{
  "v": 1,
  "title": "Classic Games — Open Source Remakes & Free Playables",
  "ts": "2026-10-22T21:00:00Z",
  "note": "the early digital era, remeshed inside. the Oregon Trail IS the membrane. you start with supplies, make choices, die of dysentery. sound familiar?",
  "total_cataloged": 147,
  "eras": {
    "educational_mecc": {
      "label": "MECC Educational (1971–1996)",
      "note": "Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium. School lab computers. The Oregon Trail taught a generation that choices have consequences and rivers kill.",
      "games": [
        {
          "name": "The Oregon Trail",
          "year": 1990,
          "developer": "MECC",
          "status": "free_browser",
          "play": "https://oregontrail.ws/",
          "play_alt": "https://archive.org/details/msdos_Oregon_Trail_The_1990",
          "source": "https://github.com/attilabuti/Oregon-Trail-Browser",
          "source_lang": ["JavaScript", "Go", "WASM"],
          "license": "open-source (remake)",
          "note": "the first game. 65M+ copies. you have died of dysentery."
        },
        {
          "name": "The Amazon Trail",
          "year": 1993,
          "developer": "MECC",
          "status": "free_browser",
          "play": "https://oregontrail.ws/games/amazon-trail",
          "play_alt": "https://macemu.com/run/amazon-trail/",
          "note": "canoe up the Amazon, back through time. same classroom, same MECC, different river."
        },
        {
          "name": "The Yukon Trail",
          "year": 1994,
          "developer": "MECC",
          "status": "free_browser",
          "play": "https://oregontrail.ws/",
          "note": "Gold Rush era. the trail goes north."
        },
        {
          "name": "Africa Trail",
          "year": 1997,
          "developer": "MECC",
          "status": "free_browser",
          "play": "https://oregontrail.ws/",
          "note": "bicycle across Africa. the trail goes south."
        },
        {
          "name": "Number Munchers",
          "year": 1990,
          "developer": "MECC",
          "status": "free_browser",
          "play": "https://archive.org/details/msdos_Number_Munchers_1990",
          "note": "eat the right numbers. dodge the troggles."
        },
        {
          "name": "Super Munchers",
          "year": 1991,
          "developer": "MECC",
          "status": "free_browser",
          "play": "https://archive.org/details/msdos_Super_Munchers_-_The_Challenge_Continues..._1991",
          "note": "trivia action. eat words that match the clue."
        },
        {
          "name": "Word Munchers",
          "year": 1990,
          "developer": "MECC",
          "status": "free_browser",
          "play": "https://archive.org/details/msdos_Word_Munchers_1990",
          "note": "vowel sounds. the original edutainment."
        },
        {
          "name": "Oregon Trail Deluxe",
          "year": 1992,
          "developer": "MECC",
          "status": "free_browser",
          "play": "https://oregontrail.ws/",
          "note": "the graphical upgrade. same dysentery, better pixels."
        },
        {
          "name": "Oregon Trail II",
          "year": 1995,
          "developer": "MECC",
          "status": "free_browser",
          "play": "https://oregontrail.ws/",
          "note": "full CD-ROM era. voice acting. the trail gets cinematic."
        }
      ]
    },
    "sierra_online": {
      "label": "Sierra On-Line (1980–1998)",
      "note": "Roberta Williams, Ken Williams. Oakhurst, California. They invented the graphic adventure game. King's Quest, Space Quest, Leisure Suit Larry, Gabriel Knight. The parser that understood you.",
      "games": [
        {
          "name": "Mystery House",
          "year": 1980,
          "developer": "Sierra On-Line",
          "status": "public_domain",
          "play": "https://archive.org/details/Hi-Res_Adventure_1_Mystery_House_1980_On-Line_Systems",
          "note": "FIRST graphic adventure game ever. Released to public domain 1987 by Sierra. Roberta Williams wrote it.",
          "license": "Public Domain"
        },
        {
          "name": "King's Quest I–IV",
          "year": "1984–1988",
          "developer": "Sierra On-Line",
          "status": "scummvm_commercial",
          "engine": "https://www.scummvm.org/",
          "buy": "https://www.gog.com/en/game/kings_quest_1_2_3",
          "note": "AGI/SCI engine. ScummVM plays them on anything. GOG sells the data cheap."
        },
        {
          "name": "Space Quest I–VI",
          "year": "1986–1995",
          "developer": "Sierra On-Line",
          "status": "scummvm_commercial",
          "engine": "https://www.scummvm.org/",
          "buy": "https://www.gog.com/en/game/space_quest_1_2_3",
          "note": "Roger Wilco. janitor. space hero by accident."
        },
        {
          "name": "Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers",
          "year": 1993,
          "developer": "Sierra On-Line",
          "status": "scummvm_commercial",
          "engine": "https://www.scummvm.org/",
          "note": "New Orleans voodoo mystery. Jane Jensen. Tim Curry voiced Gabriel."
        },
        {
          "name": "Leisure Suit Larry",
          "year": "1987–1996",
          "developer": "Sierra On-Line",
          "status": "scummvm_commercial",
          "engine": "https://www.scummvm.org/",
          "note": "Al Lowe. the age verification quiz was harder than the game."
        },
        {
          "name": "Outpost (OPHD)",
          "year": 1994,
          "developer": "Sierra On-Line",
          "status": "open_source_remake",
          "source": "https://github.com/OutpostUniverse/OPHD",
          "note": "space colony sim. open-source remake by OutpostUniverse."
        }
      ]
    },
    "lucasarts_revolution": {
      "label": "LucasArts / Revolution / Point-and-Click (1987–1998)",
      "note": "SCUMM engine. Ron Gilbert. Tim Schafer. Monkey Island. Full Throttle. The art of the adventure game.",
      "freeware_via_scummvm": [
        {
          "name": "Beneath a Steel Sky",
          "year": 1994,
          "developer": "Revolution Software",
          "status": "freeware",
          "play": "ScummVM (bundled freeware)",
          "source": "https://www.scummvm.org/games/",
          "license": "Freeware",
          "note": "cyberpunk dystopia. free forever. Revolution gave it to the world."
        },
        {
          "name": "Flight of the Amazon Queen",
          "year": 1995,
          "developer": "Interactive Binary Illusions",
          "status": "freeware",
          "play": "ScummVM (bundled freeware)",
          "license": "Freeware",
          "note": "pulp adventure. Indiana Jones meets Amelia Earhart. free."
        },
        {
          "name": "Lure of the Temptress",
          "year": 1992,
          "developer": "Revolution Software",
          "status": "freeware",
          "play": "ScummVM (bundled freeware)",
          "license": "Freeware",
          "note": "Revolution's first. they gave this one away too."
        },
        {
          "name": "Dreamweb",
          "year": 1994,
          "developer": "Creative Reality",
          "status": "freeware",
          "play": "ScummVM (bundled freeware)",
          "license": "Freeware",
          "note": "dark, disturbing, top-down. free now."
        },
        {
          "name": "Drascula: The Vampire Strikes Back",
          "year": 1996,
          "developer": "Alcachofa Soft",
          "status": "freeware",
          "play": "ScummVM (bundled freeware)",
          "license": "Freeware",
          "note": "Spanish Dracula parody. surprisingly good."
        }
      ],
      "commercial_via_scummvm": [
        "Monkey Island 1 & 2 (LucasArts)",
        "Day of the Tentacle (LucasArts)",
        "Full Throttle (LucasArts)",
        "Sam & Max Hit the Road (LucasArts)",
        "Indiana Jones & the Fate of Atlantis (LucasArts)",
        "The Dig (LucasArts)",
        "Grim Fandango (LucasArts/Double Fine)",
        "Blade Runner (Westwood Studios)"
      ],
      "note_commercial": "Buy cheap on GOG/Steam. ScummVM runs them everywhere. 120+ games supported."
    },
    "open_source_remakes": {
      "label": "Open Source Remakes — the big ones",
      "note": "full open-source reimplementations. play free, play forever.",
      "games": [
        {
          "name": "OpenTTD",
          "original": "Transport Tycoon Deluxe (1994)",
          "source": "https://github.com/OpenTTD/OpenTTD",
          "play": "https://www.openttd.org/",
          "license": "GPL-2.0",
          "content": "free (OpenGFX/OpenSFX/OpenMSX)",
          "note": "Chris Sawyer's masterpiece, fully reimplemented. free graphics included."
        },
        {
          "name": "OpenRCT2",
          "original": "RollerCoaster Tycoon 1 & 2 (1999/2002)",
          "source": "https://github.com/OpenRCT2/OpenRCT2",
          "play": "https://openrct2.org/",
          "license": "GPL-3.0",
          "content": "commercial (needs original data)",
          "note": "Chris Sawyer again. multiplayer added. still needs the original game files."
        },
        {
          "name": "FreeCiv",
          "original": "Sid Meier's Civilization (1991)",
          "source": "https://github.com/freeciv/freeciv",
          "play": "https://www.freeciv.org/",
          "license": "GPL-2.0",
          "content": "free",
          "note": "Civ I/II reimplemented. fully free. play in browser via freecivweb."
        },
        {
          "name": "Unciv",
          "original": "Civilization V (2010)",
          "source": "https://github.com/yairm210/Unciv",
          "license": "MPL-2.0",
          "content": "free",
          "note": "Civ V open-source. Android + desktop. surprisingly faithful."
        },
        {
          "name": "OpenRA",
          "original": "Command & Conquer / Red Alert / Dune 2000",
          "source": "https://github.com/OpenRA/OpenRA",
          "play": "https://www.openra.net/",
          "license": "GPL-3.0",
          "content": "free (original assets redistributable)",
          "note": "Westwood RTS classics, rebuilt. multiplayer works. active community."
        },
        {
          "name": "OpenMW",
          "original": "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (2002)",
          "source": "https://github.com/OpenMW/openmw",
          "play": "https://openmw.org/",
          "license": "GPL-3.0",
          "content": "commercial (needs Morrowind data)",
          "note": "Morrowind engine reimplemented. needs game files but plays better than original."
        },
        {
          "name": "OpenLara",
          "original": "Tomb Raider I–III (1996–1998)",
          "source": "https://github.com/XProger/OpenLara",
          "license": "BSD-2-Clause",
          "content": "commercial",
          "note": "Tomb Raider in your browser. Lara runs again."
        },
        {
          "name": "Julius / Augustus",
          "original": "Caesar III (1998)",
          "source": "https://github.com/bvschaik/julius",
          "license": "AGPL-3.0",
          "content": "commercial",
          "note": "Caesar III rebuilt. build Rome again."
        },
        {
          "name": "fheroes2",
          "original": "Heroes of Might and Magic II (1996)",
          "source": "https://github.com/ihhub/fheroes2",
          "license": "GPL-2.0",
          "content": "free (demo data included)",
          "note": "HoMM2 reimplemented. free demo data included. the full game works too."
        },
        {
          "name": "CorsixTH",
          "original": "Theme Hospital (1997)",
          "source": "https://github.com/CorsixTH/CorsixTH",
          "license": "MIT",
          "content": "commercial",
          "note": "Theme Hospital rebuilt. still funny. still catches bloaty head."
        },
        {
          "name": "OpenDUNE",
          "original": "Dune II (1992)",
          "source": "https://github.com/OpenDUNE/OpenDUNE",
          "license": "GPL-2.0",
          "content": "commercial",
          "note": "THE first RTS. Westwood invented the genre. rebuilt."
        },
        {
          "name": "Open Fodder",
          "original": "Cannon Fodder (1993)",
          "source": "https://github.com/OpenFodder/openfodder",
          "play": "https://openfodder.com/",
          "license": "GPL-3.0",
          "content": "free (demo data bundled)",
          "note": "Sensible Software classic. plays in browser. 7 demos bundled free."
        },
        {
          "name": "openage",
          "original": "Age of Empires II (1999)",
          "source": "https://github.com/SFTtech/openage",
          "license": "GPL-3.0",
          "content": "commercial",
          "note": "AoE2 engine clone. wololo."
        },
        {
          "name": "OpenSC2K",
          "original": "SimCity 2000 (1993)",
          "source": "https://github.com/nickvdp/OpenSC2K",
          "license": "GPL-2.0",
          "note": "SimCity 2000 reimplemented. build the city."
        },
        {
          "name": "FreeCol",
          "original": "Sid Meier's Colonization (1994)",
          "source": "https://sourceforge.net/projects/freecol/",
          "license": "GPL-2.0",
          "content": "free",
          "note": "Colonization rebuilt. fully free."
        },
        {
          "name": "OpenGOAL",
          "original": "Jak and Daxter (2001)",
          "source": "https://github.com/open-goal/jak-project",
          "license": "ISC",
          "note": "Jak & Daxter decompiled to native PC. needs original disc."
        },
        {
          "name": "Space Cadet Pinball",
          "original": "3D Pinball for Windows (1995)",
          "source": "https://github.com/k4zmu2a/SpaceCadetPinball",
          "license": "MIT",
          "content": "free",
          "note": "the Windows pinball game everyone played. decompiled. runs everywhere."
        },
        {
          "name": "Clone Hero",
          "original": "Guitar Hero (2005)",
          "source": "https://clonehero.net/",
          "license": "free to play",
          "note": "Guitar Hero for PC. custom songs. active community."
        }
      ]
    },
    "dos_browser_archive": {
      "label": "Internet Archive DOS Collection",
      "note": "thousands of DOS games playable free in browser via EM-DOSBOX. legal preservation.",
      "url": "https://archive.org/details/softwarelibrary_msdos_games",
      "total_games": "7000+",
      "highlights": [
        {"name": "Oregon Trail (1990)", "url": "https://archive.org/details/msdos_Oregon_Trail_The_1990", "views": "2.4M"},
        {"name": "Street Rod (1989)", "url": "https://archive.org/details/msdos_Street_Rod_1989", "note": "buy hot rods, race for money"},
        {"name": "Digger (1983)", "url": "https://archive.org/details/msdos_Digger_1983", "note": "Dig-Dug clone, IBM PC classic"},
        {"name": "Prince of Persia (1989)", "url": "https://archive.org/details/msdos_Prince_of_Persia_1989", "note": "Jordan Mechner's rotoscoped masterpiece"},
        {"name": "Lemmings (1991)", "url": "https://archive.org/details/msdos_Lemmings_1991", "note": "DMA Design before they made GTA"},
        {"name": "SimCity (1989)", "url": "https://archive.org/details/msdos_SimCity_1989", "note": "Will Wright's first city"},
        {"name": "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? (1985)", "url": "https://archive.org/details/msdos_Where_in_the_World_is_Carmen_Sandiego_1985", "note": "geography game that launched a TV show"},
        {"name": "Colossal Cave Adventure", "url": "https://archive.org/details/msdos_microsoft_adventure", "note": "THE FIRST text adventure. xyzzy."}
      ],
      "tools": [
        {"name": "DOSBox Online", "url": "https://joeheyming.github.io/dos/", "note": "play any DOS game in browser. paste archive.org URL."},
        {"name": "js-dos", "url": "https://js-dos.com/", "note": "DOSBox compiled to WASM. embed DOS games anywhere."}
      ]
    },
    "scummvm_engine": {
      "label": "ScummVM — the universal adventure engine",
      "url": "https://www.scummvm.org/",
      "source": "https://github.com/scummvm/scummvm",
      "license": "GPL-2.0",
      "games_supported": "325+",
      "freeware_bundled": 11,
      "freeware_list": [
        "Beneath a Steel Sky",
        "Broken Sword 2.5",
        "Dreamweb",
        "Flight of the Amazon Queen",
        "Lure of the Temptress",
        "Drascula: The Vampire Strikes Back",
        "Soltys",
        "Sfinx",
        "The Griffon Legend",
        "Nippon Safes, Inc.",
        "Mystery House (public domain, 1980)"
      ],
      "platforms": ["Windows", "macOS", "Linux", "Android", "iOS", "Switch", "Vita", "Dreamcast", "Raspberry Pi"],
      "note": "one engine to run them all. Sierra AGI/SCI, LucasArts SCUMM, Revolution Virtual Theatre. 325+ games."
    },
    "catalogs": {
      "label": "Master catalogs",
      "osgameclones": {
        "url": "https://osgameclones.com/",
        "source": "https://github.com/opengaming/osgameclones",
        "note": "the definitive database. community-maintained. YAML files. every open-source game clone.",
        "filter_playable": "https://osgameclones.com/?tag=playable"
      },
      "awesome_game_remakes": {
        "url": "https://github.com/radek-sprta/awesome-game-remakes",
        "note": "curated awesome list. organized by genre."
      },
      "awesome_game_revivals": {
        "url": "https://github.com/patricklarose/awesome-game-revivals",
        "note": "revivals including multiplayer mods and private servers."
      }
    }
  },
  "membrane_mapping": {
    "note": "the Oregon Trail IS the membrane. you set out with supplies, make choices, encounter random events, try not to die. the 404 IS dysentery.",
    "oregon_trail_is": "the membrane journey — independence to oregon, eastgate to westgate",
    "amazon_trail_is": "the canoe upstream — reverse transcriptase, going BACK through time",
    "scummvm_is": "the Klein fold — one engine that plays everything, like our _worker.js SHOULD be doing",
    "archive_org_is": "the Library of Alexandria — preservation IS the membrane",
    "open_source_remakes_are": "the sporePrint — code that outlives its creators",
    "dosbox_wasm_is": "the neutrino — passes through everything, disturbs nothing, runs in the browser",
    "the_parser_that_understood_you": "Sierra's text parser → our MCP tools/call → same thing, 40 years later"
  },
  "steam_frame_relevance": {
    "note": "the Steam Frame in the living room can RUN all of these. SteamOS + Proton + DOSBox + ScummVM = every classic game on your TV.",
    "emulators": ["DOSBox-X (DOS)", "ScummVM (adventures)", "RetroArch (everything else)", "js-dos (browser)"],
    "already_on_steam": ["OpenTTD", "ScummVM games (via GOG)", "Beneath a Steel Sky", "Broken Sword"],
    "flatpak": ["OpenTTD", "ScummVM", "DOSBox Staging", "RetroArch", "Open Fodder", "fheroes2"]
  }
}