List of self-booting IBM PC compatible games
{{Short description|None}}
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 {{frac|5|1|4}}" or, later, {{frac|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{{cn|date=March 2024}} 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.
{{Compact ToC|short1|num=yes|name=Directory|x=|y=|top=no|refs=no|seealso=yes}}
| class="wikitable sortable"
!width=35%|Title !width=10%|Released !width=20%|Genre !width=35%|Publisher/developer | |
| id="0.E2.80.939"
|1984 |Strategy |IBM | |
| id="A"
|1986 |Combat flight simulator | |
| Agent USA
|1984 |Adventure / strategy | |
| Alley Cat
|1984 |Platform |IBM / Synapse Software | |
| The Alpine Encounter
|1985 |Adventure | |
| Amnesia
|1986 |Adventure | |
| Apple Panic
|1982 |Platform | |
| Archon: The Light and the Dark
|1984 |Strategy |Electronic Arts / Free Fall Associates | |
| Attack On Altair
|1983 |Action | |
| id="B"
|1984 |Action | |
| Battlezone
|1983 |Action | |
| B.C.'s Quest for Tires
|1984 |Action | |
| Below the Root
|1984 |Adventure | |
| Beneath Apple Manor
|1983 |RPG | |
| Beyond Castle Wolfenstein
|1984 |Stealth | |
| Big Top
|1983 |Platform |Funtastic / Michael Abrash | |
| The Black Cauldron
|1986 |Adventure |Sierra On-line | |
| Borrowed Time
|1985 |Adventure | |
| Boulder Dash
|1984 |Puzzle | |
| Boulder Dash II
|1985 |Puzzle |First Star Software | |
| Bruce Lee
|1984 |Platform | |
| Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom
|1984 |Action |Sega | |
| Buggy Ranger
|1988 |Arcade | |
| BurgerTime
|1983 |Platform | |
| Buzzard Bait
|1983 |Fixed Shooter | |
| id="C"
|1983 |Action | |
| Championship Lode Runner
|1984 |Platform |Broderbund Software | |
| Chess88
|1984 |Board game |Unknown | |
| Climber 5
|1987 |Platform | |
| Commando
|1987 |Run and gun | |
| Conflict in Vietnam
|1986 |Simulation | |
| Congo Bongo
|1984 |Isometric platformer |Sega | |
| Conquest
|1983 |Platform |Windmill Software | |
| Cosmic Crusader
|1982 |Fixed shooter |Funtastic / Michael Abrash | |
| Crossfire
|1982 |Action |Sierra On-Line | |
| Crusade in Europe
|1985 |Simulation |MicroProse | |
| Crypto Cube
|1983 |Puzzle | |
| Cutthroats
|1984 |Interactive fiction | |
| Cyborg
|1982 |Interactive fiction |Sentient / Softsmith | |
| Czorian Siege
|1983 |Action | |
| id="D"
|1982 |Interactive fiction |Infocom | |
| Decision in the Desert
|1985 |Simulation |MicroProse | |
| Defender
|1983 |Scrolling shooter |Atarisoft | |
| Defender of the Crown
|1987 |Strategy game | |
| Demon Attack
|1982 |Fixed shooter | |
| 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 | |
| id="E"
|1983 |Adventure | |
| Eden Blues
|1987 |Adventure | |
| Enchanter
|1986 |Interactive fiction |Infocom | |
| Evolution
|1982 |Action | |
| Executive Suite
|1982 |Life simulation | |
| The Exterminator
|1982 |Action | |
| id="F"
|1984 |Combat flight simulator |MicroProse | |
| FaceMaker
|1982 |Educational |DesignWare / Spinnaker | |
| Five-a-Side Indoor Soccer
|1986 |Sports | |
| Fleet Sweep
|1983 |Action |Mirror Images | |
| Floppy Frenzy
|1982 |Action |Windmill Software | |
| Forbidden Castle
|1985 |Adventure | |
| Forbidden Quest
|1983 |Adventure | |
| The Fourth Protocol
|1985 |Adventure | |
| Freddy Fish
|1983 |Action |Mirror Images | |
| Freddy Hardest
|1988 |Platform | |
| Freddy Hardest in South Manhattan
|1989 |Platform | |
| FriendlyWare P.C. Action
|1983 |Action | |
| FriendlyWare PC Introductory Set
|1983 |Action |FriendlySoft | |
| Frogger
|1983 |Action |Sierra On-Line | |
| Frogger II: ThreeeDeep!
|1984 |Action |Sega | |
| Full Count Baseball
|1984 |Sports | |
| id="G"
|1983 |Tactical combat | |
| Galaxian
|1983 |Fixed shooter |Atarisoft | |
| Game Over
|1987 |Run and gun | |
| Game Over II
|1987 |Shoot em' up | |
| Gamma Force in Pit of a Thousand Screams
|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 | |
| id="H"
|Hacker II: The Doomsday Papers |1986 |Puzzle / strategy |Activision | |
| Hard Hat Mack
|1984 |Platform game |Electronic Arts | |
| Harrier Combat Simulator
|1987 |Simulation |Mindscape | |
| HellCat Ace
|1984 |First person shooter |MicroProse | |
| High Stakes
|1986 |Card game |Angelsoft / Mindscape | |
| The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
|1984 |Interactive fiction |Infocom | |
| The Hobbit
|1983 |Interactive fiction | |
| The Holy Grail
|1984 |Adventure | |
| id="I"
|I, Damiano: The Wizard of Partestrada |1985 |Interactive fiction |Imagic / Bantam Software | |
| 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 | |
| International Hockey
|1987 |Sports | |
| id="J"
|1983 |Puzzle | |
| James Bond 007: Goldfinger
|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 | |
| id="K"
|1989 |Platform |Quicksilver / Data East | |
| Kindercomp
|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 | |
| id="L"
|Lane Mastodon vs. the Blubbermen |1988 |Adventure |Tom Snyder Productions / Infocom | |
| Livingstone supongo
|1987 |Action | Opera Soft |
| Livingstone supongo II
|1989 |Action | Opera Soft |
| Lock-On
|1987 |First person shooter |Tatsumi Electronics, Data East | |
| Lode Runner
|1983 |Platform / puzzle |Broderbund / Ariolasoft | |
| id="M"
|1983 |Strategy |Electronic Arts, K-Byte | |
| Marble Madness
|1986 |Platform / racing |Broderbund, Ariolasoft | |
| Master Miner
|1983 |Action |Funtastic | |
| Math Maze
|1983 |Racing |DesignWare | |
| Metropolis
|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 | |
| Mine Shaft
|1983 |Puzzle |Sierra On-Line, IBM | |
| Miner 2049er
|1983 |Platform | |
| Montezuma's Revenge
|1984 |Platform | |
| Moon Bugs
|1983 |Action |Windmill Software | |
| Moon Patrol
|1983 |Scrolling shooter |Atarisoft | |
| Morloc's Tower
|1983 |Adventure | |
| Mouser
|1983 |Platform / puzzle |Gebelli Software, IBM | |
| Ms. Pac-Man
|1983 |Maze |Atarisoft | |
| Mundial de Fútbol
|1990 |Sports | |
| Murder on the Zinderneuf
|1984 |Adventure |Free Fall Associates, Electronic Arts | |
| id="N"
|1989 |Action / shooter |Iron Byte, Dinamic Software | |
| Night Mission Pinball
|1982 |Pinball |Sublogic | |
| Night Stalker
|1983 |Maze |Mattel Electronics | |
| id="O"
|1984 |Maze |Sierra On-Line | |
| id="P"
|1983 |Maze |Atarisoft | |
| Paratrooper
|1982 |Shooter |Greg Kuperberg, Orion Software | |
| PC Arcade
|1983 |Action |Friendlysoft | |
| PC Pool
|1983 |Sports |Hesware, IBM | |
| PC Pool Challenges
|1984 |Sports |Hesware, IBM | |
| PC-Man
|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 |Nexa Corporation, Activision | |
| Prowler
|1987 |Simulation |Icon Design Ltd., Mastertronic | |
| Psi-5 Trading Company
|1986 |Strategy | |
| id="R"
|1987 |Puzzle |Binary Design, Mastertronic | |
| Rescue at Rigel
|1983 |RPG |Epyx | |
| Rescate en el Golfo
|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 | |
| id="S"
|1990 |Platform |Dinamic Software | |
| ScubaVenture
|1983 |Action |Gebelli Software, IBM | |
| Seastalker
|1984 |Interactive fiction |Infocom | |
| Serpentine
|1982 |Action |Broderbund | |
| Sol Negro
|1988 |Arcade | |
| The Seven Cities of Gold
|1987 |Adventure |Ozark Softscape, Electronic Arts | |
| Shamus
|1984 |Action |William Mataga, Synapse Software | |
| Sherlock Holmes: Another Bow
|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 | |
| The Slugger
|1988 |Sports |Ocean Software, Mastertronic | |
| Snack Attack II
|1982 |Maze |Funtastic | |
| Solo Flight
|1983 |Simulation |MicroProse | |
| Solomon's Key
|1988 |Puzzle | |
| Sorcerer
|1984 |Interactive fiction |Infocom | |
| Space Strike
|1982 |Action |Michael Abrash, Datamost | |
| Spellicopter
|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 | |
| Strategy Games
|1983 |Strategy |IBM | |
| Styx
|1983 |Puzzle |Windmill Software | |
| Sub Mission
|1987 |Shooter |Tom Snyder Productions, Mindscape | |
| Summer Games II
|1986 |Sports |Epyx | |
| Super Boulder Dash
|1986 |Action |First Star Software, Electronic Arts | |
| Super Football Sunday
|1985 |Sports |Quest / Avalon Hill | |
| Super Zaxxon
|1984 |Shoot em' up |Sega | |
| Suspect
|1984 |Interactive fiction |Infocom | |
| Suspended
|1983 |Interactive fiction |Infocom | |
| id="T"
|1985 |Sports |Quicksilver / Data East | |
| Tapper
|1983 |Action | |
| Tass Times in Tonetown
|1986 |Adventure |Brainwave Creations / Interplay, Activision | |
| The Last Mission
|1987 |Action | |
| Timothy Leary's Mind Mirror
|1986 |Interactive fiction |Futique, Electronic Arts | |
| Touchdown Football
|1984 |Sports |Imagic, IBM | |
| The Tracer Sanction
|1984 |Adventure |Interplay / Activision | |
| Trilogy
|1987 |Adventure |Mastertronic | |
| Trivia 101
|1984 |Educational |Digital Learning Systems, IBM | |
| Troll's Tale
|1984 |Adventure |Sierra On-Line | |
| TV and Cinema 101: Trivia from Talkies to Trekkies
|1984 |Game show |Digital Learning Systems, IBM | |
| id="U"
|Ulysses and the Golden Fleece |1982 |Hi-res adventure |Sierra On-Line | |
| Up'n Down
|1984 |Platform |Sega Enterprise, Ltd. | |
| id="V"
|1985 |Interactive fiction |Angelsoft / Mindscape | |
| id="W"
|Warrior of Ras: Volume I - Dunzhin |1982 |RPG |Intelligent Statements Inc., Computer Applications Unlimited | |
| Will Harvey's Music Construction Set
|1984 |Educational |Electronic Arts | |
| Winter Games
|1986 |Sports |Epyx | |
| The Witness
|1983 |Interactive fiction |Infocom | |
| Wizard and the Princess
|1982 |Adventure | |
| Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord
|1984 |RPG | |
| 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 | |
| Word Spinner
|1984 |Educational | |
| World Games
|1986 |Sports |K-Byte / Epyx | |
| World Karate Championship
|1986 |Fighting |Epyx / System 3 | |
| The World's Greatest Baseball Game
|1985 |Sports |Quest Inc., Epyx | |
| id="Z"
|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 | |
| ZorkQuest: Assault on Egreth Castle
|1988 |Adventure |Tom Snyder Productions / Infocom | |
| ZorkQuest: The Crystal of Doom
|1989 |Adventure |Tom Snyder Productions / Infocom | |
| Zyll
|1984 |Interactive fiction |IBM |