Gaming for free on a low end laptop
Posted on January 2, 2011 by Jingles | No Comments
I need to start saving some cash. By that I mean I really need stop buying games apart from anything HL/Portal related they are the exceptions to the rule. I have brought games, because they were cheap (Steam… yeah) and looked good, then only played them for a short while before I got bored of them thus wasting money. So with that in mind I set out to find the crème de le crème of free games (without resorting to piraaaarrrrcy or abandonware) that would still run on a laptop or any modest computer. So I did a bunch of “research”, by research I mean I downloaded, installed, and played a shit load of games to bring you some of the most superlative games available available sans the cash requirement.
Supaplex
It’s the best Boulder Dash clone… EVER! Period. There are 111 levels to beat and a bunch of extra levels and level editors available to make your own levels should you be ninja enough to beat all 111 levels. It might not have the best graphics by today’s standards but it was made in 1991, back then it was pretty polished. It’s the game play that makes Supaplex so great, it’s simple to play but hard to master. I guarantee you that Supaplex will frustrate you but you will keep going back to it like a fly to shit.
Spelunky
In most games if you die you keep trying until you run out of cake (which is a lie BTW), or pass which ever comes first. Not in Spelunky if you die you will start in a brand new cave each time which helps keep the game fresh, interesting and exciting and all sorts of other adjectives. The game is simple enough, you explore caves, collect gold an jewels, avoid traps and enemies, rescue damsels in distress and get to the exit in one piece with the aid of various tools like bombs, ropes, guns and more. Think Indina Jones. Spelunky is full of surprises that will keep you hooked. Be prepared to die lots, curse heaps and get frustrated loads.
Games don’t always have to have the best graphics to be good, what they do have to have is good game play which what makes Supaplex and Spelunky so great despite the modest graphics.
But be warned this game is like crack!
OpenTyrian
A blast from the past. Tyrian is (in my books) a classic. Tyrian is just plain fun, shoot the crap out of everything that moves or doesn’t move and collect money to upgrade your shields and weapons and build yourself a mean bad boy gangsta ship of destruction. That is in the normal game mode. There is also an arcade mode which is great fun if you are looking to kill a bit of time.
Jason Emery generously gave (big ups Jason!) the OpenTyrian developers a copy of the Tyrian 2.1 source code, which has since been ported from Turbo Pascal to C. The port uses SDL, making it cross-platform compatible. And when they say cross-platform they mean cross-platform, there are builds for Android, Amiga, Dingoo, Dreamcast, DS, GameCube, Gizmondo, GP2X, GP32, Nokia Internet Tablets, PSP, PS3 Linux, Symbian, Wii, and Wiz. Some of those platforms I have never heard of!
Note: If you are installing Open Tyrian in Windows you will need to first download the Tyrian 2.1 data files, and the Windows build and extract all the files in both zip files to the same directory then your good to play.
N
If you are old enough to remember Lode Runner N will give you flashbacks. Lode Runner was awesome, so is N. Nuff said. If you are you are ninja enough to beat N and still want more then there are plenty of extra levels available at http://www.nmaps.net/. If you suck at N you could make your own levels with the built in level editor and make them easy to beat. N was originally a flash game, N was so successful that it has been released for the PC, Mac, Linux, Xbox, PSP and the DS. Another popper cross-platform game.
Battle for Wesnoth
Think: free version of Heroes of might and Magic. If you dig turn based strategy games then you will love Battle for Wesnoth. a… turn-based tactical strategy game with a high fantasy theme in the same vein as Heroes of Might and Magic. There is a bit of a learning curve involved but it’s made easier with tutorials that make the game easier and more fun to learn. Available for Windows, Linux, MacOSX and even Apples iPhone.
OpenTTD
It’s Transport Tycoon Deluxe on steroids. TTD was an already awesome game, the OpenTTD developers have gone and turned up the awesomeness level and made an awesome game a bunch more awesome. Did I mention that OpenTTD is awesome? Yeah it is. OpenTTD adds a bucket (and a fricking huge bucket) load of new features like:
- Bigger maps
- Larger, non-uniform stations and the ability to join them together
- Mammoth and multi-headed trains
- Different configurable models for acceleration of vehicles
- Longer and higher bridges inc. several new designs, plus fully flexible tracks/roads under bridges
And more, the list goes on. In fact there are so many new features you may have to learn how to play the game again! Just as well there is a game play Wiki to help you get back up to speed with the new features.
OpenTTD is still under active development and is truly cross-platform compatible, you can run it on *BSD, especially FreeBSD, NetBSD and OpenBSD, Linux, Solaris, Windows 95 / 98 / ME / 2000 / XP / Vista / 7.
Super Mario Bros. X
Super Mario Bros. X is what you get when you mash up Super Mario 1, 2, 3 and World. Who doesn’t love a good mashup? With 5 playable characters, 50 levels, a level editor, a bunch of power ups like Ice Flower, Hammer Suit, Tanooki Suit and more plus 2 player co-op I can’t see what’s not to love about Super Mario Bros. X.
Cave story
Part platform, part shooter, part adventure and part RPG and all a little bit weird but still fun. I don’t really know what the story is, so just enjoy this one for what it is. Note: you will need to install Cave Story then install the ‘engrish’ language pack.
Never judge a book by it’s cover or a game by it’s name, if you did you would probably passup this lil gem as a simple maze game. At it’s most basic TATM is a platformer/maze game. To simply say it’s a platformer or maze game wouldn’t do TATM justice. You have to find your way out of a maze, sounds simple enough but it’s not as straight forward as it sounds. There are obsticals to avoid, some of which are deadly while you solve simple puzzles. On your journey you will learn new skills that will help you as well as helpers that will give you tips along the way. This one is best played in short sessions otherwise something will get broken, guaranteed.
GTA/GTA2
Why is it so awesome? Do I really need to tell you why GTA/GTA2 is so awesome? If you have to be told then he-man bitch lap your self right now! Rockstar has been good enough to release these two classic games for free.
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I'm Jingles, I'm like the Keith Miller of geeks, i.e. an all rounder, I'm a web scientist, an A+ certified (it means I'm not a “noob”) computer technician, and this is my blog. I'm your curator of all things awesome, cool and geeky on and off the net. More...
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