Download Madagascar (Windows)

The game with NoCD has been tested on Windows 7 64-bit and Windows 10, works fine. Check our Guide and Notes for more details

Install & play guide:

• Mount the disc image. You will need the utility for mounting disc image files, like WinCDEmu, UltraISO, Alcohol 52%/Alcohol 120% or Daemon Tools Lite
• Install the game (if autorun doesn't work - simply launch the installation from Setup.exe inside the disc)
• Also it is recommended to install DirectX from the disc (if you're using Windows 10 - enable DirectPlay, read this or this guide how to do it)
• After you installed the game - install NoCD (simply copy files from the archive and put it into game folder, agree to replace original files)
• Open the directory with the game and find Game.exe and Launcher.exe. Right click on both exe-files - Properties - Compatibility - Set "Run this app in compatibility mode with Windows 2000 or XP" and "Run as administrator"
• Run Launcher.exe to set the game's display resolution and settings
• Launch the game and play. If the game doesn't work in compatibility mode with Windows XP - try to launch it in compatibility mode with other version of Windows (Win98, Windows ME, Win2000, etc.)

Notes:

• If the installation doesn't start - try to launch Setup.exe in compatibility mode with old version of Windows (98, 2000 or XP)
• If you get error 1601, 1602 or other unknown error during installation - open Task Manager (Ctrl+Alt+Del) and close the process IDriver.exe. Then try to start the installation again, it should work
• NoCD is required for the launch because the game is using SafeDisc DRM protection, which doesn't work on modern systems. That NoCD "breaks" DRM protection and allows the game to work on modern systems
• It is recommended to install old versions of Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable for the correct work of the game
• Also it is recommended to install RAD Video Tools and K-Lite Codec Pack for the correct work of in-game videos
• The game works on DirectX 8, so if you're using Windows 8, 8.1, 10 or 11 - you need to enable DirectPlay: Go to Control Panel, and select 'Programs'. Select 'Turn Windows features on and off', click on 'Legacy Components' and check the box 'DirectPlay'. Select OK, once the installation is done, restart your computer
• By default the game works only in 4:3 screen resolution, but you can run it in widescreen by registry editing. Open Registry Editor (regedit.exe), go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Activision/Madagascar/Settings/Display, click on Resolution and enter your screen resolution. That way you can play the game in high resolutions up to 4k
• If you have troubles with running the game on Windows 7 and newer OS - try to run it through dgVoodoo (your graphics card must support DirectX 9). Copy the dll-files from the MS/x86 folder, dgVoodooCpl.exe and dgVoodoo.conf to the Madagascar/Game folder, then launch the game from Launcher.exe. Also, with dgVoodoo you can play the game with anti-aliasing and texture filtering - run dgVoodooCpl.exe, open DirectX tab and select the settings you want. After that click "Apply" to save settings, close dgVoodooCpl and run the game. If you set new screen resolution with registry editing - don't select forced resolution in dgVoodoo settings, to avoid apps conflict
• As alternative - you can use d3d8to9 wrapper, it is a simple dll-file that adapts DirectX 8 games to DirectX 9 renderer. Simply put d3d8.dll next to Game.exe; please note that your graphics card must support DirectX 9
• Some users complain that they have broken text, with "????" symbols instead of text. Usually it happens if installed game has different language than Windows system language (i.e. English version of the game on French language Windows OS). If you get same trouble - download extra language pack from Microsoft website
• For users of Windows 64-bit systems: if the game doesn't work after you launched it - open Task Manager (Ctrl+Alt+Del by default) and check for processes Game.exe and rundll32.exe. Close Game.exe but don't touch rundll32.exe (it's a Windows app for running old apps from 32-bit operational systems, most old games running through rundll32.exe). Now try to launch the game again, it must work. Don't forget to close rundll32.exe process in Task Manager after finishing playing
• If the game doesn't work on your system - run the game in Virtual Machine with Windows XP, that method works for 100%
• Don't forget to check PCGamingWiki if you have troubles!