Games
From NixOS Wiki
Games
Games in nixpkgs
- List of existing games in nixpkgs: This nixpkgs source directory contains hundreds of games that are ready to play via Nix or on NixOS.
- Prefer a search interface? Check the Nixpkgs "game" keyword in NixOS Search.
- The nix-gaming repository also has packages for specific game and launcher packages.
Workarounds
Games that aren't yet available in nixpkgs can be played by other means, including but not limited to:
steam-run
as described in Steam or by installing it then runningsteam-run $GAME
orsteam-run ./$GAME
.- Adding
programs.nix-ld = { enable = true; libraries = pkgs.steam-run.fhsenv.args.multiPkgs pkgs; };
to your configuration to run nearly any binary by including all of the libraries used by Steam. (Source) appimage-run
as described in Appimage.- Distrobox to virtualize an OS that has a package for your game.
Open source games and their status on NixOS
This table lists a curated selection of open source games which have a package available, in progress, requested, or not found in nixpkgs.
Name | Category | nixpkg Status | Short Description |
---|---|---|---|
0 A.D. | Strategy, Historical | Available | Historical real-time strategy game. |
Armagetron Advanced | Arcade, Racing | Available | A multiplayer Tron-like lightcycle racing game. |
Battle for Wesnoth | Strategy, Turn-based | Available | Turn-based strategy game with fantasy themes. |
Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead | Survival, Rogue-like | Available | Post-apocalyptic survival game. |
Endless Sky | Space simulation, RPG | Available | Explore a universe with different factions and ships. |
FreeCiv | Strategy, Turn-based | Available | Civilization-building strategy game. |
FreeDoom | FPS | Not found | Free alternative to the Doom series. |
GZDoom | FPS | Available | A feature-centric port for all Doom engine games, based on ZDoom, adding an OpenGL renderer and powerful scripting capabilities |
Mindustry | Strategy, Sandbox | Available | Sandbox tower defense game. |
OpenRA | Strategy, RTS | Available | Open-source implementation of Command & Conquer. |
OpenTTD | Simulation, Management | Available | Business simulation game based on Transport Tycoon Deluxe. |
Shattered Pixel Dungeon | Rogue-like, RPG | Available | Rogue-like dungeon crawler with pixel graphics. |
SuperTuxKart | Arcade, Racing | Available | Kart racing game (like Super Mario Kart) featuring Tux and friends. |
The Dark Mod | Stealth, FPS | Requested | Stealth game inspired by the Thief series. |
Veloren | RPG, Sandbox | In progress | Multiplayer voxel RPG set in a procedurally generated world. |
Xonotic | FPS, Arena shooter | Available | Fast-paced multiplayer shooter. |
Game launchers
Application | Wiki Article | Platform | Remarks | Package Names |
---|---|---|---|---|
DOSBox | DOSBox | DOS applications and games | dosbox and variants (Package search)
| |
Heroic | Heroic | Epic, GOG, Prime Gaming, Wine | heroic , heroic-unwrapped (Package search)
| |
Itch.io | Itch.io | Itch.io applications and games | itch (Package search)
| |
Legendary | Legendary | Epic | legendary-gl (Package search)
| |
Lutris | Lutris | EA App, Epic, Flatpak, GOG, Humble Bundle, Steam, Ubisoft Connect, Wine | lutris , lutris-free , lutris-unwrapped (Package search)
| |
Steam | Steam | Steam | Windows games work fine. Linux games are often incompatible due to how NixOS works. | steam , steam-small (Package search)
|
Rare | Rare | Epic (as GUI for Legendary) | rare (Package search)
| |
Wine | Wine | Windows applications and games | Often easier to use Lutris to install scripts for Wine applications and game. | wine and variants (Package search)
|
Resources
Free, libre, open source games
- open-source-games list on Github by bobeff
- 50 highest rated (by stars on Github) playable open source games in the database
- "LibreGameWiki, the libre, opensource and free games encyclopedia"
- reddit.com/r/linux list of free games
- LGames - open source games for Linux
- Source ports: Open Source Game Clones