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Microsoft Plus!
Microsoft Plus!
Microsoft Plus!
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Microsoft Plus!
DeveloperMicrosoft
Operating systemMicrosoft Windows
SuccessorWindows Ultimate Extras
TypeOperating system enhancement package
LicenseClosed source

Microsoft Plus! is a discontinued commercial operating system enhancement product by Microsoft. The last edition is the Plus! SuperPack, which includes an assortment of screensavers, themes, and games, as well as multimedia applications. The Microsoft Plus! product was first announced on January 31, 1994, under the internal codename "Frosting". The first edition was an enhancement for Windows 95, Windows 95 Plus!

The enhancements that make up Microsoft Plus! were generally developed by Microsoft itself. The Plus! packs also included games and content from third-party companies; for example, in Plus! for Windows XP, the HyperBowl game developed by HyperEntertainment Inc. was included. Plus! features that enhance the base operating system or provide utility are generally included free of charge in the next release of Windows.

Microsoft Plus! was discontinued[when?] and replaced by Windows Ultimate Extras in Windows Vista.[1] [2] Windows Ultimate Extras would later be completely removed in Windows 7.[3][4][5]

Versions

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Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95

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Windows 95 with Microsoft Plus boot screen

This was the first version of Plus! and had an initial cost of US$49.99.[6] It included Space Cadet Pinball, the Internet Jumpstart Kit (which was the introduction of Internet Explorer 1.0), DriveSpace 3 and Compression Agent disk compression utilities, the initial release of theme support along with a set of 12 themes, dial-up networking server, dial-up scripting tool, and the graphical improvements such as anti-aliased screen fonts, full-window drag, the ability to stretch or shrink the wallpaper to fit the screen and high color icons.

Task Scheduler as it is present in later Windows versions was included as System Agent. A utility to notify the user of low disk space (DiskAlm.exe) also ran as part of System Agent. Plus! for Windows 95 was initially marketed for adding features for "high-performance computers", the minimum system requirements were an 80386 CPU with 8 megabytes of RAM.[citation needed] Later releases of Windows 95 (OSR2 and onwards) included DriveSpace 3 and Internet Explorer 3.0. Windows 98 included all of the enhancements included in Plus! for Windows 95. Space Cadet Pinball was not installed by default, but included on the Windows 98 CD. Although Windows NT 4.0 is not intended to support desktop themes, each desktop theme from this pack (except the More Windows theme and the Windows 95 256-color theme) along with the Space theme from the Microsoft Plus! for Kids pack (albeit with a different startup sound) and three additional exclusive desktop themes is installable on this operating system via the Windows NT 4.0 Resource Kit.

The screen-saver and wallpaper files include images from the Codex Leicester, which Microsoft co-founder, then CEO Bill Gates bought in 1994.

Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95 shipped with the following Desktop Themes:

  • Dangerous Creatures (256 color)
  • Inside Your Computer (high color)
  • Leonardo da Vinci (256 color)
  • Mystery (high color)
  • Nature (high color)
  • Science (256 color)
  • The 60's USA (256 color)
  • The Golden Era (high color)
  • Sports (256 color)
  • Travel (high color)
  • Windows 95 (256 color)
  • More Windows (high color)

All of them were included in Windows 98 and Me, except that in Windows 98, the "Windows 95" and "More Windows" themes were modified to use Windows 98's version of The Microsoft Sound, as well as to change instances of "Windows 95" to "Windows 98", and in Windows Me, the two themes are combined into a new theme entitled "Windows Millennium", with a unique background.

Microsoft Plus! for Kids

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This version was released in 1997 and aimed at children of ages 3 to 12. It includes three new applications: Talk It!, a text-to-speech program that says what users type using various voices; Play It!, an electronic keyboard with music and sound effects; and Paint It!, a version of Paint oriented for kids. It also contained a "picture picker" along with clipart, fonts, 10 new desktop themes, and Protect It!, a parental controls program. Plus! for Kids was the only Plus! release from the Microsoft Home and Entertainment division rather than the Windows Operating System development group. Four desktop themes from this collection - Baseball, Jungle, Space and Underwater – were included in Windows 98 and Windows Me; the Underwater theme, however, was modified to have its sounds play in different events.

There is also a demo version for Microsoft Plus! for Kids; however, it only contains the readme for the program and the Underwater theme. The pack can also be installed on Windows NT 4.0 if the user is granted administrative privileges, according to the Readme document included with the pack, although Protect It! and the desktop themes cannot be installed, mainly due to design differences between Windows 95 and NT 4.0.

Desktop Themes in Microsoft Plus! for Kids
Theme Name Notes
Baseball (256 color) Later included in Windows 98/Me
Bugs (256 color)
Horses (256 color)
Jungle (256 color) Later included in Windows 98/Me
Messy Room (256 color)
RE-man (high color)
Snowboarding (256 color)
Space (256 color) Later included in Windows 98/Me
Treehouse (256 color)
Underwater (256 color) Later included in Windows 98/Me

Microsoft Plus! 98

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As the sequel to the original suite of enhancements to Windows, Plus! 98 included eighteen new desktop themes (some of which were based on popular comics such as FoxTrot and Garfield[7]), along with new programs and tools for Windows 98. An "organic art" 3D screensaver rendered unique infinite 3D visual shapes.[7] A Start Menu cleanup utility was added to Windows 98's Maintenance Wizard.[7] A Cybermedia Non-Critical File Cleaner utility was integrated into Disk Cleanup. ZIP file integration with Windows Explorer was first introduced with this version under the name of "compressed folders". New games, such as Microsoft Golf 1998 Lite, Lose Your Marbles and the now popular Spider Solitaire were also part of Plus! 98.[7] A Deluxe CD Player with CDDB support[7] and a basic "express" version of Picture It![7] were also included. Finally, Plus! 98 came with McAfee VirusScan 3.0, along with a six-month supply of free updates.[7]

Some Plus! 98 features such as compressed folders and the Spider Solitaire game were included in Windows Me and later Windows versions. The Deluxe CD Player was included with Windows 2000. Although Windows Me does not include all of the Plus! 98 features and Plus! 98 Setup is blocked by Windows Me as incompatible, it can be installed on Windows Me by copying the setup files to the local hard disk and renaming Setup.exe before running it.

It is possible to use the Plus! for Windows 95, Plus! for Kids, and Plus! 98 desktop themes on Windows 2000 and Windows XP, by copying PLUS!.DLL, THEMES.EXE, and Themes folder from the %ProgramFiles%\Plus! directory from an existing Windows 98/Me computer to a Windows 2000/XP computer. It is recommended to run the Desktop Themes control panel (THEMES.EXE) in Windows 98/Me compatibility mode, to avoid crashes.[8]

The screensaver .scr/.dll files are stored in %WINDIR%\system on Windows 98/Me, and can be copied over to %WINDIR%\system32 directory on Windows 2000/XP.

Microsoft Plus! Game Pack: Cards & Puzzles

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This Plus! pack was released at the time of Windows Millennium Edition; however, it could also be installed on Windows 95-98, NT 4.0 and 2000.[9] It included the Microsoft Entertainment Pack: The Puzzle Collection - a collection of 10 arcade games and Microsoft Bicycle Card Collection, another set of 12 card games (Hearts, Spades, Cribbage, Pinochle, Crazy 8's, Oh Hell!, Go Fish, Old Maid, Euchre, Gin Rummy, Schafkopf and Skat). A trial version of Microsoft Pandora's Box was also included.

Microsoft Plus! for Windows XP

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Package containing Windows XP version of Microsoft Plus!

Marketed as "The Ultimate Companion for Windows XP", Microsoft Plus! for Windows XP was launched alongside the Windows XP operating system on October 25, 2001. This version of Plus! was created to show off the enhanced capabilities that Windows XP presented with its updated Windows Media Player and DirectX 3D core technologies. Continuing the feature categories of the previous Plus! products, the product features were desktop themes, screen savers, games, and utilities.

Plus! for Windows XP includes:

  • Plus! Themes (Aquarium, Nature, da Vinci and Space)
  • Plus! Screen Savers (Aquarium, Nature, da Vinci, Space, Robot Circus, Sand Pendulum, Mercury Pool and Plus! My Pictures Premium screensaver)
  • Plus! Voice Command for Windows Media Player
  • Plus! Personal DJ
  • Plus! MP3 Converter
  • Plus! CD Label Maker
  • Plus! Speaker Enhancement
  • Plus! 3D Visualizations for Windows Media Player (Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee, Maxx's Kingdom and Plus! Undersea Wonders)
  • Plus! Skins for Windows Media Player (Aquarium, Nature, da Vinci and Space)
  • Plus! Hyperbowl
  • Plus! Russian Square
  • Plus! Labyrinth

Microsoft Plus! Digital Media Edition

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Marketed as "The Ultimate Photo, Music, and Movie Enhancement Pack for Windows XP", Microsoft launched Plus! Digital Media Edition along with Windows XP Media Center Edition. Plus! Digital Media Edition signified the first time Microsoft had released a second Plus! product based on the same base operating system. Microsoft Plus! Digital Media Edition was also the first Microsoft product to be made available for sale to consumers via e-commerce as full product download through online retailers.

Released on January 7, 2003, Plus! Digital Media Edition built upon two newly enhanced Windows XP core components: Windows Media Player and Windows Movie Maker 2. This product version focused more on utility features for photos, music and movies rather than including the more traditional Plus! features like themes, screen savers, and games.

Plus! Digital Media Edition includes:

  • Plus! Photo Story 2
  • Plus! Party Mode
  • Plus! Analog Recorder
  • Plus! CD Label Maker
  • Plus! Dancer
  • Plus! Audio Converter
  • Plus! Effects and Transitions for Windows Movie Maker 2
  • Plus! Alarm Clock
  • Plus! Sleep Timer
  • Plus! Skins for Windows Media Player 9 Series (Bionic Dot, Hard Boiled, HueShifter, Mecha, Professional, Pulsar and Slimline)
  • Plus! Sync & Go for Pocket PC

Microsoft Plus! Digital Media Edition is the only version of Microsoft Plus! to require activation.

Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 includes some of the themes and screensavers from Microsoft Plus! for Windows XP, as it retains the Aquarium, Da Vinci, Nature and Space themes. It also includes some applications from Microsoft Plus! Digital Media Edition, namely, Audio Converter, CD Label Maker, Dancer and Party Mode and the My Pictures Premium screensaver. A Windows Media Player skin called Darkling, developed by The Skins Factory is included, the skin is exclusive to Microsoft Plus! Digital Media Edition.

Microsoft Plus! SuperPack for Windows XP

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On October 19, 2004, Microsoft replaced its two separate Plus! products for Windows XP with a single combined version called the Microsoft Plus! SuperPack for Windows XP. There were no new features or functionality added nor are the two separate products integrated. On Windows XP Media Center Edition the Pack was not needed as it had included the Plus Pack features. The Plus! series has been discontinued, as some of its features have been integrated into Windows Vista and later Windows versions.

See also

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References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Microsoft Plus!

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Microsoft Plus! was a discontinued series of commercial add-on software packages developed and published by to extend and enhance the functionality of its Windows operating systems, offering users additional customization, utilities, , and capabilities beyond the base OS features. The series originated with Plus! for Windows 95, released on August 24, 1995, coinciding with the launch of itself, and priced at an estimated $49.95. This initial edition targeted high-performance PCs and introduced pioneering desktop customization options, including 12 new themes with coordinated wallpapers, cursors, sounds, and color schemes; multiple screen savers; additional fonts; and power toys like Tweak UI for system tweaks. It also bundled practical utilities such as 3 for on-the-fly disk compression, System Agent for task scheduling, and the first public version of 1.0 for web browsing, alongside entertainment like the iconic 3D Pinball Space Cadet game. Subsequent iterations built on this foundation to match evolving Windows releases and user needs. Plus! 98, launched worldwide on June 25, 1998, for $44.95, complemented Windows 98 with 18 new themes (featuring licensed content like Garfield and Peanuts), enhanced games including an updated 3D Pinball Space Cadet, Spider Solitaire, and Microsoft Golf 1998 Lite, plus utilities like McAfee VirusScan (with six months of free updates), Compressed Folders for up to 90% file compression, and a deluxe CD player with visualization effects. In 2001, Plus! for Windows XP debuted on October 25 alongside Windows XP for $39.95, emphasizing digital media with tools for photo editing via Picture It! Digital Image Pro, video effects in Windows Media Player, new 3D screensavers, and games like Airstrike II and Energy. Specialized variants included Plus! for Kids in 1997, which added child-friendly desktops, educational games, and parental controls for Windows 95, while the Plus! Digital Media Edition series (starting in 2003 and updated through 2003) focused on multimedia creation, such as Plus! Photo Story for turning photos into Video CDs. The line concluded with the Plus! SuperPack in 2004, after which Microsoft integrated many features directly into Windows updates, rendering further Plus! packs obsolete.

Overview

Purpose and Scope

Microsoft Plus! was a discontinued commercial product line developed by , consisting of a series of optional expansion packs designed to augment the core features of various Windows operating systems. Launched initially in 1995 as companion software for , the series evolved to support subsequent versions including and , providing supplementary content and utilities tailored to enhance the base installations. The primary purpose of Microsoft Plus! was to deliver value-added enhancements, such as themed visual customizations, applications, and tools absent from standard Windows editions, thereby improving overall user satisfaction and extending the operating system's appeal as a and personal . Marketed as premium companions to the core OS, these packs aimed to foster greater engagement with Microsoft's ecosystem by offering accessible upgrades that transformed basic setups into more personalized and feature-rich environments. In scope, Microsoft Plus! targeted the consumer market, available either bundled with select hardware or sold separately at an initial retail price of US$49.99 for the Windows 95 edition, with compatibility restricted to specific Windows versions like 95, 98, and XP to ensure seamless integration. The product line was first announced on January 31, 1994, under the internal codename "Frosting," positioning it as a strategic premium upgrade path to differentiate and enrich the Windows experience. It was eventually discontinued and succeeded by in .

Key Components Across Versions

Microsoft Plus! packs consistently featured desktop themes as a core component, allowing users to customize the visual appearance of their Windows environment with coordinated sets of wallpapers, icons, color schemes, sounds, and cursors, including animated variants for enhanced interactivity. These themes drew from diverse motifs such as nature, architecture, and pop culture, providing a unified aesthetic without modifying the underlying operating system files. Screensavers also recurred across versions, often leveraging hardware acceleration like Direct3D for dynamic visuals, such as organic art patterns or thematic animations tied to the desktop themes. Games formed another staple category, typically including variants of classic card and puzzle titles like solitaire adaptations, alongside more immersive options such as 3D or challenges, designed to extend entertainment without requiring separate installations. Utilities provided practical enhancements, such as disk compression tools like for optimizing storage on compressed volumes up to 2 GB, and system agents for scheduling maintenance tasks like reminders or idle-time file recompression. Early packs emphasized these system-level tools, while later ones incorporated internet-related aids, including basic browser integrations and dial-up enhancements for remote access. Family-oriented editions introduced as a specialized enhancement, enabling profile-based restrictions on program access, file modifications, and content via rating systems, alongside child-friendly creativity utilities like text-to-speech and applications. Media players and digital tools evolved as recurring general enhancements, progressing from simple CD playback with metadata retrieval to advanced features like voice commands for audio navigation and conversion for space-efficient file handling. All components were distributed via , requiring installation atop the base Windows installation to ensure extensibility while preserving the core OS integrity. Themes and games remained central to every version, with implementation details varying by release. Over time, the focus shifted from foundational utilities like compression and scheduling in initial packs to integrations in subsequent ones, reflecting broader user needs for and connectivity.

Development and Release History

Initial Development and Announcement

Microsoft Plus! originated as an internal project codenamed "Frosting" in 1994, conceived by to provide paid enhancements for the upcoming operating system. The initiative aimed to monetize additional customization and utility features in response to anticipated user demands for greater and functionality beyond the base OS. This approach allowed to extend revenue streams from by offering optional upgrades that addressed common enhancement needs, such as improved desktop tools and entertainment options. Development was led by internal , with an emphasis on integrating features that enhanced user interaction and productivity. While early iterations focused on core OS extensions, later versions incorporated third-party integrations, such as from , to broaden appeal. The project aligned with Microsoft's broader strategy to build loyalty through supplementary products. On January 31, 1994, Microsoft publicly announced Plus! during a press event, positioning it as a companion product to Windows 95 designed to boost user satisfaction with Microsoft software. Marketed initially as a $49.95 retail bundle, it was promoted as an accessible way to unlock advanced features not included in the standard Windows 95 release. The launch strategy synchronized Plus! with Windows 95's retail availability on August 24, 1995, enabling simultaneous distribution through retail channels and optional OEM bundling with new PCs. This timing maximized visibility and adoption, as many OEMs included Plus! in pre-installed configurations to differentiate their systems. The line would later expand briefly to specialized editions like Plus! for Kids and game packs.

Evolution and Discontinuation

Following the initial release for , Microsoft Plus! evolved to align with subsequent Windows versions, beginning with Microsoft Plus! 98, which launched on June 25, 1998, as a companion to and incorporated enhanced tools such as improved web integration and early multimedia capabilities. By the early 2000s, the series shifted focus toward , with Microsoft Plus! for released on October 25, 2001, emphasizing visual customizations and performance enhancements to showcase the operating system's new features. This adaptation continued with specialized packs, including Microsoft Plus! Digital Media Edition on January 7, 2003, which prioritized photo, music, and tools and marked Microsoft's first full product offered via digital download with required . The series culminated in the Microsoft Plus! SuperPack for on October 19, 2004, consolidating prior XP-focused content with additional themes, screensavers, and games into a single package, reflecting a trend toward bundled and delivery models. However, as Windows evolved, many Plus! features—such as advanced themes, utilities, and multimedia tools—were gradually integrated into base operating systems, including (2000) and later versions like (2007). This integration reduced the need for separate enhancement packs, leading to the discontinuation of the Plus! line after 2004. Microsoft replaced Plus! with for Vista Ultimate edition in 2007, offering select add-ons like games and security tools via , but these were limited and eventually phased out entirely by in 2009 amid a shift to online distribution, app stores, and built-in features. No new Plus! packs have been released since 2004, though older versions remain archivally available through preservation sites for historical and compatibility purposes as of 2025.

Specific Versions

Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95

Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95 was released on August 24, 1995, coinciding with the launch of itself, and was priced at US$49.95 as a retail add-on exclusively compatible with that operating system. This inaugural edition of the Plus! series served as an enhancement pack designed to extend the functionality and personalization options of the base installation, targeting early adopters interested in customizing their computing experience. It was frequently bundled or sold alongside new -equipped personal computers by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to appeal to home users seeking additional features beyond the standard OS. The pack's core components included 12 desktop themes, such as Fantasy and , which allowed users to apply coordinated sets of wallpapers, sounds, icons, and cursors for a unified visual style—a feature that marked the first commercial introduction of theme packs for Windows. It also featured the game , developed by , which brought early 3D gaming elements to the platform, along with various additional wallpapers and screensavers for further personalization. Utility tools rounded out the offerings, including the disk compression utility for expanding storage capacity, the Compression Agent for automated drive management, and the System Agent, a reminder and scheduling tool integrated into the desktop. A key innovation was the inclusion of Internet Explorer 1.0 via the Internet Jumpstart Kit, providing one of the earliest bundled web browsers for Windows users and laying groundwork for Microsoft's browser strategy, though it required the separate purchase of Plus!. DriveSpace 3 and related disk tools represented advanced storage management capabilities that would later become standardized in , while the theme system influenced ongoing personalization features in subsequent Windows versions. Overall, Microsoft Plus! for transformed the OS into a more engaging and versatile environment for productivity and entertainment, emphasizing add-on extensibility in the mid-1990s PC market.

Microsoft Plus! for Kids

Microsoft Plus! for Kids is a software bundle developed by Microsoft's Home and Entertainment division, released on February 18, 1997, as an add-on for and compatible with 4.0. Targeted at children ages 3 to 12 and their parents, it retailed for approximately US$24.95 and aimed to make personal computing more secure, fun, and educational for young users by providing customized interfaces and creative tools. The package emphasized customization, allowing parents to create individual profiles that restricted access to certain programs, the , and content rated via the PICS and RSAC systems, serving as an early implementation of basic . At its core, the product included several child-oriented applications designed to foster creativity and learning through interactive play. Talk It! was a text-to-speech program that read aloud any typed words using one of 20 voices in English or Spanish, enabling kids to hear stories or messages they created. Play It! functioned as a simple with 108 sounds across 10 musical styles, allowing children to compose basic tunes without needing musical expertise. Paint It! offered an enhanced drawing tool based on , featuring special effects, stamps, and the ability to create desktop wallpapers, paired with Picture Picker, which provided over 1,000 images and 33 kid-friendly fonts for projects. Additionally, it introduced 10 themed desktop environments, such as with scuba diver cursors, with rocket ship pointers, and Sports with icons, transforming the Windows interface into an engaging, age-appropriate space. The bundle's unique focus on voice-activated and controlled exploration distinguished it from general add-ons, promoting self-paced learning on era-specific hardware like 486 processors with 8 MB RAM. While praised for its accessible tools that encouraged artistic expression and provided straightforward parental oversight—such as password-protected profiles to prevent unauthorized changes—it faced criticism for a confusing setup and limitations in fully safeguarding against accidental modifications by very young children. Reviews noted its value as an inexpensive entry point for family computing but highlighted constraints from 1990s hardware, such as sluggish performance on lower-end systems, which could hinder smooth interaction with features like text-to-speech. These elements positioned Microsoft Plus! for Kids as a pioneering effort in child-safe software, though its controls were rudimentary compared to later developments.

Microsoft Plus! 98

Microsoft Plus! 98 was released on June 25, 1998, as a companion enhancement pack specifically designed for , with an estimated U.S. retail price of $44.95. It extended the operating system's capabilities by adding customization options, utilities, and entertainment features to improve and . The pack introduced 18 new desktop themes, including those inspired by organic art styles as well as licensed properties like Cathy, Doonesbury, Garfield, Peanuts, and Architecture, enabling users to personalize wallpapers, cursors, sounds, and screen savers. Visual enhancements included immersive screensavers such as the Organic Art series. Entertainment options featured games like Spider Solitaire—a variant of the classic Solitaire that became a staple in Microsoft offerings—and Lose Your Marbles and Microsoft Golf 1998 Lite. Utilities encompassed the Compressed Folders tool for up to 90% file compression via drag-and-drop, which was later integrated into Windows Me, and a bundled trial of McAfee VirusScan 3.0 with six months of free updates for enhanced security scanning integrated with the Windows 98 Maintenance Wizard. Additional tools like the Deluxe CD Player supported web integration by automatically fetching artist and track information from online sources such as Billboard and Yahoo. Marketed as an essential upgrade for users, Microsoft Plus! 98 emphasized seamless web connectivity and improvements to appeal to home and consumer audiences seeking a more polished computing environment. The antivirus trial represented a key in proactive , while features like Compressed Folders foreshadowed built-in utilities in future Windows releases.

Microsoft Plus! Game Pack: Cards & Puzzles

Microsoft Plus! Game Pack: Cards & Puzzles is a standalone released by on August 22, 2000, designed exclusively for enhancing casual gaming experiences on Windows operating systems. It is compatible with , 98, Me, and 2000, requiring a 166 MHz processor or greater, 32 MB RAM, and 150 MB of free disk space, making it suitable for a wide range of legacy systems at the time. Priced at an estimated street price of $19.95, the pack was positioned as an affordable add-on for users looking to expand their gaming options without additional utilities or themes. The core of the pack consists of two main collections: the Bicycle Card Collection and the Puzzle Collection. The Bicycle Card Collection features 12 classic card games, including Hearts, Spades, , , Crazy 8's, Oh Hell!, , Old Maid, , , Schafkopf, and Skat, serving as extensions to default Windows card games like Hearts with added 3D opponents, speech capabilities, customizable card backs and table styles, three difficulty levels, and online multiplayer support. The Puzzle Collection includes 10 original arcade-style puzzle games—Fringer, Jewel Chase, Finty Flush, Color Collision, Mixed Genetics, Charmer, Rat Poker, Spring Weekend, Lineup, and Muddled Casino—developed by Tetris creator Alexei Pajitnov, presented in 2D graphics with windowed mode and built-in tutorials for accessibility. Additionally, it offers a trial version of , an adventure puzzle game with 8 sample puzzles out of 400 in the full edition. Unlike broader Plus! packs, this edition focuses solely on casual gaming to provide variety for home or office use, emphasizing high compatibility across older Windows versions without integrating non-gaming elements. Marketed as a "must-have game collection for those of you that like card games and puzzles" and a "perfect and affordable gift" for computer users, it targeted gamers seeking diverse, easy-to-play titles in a budget-friendly package.

Microsoft Plus! for Windows XP

Microsoft Plus! for Windows XP was released on October 25, 2001, coinciding with the launch of the operating system, and was designed exclusively for compatibility with it. Marketed as "the ultimate companion for Windows XP," the software pack aimed to enhance the by integrating seamlessly with XP's new features, with an estimated retail price of $39.95 (U.S.). It targeted home users seeking to personalize and entertain themselves on the platform, available through major retailers and online stores starting from the XP launch date. The core components of Microsoft Plus! for Windows XP included a selection of new desktop themes and 3D screensavers, such as the Aquarium, Space, Nature, and da Vinci themes, which transformed the desktop appearance, along with corresponding screensavers featuring dynamic elements like 3D aquariums and space walks. It also introduced entertainment-focused games, including HyperBowl Plus! Edition, The Labyrinth Plus! Edition, and Russian Square Plus! Edition, optimized for XP's graphics capabilities. Additionally, media utilities provided tools for audio and video customization, such as Plus! Voice Command for controlling Windows Media Player with over 35 voice commands, Speaker Enhancement for improved audio output, and features for creating CD labels and converting MP3 files into custom playlists. Innovations in this version emphasized entertainment and leveraged Windows XP's visual styles and underlying technologies like Windows Media and to deliver immersive 3D visualizations and voice recognition features. The pack required a full installation to function, ensuring tight integration with the OS's multimedia framework while focusing on home entertainment enhancements rather than productivity tools.

Microsoft Plus! Digital Media Edition

Microsoft Plus! Digital Media Edition was released on January 7, 2003, as the first complete product offered exclusively via digital download through online retailers, with physical CD versions following in stores shortly thereafter. Designed specifically for , it required to verify the license key during installation, aligning with Microsoft's activation system for the operating system. Priced at an estimated U.S. retail of $19.95, the edition marked a departure from prior Plus! packages by focusing on digital media enhancement rather than desktop customization or gaming. The core components emphasized content creation and media management tools tailored for the growing popularity of digital cameras and portable devices. Key features included Plus! Photo Story, a software for turning digital photos into narrated slideshows with pan-and-zoom effects and music integration; Plus! Analog Recorder, which digitized audio from vinyl records or cassettes with ; and Plus! Sync & Go, enabling synchronization of photos, music, and videos to devices running . An updated version released on October 14, 2003, introduced Plus! Photo Story 2, adding support for creating Video CDs playable on DVD players, along with enhanced editing capabilities and a new picture browser for organizing images by faces or events. Additional utilities comprised 10-compatible skins, 50 effects and transitions for 2, Audio Converter for format changes, CD Label Maker for custom disc artwork, and Party Mode for automated media playback during events. Notably absent were traditional themes, screensavers, or games, distinguishing it from earlier Plus! editions. This edition innovated by shifting emphasis from superficial system decoration to practical tools for creation, coinciding with the mid-2000s surge in consumer and home media production. Features like the WMA 9 Lossless and Windows Media Video 9 compression supported higher-quality media handling without ballooning file sizes, catering to users building personal photo albums or music libraries. marketed it toward creative individuals and families seeking to enhance their experience with media-centric add-ons, positioning it as an accessible upgrade for those with digital cameras or portable players. Free limited-edition trials of components like Photo Story 2 were offered to encourage adoption, with full upgrades available to prior owners at no extra cost.

Microsoft Plus! SuperPack for Windows XP

The Microsoft Plus! SuperPack for Windows XP was released on October 19, 2004, as a compatibility enhancement specifically designed for the Windows XP operating system. Priced at an estimated retail price of $29.95 in the United States, it offered a $10 rebate for customers who had previously purchased either the Microsoft Plus! for Windows XP or the Microsoft Plus! Digital Media Edition. This bundle consolidated the features from those two prior products into a single package, providing Windows XP users with a comprehensive set of enhancements without introducing any original content or integrations. The core components of the SuperPack encompassed all elements from the earlier XP packs, including desktop personalization options such as over 10 new and themes—like marine aquariums and space scenes—as well as 3D games including HyperBowl for simulations and maze-based puzzles. Media tools were also bundled, featuring Plus! Photo Story 2 for creating photo slide shows with music and effects, enhancements for digital music such as skins and CD/DVD label creation, and 50 additional transitions and effects for 2 to support home movie editing. These elements served as a one-stop solution for XP users seeking to upgrade their system's visual, gaming, and multimedia capabilities in a single installation. As the final physical release in the Plus! line before its discontinuation, the SuperPack represented Microsoft's last bundled offering for enhancements through retail channels. It was marketed as a value-driven holiday that elevated PC and experiences, available at major retailers like Amazon.com, , and , as well as online via Microsoft's website, with multilingual versions in French, German, Japanese, and Spanish.

Reception and Legacy

Critical and User Reception

Microsoft Plus! packs received generally positive critical reception in their early iterations, particularly for introducing innovative enhancements to the Windows operating system. The original Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95 was lauded for adding practical utilities, whimsical desktop themes, and visual improvements that extended the base OS's functionality in engaging ways. Similarly, Microsoft Plus! 98 earned praise as a "worthy add-on" that significantly bolstered Windows 98 with high-quality system tools like enhanced Disk Cleanup, McAfee VirusScan integration, and the Deluxe CD Player, making it a recommended purchase for users seeking deeper customization and performance tweaks. Reviewers noted its innovative setup interface and overall value, though some features, such as certain games, were seen as less essential or overly challenging. As the series progressed into the XP era, critical reception became more mixed, with criticisms centering on redundancy and limited value amid increasing OS integration of similar features. Microsoft Plus! for Windows XP scored a 4 out of 10 from CNET, faulted for its skimpy content—primarily lightweight themes, screensavers, and audio tools—that felt overpriced at $40 and easily replicated by free alternatives online. PCMag awarded it just 2 out of 5, highlighting ineffective add-ons like voice commands and speaker enhancements that failed to deliver meaningful improvements. In contrast, the Microsoft Plus! Digital Media Edition fared better at 6.8 out of 10 from CNET, appreciated for tools like the automated Analog Recorder for digitizing vinyl and tapes, and Photo Story for creating personal documentaries, though issues with file conversion and branding on outputs drew complaints. User feedback echoed these sentiments, with enduring affection for fun, nostalgic elements like the 3D - Space Cadet game from the original Plus! 95 pack, which developed a for its addictive and sci-fi theme, often cited as a memorable Windows staple. Complaints in the XP era frequently focused on pricing and compatibility glitches, as users found many utilities overlapped with built-in Windows features, diminishing the packs' appeal. Specialized variants received targeted acclaim: Microsoft Plus! for Kids was valued for its child-friendly themes, , and educational tools like Talk It! text-to-speech, promoting safe and engaging computing for young users, though some viewed its applications as overly simplistic. The Microsoft Plus! Game Pack: Cards & Puzzles scored 85% from ActiveWin, celebrated for its entertaining collection of 12 card games and 10 puzzles suitable for all ages, with multiplayer support over Gaming Zone adding replay value, despite the demo limitation on one title. Overall, reviews averaged strong scores around 8 out of 10 for the core packs' fresh innovations, while entries dipped to 6 out of 10 on average, reflecting trends toward OS-native features that reduced the need for paid add-ons.

Commercial Performance

Microsoft Plus! for demonstrated robust initial commercial success alongside , though specific sales figures for the add-on remain unavailable in public records. This strong launch reflected Microsoft's strategy of positioning Plus! as an essential companion product to the operating system, often bundled or promoted in retail channels to drive adoption among new Windows users. Priced at $49, the pack targeted consumers seeking enhanced features without significant additional cost, contributing to its popularity in the mid-1990s desktop software market. Subsequent versions, such as Plus! 98 and those for , followed a similar model starting around $19.95 to $49.95, but specific sales data for these releases remains limited in public records. The line's overall economic role supported Microsoft's early entertainment and productivity add-on revenue streams, though it was eventually phased out as integrated OS features and free third-party alternatives reduced demand for standalone enhancement packs.

Influence and Modern Availability

Microsoft Plus! pioneered the concept of bundled enhancement packs for Windows, introducing desktop themes, screensavers, and utilities that expanded core OS customization options. This approach influenced subsequent Microsoft products, such as the inclusion of Plus!-derived themes like Aquarium, da Vinci, , and in 2005, which retained these elements to enhance media-focused environments. Similarly, the line's emphasis on modular add-ons foreshadowed the app-based extensibility seen in later Windows versions, though direct lineage to modern apps remains conceptual rather than explicit. Iconic games from Plus!, such as 3D Pinball Space Cadet originally bundled with Plus! for , have seen community-driven revivals on and 11 through executable downloads and compatibility tweaks, addressing 64-bit architecture issues that led to its official removal after . These efforts highlight Plus!'s role in popularizing accessible gaming within the OS, with the title now playable via third-party installers that integrate it into modern games folders. Culturally, Microsoft Plus! evokes strong for 1990s-era Windows , particularly among users recalling its vibrant themes and family-oriented editions like Plus! for Kids, which introduced child-safe desktops and educational tools. This sentiment persists in retro computing discussions, where Plus! is celebrated for democratizing OS tweaks during the pre-internet boom, influencing perceptions of early digital creativity. In terms of modern availability, Microsoft Plus! editions are preserved as on platforms like the , offering downloadable ISOs of versions including Plus! for , 98, and XP for archival purposes. Compatibility with and later is achievable through virtual machines, compatibility modes, or modified installers, though users must navigate potential security risks from unpatched legacy software. provides no official support for Plus! since 2009, following the discontinuation of its successor feature set. Elements of Plus! migrated into for Vista in 2007, which offered premium add-ons like games and visual enhancements as a direct evolution of the line, but this was fully phased out with Windows 7's release, marking the end of the Plus! branding by that year.

References

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