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MrFlibble 04-11-2012 04:39 PM

Free alternatives to classic games
 
Just as the title suggests, this is an attempt to list free games that very closely follow a well-known product or franchise and can thus serve as an alternative to that particular game. These are mostly non-commercial projects, but some shareware games are also included.

What I have not included on the list are multiplayer-only games, browser-based games, and all kinds of free-to-play and "freemium" online products. I have also tried not to include projects that make use of original assets like graphics and sounds (unless authorized by original copyright holders, as is the case of T2002), so games like Mortal Kombat Project, Gods Deluxe or Return of the Triad are not on the list. Another thing out of the scope of this list are engine recreations that require original game assets to work.

Any further suggestions as to what games qualify as free alternatives are more than welcome :)

Update from 2022/02/10: A complete overhaul of the lists, using new groupings, which are hopefully more informative.

1. Original engine + free/libre game data
These are games based on the original code of their inspirations. Often, a free/libre game data set (levels, graphics, music) is created as a replacement for the original proprietary game data, while the playing mechanics remain the same, but sometimes, other aspects of gameplay undergo considerable alterations, which is reflected by the [mod] suffix in the list below.

In some cases, the source code/engine is still not public, but has been provided by owners to the community so that new free games or mods may be created.

Yet another case when the code is not available are various game construction sets that allow users to freely distribute games created with them. These are marked with the [toolkit] suffix.

AbuseAlien ShooterThe Bard's TaleCrayon PhysicsDoom IIDuke Nukem 3DFreespace 2HereticHovertank 3DLethal TenderQuakeQuake IIQuake III ArenaSteel PanthersSteel Panthers II: Modern BattlesSuper-VGA HarrierThe Ultimate DoomWolfenstein 3-D
2. Engine recreation + free/libre game data
Very similar to the above, but the original game source is not available in any form, so an attempt is made to recreate it from scratch and/or by means of reverse engineering. Usually such projects start by requiring the original game's data, and then a free/libre replacement data set is created by the community.

In some rare cases, the author of a recreation received permission from the copyright holders of the emulated game to use original proprietary game data, characters, title etc. These projects are marked with the [authr] suffix in the list.

AtomixThe Bard's Tale Construction SetChip's ChallengeCommand & Conquer: Red AlertCommander Keen (second trilogy)Digger (Windmill Software)Flight Sim ToolkitM.A.X.Panzer GeneralSupaplexTotal AnnihilationTransport Tycoon DeluxeUFO: Enemy UnknownWarcraft II
3. Clones and remakes that faithfully recreate original mechanics
This is likely the most common type, with many projects being not only accurate reproductions of the original game mechanics, but often also trying to follow the original "look & feel" of their inspirations. At least some of these projects are motivated by the desire to create a FOSS alternative to a proprietary game for Linux users, or to fill in what is perceived as an empty niche for modern platforms.

Note that some of these games actually make rather drastic changes compared to the original titles they emulate, such as the transition to 3D graphics from 2D, or a cosmetic/thematic overhaul by using free software mascots as game characters for example.

A-TrainAge of EmpiresAlien BreedAnno seriesArkanoidBattle Isle IIBlockOutBloodBombermanBoulder DashBust-a-Move/Puzzle BobbleCarrier CommandCastlevania 2Civilisation VColumnsCommand & ConquerCrimsonlandD/GenerationDiabloDoomDuke Nukem 1Dungeon KeeperElasto ManiaEliteEmpire DeluxeEscape VelocityForgotten Realms: Unlimited AdventuresThe Great Giana SistersHerzog ZweiHomeworldKing's Quest seriesKnights and MerchantsLemmingsLode RunnerThe Lords of MidnightThe Lost VikingsMagic CarpetMaster of MonstersMaster of OrionMechwarrior seriesMinecraftMortal KombatNibblesOutRunOxydPac-ManPanzer General IIPuzznicRise of the TriadRPG MakerSecret AgentSensible (World of) SoccerThe Settlers IIThe Settlers of CatanSid Meier's Civilisation/Civilisation IISid Meier's ColonisationSimCitySolarFoxSonic the HedgehogStar Wars: TIE FighterStarCraftStars!StuntsSuper HexagonSuper Mario Bros.Super Monkey BallTetrisThief: The Dark ProjectTotal AnnihilationTrailblazerTransport TycoonTruggTurrican IIUltima IUltima IV-VUltima VIWarcraft IIWarlords II DeluxeWing CommanderWizardry VIIWormsX-COM/UFO

RRS 05-11-2012 01:41 AM

Oh my, so many titles, I don't know where to start :omg:
Quote:

Originally Posted by MrFlibble (Post 447110)
FlightGear

Thanks, that was new to me. Why don't you mention it in flightsimmers thread I started on that other forum?

Scatty 05-11-2012 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrFlibble (Post 447110)

Actually I have full versions of both games above. Since the original company behind the game series doesn't seem to exist anymore and there seem to be (to my knowledge, maybe GOG?) no copyright holders for them, I could upload both to 4Shared for better linking, if that's ok with admins.

The Fifth Horseman 05-11-2012 11:26 AM

Robot Odyssey
* DroidQuest: http://mysite.verizon.net/thomasfoote/DQ/index.htm
* Gate: http://quinndunki.com/OGOL/GATE.html

SpiDoL 05-11-2012 04:38 PM

I know this won't fit your list because it uses "original assets", but a long time ago I uploaded a fan-made remake of DOOM 64 to a freeware game site. The trick was that I used FREEDOOM.WAD to power the game instead of DOOM2.WAD, and it still works!

Link:
http://www.caiman.us/scripts/fw/f3391.html

P.S. There's a better fan-made remake out there now called DOOM 64 EX, which is more faithful to the original game and also has multiplayer support. I can't provide a precompiled package for this one though, as it requires the original N64 ROM to be converted into a DOOM WAD.

MrFlibble 05-11-2012 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RRS (Post 447115)
Why don't you mention it in flightsimmers thread I started on that other forum?

Which one?

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Fifth Horseman (Post 447120)

Thanks! I think I've heard of Robot Odyssey but never played it. BTW, this made me remember some other strategy/puzzle game involving robots or something, I think the title has the word "Planet" in it. Anyway, that game also has a freeware enhanced remake (or an "inspired by" game).

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpiDoL (Post 447125)
I know this won't fit your list because it uses "original assets", but a long time ago I uploaded a fan-made remake of DOOM 64 to a freeware game site. The trick was that I used FREEDOOM.WAD to power the game instead of DOOM2.WAD, and it still works!

I know about the Doom 64: Absolution project, and I thought that it should work with Freedoom's version of DOOM2.WAD. Are you part of the development team?

SpiDoL 05-11-2012 07:47 PM

Quote:

I know about the Doom 64: Absolution project, and I thought that it should work with Freedoom's version of DOOM2.WAD. Are you part of the development team?
Unfortunately no. All I did was, where the game said to place DOOM2.WAD, I placed the FREEDOOM WAD instead, and it still worked.

MrFlibble 05-11-2012 11:39 PM

I'm not surprised that it worked since it is my understanding that from the start the Freedoom project was intended for running mods and TCs.

It's also very similar to the way the DOS full version of HacX (v1.1) can be run without the original DOOM2.WAD. HacX v1.2 uses assets from Freedoom in its main IWAD to substitute for the files (like the main palette) that it would originally read from DOOM2.WAD.

RRS 06-11-2012 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrFlibble (Post 447128)
Which one?

http://www.mobygames.com/forums/dga,2/dgb,5/dgm,170269/
Others are welcome as well.

Tomekk 07-11-2012 02:33 PM

Quote:

Unreal series
Just... no. The Cube games are basically an engine with textures and models randomly slapped together into barely playable maps to showcase it's capability, last time I checked. <.<


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