Duke Nukem 3D's upgraded and remastered World Tour Edition may not be perfect, but when it's this close to free, it's a no-brainer pick-up

Duke Nukem 3D screenshot showing intense PC gaming FPS action

(Image credit: Future)

It's been great to see the legendary FPS Duke Nukem 3D get some love and attention over the last few weeks, thanks to its special anniversary celebrations, as there's no doubting that despite its flaws, which are few, its impact on PC gaming was huge and it remains a megaton of fun to play today in 2026.

After all, there was a reason why hype for Duke Nukem Forever was so sky high—it was because Duke Nukem 3D had been so damn good. Kicking the ass of alien invaders while liberally throwing out cheesy one-liners and pipebombs hit hard. While taking the fight to Duke's foes in, for the time, complex and real-feeling levels with previously unseen levels of verticality and interactability seemed to propel FPS games forward before your eyes.

Probably the biggest strength of the World Tour Edition is that it is designed to run on modern systems, meaning that if you're running any version of Windows from 7 through to 11 then you'll have no problems jumping into Duke's shoes. I own the World Tour Edition, and it runs great on my Windows 11 system with 4K monitor. Older versions of Duke Nukem 3D don't offer such great compatibility. However, if you're potentially interested in picking this version up, be sure to read my buying advice section below, as the World Tour Edition is not perfect.

What the World Tour Edition includes and doesn't include

Ok, the good news is that on top of that great compatibility, the World Tour Edition includes an exclusive new fifth episode designed by the original episode's designers. It also includes a new weapon in that additional episode, the fire-throwing Incinerator. This version also benefits from having high-fidelity re-recordings of Duke Nukem by his original voice actor. Finally, there is the fact that this version of the game allows you to switch between the original 2.5D Build engine source code and the newer, remastered engine that supports 'True 3D' rendering. This new engine boasts improved lighting and special effects. And, neatly, you can flick back and forth between these rendering modes with the push of a button.

However, while there's plenty to like about the World Tour Edition, it is missing some content that was present in the older and now frustratingly delisted, Duke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition. These absences include Duke Caribbean: Life's a Beach, Duke it Out in D.C., and Duke: Nuclear Winter. As such, be aware that if you pick up the World Tour Edition you won't have access to these expansion packs.

However, all is not lost

If you're desperate for those expansions, though, then there is a version of Duke Nukem 3D available to buy today that includes all these expansions. The Zoom platform currently has its own exclusive Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic Edition up for sale that not only includes these classic expansions but also the classic Duke! Zone I and II level compendiums as well. It's nowhere near as cheap as the World Tour Edition is right now, though, so it's really how much you want those expansions and how much you're willing to pay.

Personally, I'd recommend picking up the World Tour Edition while it is at this ridiculously low price point. It delivers hours and hours of classic Duke FPS action as well as unparalleled compatibility and graphical upgrades. At the end of the day, if you consume everything it has to offer and still want more Duke, then the Atomic Edition will still be available.

Rob is editor of PC Gamer magazine and has been PC gaming since the early 1990s, an experience that has left him with a life-long passion for first person shooters, isometric RPGs and point and click adventures. Professionally Rob has written about games, gaming hardware and consumer technology for almost twenty years, and before joining the PC Gamer team was deputy editor of T3.com, where he oversaw the website's gaming and tech content as well its news and ecommerce teams. You can also find Rob's words in a series of other gaming magazines and books such as Future Publishing's own Retro Gamer magazine and numerous titles from Bitmap Books. In addition, he is the author of Super Red Green Blue, a semi-autobiographical novel about games and gaming culture. Rob loves riding motorbikes, too.

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