Abandonware games developed by HVB Software

21-en

DOS 1991

Released in the formative years of PC gaming, 21-en for DOS presented itself as a minimalist yet captivating title that carried a distinctive charm of early nineties software. Developed by a small collective driven by experimentation, this game aimed to blend the classic card experience of blackjack with the stark visuals and intuitive interface typical of its era. With the limited color palette and characteristic pixelated fonts, 21-en invited players into a digital world where luck met basic strategy, all wrapped within the constraints of MS-DOS compatibility. The gameplay followed straightforward mechanics: users faced the algorithmic dealer in a mission to achieve 21 points without tipping over. Unlike its arcade-heavy contemporaries, 21-en prioritized a thoughtful approach, encouraging its audience to deliberate before drawing each virtual card. User input, managed through keyboard-driven menus, created a rhythm of suspense. The interface eschewed any flamboyance—a stark, neatly bordered window displayed the shuffled deck, player hand, and slim betting options, keeping unnecessary distractions at bay. Audio in 21-en reflected the limitations and ingenuity of the period. Simple beeps and chimes emanated from the system speaker, signaling wins, losses, and pivotal game events. Despite the absence of elaborate soundtracks or voiceover, these unembellished effects honed a hypnotic sense of immersion. For many, this minimalist approach heightened focus, allowing pure gameplay to shine without superficial polish. Reception for 21-en at the time was quietly appreciative within niche user groups. Distributed primarily via shareware collections and local bulletin boards, it seldom captured mainstream attention, but cultivated a dedicated following among card enthusiasts who prized its no-nonsense interface and reliable logic. Many early PC adopters recall playing the game during brief work breaks or quiet evenings, with the software’s compact file size proving advantageous on modest hardware. Although overshadowed by flashier contemporaries and later overshadowed by Windows-based casino simulators, 21-en remains a testament to an era where simple, accessible fun defined much of the PC gaming landscape. Today, those who revisit its modest code or recount its memory do so with a sense of appreciative nostalgia, recognizing its contribution to the broader history of digital card games. In the annals of gaming, 21-en endures as a humble but noteworthy artifact from DOS’s golden age.

5-Letter-Kruiswoord

DOS 1990

In 1990, HVB Software publishes -Letter-Kruiswoord in DOS. This strategy and puzzle game is now abandonware and is set in a word building.

5-Seconden

DOS 1991

-Seconden is a game that tests if the player knows how long 5 seconds is. After a signal, the player has to wait and when he thinks 5 seconds have passed, he has to press the space bar. The closer the player gets to 5 seconds, the more points he gets. The game ends after 10 rounds and can be played by 1 or 2 players.

Bind-Woord

DOS 1992

In Bind-Woord the player is shown two words that share a common part, which is replaced by dots. The goal of this game is to fill in the dots. When the player does not know the answer, he can press F1 to get the correct answer. The game ends after 10 rounds.

Boggle

DOS 1990

Boggle, released in 1990, was a classic DOS game that was loved and played by many for years. It was based on the popular word game of the same name, in which players must form words from a set of letters that appear on the board. Players would use their knowledge of the English language to create words from the letter grid, and the game was won by the player who was able to generate the most words from the grid. The game was developed by the legendary game developer, Infocom, and it was one of their most popular and successful titles. It was easy to learn, but challenging to master, as players had to search for words that were hidden in the letter grid. The game featured three levels of difficulty, and it was designed to be both challenging and fun. The game featured an intuitive and easy-to-use interface, and players could customize the board size, the number of players, and the time limit. It was also possible to save a game in progress, so players could resume their game at any time. This made it easy to play with friends, as long as they had the same version of the game. Boggle was a great success, and it was a staple of many households. It was an excellent game to play with friends and family, and it was also a great way to practice and improve one’s English language skills. The game was so popular, in fact, that it was even adapted for the television game show, Scrabble. Overall, Boggle was an excellent game that was loved by many. It was easy to learn, yet challenging to master, and it was a great way to spend time with friends and family. It was a classic DOS game that deserved its success, and it is still fondly remembered by those who played it.

Boter kaas en eieren

DOS 1990

Boter, kaas en eieren (Butter, cheese and eggs) is the Dutch name for Tic-tac-toe. Two players take turns filling in the squares of a 3 by 3 matrix. One player puts X's and the other puts O's. One player puts X's and the other puts O's. The first player to have three X's or O's in a row wins. Rows can be horizontal, vertical and diagonal.

Cijfer-puzzel

DOS 1991

Cijfer-puzzel is a puzzle game with digits. It has eight levels of difficulty. At the lowest difficulty the game displays a 2 by 2 square and at the highest difficulty a 9 by 9 square. At the end of each row and each column there is a number. There is also a number in the lower right corner. The object of the game is to fill these squares with digits so that the sum of the digits equals the number at the end of each row, column and diagonal.

Clearer

DOS 1991

The objective of Clearer is to clear the screen. The game starts with a white screen and a bouncing ball. Wherever the ball goes, the screen turns black. The player controls a paddle that is used to keep the ball on the screen. The game ends after three rounds.

Dobbel

DOS 1991

In Dobbel the player has five dice and a card with numbers from 5 to 30. The object of the game is to tag all the numbers on the card. To do this, the dice are rolled and the values on the faces of the dice are added up. For example, when the player rolls 1, 5, 3, 4 and 5, he marks 18 on his playing card if it is not already marked. In each round the player rolls the dice five times. After each roll, the player may decide to retain some of the dice and roll only the remaining dice. When all five dice show the same value, a random number is marked on the card.

Driester

DOS 1991

Driester (Dutch for three stars) is a game in which the player must clear the playing field by catching three stars at a time. The stars appear randomly on the playing field. The player controls a square and when there are exactly three stars on it, he/she scores points and two of the stars disappear. The game ends when there are 170 stars on the playing field.

Games developed by HVB Software

21-en

5-Letter-Kruiswoord

5-Seconden

Bind-Woord

Boggle

Boter kaas en eieren

Cijfer-puzzel

Clearer

Dobbel

Driester