After our readers so enthusiastically took to the idea of listing the best classic PC games of all time, I wanted to pull out the alphabetical directory in order to make it easy for everyone to find their favorite games.
Updated over several weeks in September of 2013, the list has an absolutely absurd number of excellent PC games—we’ve stopped doing official updates, but there are still new PC games coming in every now and then. Thanks so much to everyone who contributed.
Live Forever in the Universe of 'New World: Aeternum'
2015 note: Sometime between when this article originally ran and now, Kinja decided to insert related links/images for every entry. On the one hand, it looks a little bit weird to see every game’s title listed twice. On the other hand, I really like the image thumbnails. So, for now, I’ll leave em in.
And so! Our full directory of the Classic PC Games You Must Play:
0-9 4D Sports Boxing
Why: In 1991, a sports masterpiece was born, 4D Sports Boxing! This game was one of the first…
Read more The 7th Guest Seconded
XIII
A Abe’s Oddysee
Adventure
Adventure (AKA Colossal Cave)Why: It's the first adventure game, and still one of the best. Unlike…
Read more Age of Empires II: Age of Kings Seconded
Age of Mythology
Age of Mythology and expansion Age of Mythology: The Titans
Read more Age of Wonders
Why: I just recently heard about the AOW series and was intrigued seeing as I enjoy a good strategy
Read more Albion
Aliens vs. Predator 2
Alley Cat
Alone in the Dark
America’s Army
American McGee’s Alice
Anachronox Seconded
Another World/Out of This World
Arcanum: of Steamworks and Magick Obscura Seconded
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
Read more Arx Fatalis
Axis and Allies
B B-17 Flying Fortress
Bad Mojo
Baldur’s Gate
Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn
Battle Bugs Seconded
Battle Chess
Battlefield 1942
Battle Isle
Battle Isle : Shadow of the Empire (aka 2220)
Read more Battle Realms: Winter of the Wolf
Battlezone Seconded Thirded
The Bard’s Tale
Beasts & Bumpkins
Beneath a Steel Sky
Betrayal at Krondor Seconded
Black & White
Blade Runner seconded
Blake Stone
Blood Seconded
BloodNet
Bioforge Seconded
Birth of the Federation
Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars
Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars (Circle of Blood in the US)
Read more C Catechumen
Caesar III Updated
Carmageddon 1 & 2
Castles II
Chex Quest
Chex QuestWhy: Take Doom, and reskin it with green ooze aliens that sound like giant birds and the…
Read more Chuckie Egg
Might be cheating a little since it's originally a BBC Micro game but hey, there's a Windows…
Read more Circuit’s Edge
Clive Barker’s Undying Seconded
Why: Horror games are a difficult lot to make and judge. Pacing is almost always an issue. The fact
Read more Close Combat II - A Bridge too Far
The Clue!
Combat Mission: Beyond Overlord
Commanche 4
Command & Conquer: Generals
Command & Conquer: Renegades
Command & Conquer: Red Alert
Command & Conquer: RED ALERT!Why: If it wasn't for this cult classic RTS game which put Red Alert…
Read more Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2
Commander Keen
Commander Keen 4
Commander Keen 4 - The lost oracle (first episode of "GoodBye Galaxy Series")
Read more Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines
Conquests of Camelot
Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood
Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood
Read more Constructor
Counter-Strike
Crimsonland
Crusader: No Regret
WHY: Awesome Sci-Fi isometric shooter. This game has tons of devastating weapons to be used…
Read more The Curse of Monkey Island
Why: You probably can't go wrong with any Lucas Arts adventure game, but this one's the best.…
Read more Cyber Gladiators
D Dark Age of Camelot
Why: Dark age of Camelot or better known as DAOC was the first MMORPG to bring the emphasis on PVP…
Read more The Dark Eye
Darklands
Dark Legions
Dark Reign
Descent Seconded
Delta Force: Black Hawk Down
Why: In a time before COD dominated anything , there was a brave developer team that created a…
Read more Diablo I and II Seconded Thirded
Diablo II & Diablo II: Lord of Destruction (released on June 29, 2000 and June 27, 2001…
Read more Dink Smallwood
Dino Park Tycoon
Dark Seed
Day of the Tentacle Seconded
DeathTrack
No other gaming platform can field a game library that can compete with PC's in terms of sheer…
Read more Deus Ex
Die by the Sword
The Dig Seconded
Doom Collection Seconded
DROD: Deadly Rooms of Death
Duke Nukem 3D
Dune 2: The Building of a Dynasty
Dungeon Keeper Seconded
Dungeon Keeper 2
Because your Motherfucking dungeon is full of motherfucking yogurt!!
Read more Dungeon Siege
Dust: A Tale Of The Wired West
Why: Released in 1995, this game's art and graphics pretty much hold up to date. It's gameplay is a
Read more E Ecstatica
The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall Seconded Thirded
Why: Aside from its ridiculously large yet copy-paste world, the game is actually pretty fun and…
Read more The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
Emperor: Battle for Dune
Emperor of the Fading Suns
Epic Pinball
Escape Velocity Nova Seconded
Exile 3: The Ruined World
Eye of the Beholder I & II
General note: the requested format of 970x546 for the screenshot neglects the original format of…
Read more F F-117A Nighthawk
F-117A Nighthawk (Stealth Fighter 2)
Read more Fatal Racing/Whiplash
Fallout
Fallout 2 Seconded
Flashback
Why: The game was a insanely fun with smooth animation and an interesting story it was the highest…
Read more Freddy Pharkas, Frontier Pharmacist
Freedom Fighters
Why: Freedom Fighters is arguably the definition of a perfect game. It had a fantastic story. The…
Read more Freedom Force
FreeSpace 2 Seconded
Freelancer
Frontier Elite II
Full Throttle
Fury 3
Frontier: Elite 2
G G-Nome
Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers
Gabriel Knight: The Beast Within
The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery
Read more Gender Wars
Giants: Citizen Kabuto Seconded
Goblins 3
Gothic Seconded
Gorillas
Gorky 17
Grand Prix Legends
Grand Theft Auto 3
Grim Fandango Seconded
Why?: It's the swan song of the LucasArts adventure games, and a must play for any Tim Schafer fan…
Read more Ground Control Seconded
H Half-Life
Halo: Combat Evolved Seconded
Hardwar
Heavy Gear Seconded
H.E.D.Z. (Head Extreme Destruction Zone)
H.E.D.Z.(Head Extreme Destruction Zone) 1998
Read more Hexen: Beyond Heretic
Hexxagon
Why: Currently casual gamers have long had addictions to Candy Crush or Bejeweled, however these…
Read more Heroes of Might & Magic III Seconded Thirded
Heroes of Might and Magic III complete
Read more Hidden and Dangerous 2
Hocus Pocus
HOCUS POCUSWhy: It was a clever game by Apogee to release due to the sci-fi and fantasy stuff going
Read more Homeworld
Hostile Waters Seconded
Hostile Waters: Antaeus Rising (2001)
Read more I I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream
I-War
Icewind Dale II
Why is Icewind Dale II not on this list!?
Read more Iji
Imperium Galactica 2
Independence War 2: Edge of Chaos
Incubation: Time is Running Out
Incubation : Time is Running Out (US title)
Read more Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis Seconded Thirded Fourthed
Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis
Read more Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine
Indiana Jones And The Infernal Machine (1999)
Read more Interstate 76 Seconded
The Incredible Machine
It Came From The Desert
It Came From The DesertWhy: This is an adventure game done in a B-Movie style that includes some…
Read more J Jazz Jackrabbit 2
Jagged Alliance 2
Jagged Alliance 2 and JA2: Unfinished Bussiness
Read more Jill of the Jungle
The Journeyman Project
The Journeyman ProjectWhy? This was one of the first CD based games I really got into so it holds a
Read more The Journeyman Project 2: Buried in Time
Journeyman Project 2: Buried in Time
Read more Judge Dredd: Dredd vs. Death
Jumpman
Jurassic Park: Trespasser Seconded
K King of Dragon Pass
King’s Quest V: Absence Makes The Heart Go Yonder!
L Lands of Lore: The Throne of Chaos
The Last Express
Lemmings
The Legend of Kyrandia, Book 2: Hand of Fate Seconded
Legend of Kyrandia – Book 2: The Hand of Fate
Read more Lego Island
Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards
Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards
Read more Lighthouse: The Dark Being
Lighthouse: The Dark Being (1996, Sierra On-Line)Why: Lighthouse was one of those underdog games…
Read more Little Big Adventure 2 Seconded Thrirded Fourthed
Little Big Adventure 2 - Twinsen's Odyssey
Read more The Longest Journey
Loom
Lords of the Realm 2
M Mafia
Manhunter: New York
Maniac Mansion
Maniac MansionHis ambition was to rule the world...one teenager at a time!
Read more Marathon Series Seconded Thirded
Master of Magic
Majesty: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim
Master of Orion Seconded Thirded Fourthed Fifthed
Master of Orion 2
Max Payne 1 & 2
MDK Seconded
MDK 2
Why: because that's a Bioware game from times when Bioware made funny third person action games.…
Read more Mean Streets
Medieval: Total War
WHY: This is another borderline in to modernity game you could say and that is true, but still this
Read more Metal Fatigue
Metal Marines
Medal of Honor: Allied Assault
MegaZeux
Mech Commander 2
MechWarrior 2
Mechwarrior 4: Mercenaries
Meridian 59
Microsoft’s “Best of Windows Entertainment Pack”
Microsoft's "Best of Windows Entertainment Pack"
Read more Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven Seconded
Might & Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven
Read more Might & Magic: World of Xeen
Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge
Moraff’s Dungeons of the Unforgiven
Why: This is a simple dungeon/maze turn based game. I found it on a floppy at a computer convention
Read more Motocross Madness
Myst Seconded
Myth: The Fallen Lords
Myth II: Soulblighter Seconded Thirded
N Nethack
Neverwinter Nights
The Neverhood
Neuromancer
Nitemare 3D
Nocturne
No One Lives Forever 1 & 2
Nosferatu: The Wrath of Malachi
Nox Seconded
O Omikron: The Nomad Soul
One Must Fall: 2097
OpenTTD
Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis Seconded
Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis
Read more The Oregon Trail
OutPost 2
OutPost 2Released: 1997 Published By: Sierra Developed By: Dynamix
Read more Outlaws
Outcast
Why: Because this game does what every modern game does now... sandbox universe, movie-like…
Read more P Panzer General II
Panzer General 2Why: One of the best wargames ever made. Other games like the Operational Art of…
Read more Patrician III Seconded
Phantasmagoria
Pharaoh
Pizza Tycoon
Planescape Torment Seconded Thirded
Prehistorik 1 & 2
Project: Snowblind
POD Gold
Police Quest III
Populous 3: The Beginning
Why: Not only was it a big jump forward visually compared to the other Populous before it, but it…
Read more Prince of Persia
IMAGE [preferably at 970x546] Game Name Why: Explain why the game is great. Make your case! Try to…
Read more Project Eden
Pune
Q Quake
Quake II
Quake 3 Arena
Quarantine
The Quest for Glory Series Seconded Thirded
The Quest For Glory Series.Why: The Quest For Glory Series was an expansive set of games which gave
Read more R Rama
RamaWhy: This game is great if you are a fan of the legendary science fiction writer Arthur C.…
Read more Raptor: Call of the Shadows
Rayman
Rainbow Six: Raven Shield
Realms of the Haunting
Redneck Rampage Seconded
One of my favorite whimsical PC games. Been greyed out forever. Why the fuck bother posting? IDK
Read more Republic: The Revolution
Return to Castle Wolfenstein
Rise of Nations
Rise of the Robots
Rise of the Triad
Riven Seconded
Rocket Jockey
Rocket Jockey. The most 'Goddammit why is there no modern sequel' game I can possibly think of.…
Read more Roller Coaster Tycoon
Roller Coaster Tycoon 2
Rune
Runescape
S Sacrifice Seconded
Sam & Max Hit The Road
Sam and Max hit the road/Day of the Tentacle bundle.
Read more Sanatarium Seconded
The Scarab of Ra
Scorched Earth
Septerra Core: Legacy of the Creator
Septerra Core: Legacy of the Creator
Read more Serious Sam 2: The Second Encounter
Settlers 2
Severance: Blade of Darkness
Severance: Blade of DarknessBlade of Darkness (US)Blade: The Edge of Darkness (Spain)
Read more Shogo: Mobile Armor Division
Why: Loved playing this in old school LAN parties and hearing all the scopes zooming in and out 2nd
Read more Shogun: Total War
Shufflepuck Cafe
Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri/Alien Crossfire Seconded
Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri/Alien Crossfire (1999)
Read more Sid Meier’s Covert Action
Sid Meier's Covert Action (Microprose, 1990; MS-DOS, Amiga)
Read more Sid Meier’s Civilization II
Sid Meier’s Colonization
Sid Meier’s Pirates!
Sid Meier's Pirates!Why: Pirates! is, quite simply, a marvel of game design, and one that refuses…
Read more Silver
SimCity 2000
SimCity 4
SimTower
Simon the Sorcerer 1 and 2
SkiFree
SkiFreeWhy: Because you're running a computer that has less power than your Verizon flip phone from
Read more SkyRoads
Space Quest
Why: Space Quest was a humorous text adventure filled with wit and cunning. It's incredibly…
Read more Speedbusters
Why: it looks like this Ubisoft franchise has been forgotten, however with its fun and varied…
Read more Spellforce: The Order of Dawn
Spycraft: The Great Game Seconded
Star Control II Seconded Thirded Fourthed
Starflight
StarCraft
StarGoose!
Starlancer
Stars
StarsIt was released in multiple languages (including English) and is a decent cousin of sorts to…
Read more Starsiege: Tribes Seconded
Startopia Seconded
Star Wars: Dark Forces
Star Wars: Dark Forces 2: Jedi Knight
Star Wars Jedi Knight Dark Forces 2/Mystery of the Sith
Read more Star Wars Episode 1: Racer
Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds
Why:This game takes your age of empires II gameplay and turns it on its head with the starwars…
Read more Star Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
Star Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
Read more Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Read more Star Wars: Pit Droids
Star Wars: X-Wing
Star Wars: X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter
Strife
SubCulture
The Summoning
Superhero League of Hoboken
Sword of the Samurai
Why: There's way too much to say here. If you ever wanted to be a samurai, roam the feudal Japanese
Read more Syberia
Syndicate
I didn't see this one mentioned! (I searched!)
Read more Syndicate Wars
System Shock
System Shock 2
T Temple of Elemental Evil
Tex Murphy: Under a Killing Moon
Theme Hospital Seconded
THEXDER
Thief 1 & 2
Thief: The Dark Project & Thief II: The Metal Age
Read more Time Commando
Titanic: Adventure out of Time
Why: Titanic was the ultimate adventure then and now. It still provides a harrowing experience of…
Read more Total Annihilation Seconded Thirded Fourthed Fifthed
Total Annihilation (1997)By Cavedog entertainment.
Read more Tomb Raider
Tomb of the Taskmaster
Why: This was one of the unknown greats in my mind, it's a sequel to a probably better known game…
Read more Traffic Department 2192
Treasure Quest
TRON 2.0
Tyrian Seconded Thirded
U Ultrabots
Urban Assault
Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar
Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny
Ultima VI: The False Prophet
Ultima VII: The Black Gate
Ultima VIII: Pagan
Ultima VIII: PaganWhy: As much as the rest of the Ultima series deserves all of its credit, Ultima…
Read more Ultima Underworld
Ultima Worlds of Adventure 2: Martian Dreams
Game: Ultima Worlds of Adventure 2: Martian Dreams
Read more Unreal
Why: We have Unreal Tournament but not the game that kicked it all off. This game was amazing,…
Read more Unreal Tournament
Uprising
V Vampire: The Masquerade: Redemption Seconded
Vampire: The Masquerade - Redemption
Read more W Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness Seconded
Warcraft III Seconded
Warlords III: Darklords Rising
Warpath
Warpath (for Windows 3.x)Used to come in all the freeware and trial CD packs as a trial. Pretty…
Read more Warzone 2100
Wasteland
Wizardry VI: Bane of the Cosmic Forge
Wizardy VI: Bane of the Cosmic Forge
Read more Wizardry VII: Crusaders of Dark Savant Seconded
Wizardry VI: Bane of the Cosmic Forge and Wizardry VII: Crusaders of the Dark Savant
Read more Wizardry 8
Wing Commander: Privateer Seconded
Wing Commander III
Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger
Read more The Wheel of Time
Wolfenstein 3D
Wolfenstein 3D: Spear of Destiny
Worlds of Ultima 1: Savage Empire
Worms World Party
WWF Wrestlemania The Arcade Game
X X-COM: UFO Defense
X-COM: Terror From The Deep
X-COM Apocalypse
Z Zeus: Master of Olympus
Zoombinis: Logical Journey
Zoombinis: Logical JourneyWhy: If you don't remember playing Zoombinis at any point in your life,…
Read more Zork Seconded Thirded
Zork: Grand Inquisitor
Zork Nemesis
Zork NemesisWhy: Zork Nemesis is one and only game I played from the Zork series. This one is not a
Read more Second update: 9/5/2013 AM, added 150+ games. Keep ‘em coming.
Third update: 9/6/2013 PM, added 80+ games.
Fourth update: 9/18/2013 AM, added 20+ games. This will probably be our last official update. If you’ve added a game that you feel desperately needs to be included in the list, don’t hesitate to email me.
Image via Shutterstock .
To contact the author of this post, write to kirk@kotaku.com or find him on Twitter @kirkhamilton .
