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List of games included with Windows

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Solitaire has been included in every version of Windows since Windows 3.0, except Windows 8 and 8.1, where it was instead made available as a free download via Windows Store.

Video games have been included in versions of the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems since Windows 1.0, all published by Microsoft. Some games that appeared in Microsoft Entertainment Pack and Microsoft Plus! were later included in subsequent versions of Windows. Microsoft Solitaire has been included in every version of Windows since Windows 3.0, except Windows 8 and 8.1. The latest version of Windows, Windows 11, includes Microsoft Solitaire Collection and Surf.

History

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Microsoft planned to include games when developing Windows 1.0 in 1983–1984. Pre-release versions of Windows 1.0 initially included another game, Puzzle, but it was scrapped in favor of Reversi, based on the board game of the same name.[1] Reversi was included in Windows versions up to Windows 3.1. Solitaire was developed in 1988 by the intern Wes Cherry.[2][3] The card deck was designed by Susan Kare, who was known for her icon designs for the original Macintosh.[4]

Microsoft intended Solitaire to "soothe people intimidated by the operating system," and at a time when many users were still unfamiliar with graphical user interfaces, the game helped introduce them to using a mouse, including the drag-and-drop technique required to move cards.[5] According to Microsoft telemetry, Solitaire was among the three most-used Windows programs and FreeCell was seventh, ahead of productivity-based applications such as Microsoft Word and Excel.[6][6] Lost business productivity from employees playing Solitaire became a common concern because the game was included in Windows by default.[7]

FreeCell was introduced as a bundled game in Windows NT 3.1. The game was available for Windows 3.1 because it was included in Win32s installations to verify that the 32-bit thunking layer had been installed correctly.[8]

The Microsoft Hearts Network was included with Windows for Workgroups 3.1 as a showcase for NetDDE technology, allowing multiple players to play simultaneously across a computer network.[9] This technology led to the inclusion of several online multiplayer titles under the Internet brand in Windows Me, XP, and 7, alongside other online multiplayer titles.[10] Support for Internet games for Windows Me and XP ended on July 31, 2019, and for Windows 7 on January 22, 2020.[10] 3D Pinball for Windows – Space Cadet is a version of the "Space Cadet" pinball table from the 1995 video game Full Tilt! Pinball.[11]

In Minesweeper for Windows Vista and 7, the game includes an alternate "Flower Garden" style alongside the default "Minesweeper" style.[12] This was due to controversy over the game's original land mine theme, which was considered potentially insensitive; the "Flower Garden" style was used as the default theme in "sensitive areas".[13]

Several third-party games, such as Candy Crush Saga and Disney Magic Kingdoms, have been included as advertisements in the Start menu in Windows 10 and may also be installed automatically by the operating system.[14][15] Windows 11 includes the Xbox app, which allows users to access the PC Game Pass video game subscription service.[16][17] Additionally, versions of the Microsoft Edge browser from 2020 onward, bundled with Windows 10 and 11, include the Surf game.[18]

Microsoft Casual Games

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Beginning in 2012 with the release of Windows 8, updated versions of previously bundled games were released under the Microsoft Casual Games brand, along with several new games. Except for Solitaire Collection, which is included in Windows 10 and 11, these games are not included with Windows and are instead available as free, ad-supported downloads in Microsoft Store.[19][20]

Premium monthly and annual subscriptions are available that remove advertisements and offer several gameplay benefits. Reviewers have criticized this as a way to "nickel and dime" users, because previous versions of Solitaire and other bundled games did not include advertisements or paid subscriptions.[21][22] The Windows games under the Microsoft Casual Games banner include:[23]

Included games

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Games included with Microsoft Windows releases
1.0 2.0 and 2.1 3.0 3.1[24] NT 3.1, NT 3.5 and NT 3.51 95 NT 4.0 98 2000 Me XP Vista[25][26] 7[27] 8 and 8.1 10[19] 11
Reversi YesYesYesMaybe [a]NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
Solitaire N/aYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesMaybe [b]Yes[b]Yes[b]
Minesweeper N/aYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesMaybe [c]Maybe [d]Maybe [d]
Hearts N/aMaybe [e]NoYesNoYesNoYesYesYesYesNoNoNo
FreeCell N/aYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesMaybe [b]Yes[b]Yes[b]
Hover! N/aMaybe [f]NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
3D Pinball for Windows – Space Cadet N/aYesNoYesYesMaybe [g]NoNoNoNoNo
Internet Backgammon N/aYesMaybe [g]NoYesNoNoNo
Internet Checkers N/aYesMaybe [g]NoYesNoNoNo
Internet Hearts N/aYesMaybe [g]NoNoNoNoNo
Internet Reversi N/aYesMaybe [g]NoNoNoNoNo
Internet Spades N/aYesMaybe [g]NoYesNoNoNo
Spider Solitaire N/aYesYesYesYesMaybe [b]Yes[b]Yes[b]
Inkball N/aMaybe [h]Maybe [i]NoNoNoNo
Purble Place N/aYesYesNoNoNo
Mahjong N/aMaybe [i]Maybe [j]Maybe [c]Maybe [d]Maybe [d]
Chess Titans N/aMaybe [i]Maybe [j]NoNoNo
Tinker N/aMaybe [k]NoNoNoNo
Hold 'Em N/aMaybe [k]NoNoNoNo
Solitaire Collection N/aMaybe [c]YesYes
Surf N/aMaybe [l]Yes[m]

Microsoft Touch Pack for Windows 7

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Microsoft Touch Pack for Windows 7 is a collection of six multi-touch optimized video games that shows off the capabillities of a touch-screen, these six games are:[28]

  • Microsoft Surface Collage
  • Microsoft Surface Globe
  • Microsoft Surface Lagoon
  • Microsoft Blackboard
  • Microsoft Rebound
  • Microsoft Garden Pond

This game pack is only compatible with Windows 7.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ↑ Included in the Driver Library
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 As part of Microsoft Solitaire Collection
  3. 1 2 3 Available as a free download via Windows Store.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Available as a free download via Microsoft Store.
  5. ↑ Only included with Windows for Workgroups 3.1
  6. ↑ Only included with CD-ROM version
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Not included in the IA-64 version.
  8. ↑ Only included with Tablet PC Edition
  9. 1 2 3 Only included with Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions
  10. 1 2 Only included with Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions
  11. 1 2 Only included with Ultimate edition
  12. ↑ Included via the Microsoft Edge browser from 2020 onward[18]
  13. ↑ Included via the Microsoft Edge browser[18]

References

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  1. ↑ "PUZZLE on Windows 1.01, Windows 2.03 and Windows 3.00 – BetaArchive". www.betaarchive.com. Archived from the original on August 8, 2022. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  2. ↑ Farokhmanesh, Megan (April 13, 2017). "A bored intern created the original Windows Solitaire". The Verge. Vox Media. Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  3. ↑ Cherry, Wes. "Interview with Wes Cherry – B3TA.com 2008". B3ta.com. Archived from the original on February 22, 2011. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Susan Kare personal website showing her design for Microsoft Solitaire". Kare.com. Archived from the original on August 28, 2008. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  5. ↑ Garreau, Joel (March 9, 1994). "Office Minefield". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on March 23, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  6. 1 2 Dear, Brian (2017). "27. Leaving the Nest". The Friendly Orange Glow. New York: Pantheon Books. pp. 502–503. ISBN 978-1-101-87156-0.
  7. ↑ Church, George J. (October 12, 1998). "Quarterly Business Report: Do Computers Really Save Money?". Time. Time Inc. Archived from the original on November 7, 2007.
  8. ↑ "How to Troubleshoot Win32s Installation Problems". web.mit.edu. Retrieved February 20, 2025.
  9. ↑ Craig Stinson (June 15, 1993). "Open Windows for Workgroups". PC Magazine. p. 292. Archived from the original on August 22, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  10. 1 2 "Farewell to Microsoft Internet Games on Windows XP, Windows ME, and Windows 7". Microsoft Community. Archived from the original on September 25, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  11. ↑ Bowden, Zac (May 20, 2022). "Windows features we loved and miss from earlier OS versions". Windows Central. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Column from Tony "Tablesaw" Delgado about puzzle games". Gamesetwatch.com. February 26, 2007. Archived from the original on October 11, 2018. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  13. ↑ Kaushik (February 10, 2010). "The Minesweeper Controversy: How Flower Garden came into Windows Vista". Archived from the original on January 30, 2022. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
  14. ↑ Webster, Andrew (May 14, 2015). "Candy Crush will be automatically installed on Windows 10". The Verge. Archived from the original on October 31, 2021. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  15. ↑ Bott, Ed. "Avoid Windows 10 crapware: How to get rid of Candy Crush and all the rest". ZDNet. Archived from the original on October 31, 2021. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  16. ↑ Tuttle, Will (October 4, 2021). "Available Now: Windows 11 is Built for Gaming". Xbox Wire. Archived from the original on March 24, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  17. ↑ Minor, Jordan (November 23, 2021). "With Windows 11, Microsoft Makes Every PC an Xbox". PCMag India. Archived from the original on February 24, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  18. 1 2 3 Warren, Tom (February 26, 2020). "Microsoft is adding a secret SkiFree-like surfing game into its Edge browser". The Verge. Archived from the original on June 2, 2022. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  19. 1 2 "Microsoft is bringing Solitaire back to Windows 10 – The Verge". April 23, 2015. Archived from the original on June 4, 2020. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  20. ↑ "Microsoft Casual Games FAQ". Microsoft. Archived from the original on January 10, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  21. ↑ Walker, Alissa (July 29, 2015). "If You Want Microsoft Solitaire Ad-Free It'll Cost You $10/Year". Gizmodo. Gawker Media. Archived from the original on December 16, 2017. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  22. ↑ Hackman, Mark. "Microsoft wants you to pay for Solitaire, again, in Windows 10". PCWorld. Archived from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  23. ↑ "Microsoft Casual Games". microsoftcasualgames.com. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  24. ↑ "Microsoft Reversi for Windows 3.x – Archive". 1990. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
  25. ↑ "Which Games Come With Windows Vista?". Archived from the original on May 6, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  26. ↑ "A Look at Windows Vista Installed Games". GameSpot. Retrieved February 20, 2025.
  27. ↑ "Learn about games in Windows 7". Archived from the original on June 9, 2016. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  28. ↑ LeBlanc, Brandon. "Introducing the Microsoft Touch Pack for Windows 7". Windows Blogs. Microsoft. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
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