Debian Junior Project
Summary
Arcade
Debian Jr. arcade games

This metapackage will install arcade games suitable, in the opinion of the contributors to the Debian Jr. project, for children of all ages. Mastering most of these games requires dexterity and cognitive skills usually developed only in the older children (around ages 5 to 8). But the youngest children may enjoy watching older players, or just poking randomly at the controls, depending on the game.

The list to the right includes various software projects which are of some interest to the Debian Junior Project. Currently, only a few of them are available as Debian packages. It is our goal, however, to include all software in Debian Junior which can sensibly add to a high quality Debian Pure Blend.

For a better overview of the project's availability as a Debian package, each head row has a color code according to this scheme:

If you discover a project which looks like a good candidate for Debian Junior to you, or if you have prepared an unofficial Debian package, please do not hesitate to send a description of that project to the Debian Junior mailing list

Links to other tasks

Debian Junior Arcade packages

Official Debian packages with high relevance

Bambam
keyboard mashing and doodling game for babies
Versions of package bambam
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Bambam is a simple baby keyboard masher application that locks the keyboard and mouse and instead displays bright colors, pictures, and sounds.

Note: type "quit" to stop the game.

Other screenshots of package bambam
VersionURL
http://screenshots.debian.net/screenshots/b/bambam/9618_large.png
Screenshots of package bambam
Bugsquish
Bugs are trying to suck blood out of your arm!
Versions of package bugsquish
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gamearcade
interfacex11
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roleprogram
uitoolkitsdl
usegameplaying
x11application
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"Bug Squish" is an action game not unlike light gun arcade games, but played with a mouse. It's loosely based on a MacOS game whose name I can't recall.

Bugs are trying to suck blood out of your arm! Squish them with your fly swatter before you run out of blood.

Bumprace
1 or 2 players race through a multi-level maze
Versions of package bumprace
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uitoolkitsdl
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x11application
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In BumpRacer, 1 player or 2 players (team or competitive) choose among 4 vehicles and race through a multi-level maze. The players must acquire bonuses and avoid traps and enemy fire in a race against the clock. For more info, see the homepage at http://www.linux-games.com/bumprace/

Screenshots of package bumprace
Childsplay
Suite of educational games for young children
Maintainer: Sergio Talens-Oliag
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uselearning
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Newer upstream!
License: DFSG free

Childsplay provides memory activities that are fun to play and at the same time learn sounds, images, letters and numbers; activities that train the child to use the mouse and keyboard and pure game activities like puzzles, pong, pacman and billiards.

Screenshots of package childsplay
Circuslinux
Clowns are trying to pop balloons to score points!
Versions of package circuslinux
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x11application
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"Circus Linux!" is based on the Atari 2600 game "Circus Atari" by Atari, released in 1980. Gameplay is similar to "Breakout" and "Arkanoid" - you slide a device left and right to bounce objects into the air which destroy a wall.

Screenshots of package circuslinux
Cuyo
Tetris-like game with very impressive effects
Maintainer: Bernhard R. Link
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Cuyo, named after a Spanish relative adjective, shares with tetris that things fall down and how to navigate them. When enough "of the same type" come "together", they explode. The goal of each level is to blow special "stones" away, you start with. But what "of the same type" and "together" means, varies with the levels.

Screenshots of package cuyo
Funnyboat
side scrolling arcade shooter game on a steamboat
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x11application
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Trip on the Funny Boat is a side scrolling arcade shooter game on a steamboat equipped with a cannon and the ability to jump. The player will need to take advantage of waves to defeat the enemies and dodge hazards.

Screenshots of package funnyboat
Heroes-ggi
Collect powerups and avoid your opponents' trails
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x11application
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Heroes is similar to the "Tron" and "Nibbles" games of yore, but includes many graphical improvements and new game features. In it, you must maneuver a small vehicle around a world and collect powerups while avoiding obstacles, your opponents' trails, and even your own trail.

Several styles of play are available, including "get-all-the-bonuses", deathmatch, and "squish-the-pedestrians". All game styles can be played in both single-player and two-player (split-screen) modes.

You should install the heroes-sound-effects package if you want sound effects, and the heroes-sound-tracks package if you want background music in the game.

This version is linked against the GGI libraries. See heroes-sdl for a Heroes version that is linked against the SDL libraries.

Screenshots of package heroes-ggi
Heroes-sdl
Collect powerups and avoid your opponents' trails
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x11application
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Heroes is similar to the "Tron" and "Nibbles" games of yore, but includes many graphical improvements and new game features. In it, you must maneuver a small vehicle around a world and collect powerups while avoiding obstacles, your opponents' trails, and even your own trail.

Several styles of play are available, including "get-all-the-bonuses", deathmatch, and "squish-the-pedestrians". All game styles can be played in both single-player and two-player (split-screen) modes.

You should install the heroes-sound-effects package if you want sound effects, and the heroes-sound-tracks package if you want background music in the game.

This version is linked against the SDL libraries.

Screenshots of package heroes-sdl
Holotz-castle
platform game with high doses of mystery
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x11application
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A great mystery is hidden beyond the walls of Holotz's Castle. Will you be able to help Ybelle and Ludar to escape alive from the castle? Test your dexterity with this tremendously exciting platform game!

Screenshots of package holotz-castle
Jumpnbump
cute multiplayer platform game with bunnies
Versions of package jumpnbump
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gameplatform, arcade
interfacex11
roleprogram
uitoolkitsdl
usegameplaying
x11application
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You, as a bunny, have to jump on your opponents to make them explode. It's a true multiplayer game, you can't play this alone. It has network support.

This program is a unix port of the old DOS game by brainchilddesign.

Screenshots of package jumpnbump
Koules
abstract space action game
Versions of package koules
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uitoolkitxlib
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x11application
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Koules is a fast action arcade-style game. This version is compiled for X11. It has cool 256 color graphics, a multiplayer mode for up to 5 players, full sound and, of course, network support. Koules is an original idea. The first version of Koules was developed from scratch by Jan Hubicka in July 1995.

It supports multiplayer deathmatch and cooperative play.

Screenshots of package koules
Lbreakout2
ball-and-paddle game with nice graphics
Maintainer: Colin Tuckley
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x11application
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lbreakout2 is a game similar to the classics breakout and xboing, featuring a number of added graphical enhancements and effects. You control a paddle at the bottom of the playing-field, and must destroy bricks at the top by bouncing balls against them.

lbreakout2 is a complete rewrite of the game "lbreakout". Users of lbreakout probably want to install this.

Screenshots of package lbreakout2
Madbomber
Kaboom! clone
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uitoolkitsdl
usegameplaying
x11application
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"Mad Bomber" is a clone of Activision's classic Atari 2600 console game, "Kaboom!," by Larry Kaplan, with spruced-up graphics and sound effects, and music.

The Mad Bomber is loose in the city and he's dropping bombs everywhere! It's your job to catch them before they hit the ground and explode. Luckily, you have a set of trusty buckets to extinguish the bombs with.

Screenshots of package madbomber
Supertux
Classic 2D jump 'n run sidescroller with Tux
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interfacex11
roleprogram
uitoolkitsdl
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x11application
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SuperTux is a classic 2D jump 'n run sidescroller game in a similar style like the original SuperMario games. You play the role of Tux the Penguin, who must rescue Penny from the hands of the evil Nolok.

Screenshots of package supertux
Tuxmath
math game for kids with Tux
Versions of package tuxmath
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gamearcade
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"Tux, of Math Command" ("TuxMath," for short) is an educational arcade game starring Tux, the Linux mascot! Based on the classic arcade game "Missile Command," Tux must defend his cities. In this case, though, he must do it by solving math problems.

Screenshots of package tuxmath
Tuxpuck
air hockey game for single players
Versions of package tuxpuck
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roleprogram
uitoolkitsdl
usegameplaying
x11application
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TuxPuck is an air hockey game and clone of the Amiga/Atari ST game Shufflepuck Café. The player moves a bat around a table and tries to knock the puck past the opponent's defense. After either party has reached 15 points, the match is over.

Other screenshots of package tuxpuck
VersionURL
0.8.2-2.2ubuntu2http://screenshots.debian.net/screenshots/t/tuxpuck/8844_large.png
Screenshots of package tuxpuck
Vodovod
puzzle game, you must lead the water to the storage tank
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interfacex11
roleprogram
uitoolkitsdl
usegameplaying
x11application
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Vodovod is a game similar to Pipe Mania and Pipe Dream, in which you have to lead the water from the house to the storage tank. You get a limited number of pipes on each level and need to combine them to lead the water from the house at the top of the screen to the storage tank at the bottom. It has joystick/joypad support.

Other screenshots of package vodovod
VersionURL
1.10-2http://screenshots.debian.net/screenshots/v/vodovod/1544_large.png
Screenshots of package vodovod
Xsoldier
shoot 'em up game with the "not shooting" bonus
Maintainer: Oohara Yuuma
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You control a space ship in a vertically scrolling window and shoot enemies. If you kill the boss enemy which appears at the end of each stage, or if you can survive till the boss enemy gets bored with you and escapes, you can go to the next stage.

xsoldier has a unique feature --- the "not shooting" bonus. You can get a pretty good score by not pressing the shoot button. After all, if the game is a simple kill-everything and shooting is always a good thing, why do you have to press a shoot button? You can play xsoldier as a simple kill-everything (and it is the best way to survive), but if you care your score, you need to kill all enemies with a minimum number of bullets.

Other screenshots of package xsoldier
VersionURL
1:1.5-2http://screenshots.debian.net/screenshots/x/xsoldier/6099_large.png
Screenshots of package xsoldier

Unofficial packages built by somebody else

Anagramarama
fast paced anagram puzzle game using SDL
Responsible: Javier Galicia
License: GPL

Simple SDL game where you guess possible permutations of a scrambled word within a time limit. Simple, arcade style of play.

*Popularitycontest results: number of people who use this package regularly (number of people who upgraded this package recently) out of 167387