PortedGames
Unreal cover art
Unreal. Unreal screenshot, via IGDB. Unofficial site, not affiliated with the publisher.
PC port · Windows → PC

Surreal Engine (Unreal Engine 1 reimplementation for Unreal and UT99)

An open-source reimplementation of Unreal Engine 1 aiming to make Unreal (Gold) and Unreal Tournament 99 playable on modern Windows, Mac and Linux. Maps run, but much is unfinished.

UnreleasedEngine rewriteNeeds your own copyUpdated

You need your own copy of Unreal. This port only runs with files from a copy you own; there is no download or play button here. No copy? These play in your browser right away, no files needed: Urban Terror on ut.pieter.com, Quake III Arena on q3.pieter.com, BO1 Zombies (vel.gg).

What you need

Original copies of Unreal / Unreal Gold or Unreal Tournament (1999), plus Windows 10+, macOS 15+ or a modern Linux with Direct3D 11, OpenGL 3.2 or Vulkan graphics (Metal 2 on Mac). Still incomplete and buggy.

Official releases ↗GitHub repository ↗

We do not host any files. Only download from the project's official source.

Every version of Unreal 1

  1. Surreal Engine (Unreal Engine 1 reimplementation for Unreal and UT99)This page

    UnreleasedEngine remake

    Unreal Engine 1 Reimplementation

    Runs on Windows 10 or later, macOS 15 or later, Linux (AUR, Nix and nightly builds)Needs files from a copy you own★ 1.1knightly · Aug 14, 2025

    GitHub ↗

We link to each project's own page and host no game files. Version data from project pages, our daily checks and awesome-decomp-games (CC0).

Short answer

Surreal Engine is an open-source reimplementation of Unreal Engine 1, aiming to make Unreal (Gold) and Unreal Tournament (1999) playable on modern Windows, macOS and Linux. It loads and runs maps, but many features are unfinished and known bugs remain. It needs your own copies of the games. Builds are nightly; the repository was updated on 3 November 2026.

This site is not affiliated with Surreal Engine or Epic Games. We do not host any files and only link the project’s official pages.

What it is

Unreal (1998) and Unreal Tournament (1999) ran on Epic’s Unreal Engine 1. Community patches from OldUnreal, made with Epic’s blessing, still keep the original executables alive, but the engine itself is closed source.

Surreal Engine “aims to reimplement Unreal Engine 1; currently focused on making Unreal (Gold) and Unreal Tournament (UT99) playable”, with possible support for more UE1 games later (Surreal Engine README). It is written from scratch by dpjudas and contributors and reads the original game files.

Current status

From its status page:

  • “The engine can load and render the maps. The Unrealscript VM is almost feature complete.”
  • Menus and the HUD appear, “there are still many native functions not implemented yet”.
  • Known engine bugs include movers that projectiles pass through, unfinished encroachment, buggy mirrors and portals, semisolid brushes you can fall through, and bot AI that “still isn’t fully functional”.
  • It detects many UE1 games (Deus Ex, Rune Classic, Undying, Wheel of Time and others), but “detection does not mean the games will work”; only the explicitly supported ones can be launched.

Builds are published as nightly prereleases for Windows, macOS and Linux, and Linux users can also get it from the AUR or Nix.

What you need

  • Original copies of Unreal / Unreal Gold or Unreal Tournament (1999).
  • Windows 10 or later, macOS 15 or later, or a modern Linux.
  • A graphics card with Direct3D 11, OpenGL 3.2 or Vulkan (a Metal 2 GPU on macOS).

We do not link any copies of the games.

How to try it (overview)

  1. Download a nightly build from the releases page.
  2. Run the SurrealEngine executable.
  3. In the Folders tab, add the folders of your Unreal games.
  4. Pick a game in the Games tab and click Play.

Should you use it?

For playing Unreal or UT99 today, the original games with the official community patches are the reliable choice. Surreal Engine is worth watching, and worth trying if you want to see an independent UE1 engine running on Linux or Apple silicon. Report bugs on its GitHub or Discord.

FAQ

Can I play Unreal or UT99 with Surreal Engine?

Partly. The status page says it loads and renders maps, the UnrealScript virtual machine is almost complete and menus and HUD appear, but many native functions are missing and there are known bugs with movers, AI, portals and more. It is a work in progress rather than a finished replacement.

Which games does Surreal Engine support?

Its focus is Unreal (and Unreal Gold) and Unreal Tournament 1999. It can detect other Unreal Engine 1 games such as Deus Ex, Rune Classic and Undying, but the status page warns that detection does not mean they work and that running them can crash.

Does Surreal Engine need the original games?

Yes. You need original copies of the Unreal Engine 1 games you want to run, and you add their folders in the Surreal Engine launcher.

Is Surreal Engine the same as the UT99 community patches?

No. The OldUnreal patches (such as UT 469) update Epic's original engine with permission. Surreal Engine is an independent reimplementation written from scratch.

Unofficial. This page is written by an independent directory. It is not made by, endorsed by or affiliated with GT Interactive (developed by Epic MegaGames and Digital Extremes) or dpjudas and Surreal Engine contributors (Surreal Engine (Unreal Engine 1 reimplementation for Unreal and UT99)'s author). We do not host any files, and we never link to game files, ROMs or ISOs.

Sources

This page was last updated on Nov 3, 2026. A date after a source is the day we read it. Versions and steps follow the official project; if they differ, the official source wins.

More ports

See every native PC version of a console game in our recompiled games list, browse all PC ports of console games, or go back to the full list of ported games.