5 Best Windows XP Games: Playable Titles

It is really hard to pick the best Windows XP games, because everyone has their favorites. I tried to pick from any genre and although your choices would be different or in another order, you will most likely agree that the Windows XP games below were truly awesome at their time.

What are the best Windows XP games?

1. Heroes of Might and Magic III

Yes, I know, I am really subjective because I definitely love turn-based strategy game and there are not a lot of those to choose from. However, Heroes of Might and Magic III is still considered the best HOMM game in the series.

Moreover, you can play it even now on Windows XP and on Windows 11 as well, a testimony to its huge popularity.

The solo campaigns were really catchy and the resource management system is still excellent nowadays. However, this game was also shining in the hot seat multiplayer action and I used to spend quite a few sleepless nights on large maps battling my friends on HOMM III.

The HD version you can find on Steam is for Windows 10, but you will also find the older version for Windows XP.

Get Heroes of Might and Magic III

2. Diablo II

You can’t possibly deny the huge popularity of Diablo II, a hack & slash legendary game that certainly made a mark on how the genre evolved afterward.

This game was so epic that Blizzard remastered it for the modern times as Diablo II Resurrected.

If you didn’t play it at its time, the link in the title or the one below will take you to the old installer. However, you may also use the link above to buy and play the new, remastered version with fancy graphics and game improvements.

Get Diablo II

3. Age of Empires II

Age of Empires II is still considered by many, one of the best games ever made. And that is for good reason because this game also shaped the path of the modern RTS titles that came after.

Just like HOMM III and Diablo II, AoE II was also remastered As Age of Empires II Definitive Edition that marks the popularity of the original title. However, even if the new game has a lot better graphics and dynamics, it is a totally different game, with original content.

As with the previous games in my top, the link in the title and the one below will take you to the old version that can be played on Windows XP, and we can thank Games Nostalgia for that. The link below will get you to buy the new title.

Get Age of Empires II

4. Star Wars Battlefront

If you’re now playing Star Wars Battlefront 3, you should take a bit of time to get back to the origins with the first title of the series.

As a fan of the Star Wars saga, you were given the opportunity to get a blaster and step right in the battle with your favorite heroes in this action/shooter game.

You have access to different soldier types and drive the vehicles, man turrets and conquer the galaxy. However, you didn’t get to play with a light sword and that was a major downer to a lot of players.

The game is still available to buy and play from Steam, but they stress out that you need to run at least Windows 10 to install the Steam client.

Get Star Wars Battlefront

5. Max Payne

Max Payne was such a popular game that not only it spawned a whole series around it, but also a movie.

This action adventure has it all, an outcast cop that goes haywire against the mafia, a great story, exciting plot twists and a legendary narrative that is hard to equal nowadays.

The surprise is that this 2001 is still available to buy on Steam and it still works on Windows XP and Windows 2000. Hey! Make sure you’ve got 128 MB of RAM to play this game smoothly, capisci?

Get Max Payne

I conclude the list of the best Windows XP games that are still available now. The time when Windows XP ruled the OS market was called the golden gaming age. That is because between 2000 and 2007 there were lots of popular games out there.

You might also be interested in our guide on how to run Windows XP games on Windows 10.

I know I missed huge titles such as Deus Ex, Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, Far Cry, The Witcher, Spore, Rollercoaster Tycoon 2, The Sims, Bioshock, NFS: Porche Unleashed and many many others.

While I couldn’t mention all of these here, I am sure that you will write about your best Windows XP games in the comments section below.