GameRanger

Any hardcore gamer who grew up in the late 90s and early 2000s will shed at least a tear for nostalgia's sake when remembering the LAN parties they used to have. Unfortunately, times have changed and eventually all of your favorite titles have lost their online support, so LAN parties or multiplayer modes are normaly no longer possible. That is where an app such as GameRanger can come in handy, as it allows you to host and join online games in a virtual LAN, even titles that have lost their official support.

GameRanger's database includes over 700 titles, so it doesn't matter what you enjoyed playing when you grew up, you'll most likely find it here. Also, it doesn't matter if you preferred a game to be standalone or with a certain number of expansions, this tool offers support for pretty much any combination. All you need to host a game is have it installed. One thing worth mentioning is that you don't have to worry about needing original copies of games since GameRanger works even with cracked copies as long as the version number is valid.

Another major aspect offered by GameRanger is the social aspect of gaming. Aside from the main window where you handle your game hosting or joining sessions, you can also have another window where you manage your friends. There you can do pretty much anything you could do in other instant messenger apps, such as chat, add friends, block users, etc. If you find this app to be enjoyable, you can even invite friends over by just inputting their emails, and if they install the client and insert the invitation code you sent them, you gain certain benefits.

Playing online is the latest trend, especially for those looking for some serious competition, and GameRanger allows you to enjoy this aspect even with games long past their official online support. All aspects considered, if you're a fan of older AAA titles, then you should try this app.