Netbook Gamer's UnionWhat is this?
A place to discuss gaming on netbooks. With the rise of smaller machines due to things like the Intel Atom processor, having a small portable computer is becoming more common. Consequently, there is increased attention on and demand for games that will run on netbooks. The Netbook Gamer's Union is dedicated to the promotion of games that play well on netbooks.
What this is not.
This isn't the place to talk about which netbook to buy. We already have a great thread for that
here.
The Games
We'll try to keep a list of here of some of the
good games recommended for playing on a netbook. Obviously, it won't be comprehensive or canonical, but feel free to suggest games to be added. Additionally we'll try to keep some comments with each game on performance related issues or tips.
Update: There's a huge article
here that does way more than I've attempted to do here in this thread. Look here first for tips on game choices.
Audiosurf
- Runs really well at minimal settings (some lag in menus, but not in-game). Supports 1024x600 out of the box.
Age of Wonders 2
- runs great,
- supports 1024x600 out of the box
Baldur's Gate
Braid
Civilization III
Crimsonland
Diablo 1
Diablo 2
Dwarf Fortress
- CPU intensive, so some tweaking will be necessary, namely cutting down the size of the maps.
Fallout 1
- patch may be needed for netbook resolution
Fallout 2
- patch may be needed for netbook resolution
Fallout Tactics
- Get the high-res
patch from NMA to run in 1024x600.
Gyromancer
- Runs really well, but is stretched as the game does not support widescreen fullscreen (the game only supports 800x600 FS). You can run windowed to avoid this, but at 1024x600 parts of the image will be clipped.
Half Life 1
- !
Heroes of Might & Magic 5
Machinarium
- It's Flash based so it should run on just about anything.
Nethack
PopCap games are likely to run well on any netbook.
- Bookworm Adventures runs extremely well.
- Plants vs. Zombies
SCUMM
- There are quite a few games you can play via SCUMM emulation.
http://www.scummvm.org/
Starcraft
System Shock 2
Thief 1
Torchlight
- Runs OK to great depending on your netbook AND if you check "netbook mode" in the settings. Mixed reviews on performance depending on the level.
- Playing without a mouse might be problematic.
Trials 2: Second Edition
- Runs ok on the lowest detail level. Some slight lag, but very playable. Supports 1024x600 out of the box.
Wizardy 8
- It does support 1024x600 out of the box, but it doesn't take the aspect change into account and ends up stretching the proportions. You can play it at 800x600 with black columns on the sides instead.
World of Goo
Xcom
Tips
Since most netbooks don't have a CD/DVD drive, your best bet for obtaining games is via online services such as
Steam,
Good Old Games,
Direct 2 Drive, and others. Many games that play on a netbook are older games that can be had for less than $10.
You may get better performance using Readyboost in Windows 7. They may not speed up actual gameplay but they may help reduce transition times when loading games or changing levels.
Background
I had created a thread during the Hannukah celebration asking for help picking out games that will play on a netbook, since I will be taking one with me on a plane. I thought this topic deserved more love than my one time request. Hopefully, other people will be eager to help out and keep this thread going.
Posts
I would also add Quake Live to your list, although it obviously won't work on the airplane.
crimsonland is a fun little overhead shooter that works out pretty well on a netbook.
- Runs great, and supports my native resolution of 1024x600 (out of the box).
- Runs great, and with the hi-res patch from NMA the game runs in 1024x600 without problems (get patch here). Patches for Fallout 1+2 also available, and should run just as well.
- Runs great, and supports 1024x600 out of the box.
- Runs really well, but is stretched as the game does not support widescreen fullscreen (the game only supports 800x600 FS). You can run windowed to avoid this, but at 1024x600 parts of the image will be clipped.
- Runs really well at minimal settings (some lag in menus, but not in-game). Supports 1024x600 out of the box.
- Runs ok on the lowest detail level. Some slight lag, but very playable. Supports 1024x600 out of the box.
It can barely just not run unreal tournament 2004. I can actually get it to run fairly well in opengl, provided it doesn't have to draw any characters beyond mine. It managed to hit 60 fps in some short hallways. It just drops pretty drastically to unplayable levels when a couple of zombies show up at once in killing floor. Higher end atom processors or any of the newer nvidia ion things that aren't out yet would probably make it more manageable.
also, add braid and nethack to my list.
Really? That is tempting, particularly AoW2:Shadow Magic that I never *really* got around to playing much. Wizardry 8 is awesome of course, though I'm not sure I could ever play it again after beating it, it's just so fucking long. And hard.
I've got Thief 1 running on my netbook of the same stats, and for the hell of it I tried Half-Life 1 which worked quite well.
I haven't yet tried Thief 2 as my PC's install of it is a bit screwed anyway, but if Thief 2 worked I'd have to imagine that System Shock 2 would be fine as well.
It's a shame, too. I just play it at 800x600 with black columns on the sides instead.
This is not my experience. The Torchlight demo ran fine on my Eee 1000. After wasting $20 on the full version, anything beyond the mine levels included in the demo ran at <10 fps, which just doesn't work for this type of game.
(edit- http://forums.runicgames.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=1387)
Add HoMM 5 to the list, runs great.
Anyone else try KotOR? It's running fine for me, but I haven't gotten too far into it yet.
How do the Tycoon or Sim games hold up on netbooks?
Based on what you guys mentioned, I went on a Steam shopping spree last night and bought 4 games for less than $50!
- Bookworm Adventures Deluxe
- Peggle Deluxe & Peggle Nights
- Fallout Tactics
- Secret of Monkey Island: SE
That last one may or may not work, but I'm going to play it regardless (on my desktop if need be), so I'll update when I know more. Between those 4, I should be thoroughly entertained on the long plane ride across the US.
What can I say, I had a craving for some Star Wars battles for some reason...
My game of choice on my netbook is Spelunky. It's lightweight, infinitely replayable, and a single run usually ends quick enough that I can pull it up play it anywhere and anytime I need to kill some time.
Retro style indie games in general tend to go with netbooks as jelly goes with peanut butter.
Also, there's a whole bunch of games just begging to be played on netbooks over at GoG.com. Personally, I can vouch for HoMM III and Disciples II - TBS's in general seem to be well suited - and I see the Fallout's have been mentioned already.
SimCity Classic and SimTower were designed to be run at 640x480 (as was SimCity 2000, I believe). SimCopter, SimSafari, and Streets of SimCity would also probably run fine.
- Runs ok as long as you drop the detail levels down to low. Does not support 1024x600 (it doesn't support widescreen resolutions at all), so I'm running at 800x600.
- Well, it runs and is playable, but a bit slow (slow-motion, not choppy). On the positive side, it's a beautiful game from the developer of Knytt (!), and is developed for 1024x600. Probably best suited for ION powered netbooks, even if it's a 2D game.
SoMI mostly works fine. Animation in a few rooms stutters, including the dock area where the game starts. You can hit F10 to switch to old school mode to get through those.
Heroes of Might and Magic III should come pre-installed on every computer, netbook or no.
Support for Windows, Linux, etc.
Works on netbooks for these people, this thread detailing how some of them got around some resolution issues.
Oh, and it's also free. Can't go wrong there.
- Runs really well, even with the SS2 Rebirth and SHTUP mods installed, and with SS2Tool to enable support for custom resolutions (I'm playing the game at 1024x600). If, like me, you are running Windows 7 on your netbook, don't forget to run the game as admin. This is required if you want to see the videos in the game.
- Runs great. Does not support widescreen resolutions though, so you'll either have to play with bars on the sides or have the game stretch to fill the screen. Don't forget to grab the latest unofficial patch to get the most out the game.
Basically, if it runs in Dos-box, you can get it running well on a netbook. My personal favorites are the old might and magic games and the old ultima series, but anything released before windows98 is going to be pretty easy to get running. You *MAY* need to make images of your game cd's and bring them over on a USB drive. Sometimes you can just do a full install from a network drive, and that will work just fine.
Battle for Wesnoth runs ok, if you like turn based strategy.
La-Mulana is getting better under wine every week. I think it works ok if you have access to transgaming stuff.
If you have a netbook which is also a tablet, this is a really good read. I wish I had held out for a touch book or something at this point because of that idea.
My main gripes with games like dwarf fortress (and to a lesser extent nethack) is my lack of a full keyboard. Are there standard compact keyboard bindings for these games?
At the moment, Solitaire is still king for my Netbook gaming...need something to pick up and play for 15 minutes, and then get back to work.
(I have an Asus 1005HA with win7 starter)
I've also installed a few games from gog.com (HoMM3 complete, Conquest of the New World). its tempting to see if Freespace 2 would work
It absolutely would.
But running the mediavp-enhanced SCP would make it die horribly.
I can verify audiosurf and diablo 2, both work with no issues whatsoever (slower framerate, but no problem). The monkey island remake works perfectly fine, unlike what a lot of other people seemed to think at the time.
I'm using a stock wind u100 from December last year.
Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal
Cave Story (freeware)
Death Rally (freeware Windows port)
La-Mulana (freeware)
Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares
Tyrian (freeware with open source port to Linux and Windows)
Vangers
Ys: The Oath in Felghana (you should probably play Ys I & II Complete first)
All should run well on netbooks too, any old Windows game should really, netbooks have no compatibility issues other than their poor controls.