Things You'll Need:
- DOSBox
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Step 1
Take your PC retro. Before you can start downloading old PC games, you will need to turn back the clock on your modern gaming rig. Most old PC games are not directly playable on a modern Windows PC running at modern PC clock speeds. Fortunately, there is a simple solution to this problem. The free, open-source DOSBox program (which can be run on Windows or Linux) will provide you with an environment for playing games that expect a simpler operating system and a much slower processor.
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Step 2
Get an official copy. If you are looking for a specific classic PC game, your best bet is to start with the company that made it. The companies responsible for many of the greatest hits have released the older versions of their games as free or low-cost downloads. Many classics from 3D Realms (the company behind Duke Nukem) are available as full-version freeware downloads from their official site. Bethesda Softworks makes the first of the Elder Scrolls series of RPG games, Elder Scrolls: Arena, available for free download. Even if the company does not offer a direct download of their old games, you may still be able to download a full version through the Game Tap service. Game Tap offers many old PC and console games as full-version downloads. (Some are free, while others require a subscription to the Game Tap service.)
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Step 3
Get an abandoned copy. Now that you have collected all the mainstream titles, it is time to hunt down that obscure one-hit wonder. While many game companies responsible for the big, classic hits are still around, some have long since faded into memory. Fortunately, some fanatics have gone to great lengths to preserve these classic PC games. Games that have been unavailable through commercial outlets for several years are given the title “abandonware." Sites specializing in these forgotten games will often provide easy downloads, along with interesting bits of history and trivia.
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Step 4
Get the manual. Many old PC games became classics due in part to the time and attention put into their printed materials. Classic PC role-playing games such as the early Ultima games are a good example. Just downloading a copy of the game is not enough to recreate the full experience. Thanks to a website called Replacement Docs, you can now download the original game manuals to hundreds of classic PC games.
