DOS MZ executable

Software concept

Comes in the DOS MZ .EXE binary executable format, associated with the DOS operating system and different from the later WinPE .EXE format.

8
games
2
platforms
As new platforms, processors, and architectures are introduced, older executable formats can become an issue on otherwise 'compatible' formats, emulators, and compatibility layers.
This is the de facto executable format for DOS games after .COM format and did not get a replacement during the lifetime of the operating system. The .exe extension was however re-used for WinPE executables.

32-bit Windows can run these to some degree while 64-bit Windows can not, even when the executable is 32-bit.

Generally speaking using this tag is not helpful, except to remove some potential confusion with games that one might assume to be in one of the older formats (e.g. a sequel released shortly after the previous game in older format).

Popular tags

3.5disk cdrom compatiblewine lifesimulation pascal roguelike

Parent group

Executable formats

Games by year

8990919293949596 41230

The first DOS MZ executable video game was released in 1989.

Apogee and Epic MegaGames published most of these games.

Platforms

Win3.1 4
MS-DOS 4