Engine Index
Last updated: May 8, 2026
Complete listing of Sierra games organized by engine, with technical specifications and compatibility information. Use ScummVM for most adventure games, DOSBox for simulations and sports titles.
Quick Reference
| Engine | Years | Resolution | Colors | Interface | Best Emulator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AGI | 1984–1989 | 160×200 | 16 (EGA) | Text parser | ScummVM |
| SCI0 | 1988–1990 | 320×200 | 16/256 | Text parser + mouse | ScummVM |
| SCI1 | 1990–1992 | 320×200 | 256 (VGA) | Point-and-click | ScummVM |
| SCI1.1 | 1992–1993 | 320×200 | 256 (VGA) | Point-and-click | ScummVM |
| SCI2/32 | 1993–1998 | 640×480 | 256/16-bit | Smart cursor | ScummVM |
| DGDS | 1990–1992 | 320×200 | 256 (VGA) | Point-and-click | ScummVM |
| 3-Space | 1989–1999 | Various | VGA/SVGA | Sim controls | DOSBox |
Sierra Adventure Engines
AGI (Adventure Game Interpreter) — 1984–1989
Sierra’s first standardized engine, created for King’s Quest I on the IBM PCjr.
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 160×200 (displayed 320×200) |
| Colors | 16 (EGA/CGA) |
| Interface | Text parser |
| Audio | PC Speaker, Tandy 3-voice, Apple IIgs |
| RAM | 256KB required |
Play with: ScummVM (recommended), DOSBox
- 1984 — King’s Quest I: Quest for the Crown
- 1984 — Donald Duck’s Playground
- 1984 — Mickey’s Space Adventure
- 1985 — King’s Quest II: Romancing the Throne
- 1986 — King’s Quest III: To Heir Is Human
- 1986 — Space Quest I: The Sarien Encounter
- 1986 — The Black Cauldron
- 1987 — Leisure Suit Larry 1
- 1987 — Mixed-Up Mother Goose
- 1987 — Police Quest I
- 1987 — Space Quest II: Vohaul’s Revenge
- 1988 — Gold Rush!
- 1988 — Manhunter: New York
- 1989 — Manhunter 2: San Francisco
SCI0 (Sierra Creative Interpreter) — 1988–1990
First SCI version, doubling AGI’s resolution with professional sound card support.
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 320×200 |
| Colors | 16 (EGA) or 256 (VGA) |
| Interface | Enhanced text parser + mouse movement |
| Audio | PC Speaker, AdLib, Roland MT-32, Game Blaster |
| RAM | 640KB required |
Play with: ScummVM (recommended), DOSBox
- 1988 — King’s Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella
- 1988 — Leisure Suit Larry 2
- 1988 — Police Quest II: The Vengeance
- 1989 — Codename: Iceman
- 1989 — Hoyle Volume 1
- 1989 — Leisure Suit Larry 3
- 1989 — Quest for Glory I
- 1989 — Space Quest III
- 1989 — The Colonel’s Bequest
- 1990 — Conquests of Camelot
- 1990 — Hoyle Volume 2
- 1990 — Mixed-Up Mother Goose (SCI)
- 1990 — Quest for Glory II
- 1990 — King’s Quest I SCI Remake
SCI1 — 1990–1992
First true VGA engine with 256 colors and point-and-click interfaces.
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 320×200 |
| Colors | 256 (VGA) |
| Interface | Point-and-click icon bar |
| Audio | AdLib, Sound Blaster, Roland MT-32, General MIDI |
| CD Audio | Supported (first CD-ROM games) |
| RAM | 640KB conventional |
Play with: ScummVM (recommended), DOSBox
- 1990 — King’s Quest V
- 1991 — Castle of Dr. Brain
- 1991 — Conquests of the Longbow
- 1991 — EcoQuest
- 1991 — Hoyle Volume 3
- 1991 — Hoyle Volume 4
- 1991 — Jones in the Fast Lane
- 1991 — Leisure Suit Larry 1 VGA
- 1991 — Leisure Suit Larry 5
- 1991 — Mixed-Up Fairy Tales
- 1991 — Police Quest III
- 1991 — Space Quest I VGA
- 1991 — Space Quest IV
- 1992 — Crazy Nick’s: King Graham
- 1992 — Crazy Nick’s: Larry’s Casino
- 1992 — Crazy Nick’s: Laura Bow
- 1992 — Crazy Nick’s: Robin Hood
- 1992 — Crazy Nick’s: Roger Wilco
- 1992 — King’s Quest VI
- 1992 — Police Quest I VGA
- 1992 — Quest for Glory I VGA
- 1992 — Quest for Glory III
- 1992 — Laura Bow 2: Dagger of Amon Ra
- 1992 — Island of Dr. Brain
SCI1.1 — 1992–1993
Improved scripting with better CD audio integration and enhanced animation support.
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 320×200 |
| Colors | 256 (VGA) |
| Interface | Point-and-click (refined) |
| Audio | Sound Blaster, General MIDI, CD audio |
| New Features | Better scripting, lip-sync support |
Play with: ScummVM (recommended), DOSBox
- 1993 — EcoQuest 2
- 1993 — Freddy Pharkas
- 1993 — Gabriel Knight
- 1993 — Hoyle Volume 5
- 1993 — Leisure Suit Larry 6
- 1993 — Pepper’s Adventures in Time
- 1993 — Quest for Glory IV
- 1993 — Space Quest V
SCI2 / SCI32 — 1993–1998
Windows-native 32-bit engine with SVGA graphics and full-motion video support.
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 640×480 (SVGA) |
| Colors | 256 or 16-bit |
| Interface | Smart cursor, context-sensitive |
| Audio | Windows sound system, CD audio, FMV |
| Platform | Windows 3.1/95 native |
| New Features | FMV cutscenes, higher resolution |
Play with: ScummVM (recommended), Windows compatibility mode
- 1993 — Police Quest: Open Season
- 1994 — King’s Quest VII
- 1995 — Mixed-Up Mother Goose Deluxe
- 1995 — Phantasmagoria
- 1995 — Police Quest: SWAT
- 1995 — Shivers
- 1995 — Space Quest 6
- 1995 — Gabriel Knight 2
- 1995 — Lost Mind of Dr. Brain
- 1995 — Torin’s Passage
- 1996 — Leisure Suit Larry 7
- 1996 — Phantasmagoria 2
- 1996 — RAMA
- 1996 — Time Warp of Dr. Brain
- 1997 — Shivers II
- 1998 — Quest for Glory V
Later Sierra 3D Engines
- 1998 — King’s Quest: Mask of Eternity — Engine: 3Space (modified)
- 1999 — Gabriel Knight 3 — Engine: G-Engine (Gracie)
Dynamix Engines
DGDS (Dynamix Game Development System)
Point-and-click adventures. Play with: ScummVM
- 1990 — Rise of the Dragon
- 1991 — Heart of China
- 1991 — The Adventures of Willy Beamish
- 1992 — Quarky & Quaysoo’s Turbo Science
3-Space Engine (Flight & Combat Sims)
Play with: DOSBox
- 1989 — A-10 Tank Killer
- 1990 — Red Baron
- 1990 — Stellar 7
- 1991 — Nova 9
- 1992 — Aces of the Pacific
- 1992 — Red Baron: Mission Builder
- 1993 — Aces Over Europe
- 1993 — Betrayal at Krondor
- 1994 — Aces of the Deep
- 1994 — Metaltech: Battledrome
- 1994 — Metaltech: Earthsiege
- 1996 — Earthsiege 2
- 1996 — Silent Thunder: A-10 Tank Killer II
- 1997 — Red Baron II
- 1998 — Red Baron 3D
- 1999 — Curse You! Red Baron
3-D Ultra Series
Play with: DOSBox, Windows compatibility mode
- 1995 — 3-D Ultra Pinball — Type: Pinball
- 1996 — 3-D Ultra Pinball: Creep Night — Type: Pinball
- 1997 — 3-D Ultra Pinball: Lost Continent — Type: Pinball
- 1997 — 3-D Ultra MiniGolf — Type: Minigolf
- 1998 — 3-D Ultra MiniGolf Deluxe — Type: Minigolf
- 1998 — 3-D Ultra NASCAR Pinball — Type: Pinball
- 1999 — 3-D Ultra Cool Pool — Type: Pool
- 1999 — 3-D Ultra Lionel TrainTown — Type: Trains
- 1999 — 3-D Ultra RC Racers — Type: Racing
- 2000 — 3-D Ultra Pinball: Thrill Ride — Type: Pinball
- 2000 — 3-D Ultra RC Racers Deluxe — Type: Racing
- 2006 — 3D Ultra MiniGolf Adventures — Type: Minigolf
Dynamix Sports Engine
- 1992 — Front Page Sports: Football
- 1993 — Front Page Sports: Football Pro
- 1994 — Front Page Sports: Baseball Pro
- 1994 — Front Page Sports: Football Pro ‘95
- 1995 — Front Page Sports: Football Pro ‘96
- 1995 — Trophy Bass
- 1996 — Front Page Sports: Baseball Pro ‘96
- 1996 — Front Page Sports: Football Pro ‘97
- 1996 — Trophy Bass 2
- 1997 — Front Page Sports: Football Pro ‘98
Papyrus Racing Engines
Play with: DOSBox (early), Windows compatibility (later)
- Indianapolis 500 — 1989 — Custom 3D
- 1993 — IndyCar Racing — Engine: Racing 1.0
- 1994 — NASCAR Racing — Engine: Racing 1.0
- 1995 — IndyCar Racing II — Engine: Racing 2.0
- 1996 — NASCAR Racing 2 — Engine: Racing 2.0
- 1997 — CART Racing — Engine: Racing 2.0
- 1998 — Grand Prix Legends — Engine: Custom Physics
- 1999 — NASCAR Racing 3 — Engine: NASCAR 3
- 2001 — NASCAR Racing 4 — Engine: NASCAR 4
- 2002 — NASCAR Racing 2002 — Engine: NASCAR 4
- 2003 — NASCAR Racing 2003 — Engine: NASCAR 4
Impressions Engines
City-Building Engine
Play with: DOSBox (Caesar I-II), Windows (Caesar III+)
- 1993 — Caesar
- 1995 — Caesar II
- 1998 — Caesar III
- 1999 — Pharaoh
- 2000 — Cleopatra: Queen of the Nile
- 2000 — Zeus: Master of Olympus
- 2001 — Poseidon: Master of Atlantis
- 2002 — Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom
- 2006 — Caesar IV
Strategy Engine
- 1994 — Lords of the Realm
- 1996 — Lords of the Realm II
- 1996 — Robert E. Lee: Civil War General
- 1997 — Civil War Generals 2
- 1997 — Lords of Magic
- 1997 — Lords of the Realm II: Siege Pack
- 1998 — Lords of Magic: Special Edition
- 2004 — Lords of the Realm III
Coktel Vision / Gob Engine
Play with: ScummVM
- 1990 — Geisha
- 1991 — Fascination
- 1991 — Gobliiins
- 1992 — Bargon Attack
- 1992 — Gobliins 2
- 1992 — Inca
- 1992 — Ween: The Prophecy
- 1993 — Goblins Quest 3
- 1993 — Inca II
- 1993 — Lost in Time
- 1995 — Woodruff and the Schnibble
- 1995 — The Last Dynasty
- 1996 — Urban Runner
Valve / GoldSrc Engine
- 1998 — Half-Life
- 1999 — Half-Life: Opposing Force
- 1999 — Team Fortress Classic
- 2000 — Counter-Strike
- 2000 — Gunman Chronicles
- 2001 — Half-Life: Blue Shift
- 2004 — Counter-Strike: Condition Zero
Homeworld Engines
- 1999 — Homeworld — Engine: Homeworld
- 2000 — Homeworld: Cataclysm — Engine: Homeworld
- 2003 — Homeworld 2 — Engine: Homeworld 2
- 2015 — Homeworld Remastered — Engine: Homeworld 2
- 2016 — Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak — Engine: Unity 5
- 2024 — Homeworld 3 — Engine: Unreal Engine 4
LithTech Engine (Monolith)
- 2000 — No One Lives Forever
- 2002 — No One Lives Forever 2
- 2003 — Contract J.A.C.K.
Unreal Engine
- 2005 — SWAT 4 — Version: Unreal 2 (Vengeance)
- 2006 — SWAT 4: Stetchkov Syndicate — Version: Unreal 2
- 2009 — LSL: Box Office Bust — Version: Unreal 3
- 2015 — King’s Quest (2015) — Version: Unreal 3
- 2024 — Homeworld 3 — Version: Unreal 4
Adventure Game Studio (Fan Projects)
- 2001 — King’s Quest I VGA (AGDI)
- 2001 — Space Quest: The Lost Chapter
- 2002 — King’s Quest II+ (AGDI)
- 2003 — Space Quest 0: Replicated
- 2006 — Al Emmo
- 2006 — King’s Quest III (Infamous)
- 2008 — Quest for Glory II VGA (AGDI)
- 2011 — King’s Quest III Redux (AGDI)
- 2011 — Space Quest: Vohaul Strikes Back
- 2011 — Space Quest II VGA (Infamous)
- 2012 — Space Quest: Incinerations
- 2014 — Quest for Infamy
- 2016 — Order of the Thorne
- 2019 — Mage’s Initiation
- 2021 — King’s Quest IV Retold
- 2023 — Gobliiins 5
Unity Engine (Modern Projects)
- 2012 — Cognition
- 2013 — Leisure Suit Larry: Reloaded
- 2014 — Gabriel Knight 20th Anniversary
- 2014 — Gold Rush! Anniversary
- 2014 — Moebius: Empire Rising
- 2015 — Cluck Yegger
- 2018 — Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption
- 2018 — LSL: Wet Dreams Don’t Dry
- 2020 — LSL: Wet Dreams Dry Twice
- 2022 — SpaceVenture
- 2023 — Colossal Cave 3D
- 2023 — Summer Daze: Tilly’s Tale
Darkstar Engine (Tribes/Starsiege)
- 1998 — Starsiege: Tribes
- 1999 — Starsiege
- 2001 — Tribes 2
Emulator Quick Reference
| Engine Type | Best Emulator/Runtime |
|---|---|
| AGI (1984–1989) | ScummVM |
| SCI (1988–1998) | ScummVM |
| Dynamix Adventures (DGDS) | ScummVM |
| Coktel/Gob | ScummVM |
| DOS Flight/Racing Sims | DOSBox |
| Windows 95/98 Games | dgVoodoo2 + Compatibility Mode |
| GoldSrc (Half-Life) | Native Steam |
| Modern Unity/AGS | Native Windows/Mac/Linux |