Best Free Games for Linux

Best Free Games for Linux
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Linux has come a long way from being a hacker’s tool to an operating system that common users are comfortable with. Today, Linux is used for various purposes ranging from a web server to desktop publishing. But one area where Linux is having difficulty in catching up with Windows is the gaming arena. Linux although have made many advances in the multimedia and gaming capabilities over the years, still has a long way to go before it can be on par with Windows. However, that doesn’t mean that Linux doesn’t have any good games. Here is a list of some of the best Linux games that can provide you with an excellent gaming experience on the Linux platform.

Tremulous

Tremulous is a very popular open source first person shooting game. You can join any of the two teams, humans or aliens but your aim will be to eliminate the opposite team. You need to both kill the enemy and destroy their spawn structures to eliminate them.

Nexuiz

Developed by Alientrap, Nexuiz is a freeware 3D deathmatch game. It is a cross platform game that is available for Windows, Mac and Linux. The game play is a deathmatch dominated by extreme speed and weapons resulting in a fast paced action experience for the player. Nexuiz offers multiple game modes like deathmatch, capture the flag and domination.

Scorched 3D

A modernization of the DOS game Scorched Earth, Scorched 3D features three dimensional landscape including animated jets, water, naval vessels etc. Among other enhancements are detailed tanks and projectiles, LAN and internet play and music. It is a cross platform game and is available for Linux, Mac OS X, and FreeBSD etc.

Flight Gear

Flight Gear is a flight simulator game. It is open source and cross platform. The aim of this project is to create a sophisticated flight simulator framework for use in research or academic environments and as an end user application.

Battle For Wesnoth

Battle for Wesnoth is a turn-based freeware tactical strategy game. It features a high fantasy theme and both single player and multiplayer modes. There are many different sagas available for the player to play out. The game features more than two hundred unit types, sixteen races and six major factions. It also allows the player to build custom units, compose own maps and to write own scenarios or campaigns.

Frets On Fire

Frets on Fire is a musical game where the aim is to play guitar with the keyboard as accurately as possible (one hand to press the frets of the guitar and another hand to press the picks). The game supports guitar controllers and generic joysticks, includes a song editor for making your own tune and has less demanding system requirements. The game is available for Windows, Linux, Mac OS X and FreeBSD. It is free and open source and the full python source code is available.

FreeCiv

FreeCiv is a freeware open source strategic game. In this game each player is the leader of a civilization and they fight to achieve the ultimate goal of becoming the greatest civilization. Some of its features are LAN and Internet multiplayer, Artificial Intelligence controlled player, availability of more than fifty units and hundred nations, in-game help system etc.

Cube 2: Sauerbraten

Cube 2: Sauerbraten is a free first person shooting game with both single player and multiplayer options. Cube 2: Sauerbraten focuses more on allowing map and geometry editing to be done dynamically in-game than producing more features and eye candy. It is available for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.

TrueCombat: Elite

True Combat: Elite is a first person shooting game. It is a modification of the popular stand alone game Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory. The game features high quality sounds, realistic scaling, HDR lighting, simulation of realistic weapon behavior, fast paced action, texture tone mapping and many other feature that makes the game addictive.

Alien Arena

Alien Arena is a fast paced deathmatch with a rich, colorful and arcade like set up and a retro sci-fi theme. Alien Arena incorporates the best features of Quake III and Unreal Tournament and blends them in a retro alien theme and also introduces many original ideas.

The Open Racing Car Simulator

The Open Racing Car Simulator or TORCS is a multi platform car racing simulation that is used as an ordinary car racing game or AI racing game. It is available for Windows, Linux, FreeBSD and Mac OS X.

VDrift

VDrift is an open source simulation game built with drift racing in mind. It is available for Windows, Linux, FreeBSD and Mac OS X. The game features simulation grade driving physics, competition against AI players, support for mouse, gamepad, joystick, wheel and keyboard, tracks based on real world track etc.

Urban Terror

Urban Terror is a freeware first person shooting game with multiplayer mode. The publisher describes the game as a “Hollywood tactical shooter” that is somewhat realism based but with a “fun over realism” motto to make the game more enjoyable and addictive.

Racer: The Real Deal

Racer is a car simulation project that makes use of professional car physics and an excellent rendering engine for graphical realism. Creating cars, tracks, etc. is relatively easy in racer compared to most other driving simulations.