The original version of Age of Empires II was specifically designed for older operating systems like Windows 95, 98, and XP. Because it is no longer actively sold as a physical CD or a standalone "classic" digital download by the original publisher, users often turn to community-driven archives.
Even on Windows XP, the vanilla game can have issues with modern resolutions or color glitches. YouTube·Black Adder's Playshttps://www.youtube.com age of empires 2 for windows xp free download
The Internet Archive hosts community-uploaded copies of the original Age of Kings and The Conquerors expansion. These are often ISO files (disc images) that require mounting or burning to a CD. The original version of Age of Empires II