About a week ago, we released a short list of PC games that may run on iMac 2.8 GHz Core 2 Duo through Boot Camp. We have extended this list, now covering 21 PC games. The following is a list of games we have added to the list. It has turned out that one of the games in the list doesn’t run properly on our Intel Mac computer.
Running old PC games may not be such a bad idea. Old games cheap. We don’t want to spend more than 20 bucks for each game.
About 7 to 8 years ago, I played several PC games that I bought at WalMart through Virtual PC. 1602 A.D. was one. Personally, I kind of like city-build games. And I liked this game though it wasn’t so popular. The game was originally developed by Max Design and published by GT Interactive. Furthermore, Electronic Arts published an expansion pack called 1503 A.D. in May, 2004.
I looked for sequels to 1602 A.D. the other day. In fact, Aspyr Media has revived this series. The Austin/Texas-based game company published 1701 A.D. on November 6, 2006. One feature that I notice is Research. After building School, you can let scholars do research. (See Screenshot 01.)
![]() Screenshot 01: Source – MacHouse |
![]() Screenshot 02: Source – MacHouse |
![]() Screenshot 03: Source – MacHouse |
So do I like this game? Hmm… Not quite… While playing 06 Vertiable Gourmet, I got tired. (See Screenshot 02.) The trading route thing really screws up the entire game play. You can set up a trading route so that a ship can automatically sail, load and unload goods. (See Screenshot 03.) It could be I who don’t do it right. But the ship seems to fail to load and unload cargos after one trip. A problem is that pioneers may develop into settlers, settlers into citizens after receiving alcohol, tobacco or whatever. If an important product runs out, people start a riot and set fires. So you may be forced to manually load and unload goods when a ship arrives at a port to make sure that important goods won’t run out.
Aspyr Media 1701 A.D. actually released 1701 A.D. Gold Edition last month. It contains the original 1701 A.D. game and also an expansion pack called The Sunken Dragon. I definitely like The Sunken Dragon better than the original game. That’s because the single-player game has a continuous story. For example, in the first campaign called The Sunken Dragon, you are asked to recover an artifact. (See Screenshot 04.) In the next campaign, you will learn the price for having recovered this artifact.
![]() Screenshot 04: Source – MacHouse |
![]() Screenshot 05: Source – MacHouse |
![]() Screenshot 06: Source – MacHouse |
Another difference is how each mission starts and ends. In the original game, when you complete a mission, a small window that says Goal achieved! or something will pop up. Then you will be brought to the main game screen. If you want to play the next mission, you need to click on the Campaign button. But you will get to play any mission in the list shown in Screenshot 02. And you won’t get a feeling of accomplishment. In The Sunken Dragon, when you complete a mission, a window will pop up and tells you which objective has been completed and which one has not been. (See Screenshot 06.) If you click on the button at the bottom that says To Main menu, you will be taken to the Campaign screen where you can start the next mission.
Another city-build game that I enjoyed playing through Virtual PC several years ago is Pharaoh. The game was developed by Impression Games and released by Sierra Entertainment on October 31, 1999. The thing is that I wanted to play Zeus: Master of Olympus, at first. But it didn’t run on Virtual PC. So what I picked up at WalMart is Pharaoh. Interestingly, these two games were developed and published by the same game companies. Pharaoh has an expansion called Cleopatra, which was also playable through Virtual PC. Another famous title brought by Sierra Entertainment and Impression Games is Caesar III.
Yes, I did play Caesar III. I couldn’t finish the very last mission. I even played Caesar II. If you like this series, then how about playing the PC version of Caesar IV on your Mac? Neither Sierra Entertainment or Impression Games is directly involved with Caesar IV. The game was developed by Tilted Mill Entertainment. It was published by Vivendi Games on September 26, 2006.
So what’s Caesar IV like? It’s more like Pharaoh with 3D isometric thing. It’s a little bit difficult to place buildings because a building doesn’t snaps to a grid. There are new buildings like Pump House, a blue thing near each reservoir shown in Screenshot 07, Basic Goods Market, Luxury Market and many more. But things haven’t changed much since Caesar III. You still have the same characters like Engineer and Prefecture. Buildings can collapse or catch fires without them. Also, you have the same buildings like Dock, Granary, Library, Theater and Warehouse. If you have played Caesar III, you will feel either nostalgic or tired of doing what you did many years ago once again in Caesar IV.
![]() Screenshot 07: Source – MacHouse |
![]() Screenshot 08: Source – MacHouse |
![]() Screenshot 09: Source – MacHouse |
![]() Screenshot 10: Source – MacHouse |
![]() Screenshot 11: Source – MacHouse |
If you are a 15-year veteran of playing games on Macs like me, you may remember a popular game called Prince of Persia 2. It was published by Broderbund. There are three PC games with the label of Prince of Persia. One is called Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Ubisoft published it on November 30, 2003. So it’s nearly 5 years old. The closest game to this one that is available for Macs that I can think of is X2: Wolverine’s Revenge.
![]() Screenshot 12: Source – MacHouse |
![]() Screenshot 13: Source – MacHouse |
![]() Screenshot 14: Source – MacHouse |
Instead of carrying a gun or a rifle, the character that you play on this game uses a sword (or two swords). This game is not entirely about fighting. You will spend a lot of time figuring out how to moving from one location to another. For example, what’s shown in Screenshot 12 is Prince of Persia holding a pillar near a big statue. His immediate goal is to reach the top of the statue where he needs to pick up a dagger. So you need to jump to the pillar to the left and then get down to the ground at first. You can easily reach the palm of the statue. After reaching the bottom of statue’s head, you need to jump right and left multiple times to climb up between ledges. That’s quite tough.
Another tough feature of this game is that you won’t get to save your game progress any time. There’s a check point signified by a fountain where you can save your game progress. It takes a lot of effort and time to move from one check point to another. When you open LOAD SAVED GAME, you can see what percentage of game you have completed. (See Screenshot 14.) By the way, any of the Prince of Persia games doesn’t come with a multiplayer function.
![]() Screenshot 15: Source – MacHouse |
![]() Screenshot 16: Source – MacHouse |
Another Prince of Persia title is called Prince of Persia: Warrior Within. Ubisoft published it on November 30, 2004. This game can be a trouble-maker. After the female boss who appears at the beginning retreats, your immediate goal is to reach the gate of a ruined fortress. (See Screenshot 16.) Before or after reaching this gate, game can freeze in such a way that you cannot even go back to the desktop. And you will be forced to hold down the power button behind your Mac.
![]() Screenshot 15: Source – MacHouse |
![]() Screenshot 16: Source – MacHouse |
The third sequel is called Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones. Ubisoft published it on December 1, 2005. I have completed about 10% of this game. So far, I haven’t encountered any serious system trouble.
By the way, according to GameSpy and Wikipedia, a new sequel is scheduled for release this December.
The last two games to introduce are Lionhead Studios‘ The Movies and The Movies: Stunts & Effects. As you probably know, English game publisher Feral Interactive released the Mac version of The Movies on October 30, 2006.
For those who haven’t played The Movies, let me explain briefly how this game works. It’s somewhat similar to Electronic Arts’ hit series The Sims and The Sims 2. In The Movies, you won’t control each character. And there aren’t those 6 needs like Hunger, Fun, Comfort, Social, Bladder, Hygiene, Energy and Environment as in The Sims and The Sims 2. Meanwhile, actors and directors can get depressed and angry without recognition in The Movies. If you increase salary for one actor, other actors can get jealous and cause some trouble. Your game revolves only inside a movie studio you have built. Men and women enter your studio, looking for jobs and wishing to become movie stars. So you can assign them jobs. People who work at the movie studio are janitors, screenwriters, extras, directors, actors, builders and more.
Personally, I don’t quite like The Movies, The Sims, The Sims 2 or the SimCity series. That’s because there are no definite goals. I would prefer to play Caesar IV or 1701 A.D. The Sunken Dragon, which are both scenario-based.
![]() Screenshot 17: Source – MacHouse |
![]() Screenshot 18: Source – MacHouse |
![]() Screenshot 19: Source – MacHouse |
One thing that I like about The Movies is game music. It plays a few beautiful jazz pieces.
![]() Screenshot 20: Source – MacHouse |
![]() Screenshot 21: Source – MacHouse |
![]() Screenshot 22: Source – MacHouse |
So what’s new in The Movies: Stunts & Effects? Well, it’s all about stunts. Stunt School will be available in January, 1960. So whether or not you have this expansion, new studios and facilities including Stunt School may not be available until you enter the 1960s. Or you can jump start from January, 1960. But if you do, game will start with a movie studio that contains a complete set of facilities that were available by 1960.
![]() Screenshot 23: Source – MacHouse |
![]() Screenshot 24: Source – MacHouse |
![]() Screenshot 25: Source – MacHouse |
Whether or not filming a movie requires stunts depends on how a movie script is written. When you place a screenwriter in a category box, a helmet icon may or may not appear. (See Screenshot 23.) If you want to write a script with stunts, you need to make sure that the screenwriter is placed in a box with the helmet icon. Next, if you place a script with stunts in Begin Casting, you will see one or two helmet icons in the Lead Roles box. (See Screenshot 24.) You must have hired stunt actors by this time. You can produce stunt actors at Stunt School, of course. (See Screenshot 25.) Interestingly, you can build a training facility to train your stunt actors. (See Screenshot 26.) Once in a while, a stunt person can get injured. In such case, you can send him or her to a hospital. (See Screenshot 27.)
![]() Screenshot 26: Source – MacHouse |
![]() Screenshot 27: Source – MacHouse |
![]() Screenshot 28: Source – MacHouse |
![]() Screenshot 29: Source – MacHouse |
![]() Screenshot 30: Source – MacHouse |
![]() Screenshot 31: Source – MacHouse |
References:
Running PC Games through Boot Camp on Intel Mac Machines
Running PC Games through Boot Camp on Intel Mac Machines – 2008-08-01
Wikipedia – Prince of Persia (2008 video game)