News, Tutorials, Howtos for Ubuntu Linux
Want to see frames per second (FPS), as well as CPU, GPU, RAM usage in your game screen? Here’s how to do the job in Debian, Ubuntu, and Linux Mint based systems.
Most Linux distributions include a free open-source mangohud package in their system repositories. Which, allows to add a Vulkan and OpenGL overlay for monitoring FPS, temperatures, CPU/GPU load and more while gaming.
And, here’s how to install and configure mangohud for gaming in Debian/Ubuntu based systems.
This tutorial shows how to install and setup RetroArch (v1.20 updated) to play classic video games, including Arcade, Atari, Commodore, Nintendo, Sony Playstation games, in Ubuntu PC or laptop.
RetroArch is a free open-source cross-platform front-end for emulators, game engines, media players, and other applications. It’s the reference frontend for the libretro API, that offers several uncommon technical features, such as multi-pass shader support, real-time rewinding, and video recording.
This tutorial shows how to install the latest dolphin emulator (2506 updated) through either Flatpak or PPA repository in Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 22.04, and Ubuntu 24.04.
Dolphin, the free open-source emulator for Nintendo GameCube and Wii, released version 2503 few days ago. The release added visual interface to edit graphics settings on per-game basis from game properties dialog.
It also added track playtime support, improved Qt input mapping, and introduced cheat code whitelist for Hardcore RetroAchievements, allowing to add widescreen aspect ratio codes, and patch unfortunate game behaviors. See the release note for more about Dolphin Emulator 2503.
Ubuntu has a few offline games out-of-the-box. Now, the developer team is going to remove them from the installer in Ubuntu 24.04 LTS.
Since Ubuntu 23.10, Ubuntu Desktop no longer provides ‘Minimal installation‘ option in the installer. Instead, it’s “re-named” to “Default installation” with just the essentials, web browser and basic utilities. User can choose “Full installation” option for the office, media player, games, and other app packages that’s previously installed by default in old Ubuntu releases.
Just a few days ago, the desktop team proposed to remove the games from full installation, then made the decision with wider support.
Meaning that the game packages may be completely removed from the iso image, though they are still available to install in Ubuntu Software (App Center).
Play Final Fantasy XIV Online in Linux? There’s a custom launcher for the game for better experience!
It’s XIVLauncher, a free and open-source launcher that provides a customized WINE version for perfect compatibility with FFXIV.
Since the original launcher is slow and cannot save your password, XIVLauncher provides a faster experience, better Linux integration, as well as following QoL features:
Got GameBoy, GameBoy Advance, or GameBoy Color ROMs? It’s easy to play them in your Linux PC through VBA-M emulator.
There are quite a few game emulators for Linux. You can use PPSSPP to run PSP games, and RetroArch for multiple consoles support. For Nintendo Game Boy and Game Boy Advance, VBA-M is a good choice.
VBA-M, stands for VisualBoyAdvance-M, is the continued development of the now inactive VisualBoy Advance project, with many improvements from various forks.
It’s a free open-source emulator app that included in system repositories for many Linux, including Fedora, Arch, Manjaro, and so forth.
This simple tutorial shows how to install Chatterino, a Twitch Chat app with enhanced features, in Ubuntu 22.04, 20.04, 23.10 via PPA.
Chatterino is a free and open-source chat app for Twitch.tv. With it, you can connect as many channels as you like to, either in tabs or in single tab side-by-side.
The client supports features, such as Chat Replies by right-clicking a message and choose “Reply to message”.
Left clicking a user will open dialog for user info, message history, as well as buttons to block, ignore highlight, etc. And, right-click on user allows to @ mention him/her in message.
It supports emotes from BetterTTV, FrankerFaceZ, and 7TV, allows to drag’n’drop image or paste image from clipboard to upload to custom service, such as imgur.com, though not enabled by default.
Other features include:
The app provides Windows .exe, macOS .dmg, Ubuntu .deb and Linux .AppImage packages for downloading in its Github releases page.
For Ubuntu/Linux Mint users, the official PPA is a better choice to keep the app up-to-date. Which, so far supports Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 22.04, Ubuntu 23.04, & Ubuntu 23.10 on amd64 (Intel/AMD) and arm64/armhf (Apple M1/M2, Raspberry Pi) devices.
1. First, press Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard to open terminal. Then, run command to add the PPA:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:chatterino/chatterino2
Type user password (no asterisk feedback) when it asks and hit Enter to continue.
2. Then, run command to install the chat client:
sudo apt install chatterino
Linux Mint user needs to run sudo apt update first to refresh system package cache.
After installation, you can launch the app from start menu, app grid, or Gnome overview depends on your desktop environment. And, use “Software Updater” (Update Manager) to receive updates.
Then, you can join Twitch channel by their names (the part after www.twitch.tv/ in channel URL). And, see the wiki for more usage.
To uninstall the Twitch chat app, simply open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run command:
sudo apt remove --autoremove chatterino
Also remove the Ubuntu PPA, either by running command in terminal:
sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:chatterino/chatterino2
Or, use “Software & Updates” to remove source line under “Other Software” tab.
This simple tutorial is going to show beginners how to install the latest stable Battle for Wesnoth (so far 1.18.4) via PPA in Ubuntu 24.04, Ubuntu 22.04, Linux Mint 22/21.
The Battle for Wesnoth is an open source, turn-based strategy game features both single player and online multiplayer combat.
Ubuntu includes the game package in its system repository but always old. User can choose to install the official Flatpak package, by running 2 commands one by one in a terminal window (Ctrl+Alt+T).
sudo apt install flatpak
flatpak install https://dl.flathub.org/repo/appstream/org.wesnoth.Wesnoth.flatpakref
Though, it’s universal Linux package format that runs in sandbox.
For users who prefer the classic .deb package format, The Debian/Ubuntu Games Team maintains an Ubuntu PPA with the latest stable/devel release (1.18.x stable at the moment) of the game packages. Which, so far supports Ubuntu 24.04, Ubuntu 22.04, Ubuntu 24.10, and their derivatives.
1. First, either search for and open a terminal from start menu or press Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard to open terminal.
2. When terminal opens, paste the command below and hit Enter to add the PPA repository.
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:pkg-games/wesnoth-devel
Type user password (no asterisk feedback) when it asks for sudo authentication, and hit Enter to continue.
3. If a previous 1.18.x version of the game package was installed on your system, launch “Software Updater” (or Update Manager) to upgrade the game:
Or, run command in terminal to install/upgrade the game package:
sudo apt instatll wesnoth
NOTE: Linux Mint user may first run sudo apt update to refresh package index.
Once installed, search for and launch the game either from start menu or ‘Activities’ overview depends on your DE and enjoy!
To download the game to the stock version available in system repository, open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run command:
sudo apt install ppa-purge && sudo ppa-purge ppa:pkg-games/wesnoth-devel
This command will install ppa-purge tool and purge the PPA, which also downgrade installed packages.
To simply uninstall the game package, use command:
sudo apt remove --autoremove wesnoth-1.18 wesnoth
Also remove the PPA, either via “Software & Updates” under Other Software tab in Ubuntu, or use “Software Sources” tool in Linux Mint, or run command:
sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:pkg-games/wesnoth-devel
That’s all. Enjoy!
Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu, is building the popular Steam game platform as Snap package!
The Ubuntu developer team is going to improve gaming experience on this popular Linux distribution. The first step is to simplify the process of setting up gaming environment. As the number 1 game platform, Steam to be first one they focus on.
Meaning Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 22.04, and Ubuntu 22.10 can easily search for and install Steam as snap package from Ubuntu Software:
Steam in Ubuntu Software as Snap package
Or, user can press Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard to open terminal and run the single command to get it:
snap install steam --beta
The command also work in Ubuntu 18.04, though --beta flag is required at the moment, because the package so far is in earlier stage for testing purpose.
After installed the package, just search for and launch it from ‘Activities’ overview screen:
It automatically install updates and setup runtime, and finally launch the client app for you.
As some users do not like Snap package, there are a few other ways to install Steam app in Ubuntu.
By searching in Ubuntu Software, you’ll see a “Steam Installer” package. Which is an empty package that automatically download steam package from its server and set it up in Ubuntu.
Steam Installer in Ubuntu Software
The package however is a 32-bit package which will also install a list of 32-bit libraries as dependencies.
Steam website offers official .deb package available for Debian/Ubuntu based systems.
User can download and then double-click on the package in file manager to install it.
The game platform is also available as the universal Flatpak package that runs in sandbox.
Just for choice, you may first run command in terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) to install the Flatpak daemon:
sudo apt install flatpak
Then, install steam as flatpak package by running command:
flatpak install https://dl.flathub.org/repo/appstream/com.valvesoftware.Steam.flatpakref
Ubuntu starts working on its official Steam package as Snap. Meaning user can now directly search for and install the game platform from Ubuntu Software. Besides that, there are also an installer script in Ubuntu Software, official .deb package from steam website, and Flatpak package available for choices.
The free open-source kart racing game, SuperTuxKart, released the new stable 1.4 version. Here’s the new features and how to install guide for Ubuntu Linux.
SuperTuxKart 1.4 fixed a dependency bug for MacOS user, meaning it’s now running again for macOS ranging from 10.9 to 10.14 (Mavericks to Mojave).
The release also introduced experimental support for Vulkan renderer, for low CPU usage and better multi-platform support. User may try it out by either typing “/vulkan” in networking lobby and restart the game, or starting the game with --render-driver=vulkan argument.
A new character Godette, the mascot of the Godot Engine, is introduced in the release. And, the Konqi now has a newer and maturer look.
New Godette character
Other changes include:
The game is available in Ubuntu Linux via Snap, Deb, and Flatpak package, though they all are not updated at the moment of writing.
In case you can’t wait to try it out, download the portable tarball from releases page.
Select download the ‘SuperTuxKart-1.4-linux-x86_64.tar.xz’ for modern 64-bit PC/laptop, and arm64 (or armv7) package for mobile device. Then, just extract and run the executable file to start the game.
Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 22.04, and Ubuntu 22.10 user can directly search for and install the game from Ubuntu Software app. Though it’s a Snap package runs in sandbox and still in v1.3 at the moment of writing, it updates automatically once the maintainer publish the new package.
SuperTuxKart in Ubuntu Software
For those prefer the native .deb package format. The game has an official PPA with all current Ubuntu releases support.
1. First, open terminal either from start menu or by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard. When it opens, run command:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:stk/dev
Type user password when it asks (no asterisk feedback) and hit Enter to continue.
2. Then update and install the game:
sudo apt update && sudo apt install supertuxkart
After that, you can always get the latest game packages by receiving updates via Software Updater (Update Manager).
For snap package, simply remove it using Ubuntu Software.
For the PPA package, open terminal and run command:
sudo apt remove --autoremove supertuxkart supertuxkart-data
And remove the PPA either via Software & Updates utility under ‘Other Software’ tab or run command below in a terminal window:
sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:stk/dev
