In a win for those of us who grew up on the big box PC games of the 90s (or who were playing whichever ones eventually graced the PlayStation…), EA has revealed a treasure trove of re-released classics coming to modern computers today.
Among the mix is a collection of seven Anniversary Edition releases, which are newly-restored versions of 1996’s Road Rash along with six entries in the iconic Wing Commander franchise. These updated titles feature quality-of-life improvements to things like controls and performance while retaining the original look and feel of each game.
Making these an extra-special moment for video game preservation, full-motion FMV sequences have been restored from a treasure trove of unearthed assets – including physical tapes – that were then digitised and re-edited to provide more than 1,500 scenes across the seven games. These master assets were once considered lost, so it’s very cool to see them recovered and brought back into the fold.
EA says it also worked with the fan community to incorporate a selection of user mods into the Wing Commander Anniversary Editions, and anyone who already owns the applicable titles on GOG or the EA App will be able to upgrade their copy at no extra cost.
But wait, there’s more! On top of the Anniversary Edition releases coming to GOG, EA App and Steam, a further 18 classic PC titles are also now available on Steam for the first time, including just about every Ultima game, a personal favourite of mine in Theme Hospital and more.
In total there are a whopping 25 titles arriving on Steam today, with the full list below:
Anniversary Editions (AUD $14.95 each)
- Road Rash: 30th Anniversary Edition
- Wing Commander: 35th Anniversary Edition
- Wing Commander II: Vengeance of the Kilrathi: 35th Anniversary Edition
- Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger: 30th Anniversary Edition
- Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom: 30th Anniversary Edition
- Wing Commander Prophecy: 30th Anniversary Edition
- Privateer 2: The Darkening: 30th Anniversary Edition
Also coming to Steam (AUD $7.95 each)
- Wing Commander: Privateer
- Wing Commander: Academy
- Wing Commander: Armada
- Strike Commander
- Theme Hospital
- Crusader: No Remorse
- Crusader: No Regret
- Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness
- Ultima II : The Revenge of the Enchantress
- Ultima III: Exodus
- Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar
- Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny
- Ultima VI: The False Prophet
- Ultima VII: The Complete Edition
- Ultima VIII: Gold Edition
- Ultima IX: Ascension
- Ultima Underworld I
- Ultima Underworld II
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Born into the world of video games through SEGA, and in particular Sonic the Hedgehog, Kieron’s gaming tastes now consist of the latest, shiny AAA thing, an indie darling or two, and an embarrassing number of hours of Balatro.