The PC is by far the most prolific video game platform ever, home to tens of thousands of games released across many decades. Unlike the situation with retro consoles, you can play many PC classics on a modern Windows PC without much tinkering.
A surprisingly large number of PC classics that were once exclusive to the platform can now be enjoyed on modern consoles, even phones, thanks to official remakes, remasters, and community projects. However, the games listed below have just one platform they call home: the PC (and the Mac, in some cases).
1Warcraft: Orcs & Humans
My first contact with theWarcraftseries was in factWarcraft II. I played the heck out of it with a buddy on his computer.Warcraft II, alongsideDune II: Battle for Arrakis, introduced me to theRTS genre.
I was introduced toWarcraft: Orcs and Humansa few years later, after we had played the second game to oblivion. While, at first glance, it was a massive visual downgrade from the second game, we ultimately got hooked and finished the campaign before moving on to other games.
Despite looking dated even in the late 90s, when I first played it,Warcraft: Orcs & Humanshad tons of charm, as well as impeccable mission design that goes beyond the basic RTS trope of “destroy your opponent’s base.” It’s definitely worth revisiting even in this day and age.
2The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall
TES II: Daggerfallwas a seminal game for the RPG genre and PC gaming in general. While its predecessor,TES: Arena, saw enough success to warrant a sequel, it was a much simpler game that focused on combat and featured the classic experience point leveling system.
Daggerfallwas the game that provided the blueprint for future Bethesda RPGs by introducing the now-famous leveling system that provides experience for using individual skills.
The game is humongous, even by modern standards. It’s got 15,000 settlements, dungeons, and locations ripe for exploration. The good news is that you can finish it in about 30 hours when focusing on the main quest.
You can get the original, DOS version of the gamefor free from Steamand immerse yourself in the classic version of the game. However, I recommend combining the original version withDaggerfall Unity, which not only improves the visuals but also includes a ton of updates to the original game that make it more digestible for modern gamers while keeping its core intact.
3Tropico
Every PC gamer’s favorite dictator simulation,Tropicois a long-lived franchise that’s been here for almost a quarter of a century. While newer games have mostly retained the magic of the original gameplay-wise, the firstTropicois still the most robust game in the series, and one of the most in-depth city builders ever.
Tropicohas a number of intertwining systems you have to take into account if you want to make your banana republic prosperous and avoid the untimely death of El Presidente. You have to take care of your constituents, navigate the treacherous waters of international diplomacy, watch out for the inexorable rise of inflation, and design your tropical paradise in a way that’s not only visually appealing but also functionally sound.
The first game, its expansion, and the second game where you’re the ruler of a pirate refuge are available on Steam in the form ofTropico Reloaded. This is a lightly remastered collection that makes the two classics play nicely with modern systems but doesn’t alter their intricate gameplay systems.
4Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun
While the firstC&Cgame was multi-platform, the sequel remains Windows-exclusive to this day. This might change if EA decides to remaster the game like it did with the first one. For now, though, your only way to enjoy one of the best real-time strategies ever is on PC.
The game’s story and futuristic setting remain compelling even today, and its slow-paced gameplay provides a nice contrast to modern RTS games, which typically adopt a much faster pace. The story of the second conflict between the GDI and Brotherhood of Nod is still a cult-classic, and the soundtrack still slaps with the same intensity as it did back in 1999.
5TheGabriel KnightTrilogy
While I’ve listed the entire trilogy, my recommendation is to only play the first two games of the series. Check out the third one only if you really want to play through the whole trilogy, because it has issues running on modern PCs, even if you purchase it off Steam. You can remedy the issueswith a couple of simple fixes, but if you don’t want to tinker, perhaps it’s better to skip it.
As for the first twoGabriel Knightgames, they are some of the best point-and-click adventures ever. They boast phenomenal stories and tons of brain-teasing puzzles that will test your wit but won’t make you pull your hair out due to their illogical solutions.
While the visuals are dated, they do have that classic pixel art charm. You can get thefirst,second, andthirdGabriel Knightgames on Steam. There’s also a remake of the first game that’savailable on SteamandApple’s App Store.
6King’s Quest Collection
While talking about cult classic adventure games only found on the PC, I also have to mentionKing’s Quest. This is one of the best adventure game series of all time. The first game,King’s Quest I: Quest for the Crown, sees you play as Sir Graham, a brave knight who will save the land of Daventry and ultimately become its ruler.
The subsequent games make you play either as now-King Graham or as members of his family, each sequel offering a fantastic story and brilliant gameplay teeming with witty puzzles. TheKing’s Quest Collectionis available on Steam. It includes all seven mainline games that offer dozens of hours of superb retro PC gaming fun.
7Freelancer
Everyone talked aboutFreelancerback in 2004 during my first year of high school. The game came out a year earlier, and while it didn’t make a massive splash immediately after it came out, at least in my neck of the woods, it wasthegame to play a year later.
One part of its popularity was that it didn’t require a joystick; it played great with a mouse and keyboard. This was a massive boon at a time when only a select few PC gamers rocked joysticks and gamepads. Aside from that,Freelancerwas also buckets of fun.
A solid story, tons of adrenaline-pumping space combat, an excellent campaign with a bunch of interesting missions, a huge world to explore (the game features 48 solar systems in total), and ship upgrades that felt like significant upgrades over your puny starting ship.
The game somehow didn’t receive aremake or remaster, and online stores no longer sell the original. Nowadays,Freelanceris consideredabandonwareand, technically, downloading abandonware is considered illegal. If you do end up finding and installing the game, you ought to also get theFreelancer: HD Editionmod that greatly improves the game’s visuals.
8Black & White
Black & Whiteis a rare example where Peter Molyneux didn’t overpromise and underdeliver, mostly because Demis Hassabis of DeepMind fame was responsible for programming the AI for the game, including the AI ofBlack & White’slegendary creatures.
While creatures that you can interact with and shape in your image are the main selling point, the rest of the game is just as fun. Teaching your creature how to defend villages under your control or perform miracles never fails to impress.
You slowly win over the denizens of each island, constantly clashing against the other gods and their underlings, who are trying to take over the world. You can be a benevolent or cruel god, with your actions slowly shaping each island, the villagers living on it, and places of worship.
Black & Whiteis still considered one of the most original strategy games of all time, for good reason. The game, as well as its sequel, are now considered abandonware.
9Unreal
Back when the studio was still called Epic MegaGames, Epic Games developedUnrealtogether with Digital Extremes (developers ofWarframe) using the first iteration of the now mega-popular Unreal Engine.Unrealended up a cult classic and kickstarted the trend where Epic Games developed a fresh game to showcase each new major iteration of its game engine.
Unreallooked, well, unreal compared to other games released during the late 90s. Detailed models, impressive lighting, and high-def textures made it prettier than most other blockbusters of the era, except for id Software titles such asQuake II.
While certainly not as fun as it was back when it came out,Unrealis an important entry on the list of PC retro games you have to check out if you’re even remotely interested in PC classics.
You can download the installer for the Gold version of the game that features a bunch of extra levels fromoldunreal.com(Epic Games has granted the site permission to host the installer). The installer will then download the disc image from archive.org and install a patch required forUnreal Goldto work on modern versions of Windows.
10Dungeon Keeper
BeforeBlack & White, there wasDungeon Keeper, a brilliant mix of strategy and simulation that bursts with quality dark humor. Your goal is to manage your dungeon and make it thrive while invaders, who are in fact heroes trying to end your evil rule, are constantly assaulting your stronghold.
This is another title from the mind of Peter Molyneux. UnlikeBlack & White,you can buy Dungeon Keeper from Steamfor $5. It’s definitely worth the money because it remains one of the most original and engrossing management games to this day.
Just make sure to also downloadKeeperFX, an open-source remake that requires the original game’s files and that includes numerous upgrades and visual improvements.
