Windows
Microsoft's PC operating system
- 1985Released
- Operating SystemType
- MicrosoftDeveloper
Overview
Microsoft Windows began in 1985 as a graphical shell running on top of MS-DOS. Windows 95 made it the main operating system for home PCs, and from the late 1990s onwards most PC games were made for it rather than for DOS.
New versions of Windows keep much of the old software running, but not all of it. Games from the Windows 95 to Windows XP years can fail to start, run at the wrong speed or refuse modern screen sizes, and some depend on copy protection that newer versions no longer support.
Community projects rebuild some of these games from scratch so they run natively on today’s PCs, and often on other systems too. Each game page here lists the rewrites made for it. They use the game files from your own copy where they need them.
Key Features
Graphical Desktop
Windows replaced MS-DOS as the main PC operating system.
Vast Game Library
Home to decades of PC games, from simulations to strategy.
Built For x86
Written for IBM PC compatibles and their x86 processors.
Ageing Classics
Many older Windows games no longer run well on new versions.
