Gifts for Gamers: Some End-of-Year Recommendations, Part 4

Adventure

MDDClone-SDL

Free, 2D or activated 3D graphics, http://www.elwico.pl/~ender-sz/mercenary/mddclone-sdl

MDDClone-SDL is a pretty exact clone of the game Mercenary. Like the adventure game from 1986, the player makes an emergency landing on a lonely planet. To escape, he has to survey the planet and solve a handful of puzzles.

Like its predecessor, MDDCLone is extensively made of minimalist wireframe art.

Monster 2

BSD license, activated 3D graphics, http://nooskewl.com/node/29

The role-playing game wants to resurrect the first Final Fantasy game. At least the low resolution graphics bring back the old charm very well.

Sport

CarArena

Unknown license, activated 3D graphics, http://www.izedesign.it/cararena/index_eng.html

This uncomplicated auto racing game looks nice, but under Linux runs just a bit better than unconvincingly. The player runs his little race car on different courses.

The CarArena graphics look better in photos than in movement.

Blobby Volley 2

GPL, activated 3D graphics, http://sourceforge.net/projects/blobby

As its name indicates, this game is dedicated to beach volleyball, although it's two Jello figures who are the players.

Two Jello-like figures are the main players in Blobby Volley 2

Out of the Park Baseball

Commercial, 2D graphics, http://www.ootpdevelopments.com

The player takes on the role of baseball trainer and team manager. With some clever planning and player acquisitions, you can bring your team to some successful championships.

Out of the Park (OOTP) Baseball is a game for statistics mavens.

Billiards

GPL, activated 3D graphics, http://www.nongnu.org/billiards

The visually appealing billiards simulator provides eightball, nineball and carom versions.

Action

Ostrich Riders

GPLv3, http://sourceforge.net/projects/ostrichriders

The skill game is an adaptation of the somewhat wacky arcade game Joust, that emptied pockets around 1982. An ostrich-riding knight has to defeat enemy combatants riding giant vultures. The key is to hold your lance higher than that of your opponent.

BOH

Commercial, 2D graphics, http://www.bohthegame.com

In the action game BOH you guide your well-armed hero through dark halls and dungeons to face your ultimate enemy, somewhat as in Alien Breed. With its minimalist graphics it also competes for the retro charm title.

A flashlight leads the BOH warrior through dark passages.

Blob Wars: Blob and Conquer

Free, activated 3D graphics, http://hrocksndiamondsttp://www.parallelrealities.co.uk/projects/blobAndConquer.php

In this crazed shooter game you control a small yellow ball that is fighting its way through a dark maze. Little puzzles loosen up the game.

Euro1943

Free, activated 3D graphics, http://greg-kennedy.com/nwserver/index.php?cat=games&sub=euro1943

The game offers a mix of real-time strategy with action. The goal is to take over strategic map locations with your troops, not losing sight of the supplies you need.

Kuklomenos

Free, 2D graphics, http://mbays.freeshell.org/kuklomenos

An abstract, short duration and uncomplicated shooter game for afternoon breaks, somewhere between Centipede and Starship Command.

Kuklomenos is a shooter game of a somewhat different flavor.

C-Type

Free, activated 3D graphics, http://c-type.sourceforge.net

A simple shoot-em-up game where opponents explode only if they're the same color as your bullets.