Tag
ASCII and Text-Mode DOS Games
Rooms, enemies and worlds can be drawn with characters rather than detailed sprites. This text-mode collection spans dungeon exploration, adventures, puzzles and strategy. The presentation is shared, but the inputs are not: some games use typed commands, while others rely on movement keys or report menus.
Browse all 11 games ↓A few places to start
- Castle Adventure
Explore rooms with the cursor keys and use short text commands for objects and interactions. Finding the exit matters as much as collecting treasure.
- Rogue
Read the command list and symbol reference before descending. Food, equipment and case-sensitive commands shape survival in the dungeon.
- Anacreon: Reconstruction 4021
Direct worlds and fleets through a turn-based space empire. Consult the world, military and fleet reports before advancing the turn.
Archive entries
↑↓ Select · Enter Open| Game | Platform | Year | Genre | Play |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Alien AttackDefend the planet in Alien Attack, moving a ground gun beneath the aliens and firing upward through each attack. | DOS | 1994 | Shooter | PLAY |
Anacreon: Reconstruction 4021Rebuild an interstellar empire in Anacreon, assigning worlds and fleets while watching production, fuel and the turn cycle. | DOS | 1987 | Strategy | PLAY |
Castle AdventureEscape a deserted castle by exploring its rooms, gathering equipment and combining keyboard movement with typed commands. | DOS | 1984 | Adventure | PLAY |
Linley's Dungeon CrawlDescend in search of the Orb of Zot, learning item and movement commands in the classic DOS version of Linley’s Dungeon Crawl. | DOS | 1997 | RPG | PLAY |
MAGDescend through a dangerous dungeon to recover the Sudbury Sapphire, then survive the return journey to the surface. | DOS | 1988 | RPG | PLAY |
NyetA falling-block puzzle with a next-piece preview that costs points, several keyboard layouts and speed increases as rows disappear. | DOS | 1988 | Puzzle | PLAY |
RogueExplore the Dungeons of Doom in Rogue, managing food and equipment while navigating rooms, passages, traps and monsters. | DOS | 1984 | RPG | PLAY |
RoomzCollect exclamation marks and find the exit in Roomz, a scrolling maze game with unusual number-pad movement and limited ammunition. | DOS | 1980 | Puzzle | PLAY |
SLASHExplore SLASH release 6, a NetHack variant with extra character classes and dungeon content, using its packaged number-pad controls. | DOS | 1996 | RPG | PLAY |
TetrisArrange falling pieces in this DOS Tetris version, using its numbered controls and setup screen to choose the starting challenge. | DOS | 1986 | Puzzle | PLAY |
UnReal World 2.04Survive and explore the early UnReal World, managing equipment, skills, food and wounds through its character-driven wilderness interface. | DOS | 1995 | RPG | PLAY |
