As a kid you played Red Alert 2 all the time on your WinXP, why wouldn't you it's a helluva fun game! But now almost 20 years later you can't get the game to run on your Windows 10 machine. So How to play Red Alert 2 on your Windows 10?
Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3. Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 100% Implemented Mac OS X wrapper. 100% Implemented Debian Package for Linux Mint and Ubuntu. 100% Implemented RPM Package for Fedora and openSUSE. Note that this fix should work with the Origin version of Red Alert 2 as well. Although the ALT+TAB functionality does not work. Download the files needed to apply the fix from below. Download C&C Red Alert 2 Compatibility Fix 2. Install the compatibility database by opening it's folder and double clicking the file called 'Double Click. Without a doubt, Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 does everything that Tiberian Sun should have, but didn't. It shines, it sparkles, it destroys even the toughest of stains. With vastly improved graphics, enhanced gameplay, and a far easier interface, Red Alert 2 is definitely the most advanced Command & Conquer title ever produced.
Do I need to own a legitimate copy of Red Alert 2?
To play it legally? Yes, you will need to buy Red Alert 2 because it wasn't made free yet by EA who owns the brand. Where can you buy the game? To my knowledge the only way to buy Red Alert 2 is on origin where you buy the Command & Conquer™ The Ultimate Collection. The bad news is that it's a collection so you can't buy just Red Alert 2, but you'll get all of the C&C games and their expansions. The good news is that 15€ for 17 C&C games isn't that bad of a deal. Now If you want to download an Illegal copy, that's your choice but you're not getting instructions on how to do that here. Arr!
After purchasing the copy simply install it.
I have old Red Alert 2 CDs, will those work?
Command And Conquer Red Alert 2 On Windows 10
Sadly those CDs won't work on Windows 10. It has something to do with the installer being incompatible with Windows 10. But there is a workaround. We can work the problem by using the multiplayer-only release by XWIS (which was created under EA's permission) and copy the the necessary files for single player from the CDs.
First go this page and download and install XWIS' Red Alert 2 multiplayer distribution. Then go to your Red Alert 2 Allied CD and copy multi.mix, theme.mix, maps01.mix, and movies01.mix to your Red Alert 2 directory. And then from the Soviet CD copy maps02.mix and movies02.mix to the same directory. You might need to set the game.exe and ra2.exe to always run as administrator and in compatibility mode for Windows 7 or higher.
Yuri's Revenge installer works just fine. Therefore you shouldn't have any problems there. But if your CD is too damaged you can find the multiplayer Yuri's Revenge distribution here.
Okay, I've installed Red Alert 2 and it doesn't work! How to play Red Alert 2 on Windows 10?
Now that we've installed the game we need to patch it up. The easiest way to do that is to download the CnCnet client from here. It says Yuri's Revenge on the download site. But don't worry if you don't own it. The CnCnet client also patches vanilla Red Alert 2. So download the installation file and follow the installation instructions. It's pretty easy as the installer detects the folder you've installed Red Alert 2 so you should be able to install it no trouble. After installing the client should start up, so just let it do so and install any updates it might prompt you to install.
Ready to play commander?
If everything went smoothly you should be able to enjoy Red Alert 2 on Windows 10! And remember the client does not only patch the game itself, but it also provides the means to play online.
Command & Conquer Red Alert 2 is a classic real-time strategy game, first released for Windows back in 2000.
The two bundled campaigns - Red Alert and Yuri's Revenge - follow on from the first game, and pitch the Allies and the Soviet Union against each other in a range of missions from small and stealthy to fast-paced, full-scale multi-unit battles.
Trials 2 second edition demo. There are also various smaller 'scenarios', quick skirmishes which you can use to learn the game or if you've only a few minutes to spare.
Command And Conquer Red Alert 2 On Windows 10
This isn't a trial or restricted version, it's the complete product. The only 'catch' is you'll need an Electronic Arts account and a copy of Origin to download it, but that doesn't involve much more than providing your email address, and everything else is handled more or less automatically. (Although it might still take a while, as the download is a chunky 1.6GB.)
The game should work on any modern PC - and most ancient ones, too - but keep in mind that it expects to be running full-screen and exclusively. If you Alt+Tab away to some other application, the game screen may not be displayed correctly when you switch back.
Verdict:
Red Alert 2 is a classic RTS game, and still fun to play today.
