No longer is it true that the Mac is rubbish for games. Some developers do still consistently ignore the platform, but more than enough are jumping on board to keep Mac owners busy. And with Steam for Mac, we now have a reasonably large catalogue of games to play, even if we don't always get the newest titles straightaway.
But sometimes you just don't want to have to pay for games. Maybe you spent all your money on your Mac and haven't got a penny left over. Maybe you have better things on which to spend any money you do have. Even if you don't want to stretch to the tiny amount it'll cost you to get some of the games in the various Steam sales or Humble Indie Bundles, you can still find something decent to play.
Let's enter the ream of freeware, with ten games from different genres that you can play for absolutely no cost.
If you want to play something like Civilization but don't fancy handing over any actual money for it, you're in luck. Freeciv is most similar to Civilization II, so it doesn't look particularly modern, but hey – it's free.
You can play Freeciv against the computer or your friends. To win, you have to guide your civilization to either successfully wipe out all of the others, achieve space colonization, or have the highest score (with points awarded for size, wealth, and cultural and scientific achievements) when the game ends.
Download it here.
Angband has been around for as long as I have, and was actually created at the University at which I studied (much later, obviously). It's based on Tolkien; Angband is the fortress of Morgoth, the antagonist in The Silmarillion.
The game has a 100-level dungeon for you to explore as you build up enough power and equipment to go up against the big boss himself. The levels are randomly generated, so the game is different every time you play. And each play through can last for days and days, which is a lot of time for your (absolutely zero) money.
Download it here.
Nexuiz is an FPS inspired by the original Quake games, which is always good news, and is based on a modified Quake engine. It does include a single-player campaign that involves playing through the multiplayer aspect only with bots instead of humans, but it's primarily multiplayer.
Naturally, Nexuiz isn't as complex as your average modern FPS, with basic graphics and simple mechanics. But sometimes all you want is to have a quick and frenzied arena match, and this highly competitive game does the job well.
Download it here.
Other alternatives: Urban Terror - Download it here. Team Fortress 2 - Download it here.
Cave Story was lovingly created over five years by an independent game developer called Daisuke “Pixel” Amaya. It's well known and highly rated, and with good reason, a better game than we really ought to expect from something totally free.
As is standard in these games, you move by jumping around, but you also get various weapons with which to take down enemies and that can even be upgraded. The game has a detailed story, too. If you liked Metroid, The Legend of Zelda, Castlevania and others like them, you'll like Cave Story.
Download it here.
Mine Swept is the creation of a guy who just wanted to play a more attractive version of the PC's standard Minesweeper on Mac OS X, so made his own. I'd imagine most people have played Minesweeper, but if you haven't: it's simple, yet addictive. If you want something to get your brain going on a Monday morning (without having to pay for it), this is perfect.
Download it here.
Tux is technically the Linux mascot, but that doesn't mean you can't use him to race on your Mac. As long as you don't insist that your racing games feature only actual vehicles, you'll have a lot of fun with this one, guiding Tux as he slides down pretty snowy slopes on his belly.
Download it here.
For those days when the future looks bleak and time seems to be running away from you, why not look back to a simpler time by reliving your memories of the classic Pac-Man? This clone for Mac is similar enough to make you feel like you're back in the arcade, but will look a little nicer on your Mac's screen than a pixel-for-pixel copy.
Download it here.
Warzone 2100 used to cost money, but the source code was released under GNU General Public License back in 2004 so now we get it for free. It's a strategy game that takes place in the late 21st century, after most of the world is wiped out by apparently accidental nuclear strikes. Your job is to help “The Project” to rebuild civilization with pre-war technology.
Naturally, your job is made more difficult by various enemy groups, so the game has you looking down on a battlefield, fighting off attackers with a variety of units. You have to use both resources and the time limit many of the levels feature wisely, thus the need for strategy.
Download it here.
Other Alternatives: Globulation 2 - Download it here. Megaglest - Download it here.
Oolite is a space sim named – in case it wasn't obvious – for the Elite that inspired its creation. As in Elite, the main aspects are space trading and combat. When the new Elite comes out, this will undoubtedly look incredibly outdated, but all of the main principles are there if you're just looking for something fun (and free) set in space.
You play the pilot of a spaceship, navigating through wormholes to access other star systems in order to trade. When you get there, you have to travel through “normal” space to reach your destination, and that's when the chance to meet other ships arises, potentially resulting in combat. Oolite is a more-than-adequate space sim, especially considering its (lack of a) price.
Download it here.
Other Alternative: Armagetron 3D - Download it here.
The Battle for Wesnothis a turn-based strategy game set in a fantasy world. Your goal – whether you're playing single player or multiplayer – is to build up an army by taking over villages and wiping out enemies.
The units in this wargame are fantastical, and each has different strengths. Elves, for instance, are more difficult to hit if standing on forest terrain. And the undead have a high resistance to cold. There's also a day-night cycle that benefits you differently dependent on your style of play. This strategy game has a lot of depth, and fans of the genre should definitely check it out, especially given that it's free.
Download it here.
Other Alternatives: Hedgewars - Download it here. Scorched 3d - Download it here.
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