Cool Desktop Applications Part 2 25 Small and Simple Games for your Linux Ubuntu Desktop
Continuing my previous article about cool applications that you can install on your Ubuntu Desktop , in this article we cover some really cool games and emulators that
you can install on your Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon Desktop (Am giving installation instruction to Ubuntu since it is one the most popular Desktop distribution right now but if you want to install these games in other distribution you can do so with little modification to the installation command/instructions ). Most of the games discussed in the article are simple and small so they should run flawlessly on computers with pretty modest configuration .
We begin this tutorial with instructions to setting your repositories in order so that command discussed below to install games work on your system .
Step 1 : - Enabling Additional Repositories
Now many applications need additional repositories to be installed or some to be enabled in Synaptic package manager so before trying out steps given below ensure that repositories in order.
Launch Synaptic Package Manager (System -> Administration -> Synaptic Package Manager ) , then in Synaptic package manager go to (Settings -> Repositories ) you will find window like this . Ensure that all the check boxes are marked leaving source code(if you want to you can enable this also but you are not going to need this unless you are software developer) the dialog box should look like this .
Dialog Box showing the repositories that should be enabled
After completing above step you will find a dialog box like this
After completing the above steps your repositories should be in order , and we can actually proceed to instructions on installing the games .
1.
PysolPySol is an exciting collection of more than 200 solitaire card games. Its features include very nice look and feel, multiple cardsets and table tiles, samples and background music, unlimited undo/redo, load/save games, player statistics and log files, hint system, demo games, support for user-written plugins, integrated HTML help browser and lots of documentation
To install type the following command in the terminal window
sudo apt-get install pysol
after completing above step launch pysol from (
Applications -> Games -> Pysol )
Pysol in actionPingus was started at the end of 1998 with the simple goal to create a Free (as in freedom, not as in free beer) Lemmingstm clone.if you dont know Lemmingstm, here comes a short introduction. Its a puzzle game developed in 1991 by DMA Design. The player takes command in the game of a bunch of small animals and has to guide them around in levels. Since the animals walk on their own, the player can only influence them by giving them commands, like build a bridge, dig a hole or redirect all lemmings in the other direction. The goal of each level is to reach the exit, for fix multiple combination of commands are necessary. The game is presented in a 2D site view.
To install type following in terminal window : -
sudo apt-get install pingus
then to launch pingus go to (
Applications -> Games ->Pingus )
then to launch pingus go to (Applications -> Games ->Pingus )
Pingus Game in Action
3.LincityLincity is a city simulation game. You are required to build and maintain a city. You must feed, house, provide jobs and goods for your residents. You can build a sustainable economy with the help of renewable energy and recycling, or you can go for broke and build rockets to escape from a pollution ridden and resource starved planet, its up to you.
To install type the following command in the terminal window : -
sudo apt-get install lincity
and launch from (
Applications -> Games -> Lincity ) .
Lincity game screenshotThis is a clone of the classic snake game , where you have to "snake around" and eat fruit, while avoiding the evil headbanger and not crashing into your tail.
Though the interface of the game is bit crude but still nevertheless iis fun to play .
To install this game type in the following command in the terminal window :
sudo apt-get install snake4
After completing this step you can launch snake (
Applications -> Games-> Snake)
Snake4 Game in ActionOpen-Invaders is a clone of the popular game Space-Invaders . Open-Invaders has been programmed using allegro game programming library and is fast-paced . However game is still under development and misses few features .
To install Open Invaders , type the following in the terminal window :
sudo apt-get install open-invaders
and after completing above step either type " open-invaders " in the terminal window or launch it from (
Applications -> Games -> Open Invaders )
Screen Shot of Open-Invader Game
6. Super Tux KartSuperTuxKart is an enhanced version of TuxKart, a kart racing game, originaly done by Steve Baker, featuring Tux and a bunch of his friends.
To install type the following command in the terminal window : -
sudo apt-get install supertuxkart
After installation launch it from (Applications -> Games -> SuperTuxKart )
Super Tux Kart in Action
7. Circus LinuxCircus Linux is a fun arcade game losely based on old Atari game "Circus Atari" , its gameplay is similar to "Breakout" . The object is to move a teeter-totter back and forth across the screen to bounce clowns up into the air. When they reach the top, they pop rows of balloons and then fall back down.
To install type in the following command in the terminal winow:
sudo apt-get install circuslinux
and after competing installation launch it from (
Applications -> Games -> Circus Linux )
Circus Linux Game in Action
8.
MadBomber"Mad Bomber" is a clone of Activisions classic Atari 2600 console
game, "Kaboom!" with enhanced graphics and SFX . It goes with the story line
The Mad Bomber is loose in the city and hes dropping bombs everywhere! Its your job to catch them before they hit the ground and explode. Luckily, you have a set of trusty buckets to extinguish them with.
To install type in the following command in the terminal window :
sudo apt-get install madbomber
and after completing above step launch it from (
Applications -> Games -> MadBomber )
MadBomber in Action
9.
LBreakout2The polished successor to LBreakout offers you a new challenge in more than 50 levels with loads of new bonuses (goldshower, joker, explosive balls, bonus magnet ...), maluses (chaos, darkness, weak balls, malus magnet ...) and special bricks (growing bricks, explosive bricks, regenerative bricks, indestructible bricks, chaotic bricks). And if youre through with all the levels you can create complete new levelsets with the integrated easy-to-use level editor or challenge other humans via LAN or internet iin either deathmatch or normal levelsets. Fun!
To install type the following command in the terminal window : -
sudo apt-get install lbreakout2
After completing above step launch lbreakout2 from (Applications -> Games -> Lbreakout2)
A Screen Shot of LBreakout 2
10.
BurgerspaceThis is a clone of the classic game "BurgerTime". In it, you play the
part of a chef who must create burgers by stepping repeatedly on the
ingredients until they fall into place. And to make things more
complicated, you also must avoid evil animate food items while performing
this task, with nothing but your trusty pepper shaker to protect you.
To install this game type in the following command in the terminal window :
sudo apt-get install burgerspace
and after completing above step type "burgerspace" in the terminal window to launch burgerspace .
Burgerspace game in Action
11. Gravitywars
Gravity Wars is inspired by Gravity Force, one of the greatest games for the Amiga.With better graphics and SFX . The aim of the game is to guide a spaceship using only thrust and orientation to the exit, fighting against gravity and inertia.
To install Gravitywars type in the following command in the terminal window :
sudo apt-get install gravitywars
After completing above step launch gravitywars by typing "gravitywars" in the terminal window .
Screenshots of Gravitywars game in Action
12. Bugsquish
Bugsquish is light arcade game where you have to squish the bugs trying to suck your blood before you run out of blood :)
To install bugsquish type in the following command in the terminal window :
sudo apt-get install bugsquish
and after completing this launch bugsquish from (Applications -> Games -> Bugs Squish )
Screenshots of Bugsquish in Action
13. . Tee wars
Tee wars is a multiplayer online 2d shooter arcade game that involves running , shooting , jumping and dying . TeeWars motto is Cute little buggers with guns . Now the entire game is really fun filled and has attractive graphics and well really cool sound effect . if you want to know more about this game you could visit the following sites :
Tee Wars official site : http://www.teewars.com/
Review of Tee War Game : http://mrcopilot.blogspot.com/2008/02/osggfg-31-tee-wars.html
To install Tee Wars type in the following command in the terminal window :
wget http://cesium.di.uminho.pt/pub/getdeb/te/teewars_0.3.4-1~getdeb1_i386.deb
and
dpkg -i teewars_0.3.4-1~getdeb1_i386.deb
Secret Maryo Chronicles is an Open Source two-dimensional platform game with a style designed similar to classic sidescroller games. Secret Maryo Chronicles is a clone of the Classic "Mario bros" game . It features number of levels and stages , attractive sound and graphics and in game editor . Though not exactly small (the entire installation of Secret Maryo Chronicles was 58 megabytes download on my system ), still game is fun filled 2d side scroller with impressive graphics and sound hence i have included it in this list .
To install Secret Maryo Chronicles type in the following command in the terminal window
sudo apt-get install smc
and
sudo apt-get install smc-data
Secret Maryo Chronicles in Action :) Really cute graphics
15.
Bomberman Clone
This is a Bomberman like game. You have to drop bombs which will be explode after a while. With this bombs you have to try to kill the other players. If you are the last player in the game you have won. To install type the following command in the terminal window : -
sudo apt-get install bomberclone
After completing above step launch it by typing "bomberclone" in the terminal window
Screenshots of Bomberclone
16.
Wormux
Have the mascots of your favorite free softwares battle in the Wormux arena. Using dynamite, grenades, baseball bat and others bazookas,... exterminate your opponent in a 2D toon style scenery and a funny environment.
Each player (2 minimum on the same PC or network game with 0.8 version) controls the team of his choice (penguin, gnu, firefox, wilber,...) and must destroy his adversary using more or less casual weapons.
Although a minimum of strategy is required to vanquish, Wormux is pre-eminently a "convivial mass murder" game where, turn by turn, each member of each team attempts to produce a maximum of damage to his opponents.
To install type the following command in terminal window : -
sudo apt-get install wormux
and then go to (Applications -> Games -> Wormux ) to launch the game .
17.
Frozen BubbleGet rid of all the bubbles by matching colors as quick as you can!
To install type the following command in the terminal window .
sudo apt-get install frozen-bubble
After completing above step launch frozen-bubble from (
Applications -> Games -> Frozen Bubble )
18.
AirstrikeAirstrike is a 2d dogfight game in the tradition of the Intellivision and
Amiga games Biplanes and BIP. It features a robust physics engine and
several other extensions of the original games Airstrike is a 2d dogfighting game with attractive graphics and sounds . Though still in development the game is attractive and fun enough to be featured here .
To install airstrike type in the following command in the terminal window :
sudo apt-get install airstrike
and after completing the installation launch airstrike from (
Applications -> Games -> Airstrike )
19.
Frenesia Frenesia is a fun and addictive retro arcade Shoot em Up game with attractive graphics and cd quality sound . Objective of the game is to shoot aliens and collect bonusses and progress to the next level .
To install frenesia type the following command in the terminal window :
wget -c http://www.macgamesandmore.com/linux/files/frenesialinux.tgz
and
tar xvzf frenesialinux.tgz
and
cd FrenesiaLinux
and finally to run the game :
./FrenesiaLinux
Frenesia in action
20. Abes Amazing Adventure
Abes Amazing Adventure is a scrolling, platform-jumping, key-collecting, ancient pyramid exploring game, vaguely in the style of similar games for the Commodore+4. The game is very similar to the earlier dos and commodore based games in graphics and sound .
To install this game type in the following command in the terminal window :
wget http://neacm.fe.up.pt/pub/getdeb/ab/abe_1.1-2~getdeb1_i386.deb
and
wget http://neacm.fe.up.pt/pub/getdeb/ab/abe-data_1.1-2~getdeb1_all.deb
After downloading the files we need to install them too which we can do with these commands :
sudo dpkg -i abe-data_1.1-2~getdeb1_all.deb
sudo dpkg -i abe_1.1-2~getdeb1_i386.deb
After completing the above step launch Abes Amazing Adventure (
Applications -> Games -> Abe)
Screenshots of game Abes Amazing Adventure
21. Rocks n Diamonds
Rocks n Diamonds is a Boulderd*sh game for X11 with more than just the falling rocks and diamonds of its namesake. The object is still to collect all the diamonds (and emeralds), then get to the exit before time runs out. But your character must make use of bombs, spaceships, and many other elements in order to fill his quota of jewels.
Installation : -
Type the following command in the terminal window
wget http://www.artsoft.org/RELEASES/unix/rocksndiamonds/rocksndiamonds-3.2.0.tar.gz
and
tar -xvzf rocksndiamonds-3.2.0.tar.gz
Now go to rocksndiamonds-3.2.0 directory and type
" ./rocksndiamonds "
22. Super Tux
SuperTux is a jumpn run like game, with strong inspiration from the Super Mario Bros games for Nintendo. Run and jump through multiple worlds, fighting off enemies by jumping on them or bumping them from below. Grabbing power-ups and other stuff on the way.
To install Super Tux type the following command in the terminal window .
sudo apt-get install supertux
after completing above step run supertux from (Applications -> Games -> Super Tux )
23 Playing classic DOS games with DOSBOX
DOSBOX allows you to run your old dos programs under Linux , DOSBOX provides a full featured dos environment inside your ubuntu box . DOSBOX allows running of DOS programs in Linux and Windows.
To install DOSBOX type the following command in the Console Window (Applications -> Accesories -> Terminal)
sudo apt-get install dosbox
