The following is a list of games that Microsoft has included with its Windows operating systems:
History[]
Windows 1.0 and 2.0[]
Windows 1.0 and Windows 2.0 include only one game, Reversi. reversi.exe is the file name for the game, which could be played against an AI.
Windows 3.0[]
Windows 3.0 also added Solitaire alongside Reversi. It is the last version to have the original version of Reversi.
Windows 3.1[]
Windows 3.1 replaced Reversi in favor of Minesweeper. Some installations also added FreeCell. Windows for Workgroups 3.1 also contains Hearts.
Windows 95[]
Windows 95 consistently includes FreeCell and Hearts alongside Minesweeper and Solitaire. However, a compact installation would not install any games.
Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0, and Windows 2000[]
Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0, and Windows 2000 include FreeCell, Minesweeper, and Solitaire. The latter two included Pinball, which was also available via download for Windows 98.
Windows Me[]
Windows Me includes the games seen in Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000, as well as Hearts (without network play as seen Windows 3.1). and Spider Solitaire. It also debuted Internet Games from MSN Gaming Zone, which were: Internet Backgammon, Internet Checkers, Internet Hearts, Internet Reversi, and Internet Spades.
Windows XP[]
Windows XP includes DirectX 8.1-9.0c and includes Windows Me's games; however, the MSN Internet Games are absent in Windows XP Home Edition. Windows Games have new icons; no other changes were made.
Windows XP Tablet PC Edition includes an additional game: InkBall, designed to be played using the stylus of a tablet PC.
Windows Vista[]
Windows Vista includes DirectX 10 and introduced new games by Oberon Games. Windows Vista added a Games Explorer to make it easier to manage multiple installed games from a single location. Minesweeper, Solitaire, Hearts, FreeCell and Spider Solitaire were updated and rewritten to take advantage of Windows Vista's new graphical capabilities. New games were also included, namely Purble Place, Chess Titans, and Mahjong Titans. InkBall, a game previously available only with Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, was included in most editions and could also be played using a mouse. Pinball and the MSN Internet Games were dropped. As of September 2008, users of the Ultimate edition of Windows Vista could also download Texas Hold 'Em Poker and Microsoft Tinker as Windows Ultimate Extras.
Windows 7[]
Windows 7 added DirectX 11, and includes Windows Vista's games. Additionally, Internet Spades, Internet Backgammon and Internet Checkers, which were absent in Windows Vista, were restored in Windows 7 (except in Starter and Home Basic editions). Windows 7 removed InkBall as well as the ability to use the Windows Ultimate Extras games.
Windows 8[]
Windows 8 removed all preloaded games. Updated versions of Mahjong, Minesweeper and Solitaire by Microsoft Casual Games were made available through the Windows Store, as were new games: Microsoft Bingo, Microsoft Jackpot, Microsoft Jigsaw, and Microsoft Sudoku. Windows 8 included DirectX 11.
Windows 10 and 11[]
Windows 10 and Windows 11 come pre-loaded with the Microsoft Solitaire Collection, which includes Solitaire, FreeCell, Spider Solitaire, Pyramid, and TriPeaks. Additionally, all of the Microsoft Casual Games released for Windows 8 could be downloaded on Windows 10; some were discontinued before the release of Windows 11, however.
External links[]
- Gaming on Windows 11 at Microsoft
- Your games on Windows 10 at Microsoft Support
- List of games included with Windows at Wikipedia
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