Customer Reviews
Yes, it will work on Vista if you fiddle around with it enough 
2008-10-06
I played this game when it very first came out, when I was in my early teens. Feeling rather sentimental, I decided to order it despite my fear that it wouldn't work on my brand new computer. I also have an older PC with XP still on it, and figured if the game didn't work with Vista I could always play it on the old PC.
All of the discs installed and loaded without issue on my new PC. The original AOE played with no problems. When I got into AOE II, I did encounter one problem with the graphics. Everything was a weird color. Grass was red, water was green, the trees were blue, and the animals were technicolor. However, going to the Options menu and changing the resolution and graphics quality fixed that problem. It didn't seem to matter which resolution or quality level I changed it to..the trick was getting the screen to reset itself (which changing the graphics quality alone will not do. You must change the resolution as well). When it resets the screen, the graphics look normal. You may have to do it a few times if you encounter this issue. The first time I did it, it worked. The second time I loaded the game and the graphics were messed up, I had to reset the resolution twice before things looked normal again. It would appear that changing everything once does not fix it permanently. You'll probably have to do it almost every time you load the game up. It's a minor annoyance, but not enough to make me return the game since it is "fixable".
Other than that one problem, the game plays just fine. It's as much fun as I remember it being. I spent the majority of my evening building, hunting, and fighting battles. It's truly a great game, and one I love as much now as I did then.
Great Game Collection! 2008-10-05
I love this game. It is a great strategy game where you also learn history.
Good deal 2008-10-05
The game is great, especially for the price. It's more of 4 games because of the exp. packs.
Works with Windows Vista Business (64 bit) 2008-09-12
Age of Empires: Collector's Edition contains three CDs. The package is more suited to the person who already owns the games, but wants original disc backups, just in case, because the package lacks paper documentation about the game. Someone playing the game for the first time is going to have a difficult time trying to figure out what to do, other than the in-game tutorials.
CD part number: 10690/1:
One CD contains the game, Age of Empires and the expansion pack, Age of Empires: Rise of Rome, version 1.0b. The two have been integrated, so the game starts from the Age of Empires: Rise of Rome game starting screen.
There is a patch to the game, "Update 1.0c" (AOEPATCH.exe), you can download via the "Web Connection" link in the game menu.
There is a Manual, in PDF form, included on the CD. Explore the CD to find the Manual in the "DOCS" folder, in the "RISEROME" sub-folder.
The game installs at C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Games\Age of Empires.
CD part number: 10690/2:
One CD contains the game, Age of Empires II: Age of Kings, version 2.0a. There's no patch on the web, just a link to an additional download, The Pandora's Box/Age of Empires 2 Box Cover Puzzle.
There is a Manual, in PDF form, included on the CD. Explore the CD to find the Manual in the "DOCS" folder.
The game installs at C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Games\Age of Empires II.
CD part number: 10690/3:
One CD contains the expansion, The Age of Empires II: The Conquerors, version 1.0.
There is a patch to the expansion, "update v1.0c" (Age2XPatch.exe), you can download via the "web connection" link in the game menu.
There is a Manual and a Tech Tree, in PDF form, included on the CD. Explore the CD to find the Manual and the Tech Tree in the "DOCS" folder.
The expansion installs at C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Games\Age of Empires II.
Notes: If you play these games on Windows Vista and try to use the "Help" links in the game, Vista will kick you out of the game, because Vista is missing the "WinHlp32.exe" file. When vista kicks you from the game, Vista will give you a link to download the file that is available at Microsoft Knowledge Base Article number: 917607.
These are old games. To find them, go to the "Microsoft Games for Windows" web site.
Age of Empires 2008-09-08
I like this game very much so does my 7 year old son. He likes The Age of Mythology better though. I play The Age of Empires more than The Age of Mythology.
Great 2008-07-29
Age Of Empires Collectors Edition brings you the critically-acclaimed stretgy game. Control 10,000 years of human history and rewrite it to suit you. Players are the guiding spirit in the evolution of small stone age tribes. Starting with minimal resources, players are challenged to build their tribes into great civilizations. Choose a nation and guide it to world domination!
Can't beat it for the price 2008-07-26
Years after it came out, AoE II is still one of the best RTS games out there. Adding the original and the expansion and selling it for $10 is awesome. The only drawback is the game does not come with an instruction manual; the tutorials in the game make up for this mostly, but lack the depth of the original manual, especially when it comes to differentiating between civilizations.
This game is awesome! 2008-07-06
While it is fun it also teaches you history. It`s also very addictive. Most importantly it teaches you the stuff that you may read in global history but is better in the way that you won`t need to read it when the teacher tells you to. I recommend this game to teens who are fasinated by warfare, the growth and decline of civilizations, future leaders, and future historians.
Good game.. promises hours of fun.. 
2008-06-04
Good game etc etc. The plastic case the game came with was broken. I was lucky the CD's didn't got scratched.
Age of Empires 1 & 2 2008-05-23
Everything came as advertised. Clearly AOEII is better than 1 in graphics. My son plays often and seems to enjoy it immenseley.
If you like strategy games its a great deal for the price.
