Linux and Mac Computer Games

An incomplete unordered, and inconsistent list of decent games for all ages and non-violent sensibilities.  Arbitrary election criteria include

  • Ability to run on older Linux laptop and Mac OSX 10.4 PPC.
  • Reasonably non-violent and somewhat puzzle-based. (Ex. OpenArena out, Pingus in)
  • Totally entertaining with network play options.
Name of Game URL Notes Date
World of Goo http://2dboy.com/games.php Absolutely worth every penny paid for the license. Linux users can even get the windows binary and run it easily in WINE. Some kids won’t take to it because it is very puzzly.
SuperTux http://supertux.lethargik.org/ Well done game
CarArena http://www.izedesign.it/cararena/index_eng.html Simple fun and multiplayer mode!
Altitude http://wiki.altitudegame.com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page More simple fun! ‘Flying’ a plane is a challenge for young minds because some physics is used for determining if the plane will stall, dive, etc. I’m not sure what is stopping Oracle from using this game as the poster child for Java gaming.
Pingus http://pingus.seul.org/welcome.html Good puzzle fun.
Neverball http://neverball.org/ Entertaining and pretty-enough. Available in Fink and works great on a low-end Mac
Secret Maryo Chronicles http://www.secretmaryo.org/ Classic 2d scroller. Works great.
Open TTD http://www.openttd.org/en/ Needs this too http://wiki.openttd.org/OpenGFX_Readme Not every kid is going to go for this one. Maybe it depends on age? Mac support is tenuous and you definitely need fink on Mac
TeeWorlds http://www.teeworlds.com/ This is one of those games where there’s shooting, but it’s so much like a cartoon I don’t feel the game is as much about ‘killing’ in the gruesome typical FPS way.
LinCity-NG http://lincity-ng.berlios.de/wiki/index.php/Main_Page Decent city simulator. Definitely need fink on Mac to build. Not for every kid. Maybe older kids would like it more?
Hedgewars http://www.hedgewars.org/ Multiplayer is fun, but learning how to work the weapons is not intuitive. Very nice game! Needs fink to build/get it for PowerPC. It did not run quickly on a 500mhz PPC Mac. It doesn’t have to like it’s a bad thing, just be aware a machine that old isn’t a good candidate.