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Pardon the dust! This page includes some jargon that hasn't been added to the site's glossary yet. I'll be around to fix this later, but sorry for the inconvenience in the meantime. |
Review: SuperTux
At a Glance
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How to Save and Pause:Your progress is automatically recorded after each level, but there's no way to save in the middle of one. To pause the game, bring up the game's menu by pressing ESC. Time needed per session:Plan on playing for at least ten minutes, as you'll probably want to clear a few levels in a single session.
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Does this game pose issues for Christian players?
 | No - this is a great game for Christians Like other platformers, this is a fairly tame game with some very mild violence and the occasional spooky level, so there's nothing to really be concerned about. |
Screenshots
![[view screenshot]](../images/screenshots/supertux_0.jpg)
![[view screenshot]](../images/screenshots/supertux_1.jpg)
![[view screenshot]](../images/screenshots/supertux_2.jpg)
Game Overview
Normally, I wait until a game has reached its first official release before I take the time to review it. Doing otherwise feels like I'm grading an exam while the student is still writing down their answers. But, I'm going to make an exception for SuperTux. This popular open source game has been a labor of love for almost twenty years; as such, it's likely that it will always be getting new content, and never really be "completed".
At first glance, SuperTux looks like a simple clone of Super Mario Bros, with the famous Nintendo icons being swapped out for generic baddies and the Linux mascot. While that may have been the original idea, it's more than just a clone these days. True, the main powerups make Tux grow larger and give him the ability to toss fireballs like our favorite plumbers, but the fireball powerup is actually cumulative - as Tux collects more fire flowers, he can throw more fireballs. There are also Wind Flowers that let Tux jump very high, Earth Flowers that give him a hat with a light on it, and Ice Flowers that give him the power to freeze his enemies.
Speaking of enemies, players will also encounter a number of enemies that are unique to this series. Most of them are animate snowballs, but you'll also find mysterious ghosts, angry bushes, and you can even find piranhas in the water. Currently, there are even two unique bosses for you to try your luck against - a yeti and an evil tree. The latter looks like it's not quite finished yet, but it's still something the creators made from whole cloth. On the other hand, the main antagonist Nolok has yet to enter the game itself, making it impossible to truly conclude the main quest.
Now you might be saying, if there's a "main" quest, then it's only logical for there to be "side" quests, and you'd be right. Players can make their own levels using the in-game level editor, and there's also a large collection of community made content available to download and play. Some of these worlds even feature complete storylines that end with Tux finally reuniting with Penny. There's even a levelset that takes a dig at Microsoft; something that was very common among Linux programs in the early 2000s.
So although this might not be a "finished" game in the usual sense, there's a lot going on here that's worth checking out - especially if you enjoy platformers. Even better, since it's open source, it's also completely free and can be enjoyed by anyone on almost any operating system.
At first glance, SuperTux looks like a simple clone of Super Mario Bros, with the famous Nintendo icons being swapped out for generic baddies and the Linux mascot. While that may have been the original idea, it's more than just a clone these days. True, the main powerups make Tux grow larger and give him the ability to toss fireballs like our favorite plumbers, but the fireball powerup is actually cumulative - as Tux collects more fire flowers, he can throw more fireballs. There are also Wind Flowers that let Tux jump very high, Earth Flowers that give him a hat with a light on it, and Ice Flowers that give him the power to freeze his enemies.
Speaking of enemies, players will also encounter a number of enemies that are unique to this series. Most of them are animate snowballs, but you'll also find mysterious ghosts, angry bushes, and you can even find piranhas in the water. Currently, there are even two unique bosses for you to try your luck against - a yeti and an evil tree. The latter looks like it's not quite finished yet, but it's still something the creators made from whole cloth. On the other hand, the main antagonist Nolok has yet to enter the game itself, making it impossible to truly conclude the main quest.
Now you might be saying, if there's a "main" quest, then it's only logical for there to be "side" quests, and you'd be right. Players can make their own levels using the in-game level editor, and there's also a large collection of community made content available to download and play. Some of these worlds even feature complete storylines that end with Tux finally reuniting with Penny. There's even a levelset that takes a dig at Microsoft; something that was very common among Linux programs in the early 2000s.
So although this might not be a "finished" game in the usual sense, there's a lot going on here that's worth checking out - especially if you enjoy platformers. Even better, since it's open source, it's also completely free and can be enjoyed by anyone on almost any operating system.
Points of Interest
Plenty of exploring to do
Many levels contain secret areas. While you're probably expecting to find these hidden areas by jumping into a pipe, this game prefers to hide its surprises behind walls. When you enter one of these hidden areas, the fake walls around Tux will disappear, allowing you to see the treasures within. Some of these areas also function as alternative exits, leading you on a new path or giving you access to new locations.
Helpfully, the overworld map shows how many secrets are in a level as well as how many secrets you've already found. Thus, if you see something on the map that looks like an inaccessible level, try scouting the nearby levels for a secret exit.
Helpfully, the overworld map shows how many secrets are in a level as well as how many secrets you've already found. Thus, if you see something on the map that looks like an inaccessible level, try scouting the nearby levels for a secret exit.
No lives system
It's pretty common for Platformers to limit how many times you can retry a level before you're forced to forfeit the game. Usually, they use a lives system; every time you fail, you lose a life, and the game ends when you have no lives remaining. Instead of following this formula, this game allows you to start levels from the beginning as many times as you like. There are also checkpoints within most levels, though you'll be charged some of your coins to restart from there. Since coins are otherwise completely worthless, this isn't much of an inconvenience.
Could still use some polish
Players may encounter some lag when the game loads in an asset for the first time, but this is largely ignorable. A bigger problem lies with the game's collision detection, which doesn't always seem to line up with what's happening. This is a particularly annoying issue with the yeti, as you're supposed to jump on him, and more often than not, the game thinks you're getting hit by him instead.
An equally fun problem that's probably related has to do with carried items (eg, blocks or the spring) and Small Tux. Setting these objects down as Big Tux works as expected, but Small Tux has a surprisingly high chance of being "crushed" by the item he just set down.
An equally fun problem that's probably related has to do with carried items (eg, blocks or the spring) and Small Tux. Setting these objects down as Big Tux works as expected, but Small Tux has a surprisingly high chance of being "crushed" by the item he just set down.
Concerns and Issues
Mild violence
Much like any other platformer, players typically defeat the enemies in this game by jumping on them, stomping them flat. More elaborate ways of defeating enemies revolve around Tux's various powerups, which can melt them or set them on fire. None of this is shown in a serious manner.
As for Tux himself, getting hurt causes him to lose a powerup if he has one, or if not, he'll fall off the screen with a loud "pop".
As for Tux himself, getting hurt causes him to lose a powerup if he has one, or if not, he'll fall off the screen with a loud "pop".
Fantasy and Holiday themed monsters
Most of the enemies are animated snowballs (fitting for a penguin themed game), but there are some spookier creatures out there like spiders, ghosts, skeletons, and of course, the aforementioned yeti and evil tree bosses.
The bonus content also includes some Halloween and Christmas levels, with reskinned characters to match.
The bonus content also includes some Halloween and Christmas levels, with reskinned characters to match.