This list will help you recognize, get and play FOSS games on Ubuntu. By FOSS we mean no Valve Steam, only Free/Libre Open Source Software ones. Among them are widely known such as Freedoom and Super Tux Kart, and some of them also need more introduction such as Speed Dreams and Tux Math. Most of them can be added to Ubuntu via Software. We include both categories of educational and recreational ones here. This compilation is hoped to be helpful for teachers in teaching computing with FOSS including the games. Happy reading!

 

 

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Super Tux Kart

Name: SuperTuxKart

Description: proudly, the racing game icon of our free software community. It is a multiplayer 3D kart racing with free software mascots, like Gnu and Tux, as the riders. You can play it single- or two-player with your kids.

Similarity: Crash Team Racing

Genre: 3D racing

Multiplayer: yes

Availability: deb, snap

License: free software, free data

 

Super Tux

Name: SuperTux 2

Description: SuperTux (not to be confused with SuperTuxKart) is a penguin adventure game! Jump over monsters, earn coins, and get food to win the games. Play this amusing game with your kids.

Similarity: Super Mario Bros

Genre: 2D side-scrolling adventure

Multiplayer: no

Availability: Deb

License: free software, free data

Website: https://www.supertux.org

0 A. D.

Name: 0 A. D.

Description: pronounced zero-ay-dee, 0 A.D. is the empires game of free software community. Build a country and attack other countries or defeat their economy to win. Feel one of the best graphics of FOSS on Ubuntu.

Similarity: Age of Empires III

Genre: Real Time Strategy (RTS)

Multiplayer: yes

Availability: deb, snap

License: free software, free data

Website: https://play0ad.com

 

Doom II

Name: FreeDoom

Description: the world first FPS game, Doom, has been successfully re-produced by our community. PrBoom/FreeDoom is a version of Doom II that is fully free game both in software and in data.

Similarity: Doom II

Genre: First Person Shooter (FPS)

Multiplayer: yes

Availability: Deb, Snap

License: free software, free data

Website: prboom-plus.sourceforge.io, freedoom.github.io

 

Doom III

Frozen Bubble

Name: Frozen Bubble

Description: a colorful marbles shooting game with the cute penguin, Tux, you can play in two-player with your kids.

Similarity: Puzzle Bobble

Genre: kids arcade

Multiplayer: yes

Availability: Deb 

License: free software, free data

Website: www.frozen-bubble.org

 

FlightGear 

Name: FlightGear

Description: realistic 3D aircraft, helicopter flight simulator. This game can take you flying freely with beautiful scenery.

Similarity: Microsoft Flight Simulator

Genre: flight simulator

Multiplayer: yes

Availability: Deb, Snap

License: free software, free data

Website: www.flightgear.org

 

Warzone 2100 

Name: Warzone

Description: futuristic 3D real time strategy, battle against colonies of robots and alients.

Similarity: Starcraft

Genre: RTS

Multiplayer: yes

Availability: Deb, Snap

License: free software, free data

Website: https://wz2100.net

Chromium BSU

Name: Chromium BSU

Description: Chromium BSU (not to be confused with Chromium Browser) is an arcade 2D aircraft shooting adventure.

Similarity: a lot of arcade aircraft shooting games

Genre: arcade aircraft

Multiplayer: no

Availability: Deb

License: free software, free data
 
Website: chromium-bsu.sourceforge.io

 

OpenRA

Name: OpenRA

Description: OpenRA is a free software version of three games of Command Conquer real time strategy (RTS), namely Red Alert, Tiberian Dawn and Dune 2000.

Similarity: Command Conquer, Red Alert, Tiberian Dawn, Dune 2000

Genre: RTS

Multiplayer: yes

Availability: AppImage

License: free software, no free data

Website: https://www.openra.net

OpenTTD 

Name: OpenTTD

Description: OpenTTD is a free software version of popular city (transportation) building Transport Tycoon Deluxe. You are a mayor and you should build your city transportation as good as possible.

Similarity: Transport Tycoon Deluxe

Genre: city simulation

Multiplayer: no

Availability: Deb

License: free software, free data

Website: www.openttd.org

OpenSA

Name: OpenSA

Description: created with the same engine software as OpenRA, OpenSA is an RTS game of war between insects like ants, spiders etc. using bazooka and other guns in a swarm. It’s name is a pointer that it is a free software version of an old, abandoned proprietary game called Swarm Assault.

Similarity: Swarm Assault

Genre: RTS

Multiplayer:

Availability: AppImage

License: free software, no free data

Website: www.moddb.com/mods/opensa

 

Swell Foop

Name: Swell Foop

Description: this is a colorful same game from GNOME. You can play this to get rid some free time, or play colors with kids. It's officially available on Ubuntu.

Similarity: Same Game

Genre: kids, puzzle game

Multiplayer: no

Availability: deb

License: free software, free data

Website: wiki.gnome.org/Apps/Swell%20Foop

 

TORCS

Name: TORCS

Description: The Open Racing Car Simulator (TORCS) invites you to play 3D car racing games. It's available officially on Ubuntu.

Similarity: Need For Speed

Genre: 3D car racing

Multiplayer: yes

Availability: Deb

License: free software, free data

Website: https://torcs.sourceforge.net

Tux Math

Name: Tux Math

Description: TuxMath (tuxmath) is an educational game for kids learning their math. It can be played either alone or together, for kids from age of Elementary Student to even High School ones. Questions will fall from the above slowly and the kid should answer it, for example, 1 + 1 = ?, until all of them finished. The more your kids play it, the more they will be better in math.

Similarity: -

Genre: education

Multiplayer: yes

Availability: Deb, Snap

License: free software, free data

Website: https://sourceforge.net/projects/tuxmath

Tux Typing

Name: Tux Typing

Description: TuxTyping (tuxtype) is an education game for all ages suitable for children and adults. It is capable to train players about vocabularies, in English and other language, as well as typing quickly with keyboard. The questions can be edited by teacher to custom them according to each school curriculum, for example.

Similarity: -

Genre: education

Multiplayer: no

Availability: deb

License: free software, free data

Website: https://sourceforge.net/projects/tuxtype

Tux Paint

Name: Tux Paint

Description: TuxPaint is an award-winning drawing program for kids. From our perspective, it also is suitable as well as game for kids. It allows parents to guide their children play with computer just safe and fun. Draw something and you will hear cute sound every time you click. Want to draw cars? There are plenty of them available you just click to place it on your picture. It's officially available on Ubuntu.

Similarity: -

Genre: education

Multiplayer: no

Availability: deb

License: free software, free data

Website: https://tuxpaint.org

Red Eclipse

Name: Red Eclipse

Description: not to be confused with Eclipse software for Java programming, Red Eclipse is a sophisticated-graphics fast-paced First Person Shooter (FPS) 3D game. It is created with Tesseract, a heavy modification of the legendary Cube 2: Sauerbraten game engine software.

Similarity: Counter Strike, Xonotic

Genre: FPS

Multiplayer: yes

Availability: Deb, Snap

License: free software, free data

Website: www.redeclipse.net

(Tesseract game engine video from YouTube)

Speed Dreams

Name: Speed Dreams

Description: a 3D sport car racing game.

Similarity: Need For Speed, TORCS

Genre: 3D car racing

Multiplayer: yes

Availability: AppImage

License: free software, free data

Website: www.speed-dreams.net/en

Xonotic 

 

 

Worth Mentioning

We would love to introduce free software to make video games (called "game engines") with visual editor available on Ubuntu repository (or at least on GNU/Linux in general) which you can use to produce both commercial and hobbyist games:

Godot, a 2D/3D drag-and-drop and coding based game engine.

GDevelop, a 2D/3D drag-and-drop without coding based game engine. *

Solarus, an action RPG maker famous for its game series Zelda.

LOVE2D, a Lua scripting based game engine. No visual editor.

EasyRPG, a free software community version of RPG Maker. Still in early development. *

Ikemen-GO, a coding-based fighting game engine compatible to MUGEN assets capable to make games like Street Fighters or Samurai Showdown. No visual editor.

Open 3D Engine (O3DE), a full-featured game engine with advanced visual editor. *

Stride, a C# and .NET based 3D game engine with advanced visual editor. 

 

 

*) Not available on Ubuntu repositories yet but available to download from its home page. 

 

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See Also

Finally, we would love to introduce emulators already available on Ubuntu (or GNU/Linux in general) to play games you found only on other platforms e.g. arcade and game consoles. This means Ubuntu can play your favorite PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, SEGA, GBA, MS-DOS etc. by using them.

RetroArch, an emulator for all video games including Arcade and Game Boy Advance.

Ares, an emulator for all video games including Atari and SEGA.

Desmume, en emulator for Nintendo DS.

PCSXR, an emulator for Sony PlayStation 1.

PCSX2, an emulator for Sony PlayStation 2.

Xemu, an emulator for Microsoft Xbox.

WINE, an emulator for Windows games.

Dosbox-X, an emulator for MS-DOS games (based on Dosbox).

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