9. Playing Linux Games

Contents:
A Survey of Linux Games
Closeups of Some Popular Games

In the last chapter you learned how to use Linux to help you work; in this chapter you'll learn how to use Linux to help you play. A variety of challenging and exciting games is available for Linux; many of them are free. In addition, you can use WINE to run a variety of commercial games originally written for Microsoft Windows.

9.1 A Survey of Linux Games

Linux includes several popular games. In addition, many Linux games are available on the Web. Table 9.1 lists some of the most popular sites offering Linux games and Table 9.2 describes some of the most popular Linux games. However, you'll find almost every game you could want on the Debian web site, http://www.debian.org/.

Table 9.1: Popular Linux Game Web Sites
Web Site	URL
Freshmeat	http://freshmeat.net/
Linux Game Tome	http://happypenguin.org/
Linux Games Page	http://www.linuxgames.com/
Linux Quake Page	http://www.planetquake.com/linux/
linuxquake.com	http://www.linuxquake.com/
Loki Games	http://www.lokigames.com/
Slashdot	http://www.slashdot.org/

Table 9.2: Some Popular Linux Games
Game	Type	Description
BZFlag	Action	Multi-player tank battle game.
Civilization: Call To Power	Strategy	A commercial Linux version of the sequel to Micropose's Civilization. Supports network play.
CrossFire	Role Playing	Resembles Rogue. Supports multi-player network play.
DOOM	Action	Classic action game. Requires doom.wad file from licensed copy of game.
Freeciv	Strategy	Resembles Microprose's Civilization. Supports network play.
Illust Logic	Puzzle	A paint-by-numbers puzzle, wherein you strive to paint cells of a canvas.
Koules	Arcade	Multi-player action game. Supports console or X11 play.
NetHack	Role Playing	A quest game resembling Rogue. Supports console or X11 play.
Netrek	Arcade	Multi-player 2-D battle simulation with a Star Trek theme.
PySol	Card	Twenty different versions of solitaire.
Quake	Action	A Linux version of the commercial game Quake. Requires the PAK file from the game CD-ROM diskette. Supports console or X11 play.
Quake II	Action	In the opinion of many, the definitive multi-player 3D action shoot 'em up. Requires license fee. Supports console or X11 play.
Snes9X	Utility	A portable, freeware emulator of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). Allows you to run Nintendo64 games on a PC.
Starcraft Linux-installation HOWTO	Document	Describes the procedures for installing and running the commercial game Starcraft on a Linux system using WINE.
XBomber	Arcade	Resembles the classic Bomberman game.
Xmame	Arcade	Emulator for popular arcade games. Requires ROM image from the original game.
XPat2	Card	An assortment of solitaire games.
XShipWars	Action	A graphical MUD (multi-user dungeon) with a space exploration theme.

As you can see, many types of games are available, including action games, arcade games, card games, puzzles, role playing games, and strategy games. Some Linux games can be played from the console; others require X. Many Linux games let multiple players compete at separate computers connected via a network, such as the Internet. Linux games may be freeware, shareware, or commercial software. In addition, Linux software such as Snes9X and WINE lets you play games originally written for systems other than Linux.