Top 10 · 1988

The 10 best DOS games of 1988

The 10 best DOS games of 1988, as the players of dos.games rate them. Pole Position leads the list, ahead of Might and Magic II: Gates to Another World and Designasaurus.

Every game on the list plays in your browser, with nothing to install. The order comes from players' ratings and real play time, so it moves as people play.

Updated November 11, 2026How the lists are ranked

36DOS games of 1988 in the archive
10 of 10Play in your browser
3.5Score of #1, out of 5

1. Pole Position
1988 · Namco Limited · Racing / Driving
3.5 out of 5Played often
Pole Position is the conversion of the arcade racing game.
Play now: Pole Position About the game
2. Might and Magic II: Gates to Another World
1988 · New World Computing, Inc. · Role-playing (RPG)
3.3 out of 5Played a lot
The Sequel to the successful Might and Magic I, it boasted better graphics, a larger world, but still pretty much the same game engine and presentation.
Play now: Might and Magic II: Gates to Another World About the game
3. Designasaurus
1988 · DesignWare, Inc. · Educational
3.3 out of 5Played a lot
Designasaurus is an educational simulation game set in the far future.
Play now: Designasaurus About the game
4. King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella
1988 · Sierra On-Line, Inc. · Adventure
3.3 out of 5Played often
King Graham and Queen Valanice were glad to have their children back.
Play now: King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella About the game
5. Fire and Forget
1988 · Titus France SA · Action
3.3 out of 5Played now and then
Restore peace on earth and collect a high score while doing so in the first one of the Fire and Forget games by Titus.
Play now: Fire and Forget About the game
6. Contra
1988 · Konami Industry Co. Ltd. · Action
3.3 out of 5Played a lot
In the year 2631, a small meteorite has fallen into the Galuga archipelago, located 20km northeast off the coast of New Zealand.
Play now: Contra About the game
7. Street Fighter
1988 · Capcom Co., Ltd. · Action
3.3 out of 5Played a lot
You are Ryu, a Street Fighter.
Play now: Street Fighter About the game
8. Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders
1988 · Lucasfilm Games LLC · Adventure
3.3 out of 5Played often
The plot follows Zak (full name Francis Zachary McKracken), a writer for the National Inquisitor, a tabloid newspaper; Annie Larris, a freelance scientist; and Melissa China and Leslie Bennett, two Yale University coed students, in their attempt to prevent the nefarious alien …
Play now: Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders About the game
9. 4 Soccer Simulators
1988 · Codemasters · Sports
3.3 out of 5Played a lot
4 Soccer Simulators is a soccer game that includes 4 independent sub-games: 11-A-Side Soccer is a simulation of the default soccer rules.
Play now: 4 Soccer Simulators About the game
10. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
1988 · Mindscape, Inc. · Action
3.3 out of 5Played now and then
The computer versions of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom are conversions of the Atari arcade game based on the second movie in the series.
Play now: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom About the game

Ranks 11–20

More great DOS games of 1988

11. Battle ChessInterplay Productions, Inc. · Strategy / tactics · 1988Played a lot
A lot
3.2 out of 5
12. PlatoonData East Corporation · Action · 1988Played often
Often
3.2 out of 5
13. Pool of RadianceStrategic Simulations, Inc. · Role-playing (RPG) · 1988Played often
Often
3.2 out of 5
14. Strip Poker II PlusAnco Software Ltd. · Gambling · 1988Played often
Often
3.2 out of 5
15. Bubble BobbleTaito Software Inc. · Action · 1988Played often
Often
3.2 out of 5
16. California GamesEpyx, Inc. · Sports · 1988Played often
Often
3.2 out of 5
17. Captain BloodMindscape, Inc. · Adventure · 1988Played often
Often
3.2 out of 5
18. Ultima V: Warriors of DestinyORIGIN Systems, Inc. · Role-playing (RPG) · 1988Played now and then
Now and then
3.2 out of 5
19. Grand Prix CircuitAccolade, Inc. · Racing / Driving · 1988Played now and then
Now and then
3.2 out of 5
20. Police Quest 2: The VengeanceSierra On-Line, Inc. · Adventure · 1988Played now and then
Now and then
3.2 out of 5

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Questions

Frequently asked

How Best DOS Games are ranked

What is the best DOS game of 1988?

Pole Position (1988, Namco Limited) is the best DOS game of 1988 by our players' ratings, ahead of Might and Magic II: Gates to Another World and Designasaurus. The ranking follows players' ratings and real play time, so it changes as people play.

Can I play these DOS games of 1988 online?

Yes. 10 of the games on this list play free in your browser on dos.games, with no download and no emulator to set up. Press Play on any of them; your progress can be saved.

How many DOS games of 1988 are there on dos.games?

36. This list ranks the best 10 in full and the next ones below them; the catalogue has every one, with filters for year, studio and more.

How is this list ranked?

With the same score as our Best DOS Games ranking: players' ratings, pulled toward the archive's own rating while a game has few of them, plus a small bonus for the games people actually keep playing. No editor and no sponsor decides a place.