When I first started using Linux (Ubuntu in my case) 14 years ago, gaming was just one of those things you couldn’t do as much of. Windows was the ultimate OS for gaming. While Windows is still leading with regards to how many games are available for it — Linux has made progress. The games mentioned herein can be played directly on Linux without Wine (Windows Emulator), or having to set up any other form of emulator.
I have (at least) briefly played all of the following games to see what they are like on a desktop with an i3-8100 CPU, 12GB of RAM and an Intel HD 630 graphics adapter, so these games aren’t terribly demanding from a resource standpoint. Some of them (like Counterstrike: GO) didn’t have the highest possible framerate, but still ran comfortably. I didn’t have any actual frame rate data, so i’ll just tell you how they felt. I played the following games on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS.
Bear in mind that the frame rate (which correlates to how smoothly it runs) and graphics comments below are only pertinent to my PC, just to show that average PCs can run these games reasonably well. The graphics and frame rates of these games are much better than what I stated if played on higher-end PCs (most notably PCs with better GPUs).
SuperTuxKart
Frame rate: Excellent.
Price: Free.
Graphics: Good, colourful, somewhat refreshing.
SuperTuxKart is an open-source 3D arcade racing game for Linux which lets you choose from several different animals with go-karts, as well as many different environments to race in. It’s available for Windows, Mac, and Linux and doesn’t hold you back with its frame rate. It’s very simple (in a good way), fun, and straightforward.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (GO)
Frame rate: Reasonable.
Price: Free.
Graphics: Very good.
Counter-Strike: GO is a highly popular multiplayer first person shooter (FPS) game co-developed by Valve and Hidden Path Entertainment, which may be obtained via Steam on Linux. If you’re one of the many Counter-Strike: GO players that wants to switch to Linux, you’ll feel right at home!
Xonotic
Frame Rate: Superb.
Price: Free.
Graphics: Good.
Xonotic is a free, open-source first person shooter game with high caliber graphics and lots of adventure. It runs beautifully on average hardware without having to reduce graphics quality settings. You’ll feel as if you have a $1,500 gaming PC!
0 AD
Frame rate: Very good.
Price: Free.
Graphics: Good.
0 AD is a real-time strategy game in which you can build up your own economy, army, buildings, among other things. If you liked Empire Earth or Age Of Empires, you might like this game too.
Neon Drive
Frame rate: Good (great on Medium graphics quality).
Price: $10.
Graphics: Colourful, 80’s style, bright contrasting colours.
Neon Drive is an 80s-style arcade game in which you dodge obstacles as you’re driving. It is fast-paced and requires an excellent level of focus and coordination. I’m going to see if it can help me to improve those things!
Terraria
Frame rate: Excellent.
Price: Varies (Approximately $11 CDN).
Graphics: Basic, but the game is still interesting. It also runs well on cheap hardware. This one really does remind me of Super Mario World. It looks simple, but there is a lot going on in this game, lots you can do, and various environments!
Euro Truck Simulator 2
Frame rate: Good.
Price: Varies. It was on sale for $5 the last time I checked.
Graphics: Excellent.
Euro Truck simulator 2 is a truck driving game in which you can take jobs delivering cargo with your tractor trailer. You get paid for the cargo, sustain real damage that you have to pay for, deadlines, it has stop lights, and you have to abide by various rules so as to not damage other peoples’ vehicles or property. It appears to be extremely realistic with regards to it’s difficulty and graphics. You can see every little detail very clearly, even the movement of each lug nut on the wheel!
