Credit: Lucas Gouveia/How-To Geek

From Windows Messenger and Outlook Express to MSN, Windows XP used to support a long list of interesting applications. While all these apps were great in their own way, I spent most of my time on my Windows XP computer using three main apps.

In fact, I missed these three apps so much that I set up a Windows XP virtual machine on my computer just to try them again in 2025. Here are the apps I’m talking about.

3 3D Pinball Space Cadet

I first used Windows XP on my computer back in 2010, when I was just 12 years old. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that 3D Pinball Space Cadet, one of the games that came preinstalled with Windows XP, was among the applications I spent most of my time on.

Unlike modern complex games, 3D Pinball Space Cadet was simple yet very fun to play. To start the game, you launch the ball into the playing area and use the left and right flippers to keep it in play, preventing it from falling into the drain at the bottom. There are three main obstacles—lights, ramps, and bumpers—placed at various locations in the playfield, and you earn different points by hitting them.

Your mission in the game begins when you hit the targets indicated by blue blinking lights. After completing each mission, you earn bonus points and get promoted. You’ll see yourself rise from the rank of Cadet to Admiral.

Initially, I used to focus on random hits to rank up quickly in the game, but my older brother, who taught me how to play, advised me to focus on missions instead. Without a doubt, that was the best advice I ever received for the game. Furthermore, he taught me how to nudge the ball, which I started using regularly to prevent it from falling to the bottom. Just as a heads-up, my highest score in the game is 1,451,750, which is the best among the four friends I regularly play with.

3D Pinball Space Cadet for Windows wasn’t exclusively available for Windows XP. It had been included with Windows since the Windows 95 days, and Windows XP was the last OS on which it was featured. That said, you can find plenty of alternatives to this game for Windows 11, but none of them can truly match the experience the original 3D Pinball Space Cadet game offers.

2 Windows Movie Maker

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tweak_UI Windows Movie Maker is another app that I still occasionally use on my Windows XP virtual machine. The tool was originally released in 2000 with Windows Me as a competitor to Apple’s iMovie.

Although the tool didn’t offer any advanced features found in modern editing software, it was still one of the best editors during the Windows XP era. I still remember using it to edit videos I recorded with the camcorder I got in 2012. The main edits I used to apply with the tool were adding transition effects, and rotating videos.

The tool remained a part of Windows until the Windows 8 era, but in 2017, Microsoft decided to discontinue it and integrate all its features into the Microsoft Photos app. There are plenty of better video editing tools available these days. Microsoft’s own Clipchamp is a prime example. But , when I use Windows Movie Maker, it takes me down memory lane and reminds me of my youth.

1 TweakUI

From Windhawk to Microsoft PowerToys, there are plenty of tools available these days that will allow you to customize Windows 11. However, the options were quite limited during the Windows XP era. TweakUI was one of the very few tools that allowed you to customize the Windows XP interface, and I must say, the tool was awesome. It’s so good that I still have it installed on my Windows XP virtual machine and regularly use it to change the working of the system.

The best part about the tool is that everything it offers is organized into categories, making it easy to quickly find the setting you’re looking for. For example, if I want to change the mouse speed, I’ll go to the “Mouse” category, whereas if I want to manage the icons that appear on the desktop, I’ll access the “Desktop” category.

Overall, TweakUI is a great Windows customization tool that allows you to manage most Windows settings directly from it, instead of going to the Control Panel, which some users may find daunting due to the number of options it offers.

While the above-mentioned apps are great, I must say that if you’re someone who has used Windows 10 or 11 your entire life, you might find these apps quite boring and slow to use. However, if you’ve ever used Windows XP or 7, you’ll really enjoy trying out these apps again and reliving your memories.