Myst

MYSTWindows, Mac, Saturn, Other +61993

  1. JP1994
  2. NA1993
  3. EU1996
  4. RU—

Myst came out under the same name everywhere (written MYST in Japan); its remastered edition is called Myst: Masterpiece Edition. That edition, sold on GOG and Steam for Windows and Mac, is the simplest legal way to play the original today.

Myst is an adventure game developed by Cyan, the studio of brothers Rand and Robyn Miller, and published by Broderbund for the Mac on 24 September 1993; a Windows version followed in March 1994. It was built on Macintosh computers with HyperCard and contains about 2,500 frames and more than 66 minutes of QuickTime animation. Robyn Miller also composed its roughly 40 minutes of synthesized music, later released as Myst: The Soundtrack.

Because the original relied on HyperCard, every port needed a new engine. Myst moved on to the Saturn, 3DO, PlayStation, CD-i and Amiga, and later to PSP, Nintendo DS, iOS and 3DS. In Japan, Interprog released Japanese-language Mac and Windows versions in 1994.

Myst was the best-selling PC game through the 1990s until The Sims passed it in 2002, and the first CD-ROM title to sell more than 2 million units. Myst: Masterpiece Edition later added 24-bit color and remastered audio, while realMyst (November 2000) remade the island in free-roaming 3D.1

Names and releases

RegionTitle on the boxPlatformDatePublisherSrc
NA Myst Mac Sep 24, 1993 Broderbund 1
NA MystRed Orb Entertainment published the Windows version in Europe. Windows March 1994 Broderbund 1
NA Myst3DO. Micro Cabin published the 3DO version in Japan. Other Mar 17, 1995 Sunsoft 1
NA MystPAL release on 15 November 1996; SoftBank published the Japanese version. PlayStation Oct 15, 1996 Psygnosis 1
NA MystEU release on 5 September 2013 (Funbox Media). Nintendo 3DS Oct 26, 2012 Maximum Family Games 1
JP MYSTJapanese-language version; a Windows version in Japanese was released the same year. Mac 1994 インタープログ 2
JP MYSTJapanese Wikipedia lists a Saturn date of 22 November 1994, earlier than the NA/PAL release (September 1995, Acclaim in NA). Saturn 1994 Sunsoft 1
EU MystCD-i Other 1996 Philips Media 1
EU Myst Amiga 1997 PXL Computers 1
WW Myst: Masterpiece EditionEnglish Wikipedia text gives 1999 for the Masterpiece Edition, its citation and the Steam description give 2000. Also on Mac. Windows 2000 Cyan Worlds 3
JP MYSTEnglish Wikipedia gives 30 March 2006, the Japanese Wikipedia table 15 June 2006. Midway published the PSP version elsewhere (NA: 16 July 2009). PSP 2006 Sega 1
EU MystNA release on 13 May 2008. Nintendo DS Dec 7, 2007 Midway 1
WW Myst iOS May 2, 2009 — 1

Also known as: ミスト JP2Myst: Masterpiece Edition WW3realMyst WW1

Box art by region

  • Myst box art, North America release
    NA Myst

Box art © its publishers, shown to identify each release. Scans: Wikipedia.

Version differences

  • GraphicsMasterpiece Edition

    Myst: Masterpiece Edition keeps the original point-and-click play but upgrades the images to 24-bit color and adds a remastered score and better sound effects.3

  • GameplayrealMyst (2000)

    realMyst, released for Windows in November 2000, replaces the still frames with a free-roaming real-time 3D island.1

  • GameplayWindows and console ports

    The original was made on the Mac with HyperCard, so the Windows and console ports had to use a new engine.1

All differences (4)

Translations

  • German Official

    Cyan WorldsWindows · Masterpiece EditionReleased · complete

    Myst: Masterpiece Edition includes German text and audio.3

  • Spanish Official

    Cyan WorldsWindows · Masterpiece EditionReleased · complete

    Myst: Masterpiece Edition includes Spanish (Spain) text and audio.3

  • French Official

    Cyan WorldsWindows · Masterpiece EditionReleased · complete

    Myst: Masterpiece Edition includes French text and audio.3

  • Japanese Official

    インタープログ1994MacReleased

    Interprog released Japanese-language versions for Classic Mac OS and Windows in Japan in 1994.2

  • Polish Official

    Cyan WorldsWindows · Masterpiece EditionReleased · complete

    Myst: Masterpiece Edition includes Polish text and audio.3

Where to play legally today

  • GOG Purchase

    Myst: Masterpiece Edition

    Windows and macOS; runs on ScummVM

    Checked: 2026-10-134gog.com

  • Steam Purchase

    Myst: Masterpiece Edition

    Windows and Mac; remastered original with 24-bit color

    Checked: 2026-10-133store.steampowered.com

How to run it today

Buy Myst: Masterpiece Edition on GOG or Steam; both come packaged with ScummVM and run on current Windows and macOS. The original retail CD uses a 16-bit installer that modern Windows cannot run, so play it through ScummVM, which rates its Myst support as "Excellent".

5

Best version

Myst: Masterpiece Edition is the closest commercial version to the 1993 original: the same point-and-click play with 24-bit color and remastered audio, sold on GOG and Steam.4

Reception

Myst sold more than 6.3 million copies worldwide by 2000 and stayed the best-selling PC game through the 1990s until The Sims passed it in 2002. It was also the first CD-ROM title to sell more than 2 million units. GameRankings lists the PC version at 83%.1

Sources

  1. 1en.wikipedia.org
  2. 2ja.wikipedia.org
  3. 3store.steampowered.com
  4. 4gog.com
  5. 5pcgamingwiki.com
  6. 6es.wikipedia.org
  7. 7scummvm.org

Checked: 2026-10-13Text reviewed: 2026-10-13

Spotted a mistake? Write to atlas@old-games.net.