Best Linux Video Games

When most people think about video games for computers, they usually think of the Microsoft Windows environment and having the right kind of gaming PC to run those titles. However, you don't need to stick with Windows to play games on your computer. Even aside from Apple's OS X, it is possible to play some fantastic games on a Linux-based computer.

Turning to the Online Community

Just as there are many different genres of computer games in the Windows environment to satisfy the widest of range of gamer preferences, the same can be said about Linux games.

Given the open source (and free) nature of Linux, there aren't too many major video game developers, publishers, and studios that create games for the platform. Some studios do participate, but a large number of Linux video games are developed by amateur or non-professional programmers. This is not unlike the various programs and other software that are also made available for Linux users throughout the online community.

Popular Computer Games for Linux

The following list is surely not exhaustive, but it should give you a good idea of what you can expect when you play video games with a Linux OS computer.

Urban Terror

First person shooters are among the most popular genre of video games today. This is true across a variety of platforms, including both home consoles and PCs. Urban Terror is one of the premiere first person shooters available for Linux, but it is also made available for Windows and Mac OS X platforms as well.

The game certainly takes inspiration from other titles that have come before it, like Counterstrike and the Call of Duty series, but the multiplayer online game developed by FrozenSand also has its own unique personality. Urban Terror runs on the Quake III engine and is available as a freeware title for download online.

Open Transport Tycoon Deluxe

Also known colloquially as OpenTTD for short, Open Transport Tycoon Deluxe is a business simulation game that will look familiar to anyone who has played any of the tycoon-style games in the past, like Zoo Tycoon and Rollercoaster Tycoon. The game may also look familiar to gamers who previously enjoyed titles from the popular Sim City series by Electronic Arts.

The graphics may look dated, but that is because OpenTTD is actually a remake of an original title that was released back in 1994. In this way, the core game actually pre-dates many of the other offerings that came along in later years. The newer version, which is available for both Linux and Mac, overcomes some of the hardware limitations that gamers faced in the mid-90s, expanding the game to allow for more vehicles, more variability, and more options.

The game allows you to follow the tale of a young entrepreneur armed with nothing but ambition and a small business loan. It is from there that you are able to develop a massive empire, filled with infrastructure, transported goods, and AI competition.

Tux Racer

Linux is perhaps best recognized for its penguin mascot. For a more casual and family-friendly title, Tux Racer could be worth a try. In essence, the 3D computer game features the penguin mascot racing down a ski hill at breakneck speeds. There are new maps being released all the time, but since this is an older Linux game, support and development is nowhere near as robust as it once was.

Linux Beyond the Computer

While Linux is primarily used as an operating system on conventional computers and more recently on netbook devices, the OS can also be loaded onto older PlayStation 3 consoles as well. You do this at your own risk, but it does open the PS3 to a whole new world of possibilities.