Tatsumi Electronics, Data East
Lode Runner 1983Platform / puzzleBroderbund / Ariolasoft
M.U.L.E. 1983StrategyElectronic Arts, K-Byte
Marble Madness 1986Platform / racingBroderbund, Ariolasoft
Master Miner 1983ActionFuntastic
Math Maze 1983RacingDesignWare
Metropolis 1987Simulation Arcadia Systems, Melbourne House
MicroLeague Baseball 1984Sports MicroLeague
Microsoft Adventure 1981Interactive fiction Microsoft, IBM
Microsoft Decathlon 1982SportsMicrosoft, IBM
Microsoft Flight Simulator 1.0 1982SimulationSublogic / Microsoft
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2.0 1984SimulationSublogic / Microsoft
Mindshadow 1984AdventureInterplay / Activision
Mine Shaft 1983PuzzleSierra On-Line, IBM
Miner 2049er 1983Platform Big Five Software / Micro Fun
Montezuma's Revenge 1984Platform BCI Software
Moon Bugs 1983ActionWindmill Software
Moon Patrol 1983Scrolling shooterAtarisoft
Morloc's Tower 1983Adventure Automated Simulations
Mouser 1983Platform / puzzle Gebelli Software, IBM
Ms. Pac-Man 1983MazeAtarisoft
Mundial de Fútbol 1990Sports Opera Sports, Opera Soft
Murder on the Zinderneuf 1984AdventureFree Fall Associates, Electronic Arts
Narco Police 1989Action / shooter Iron Byte, Dinamic Software
Night Mission Pinball 1982PinballSublogic
Night Stalker 1983MazeMattel Electronics
Oil's Well 1984MazeSierra On-Line
Pac-Man 1983MazeAtarisoft
Paratrooper 1982Shooter Greg Kuperberg, Orion Software
PC Arcade 1983ActionFriendlysoft
PC Pool 1983Sports Hesware, IBM
PC Pool Challenges 1984SportsHesware, IBM
PC-Man 1982MazeOrion Software
Pinball Construction Set 1985PinballElectronic Arts
Pitfall II: Lost Caverns 1984PlatformActivision
Pitstop II 1984Racing Synergistic Software, Epyx
Planetfall 1983Interactive fictionInfocom
Portal 1986RPG Nexa Corporation, Activision
Prowler 1987Simulation Icon Design Ltd., Mastertronic
Psi-5 Trading Company 1986Strategy Accolade
Rasterscan 1987Puzzle Binary Design, Mastertronic
Rescue at Rigel 1983RPGEpyx
Rescate en el Golfo 1991ShooterOpera Soft
River Raid 1984Scrolling shooterActivision
Robotron: 2084 1983Fixed shooterAtarisoft
Rockford 1988ArcadeArcadia Systems
Rollo and the Brush Bros. 1983PuzzleWindmill Software
Satan 1990PlatformDinamic Software
ScubaVenture1983ActionGebelli Software, IBM
Seastalker 1984Interactive fictionInfocom
Serpentine 1982ActionBroderbund
Sol Negro 1988Arcade Opera Soft
The Seven Cities of Gold 1987Adventure Ozark Softscape, Electronic Arts
Shamus 1984Action William Mataga, Synapse Software
Sherlock Holmes: Another Bow 1985AdventureImagic, Bantam Software
Sid Meier's Pirates! 1987Action / adventureMicroProse
Sidewinder 1988Shoot em' upSynergistic Software, Arcadia Systems
Sierra Championship Boxing 1985SportsEvryware, Sierra On-Line
Silent Service 1986Submarine simulatorMicroProse
The Slugger 1988Sports Ocean Software, Mastertronic
Snack Attack II 1982MazeFuntastic
Solo Flight 1983SimulationMicroProse
Solomon's Key 1988Puzzle U.S. Gold
Sorcerer 1984Interactive fictionInfocom
Space Strike 1982ActionMichael Abrash, Datamost
Spellicopter 1983EdutainmentDesignWare
Spiderbot 1988Platform Addictive Games, Epyx
Spitfire Ace 1984Flying shooterMicroProse
Spy Hunter 1984Vehicular combatSega
Starcross 1982Interactive fictionInfocom
Stargate 1983Scrolling shooterAtarisoft
Storm1987PuzzleMastertronic
Strategy Games 1983StrategyIBM
Styx 1983PuzzleWindmill Software
Sub Mission 1987ShooterTom Snyder Productions, Mindscape
Summer Games II 1986SportsEpyx
Super Boulder Dash 1986ActionFirst Star Software, Electronic Arts
Super Football Sunday 1985SportsQuest / Avalon Hill
Super Zaxxon 1984Shoot em' upSega
Suspect 1984Interactive fictionInfocom
Suspended 1983Interactive fictionInfocom
Tag Team Wrestling 1985SportsQuicksilver / Data East
Tapper 1983Action Bally Midway
Tass Times in Tonetown 1986Adventure Brainwave Creations / Interplay, Activision
The Last Mission 1987Action Opera Soft
Timothy Leary's Mind Mirror 1986Interactive fiction Futique, Electronic Arts
Touchdown Football 1984SportsImagic, IBM
The Tracer Sanction 1984AdventureInterplay / Activision
Trilogy 1987AdventureMastertronic
Trivia 101 1984Educational Digital Learning Systems, IBM
Troll's Tale 1984AdventureSierra On-Line
TV and Cinema 101: Trivia from Talkies to Trekkies 1984Game showDigital Learning Systems, IBM
Ulysses and the Golden Fleece 1982Hi-res adventureSierra On-Line
Up'n Down 1984PlatformSega Enterprise, Ltd.
Voodoo Island 1985Interactive fictionAngelsoft / Mindscape
Warrior of Ras: Volume I - Dunzhin 1982RPG Intelligent Statements Inc., Computer Applications Unlimited
Will Harvey's Music Construction Set 1984EducationalElectronic Arts
Winter Games 1986SportsEpyx
The Witness 1983Interactive fictionInfocom
Wizard and the Princess 1982Adventure On-Line Systems
Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord 1984RPG Sir-Tech
Wizardry II: The Knight of Diamonds 1985RPGSir-Tech
Wizardry III: Legacy of Llylgamyn 1986RPGSir-Tech
Wizardry IV: The Return of Werdna 1987RPGSir-Tech
Wizardry V: Heart of the Maelstrom 1988RPGSir-Tech
Wizball 1987Shoot 'em up Sensible Software, Ocean Software
Word Spinner 1984Educational The Learning Company
World Games 1986Sports K-Byte / Epyx
World Karate Championship 1986FightingEpyx / System 3
The World's Greatest Baseball Game 1985SportsQuest Inc., Epyx
Zaxxon 1984ActionSega
Zork: The Great Underground Empire 1982Interactive fictionInfocom
Zork II: The Wizard of Frobozz 1983Interactive fictionInfocom
Zork III: The Dungeon Master 1984Interactive fictionInfocom
ZorkQuest: Assault on Egreth Castle 1988AdventureTom Snyder Productions / Infocom
ZorkQuest: The Crystal of Doom 1989AdventureTom Snyder Productions / Infocom
Zyll 1984Interactive fictionIBM

See also