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Antique Software: Oldies but Goodies

(Last updated May 23, 2018)

Just because computer games have gained in complexity of graphics doesn't mean the old stuff we used to play back when can't still be a lot of fun. This area is for downloads of and links to things that have been around for quite awhile, but are still entertaining. Some of these are downloadable files, some FTP links and some are links to other sites. And see also the MS-Dos Archive for a lot of things that run on the EM-DOSBOX in browser emulator (warning, still in beta).

Yeeps - what a lot of broken links you find when you don't update for several years. Sorry folks, I think all of these are live at the moment including the downloads from my own website. Ok, especially the downloads from my own website. Don't ask. :)

Space War
(site link)

Haven't figured out how to make it work, but this is billed as the original 1962 game code running on PDP-1 emulator in Java. Good luck!

Hunt The Wumpus
(site link)
DOS. Probably the first non-grid computer game and forerunner of the other text adventure games like Adventure and Zork. See also the Multiplayer Hunt the Wumpus on-line game.

Adventure
(file)
DOS. The granddaddy of them all.

Zork
(site link)
DOS. The Big Zork Page appears to have evaporated, but Infocom saved the day. Also leave us not forget The History of Zork. Zork, of course is... well, Zork. What came along after Adventure was solved...

Rogue
(file)
DOS. One of the earliest 2D adventures I know of, and still potentially addictive.

NetHack
(site link)
Just about all of 'em. Ok, technically this is not antique since the creators are still issuing new versions (not to mention the fact that anybody who wants to can modify it), but it has been around for quite awhile in one form or another, and is notable as the most versatile of the many descendants of Rogue. For details check the FAQ at the link.

Castle of the Winds
(file)
Windows. 2D adventure with icons. Originally a two part shareware adventure, the second part available only by order. Epic has stopped selling and supporting it, so the author, Rick Saada has given his permission to make the whole thing available for download. (Thanks, Rick!) You can find info on the game mechanics, etc. and the first part of the story at the StrategyWiki Castle of the Winds page.This is a very well designed game which I still play.

Castle Wolfenstein
(site link)
DOS, MacIntosh etc... The three dimensional version was the first game where you saw from your character's viewpoint that I ever played that gave enough of a view so you didn't get lost, at least too much.

2600 Online
(site link)
Classic Atari 2600 games adapted to play online.

And for other examples of venerable (or at least ancient) programs, game and otherwise, see The Retrocomputing Museum