SuperTux

SuperTux
Original authors	Bill Kendrick (code) Ingo Ruhnke (art)
Developers	Supertux development team with Tobias "Tobbi" Markus, Carsten "RustyBox" Wirtz and others
Initial release	0.1.1 / May 11, 2004 (2004-05-11)
Stable release	0.6.3 / December 22, 2021 (2021-12-22)
Preview release	Daily Channel at download.supertux.org
Repository	github.com/SuperTux/supertux
Written in	C++, Squirrel
Platform	Linux, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, Wii (homebrew, ported), Wii U (homebrew, running in vWii mode, ported), Nintendo 3DS (Homebrew port), Wiz, Pandora, BlackBerry, TI-Nspire, Android, Ubuntu Touch
Type	Single-player platformer
License	GPLv3
Website	supertux.org

SuperTux is a free and open-source 2D side scrolling platform video game inspired by Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. series. The player character is Tux, the official mascot of the Linux kernel.

Plot

Tux, Penny, and Nolok

SuperTux follows the character Tux, a penguin who sets out on a rescue mission after his girlfriend Penny is kidnapped by the antagonist Nolok. The game’s narrative is presented through brief introductory scenes and environmental progression. Tux travels through a series of themed worlds—such as icy regions, forests, caves, and volcanic areas—overcoming platforming challenges and enemies in pursuit of Nolok. The objective of the storyline is to reach Nolok’s stronghold and rescue Penny, functioning primarily as a framework for the game’s level-based platform gameplay.

Gameplay

Speedrun of a SuperTux level

Gameplay in SuperTux is similar to Super Mario Bros.Tux can jump beneath bonus blocks marked with question marks to obtain coins or power-ups, such as the egg, which increases his size and allows him to withstand one additional hit. Bonus blocks may also contain items including trampolines and temporary invincibility stars. Enemies can be defeated by jumping on them, while most enemies can additionally be defeated or frozen by projectiles obtained after collecting a fire flower or an ice flower. Earth flowers equip Tux with a miner’s helmet that provides a spotlight in dark areas and grants brief invincibility, whereas air flowers allow Tux to glide, jump higher, and move more quickly. When Tux is hit while empowered by a flower, he loses the upgrade and reverts to his larger form. The goal of each level is to reach the endpoint, which is typically marked by a set of checker-patterned poles.

Each world concludes with a boss encounter, such as the Yeti at the end of “Icy Island”, the game’s first world, or the Ghosttree in the Forest World.

In addition to the two primary worlds, the game includes contributed levels such as the four Bonus Islands, seasonal level sets for Christmas and Halloween, and a retro-themed level set titled Revenge in Redmond, which was created to commemorate the game’s 20th anniversary in 2020. Further content can be added through installable add-ons and user-created levels, which may be developed using the built-in level editor or added manually.

Additional community-created add-on levels can be downloaded through the integrated add-on manager or installed manually. The add-on manager lists over 25 available add-ons, with new submissions typically published on the project’s forum or Discord server and added to the manager after testing. usually marked by checker-patterned poles.

At the end of "Icy Island", the first world in the game, the Yeti boss awaits Tux.

At the end of each world is a boss, such as the Yeti boss on Icy Island or the Ghosttree on the Forest World.

Level editor in 0.6.2

In addition to the two main worlds, there are contributed levels, which include the 4 Bonus Islands, a christmas and halloween levelsets and a special retro levelset (Revenge in Redmond) designed to celebrate the game's 20th anniversary (2020). In addition to these, there are installable addons and custom levels added by the player, either created in the internal Level Editor or added manually.

There are additional add-on levels in SuperTux which can be installed with the built-in add-on manager or manually. The add-on manager lists over 25 add-ons. New add-ons are usually published on the forum or in the Discord server and can be added to the list after testing.

Development and History

SuperTux began development in 2003 as an open-source platform game inspired by the early Super Mario Bros. titles. The project was initiated by a small group of developers seeking to create a free and cross-platform alternative using the Simple DirectMedia Layer (SDL) library. Over time, the game evolved through contributions from a broad community of volunteer programmers, artists, and level designers, with development coordinated primarily through public version-control repositories and community forums.

Early releases focused on establishing the core platforming mechanics and graphical style. Version 0.1.0 introduced the basic gameplay framework, while subsequent releases added new enemies, power-ups, and environmental themes. A significant milestone came with version 0.3.0, which marked the beginning of a transition to a more modern engine architecture, improved physics, and expanded level scripting capabilities. The later 0.4.x and 0.5.x series continued refining the engine, updating artwork, and enhancing compatibility with contemporary operating systems.

Version 0.6.0, released in 2019, provided substantial graphical and technical upgrades, including new animations, improved lighting effects, and major revisions to many levels. The update also integrated an enhanced in-game level editor, enabling players to create and share custom levels more easily. Subsequent minor releases have focused on stability improvements, updated assets, and quality-of-life features such as an add-on manager for installing user-created content.

Throughout its development, SuperTux has been distributed free of charge under the GNU General Public License. Official releases are made available for Linux, Windows, macOS, and various BSD systems, and are regularly packaged by Linux distributions. The game continues to be actively maintained by its volunteer community, with ongoing work on additional worlds, engine enhancements, and expanded modding support.

The game was developed under usage of Simple DirectMedia Layer as cross-platform middlelayer targeting OpenGL and OpenAL. Game engine and physics engine are own developed. The game's metadata are S-Expressions of the programming language Lisp, scripts are written in Squirrel.

In January 2022, SuperTux was released on Steam as an Early Access game.

Reception

In 2007 Punto Informatico described the atmosphere of the game as pleasant and praised the free availability of the game.

In 2008, SuperTux was used as a game for children by school district #73 in British Columbia, which had decided to transition to free and open-source software.

The game was ported to other platforms, including Wii Homebrew, GP2X, Pocket PC, PSP, and Palm WebOS. The game was also scheduled to be included in the release of the EVO Smart Console as of April 2009.

See also

• Secret Maryo Chronicles
• Mari0
• SuperTuxKart
• List of open-source video games

External links

• Official SuperTux website
• supertux on GitHub
• Download stable or development snapshots
• Review and screen shots of Milestone 1 at HeadshotGamer.com