Microsoft Minesweeper (2012)
Overview
Windows 8 removed Minesweeper from the operating system and moved the game into the Microsoft Store as a download. The game was re-programmed by Arkadium. The company added advertisements in the free version and created a new Adventure Mode. In Adventure Mode you race across the screen continuously, collecting objects and avoiding obstacles. They also added online challenges and leaderboards; for example, there might be a challenge to kill 100 monsters or to solve the 1-2-1 pattern under 3 seconds 20 times. The game also became cross-platform for Windows, Windows Phone and XBox.
The game was re-written in 2022 using Unity and this 4.x branch added new features like auto-chording, emojis and themes (such as "Retro") in 2023. It also introduced a new Daily Challenges dashboard.
Platforms
- 2012 - Windows
Companies
- Arkadium
- Microsoft Corporation
- Xbox Game Studios
People
No people have been added for this game.
Game Lineage
Windows Minesweeper (1990)
Microsoft hired Arkadium to design an updated version of its Minesweeper game.
Game Attributes
The following attributes can be used to map the evolution of Minesweeper. Blue cells are confirmed attributes for official versions of Microsoft Minesweeper. Yellow cells are unknown.
Mined-Out (1983)
Minefield Variants
Minefield (1979)
Mines (1987)
Minesweeper (1990)
Minesweeper Variants
Releases
ID 99
[Machine] IBM PC Clone
[OS] Windows (Windows 8)
[OS] Windows (Windows 8)
Minesweeper release. Published on 2012-07-27. Published in the Windows Store.
No downloads have been added for this release.
ID 100
[Machine] IBM PC Clone
[OS] Windows (Windows 10)
[OS] Windows (Windows 10)
Minesweeper release (4.x). Published no later than 2022-12-31. Minesweeper was re-written in Unity (previously in .NET and XAML). In 2023 new themes were added along with an auto-chording option.
No downloads have been added for this release.
Images
ID 99
[Machine] IBM PC Clone
[OS] Windows (Windows 8)
[OS] Windows (Windows 8)
Minesweeper release. Published on 2012-07-27. Published in the Windows Store.
Arcade mode level 2
Level 500
Winning an arcade mode level
Expert game with field skin
Lost Expert game with water skin
Help instructions
Homepage
Homepage
Homepage
Help instructions
Lost game message
Game options
Saved board
ID 100
[Machine] IBM PC Clone
[OS] Windows (Windows 10)
[OS] Windows (Windows 10)
Minesweeper (4.x) release. Published no later than 2022-12-31. Minesweeper was re-written in Unity (previously in .NET and XAML). In 2023 new themes were added along with an auto-chording option.
Adventure mode
New auto-chording feature in 2023
Classic mode levels
Daily Challenges dashboard
Expert gameplay
New themes in 2023
Credits
ID 99
[Machine] IBM PC Clone
[OS] Windows for Windows 8
[OS] Windows for Windows 8
Minesweeper release. Published on 2012-07-27.
Microsoft Corporation
source: Microsoft Store
as "Microsoft Corporation"
"Copyright"
Microsoft Corporation
source: Game - About
as "Microsoft Corporation"
"By"
Arkadium
source: Game - Credits
as "Arkadium"
Developer
Xbox Game Studios
source: Microsoft Store
as "Xbox Game Studios"
Developer
Xbox Game Studios
source: Game - Credits
as "Microsoft Studios"
Developer
ID 100
[Machine] IBM PC Clone
[OS] Windows for Windows 10
[OS] Windows for Windows 10
Minesweeper release. Published no later than 2022-12-31.
Microsoft Corporation
source: Microsoft Store
as "Microsoft Corporation"
"Copyright"
Microsoft Corporation
source: Game - About
as "Microsoft Corporation"
"By"
Arkadium
source: Game - Credits
as "Arkadium"
Developer
Xbox Game Studios
source: Game - Credits
as "Microsoft Studios"
Developer
Xbox Game Studios
source: Microsoft Store
as "Xbox Game Studios"
Developer
Trivia
- Minesweeper was published in the Windows Store on 2012-07-27 and was pre-installed in Windows 8 on 2012-10-26.
- The final release of 3.x was version 3.1.9160.0 in 2022.
- In 2013 Mark Heath discovered "Once your score goes above 2147483648 (2^31) it starts to go back down as you collect more treasure". The score is held as a 32 bit signed integer.
Links
- Microsoft Casual Games
https://microsoftcasualgames.com/#minesweeper
Homepage for release ID99. Date published unknown. - Microsoft Minesweeper - Xbox Game Studios
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/microsoft-minesweeper/9wzdncrfhwcn
Homepage for release ID99. Date published unknown. - MSN Games
https://zone.msn.com/en/msminesweeper/default.htm
Homepage for release ID99. Date published unknown. Online version. - Microsoft Minesweeper - Xbox Game Studios
https://www.xbox.com/en-us/games/store/microsoft-minesweeper/9wzdncrfhwcn
Homepage for release ID100. Date published unknown. - Microsoft Minesweeper - Xbox Game Studios
https://www.microsoft.com/en-ms/p/microsoft-minesweeper/9wzdncrfhwcn
Homepage for release ID100. Date published unknown. - Microsoft pursues cross-platform social games with Arkadium
http://gamasutra.com/view/news/128914/Microsoft_pursues_crossplatform_social_games_with_Arkadium.php
Article for release ID99. Date published 2012-01-04. Microsoft and Arkadium announcement strategic partnership. - Reinventing Minesweeper: It was almost purple
https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/reinventing-i-minesweeper-i-it-was-almost-purple
Article for release ID99. Date published 2012-09-18. Interview with the Senior Vice President of Arkadium’s Games for Windows division. - ARKADIUM ON REVAMPING SOLITAIRE, MAHJONG, AND MINESWEEPER FOR WINDOWS 8
https://www.gamezebo.com/news/arkadium-on-revamping-solitaire-mahjong-and-minesweeper-for-windows-8-interview/
Article for release ID99. Date published 2012-10-15. Interview with the Senior Vice President of Arkadium’s Games for Windows division. - The new and updated games of Windows 8
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2012/10/the-new-and-updated-games-of-windows-8/
Review for release ID99. Date published 2012-10-27. One of the first reviews of Windows 8 Minesweeper. - How many levels are there in Minesweeper adventure mode?
https://gaming.stackexchange.com/questions/97856/how-many-levels-are-there-in-minesweeper-adventure-mode
Article for release ID99. Date published 2012-12-30. A player investigates how many levels there are in Microsoft Minesweeper. - Microsoft Minesweeper
https://www.facebook.com/microsoftminesweeper/
Homepage for release ID99, ID100. Date published 2013-11-27.
×