# Games that use standard GUI widgets There is something charming about games using their desktop platform's standard windows and controls for the user interface. It is even more so if they use the limited standard palette. This page tries to convey their charm. The release dates are for the initial release of the game unless indicated otherwise. ## Contents ## _A-Train_ (Macintosh, 1992) {#a-train} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/a-train.png){loading="lazy" width="739" height="509"} Screenshot credit: Macintosh Garden. ## _Ballistic_ (Windows 3.x, 1994) {#ballistic} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/ballistic-01.gif){loading="lazy" width="394" height="449"} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/ballistic-02.gif){loading="lazy" width="394" height="449"} Screenshot credit: [valso518 at win3x.org](http://www.win3x.org/win3board/viewtopic.php?t=24717). ## _Bang! Bang!_ (Windows 3.x, 1990) {#bang-bang} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/bangbang-01.png){loading="lazy" width="514" height="449"} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/bangbang-02.png){loading="lazy" width="514" height="449"} Screenshot credit: myself. ## _Blob Factory_ v1.1 (Windows 3.x, 1996) {#blob-factory} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/blobfact-01.png){loading="lazy" width="258" height="232"} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/blobfact-02.png){loading="lazy" width="615" height="269"} Screenshot credit: myself. ## _Bow and Arrow_ (Windows 3.x, 1992) {#bow-and-arrow} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/bow-and-arrow.png){loading="lazy" width="640" height="480"} Screenshot credit: [Havoc Crow at MobyGames](https://www.mobygames.com/game/win3x/bow-and-arrow/screenshots/gameShotId,969536/). ## Breadbox Ensemble games (Breadbox Ensemble, 2002) {#breadbox-ensemble} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/breadbox-ensemble-01.png){loading="lazy" width="640" height="480"} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/breadbox-ensemble-02.png){loading="lazy" width="640" height="480"} Screenshot credit: [ToastyTech](http://toastytech.com/guis/bbe2.html), WinWorld. ## _Castle of the Winds II: Lifthransir's Bane_ (Windows 3.x, 1994) {#castle-of-the-winds-ii} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/castle-of-the-winds-ii.png){loading="lazy" width="640" height="480"} Screenshot credit: [moditorsen at MobyGames](https://www.mobygames.com/game/win3x/castle-of-the-winds-ii-lifthransirs-bane/screenshots/gameShotId,881711/). ## _Chip's Challenge_ (Windows 3.x, 1992) {#chips-challenge} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/chips-challenge.png){loading="lazy" width="520" height="397"} Screenshot credit: myself. ## _The Colony_ (Macintosh, 1988) {#the-colony} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/colony-01.png){loading="lazy" width="640" height="481"} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/colony-02.png){loading="lazy" width="640" height="480"} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/colony-03.png){loading="lazy" width="568" height="469"} Screenshot credit: Macintosh Garden. ## _Combat Tanks_ (Windows 3.x, 1994) {#combat-tanks} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/combat-tanks.gif){loading="lazy" width="482" height="466"} Screenshot credit: [Brolin Empey at MobyGames](https://www.mobygames.com/game/win3x/combat-tanks/screenshots/gameShotId,12577/). ## _Creatures 2_ (Windows 9x/NT, 1998) {#creatures-2} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/creatures-2.jpg){loading="lazy" width="1279" height="689"} Screenshot credit: [chiliflamingo at MobyGames](http://www.mobygames.com/game/windows/creatures-2/screenshots/gameShotId,305250). ## _DopeWars OS X_ (macOS, 2003) {#dopewars-os-x} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/dopewars-os-x.jpg){loading="lazy" width="700" height="536"} Screenshot credit: [official website](https://web.archive.org/web/20240421213056/http://dopewarsx.com/). ## _Drain Storm_ (Windows 3.x, 1997) {#drain-storm} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/drain-storm-01.gif){loading="lazy" width="632" height="440"} Screenshot credit: unknown. ## _Exile III: Ruined World_ (Macintosh, 1997) {#exile-iii} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/exile-iii.png){loading="lazy" width="640" height="480"} Screenshot credit: Macintosh Garden. ## _Fractal Fighters_ (Windows 9x/NT, 1997) {#fractal-fighters} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/fracfit-01.png){loading="lazy" width="799" height="486"} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/fracfit-02.png){loading="lazy" width="799" height="486"} Screenshot credit: unknown. ## _GopherGolf_ (Windows 9x/NT, 1996) {#gophergolf} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/gophergolf.png){loading="lazy" width="640" height="480"} Screenshot credit: myself. ## _The Incredible Machine 2_ (Windows 9x/NT, 1995) {#the-incredible-machine-2} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/incredible-machine-2.png){loading="lazy" width="806" height="584"} Screenshot credit: [ixfd64 at MobyGames](https://www.mobygames.com/game/windows/incredible-machine-2/screenshots/gameShotId,137637/). ## _Konquest_ (initially _GNU-Lactic Conquest_, KDE, 1998?) {#konquest} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/konquest.png){loading="lazy" width="608" height="692"} Screenshot credit: [Adam1213 at English Wikipedia](https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Konquest.png). ## _Progress Quest_ (Windows 9x/NT, 2002) {#progress-quest} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/progress-quest.png){loading="lazy" width="682" height="569"} Screenshot credit: ["Interpassivity and the Joy of Delegated Play in Idle Games"](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325826399_Interpassivity_and_the_Joy_of_Delegated_Play_in_Idle_Games), Sonia Fizek (2018). ## _Sid Meier's Civilization_ {#civilization} ### Macintosh ​(1993) {#civilization-macintosh} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/civ-mac.png){loading="lazy" width="800" height="600"} ### Windows 3.x ​(1993) {#civilization-windows-3x} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/civ-win3x.png){loading="lazy" width="640" height="480"} Screenshot credit: [DJ OldGames](https://www.oldgames.sk/en/gallery.php?gallery=158). ## _SimCity_ ### NeWS GUI on SunOS ​(1992) {#simcity-news-sunos} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/simcity-news.gif){loading="lazy" width="1152" height="900"} ### Tk X11 GUI on SunOS ​(1993) {#simcity-tk-x11-sunos} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/simcity-sun.gif){loading="lazy" width="1152" height="900"} ### Windows 3.x ​(1992) {#simcity-windows-3x} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/simcity-win3x.png){loading="lazy" width="640" height="480"} Screenshot credit: [Don Hopkins](https://web.archive.org/web/20180224131803/http://www.donhopkins.com/drupal/taxonomy_menu/4/49/66), [Yannick Bertrand at MobyGames](https://www.mobygames.com/game/win3x/simcity/screenshots/gameShotId,77448/). ## _SimTower: The Vertical Empire_ (Windows 3.x, 1994) {#simtower} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/simtower-01.png){loading="lazy" width="800" height="600"} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/simtower-02.png){loading="lazy" width="800" height="600"} Screenshot credit: [Hammerlore at MobyGames](https://www.mobygames.com/game/win3x/simtower-the-vertical-empire/screenshots/gameShotId,440236/). ## _Space Trader_ (PalmOS, 2000) {#space-trader} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/space-trader-01.gif){loading="lazy" width="160" height="160"} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/space-trader-02.gif){loading="lazy" width="160" height="160"} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/space-trader-03.gif){loading="lazy" width="160" height="160"} Screenshot credit: [official website](http://www.spronck.net/spacetrader/STScreenshots.html). ## _Star Wars: Yoda Stories_ (Windows 9x/NT, 1997) {#yoda-stories} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/star-wars-yoda-stories-01.gif){loading="lazy" width="525" height="360"} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/star-wars-yoda-stories-02.gif){loading="lazy" width="525" height="360"} Screenshot credit: [Adventure Gamers](https://adventuregamers.com/games/view/16364). ## _Toppler_ (Windows 3.x, 1995) {#toppler} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/toppler.png){loading="lazy" width="640" height="480"} Screenshot credit: [POMAH at MobyGames](https://www.mobygames.com/game/win3x/toppler/screenshots/gameShotId,897895/). ## _Warpath_ (Windows 3.x, 1994) {#warpath} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/warpath.png){loading="lazy" width="800" height="600"} Screenshot credit: My Abandonware. ## _XEvil_ (GNU/Linux, 1994?) {#xevil} ![Screenshot.](/media/gui-games/xevil.gif){loading="lazy" width="978" height="662"} Screenshot credit: [official website](http://www.xevil.com/). ## You may also like - ["Cool, but obscure X11 tools"](https://cyber.dabamos.de/unix/x11/), a list that includes games ## Page metadata URL: Published 2020-04-08, updated 2025-12-27. Tags: - UI/UX - video games