I had a weird relationship to PC gaming as a kid. I remember when we got our first computer that had a CD-ROM drive, I played the hell out of games like Wolfenstein and a lot of random point-and-click games I don’t even remember. A few years later games started coming out with 3D graphics, and the old Packard Bell couldn’t keep up. I remember being hugely disappointed when I brought home my copy of The Phantom Menace only to find I couldn’t play it.

That’s probably a huge reason why I played Age of Empires so damned much. Someone installed it on my computer, it ran fine, and I remember playing it for hours. The music and sound effects are burned in my brain. I think I played the first one more than Age of Empires II: Age of Kings, but I know I played that one a lot too.

Even now I think about that game and I get the urge to track down some version that will play on my computer, but I’m too lazy to do it. Luckily, Microsoft is releasing a remastered version of Age II on Steam next month, with all kinds of graphical enhancements and wizardry. I hardly use Steam, but I know I’ll be dropping the $20 on this game and adding to my already huge list of distractions that keep me from working.

I can’t wait to hear those priests Wololoing again.

Via The Verge

Microsoft knows whats up. 90s nostalgia hasn’t been mined as much as 80s nostalgia, and it hits home for people my age and a little younger. I expect we’ll be seeing a lot more stuff like this in the next few years, which is fine by me, because the 90s was such a funny decade. Everything was brightly colored, goofy, and extra awesome.

I don’t know if this ad will make people rush out and use Microsoft products, but it might make them rush to ebay and pick up a Super Soaker, Lisa Frank folder, or a box of Troll dolls. No comment on which one I searched for after I watched this.

Devour via Daring Fireball