Top 15 Best Free Games to play on Ubuntu / Linux Mint

As linux is becoming popular more and more games are becoming available for the platform. And lots of them are already available on ubuntu.

In this post lets check out some of the most popular games on Ubuntu that are really entertaining and fun to play. Enjoy them in your free time.

1. SuperTuxKart - Racing Game

Supertuxkart is a racing game for linux. Works well on Ubuntu. Has good graphics and many tracks to choose from.
Other features including hitting other players with pancakes and big rocks. Overall is a fun. But does not have multiplayer option.

Project website
http://supertuxkart.sourceforge.net/

Install on Ubuntu

sudo apt-get install supertuxkart

Screenshots

2. Extreme Tux Racer - Puzzle Solving cum Racing

Extreme Tux Racer is more of a puzzle solving game rather than racing games. Collect various items on the tracks to increase points.

Project website
http://www.extremetuxracer.com/

Install on Ubuntu

$ sudo apt-get install extremetuxracer

3. TORCS - The Open Racing Car Simulator - Racing Game

Project website:
http://torcs.sourceforge.net/

Install on ubuntu

sudo apt-get install torcs

4. Speed Dreams - Racing Game

Speed Dreams is a racing game similar to TORCS.

Project website
http://www.speed-dreams.org/

Install on ubuntu

$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:speed-dreams/ppa
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install speed-dreams

5. Frozen Bubble - Puzzle Solving

Frozen bubble is one the classic linux game that has been around for a very long time. Its a puzzle game where you throw matching colored frozen bubble at each other to make them fall. There is a tux on the ground who throws the bubble up. This game even supports multiplayer.

Project website
http://www.frozen-bubble.org/

Install on ubuntu

sudo apt-get install frozen-bubble

6. Alien Arena - FPS

Alient Arena is a shooting game similar to openarena and similar ones. Controls and graphics are good.

Project Website
http://red.planetarena.org/

Install on Ubuntu

sudo apt-get install alienarena

Check out this video of Alien Arena

7. Open Arena - FPS

OpenArena is a FPS game similar to Quake Arena of Windows. Good graphics and easy controls. But as usual these games are very violent.

Project website
http://www.openarena.ws/

Install on Ubuntu

$ sudo apt-get install openarena

8. Xonotic - FPS

Xonotic is also an FPS game similar to quake/alien arena. Free to download and play.

Project website
http://www.xonotic.org/

Download from
http://dl.xonotic.org/xonotic-0.6.0.zip

The same zip file contains executable for all platforms. Extract the zip file and run a suitable executable file for the platform. For example "xonotic-linux64-sdl" for 64 bit ubuntu.

If you experience flickering, then try disabling opengl on the settings > video page.

9. Cube 2 : Sauerbraten

An FPS game similar to openarena etc. Has beautifully designed maps which are more colorful than the other fps games. Cross platform game available for windows, linux and mac.

Project website
http://sauerbraten.org/

To install download from website and extract.

10. NeverBall - 3D floor tilting game

This is an interesting puzzle game where you have to guide a ball by controlling the floor underneath. The ball must move in all directions to collect the coins.

Project website
http://www.neverball.org/

Install on ubuntu

sudo apt-get install neverball

11. Nexuiz

Nexuiz is an FPS game very similar to Xonotic.

Project website
http://www.alientrap.org/games/nexuiz

Install on Ubuntu

sudo apt-get install nexuiz

12. Secret Maryo Chronicles - Adventure

Secret Maryo Chronicles is a super mario style 2D game that works very well on Ubuntu. Graphics are cool and the game is very entertaining.

Project website
http://www.secretmaryo.org/

Install on ubuntu

sudo apt-get install smc

Check out this video of mario

13. Super Tux 2 - A classic Mario style game

SuperTux 2 is also a 2d classic super mario style game, with the tux in place of mario.

Install from Synaptic Package Manager

Project website
http://supertux.lethargik.org/

Install on ubuntu

$ sudo apt-get install supertux

14. 0 A.D. - Strategy

Now here comes a big one. 0 A.D is the "Age of Empires" of Linux, although it is a cross platform game available for all major OSes. The game is not yet complete and is in alpha stage, however it can be played and enjoyed. The buildings are much more graphics intensive, and trees and other elements appear much more realistic. Also when moving across the map, elements nearer grow big in size and those at distance appear smaller, giving the graphics a much more realistic appearance.

It is so far my most favorite game on ubuntu, and by the time it is complete it would be more engaging and entertaining that what it is now.

Project website
http://www.wildfiregames.com/0ad/

Install on ubuntu

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:wfg/0ad
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install 0ad

Check out this video to get a more detailed view of the game

15. Robombs - 3D bomber man

This is a fun game Robombs is a multiplayer game similar to Bomberman of the old tv video games.

Project website
http://jpct.de/robombs.game/

Download robombs.zip from

http://jpct.de/robombs.game/download/
http://jpct.de/download/robombs.zip

1. Extract the contents to a directory
2. Make Robombs.sh executable by doing right click > properties and make executable.
3. Run Robombs.sh

Video