Minesweeper (Windows, 2007)

The 2007 Minesweeper, included with Windows Vista and 7, is a reworked version of the 1990 original with shiny new reflective graphics and some new features.

Other than that, though, it plays exactly the same as the original version.

Prototype Info

Unused Menu#

Opening a MUI file in a resource editor reveals six versions of the menu. 163 is the version that is used. 164 and 165 contains the debug menu.

Game >
  New Game
  -------------
  Options
  -------------
  Change Game Style >
    Minesweeper
    Flower Garden
  Change Board >
    Silver and  Blue
    Green
  -------------
  Exit

Game >
  New Game
  -------------
  Options
  -------------
  Change Board >
    Silver and  Blue
    Green
  -------------
  Exit

&Game >
  &New Game\tF2
  -------------
  &Statistics\tF4
  &Options\tF5
  Change &Appearance\tF7
  -------------
  E&xit
&Help >
  &View Help\tF1
  -------------
  &About Minesweeper
  -------------
  Get &More Games Online

&Game >
  &New Game\tF2
  -------------
  &Statistics\tF4
  &Options\tF5
  Change &Appearance\tF7
  -------------
  E&xit
&Help >
  &View Help\tF1
  -------------
  &About Minesweeper
Debug >
  Toggle Cheat Keys
  -------------
  Toggle Show Mines
  Test Text
  Win

&Game >
  &New Game\tF2
  -------------
  &Statistics\tF4
  &Options\tF5
  -------------
  E&xit
&Help >
  &View Help\tF1
  -------------
  &About Minesweeper
Debug >
  Toggle Cheat Keys
  -------------
  Toggle Show Mines
  Test Text
  Win

&Game >
  &New Game\tF2
  -------------
  &Statistics\tF4
  &Options\tF5
  -------------
  E&xit
&Help >
  &View Help\tF1
  -------------
  &About Minesweeper

Debug Menu#

By setting the internal g_bDebugEnabled variable to a nonzero value, various aids to debugging are enabled. This value isn't written to by the game, so it must be set manually.

To do: Does the "cheat keys" option have anything to do with the hint/cheat option (available by pressing the H key) available in the other Vista games like Solitaire or Mahjong Titans? Research this further.

The options included in this menu are:

• Toggle Cheat Keys - Doesn't seem to do anything.
• Toggle Show Mines - Shows all the mines on the field, but only after you've begun playing the game.
• Test Text - Doesn't seem to do anything.
• Win - Does exactly as it says; you automatically win the game.

In addition, the game will also allow the player to change the tile and background setting directly through the Game menu.

Regional Differences#

Continuing the Italian-only changes in Windows Me, 2000 and XP, if the system language is set to Italian, "Minesweeper" disappears from the "Change Appearance" dialog, leaving only "Flower Garden" ("Prato florito").

The Italian MUI file (it-IT\Minesweeper.exe.mui) weighs 261 KB, which is noticeably larger than MUI files for all other languages (27~41 KB). This is because it contains a copy of the flower icon with the ID of 110, overriding the mine icon when the system language is set to Italian.

English	Italian

XInput Support#

An interesting feature that isn't documented anywhere (Help Menu-wise) is XInput (gamepad) support - if the game detects an Xbox 360 controller plugged into one of your USB ports, the P1 corner on the controller will light up, signifying the controller can be used. The controller even rumbles if the player uncovers a mine.

Possibly undocumented because Microsoft thought people were too used to the traditional controls, and a gamepad would seem odd to use. It's a neat little feature, nonetheless.

Controls#