“The IE team was impressed with his enthusiasm and decided to partner with Dan and Pixel Labs to bring the game to the Web, with new features like new hovercrafts and multiplayer support.” ‘Just a Reaction to Chrome’ “Microsoft was approached by an independent developer named Dan Church who grew up playing the game and wanted to bring it back,” Wu added. “Since then, it’s enjoyed a cult following, with over 10 unofficial downloads and hundreds of comments on reddit. “Microsoft originally released the game with Windows 95 as a way to show off the multimedia capabilities at the time,” Liz Wu, a Microsoft spokesperson, told TechNewsWorld. However, Microsoft’s new version runs within the Web browser and is compatible with any browser that supports WebGL. The original game is still compatible with all Windows 95-compatible operating systems, including Windows 7 and Windows 8. Players compete by driving a hovercraft around the screen in an attempt to capture various flags and score points. Hover still offers the same basic gameplay, which combines the action of button cars and capture the flag into a virtual arena. The update to Hover features improved and enhanced graphics by default, but a retro mode is also included for those who want to game like it’s 1995. Hover is being introduced as an Internet Explorer 11 and WebGL title.

The new version, however, is available on the Web with updated 3D graphics, touch-friendly gameplay and multiplayer mode. Hover originally arrived as an Easter Egg - a hidden piece of software - in Windows 95 installation CD-ROMs, where it soon developed a cult - albeit small - following.

Microsoft hover game