Game engine recreations and source ports
Game engine recreations (sometimes called game engine re-implementations) are game engines designed to recreate the workings of another. They often reimplement games in ways that the original developer did not intend; for example, for a platform other than which publishers marketed it for. Recreations aren't just limited to game engines either; as an example, Webamp is a JavaScript application that reimplements Winamp.
These recreations are common when abandonware has large communities; when the original developer has disbanded and can no longer support or update it, an effort is then made to get it running natively on newer versions of-- and/or entirely different-- operating systems and platforms. Recreations are almost always open-source which also allows new programmers to fix bugs that could have been difficult to track down during the game's development (alternatively the bugs may be emulated to allow mods to continue to use them). With the source code unavailable, programmers may opt to decompile the original executable, and have their own program rely on the original until all of its functions have been remade, at which point the original binary is no longer needed. Alternatively, they can be remade based on a clean room design, in which the project implements the abstract features without having to disassemble the original, going by how components are expected to be used rather than how the program uses them.
When most of the effort is on programming, the project will usually require the original game's assets (such as files in the installation directory or ROMs) until those are remade. When a game engine recreation is unofficially made from the original game's publicly available source code, it's called a source port. For a complete list of game engine recreations, see Open Source Game Clones.
Multi game engine
Name | Operating System(s) | Latest Version | Libretro Core | Active | Recommended | Supported game(s) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adventure | ||||||||
ResidualVM | Multi-platform | 0.3.1 | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | 3D adventure games (Grim Fandango, Escape from Monkey Island & Myst III: Exile) | ||
ScummVM | Multi-platform | 2.0.0 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Adventure games (LucasArts, Sierra, Activision, Humongous & more) | ||
FPS | ||||||||
XLEngine | Windows, Linux | 0.1.0 | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | Star Wars: Dark Forces, Daggerfall. Later: Outlaws, Blood, Shadow Warrior. | ||
RPG | ||||||||
EasyRPG | Multi-platform | 0.5.3 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | RPG Maker 2000/2003 games | ||
xoreos | Windows, Linux, macOS | 0.0.5 | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ (WIP) | BioWare's Aurora engine & derivatives (BioWare's 7 PC/console RPGs, Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood, The Witcher) | ||
RTS | ||||||||
OpenRA | Windows, Linux, macOS, BSD | Git | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | Early Westwood games (Command & Conquer, C&C: Red Alert, Dune 2000). Soon: 2nd-gen C&C (C&C: Tiberian Sun). |
Single game engine
Name | Operating System(s) | Latest Version | Libretro Core | Active | Recommended | Supported game(s) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
OpenTomb | Multi-platform‡ | Git | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Tomb Raider 1-5 | ||
OpenRW | Linux, Windows, macOS, OpenBSD | Git | ✗ | ✓ | ~ | Grand Theft Auto III | ||
FPS | ||||||||
D2X-XL DXX-Rebirth |
Windows, Linux, macOS | 1.18.74 0.60 Beta 2 |
✗ | ✓ | ✓ | Descent, Descent II | ||
Shockolate | Windows, Linux, macOS | 0.6.0 | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | System Shock: Enhanced Edition | ||
URDE | Windows, macOS | Git | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ (WIP) | Metroid Prime 1-3 | ||
Platform | ||||||||
NXEngine | Multi-platform | v1.0.0.6 | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | Cave Story | ||
REminiscence | Multi-platform‡ | 0.4.4 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Flashback (Another World's spiritual sequel) | ||
xrick | Multi-platform | #021212 | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | Rick Dangerous | ||
Racing | ||||||||
CannonBall | Multi-platform‡ | 0.3 | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | OutRun | ||
NFSIISE | Windows, Linux, macOS, ARM devices (Android) |
1.2.4 | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | Need for Speed II: SE | ||
OpenLGR | Windows, Linux, macOS | Git | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | Lego Racers | ||
OpenMC2 | Linux, macOS (Both on Wine) | 0.0.2 | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | Midnight Club II | ||
OpenSWE1R | Windows, Linux, macOS | Git | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ (WIP) | Star Wars Episode 1: Racer | ||
RVGL | Windows, Linux, mobile | 18.0731a | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | Re-Volt | ||
stuntcarremake | Linux, OpenPandora Windows (Old) |
Build 07 | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | Stunt Car Racer Remake (Windows remake of Stunt Car Racer on Amiga/AtariST) | ||
RPG | ||||||||
Daggerfall Unity | Windows, Linux, macOS | PreAlpha 0.5 | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall | ||
gemrb | Multi-platform | 0.8.5 | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | Infinity Engine (Baldur's Gate series (1998–2001), Planescape: Torment, Icewind Dale series (2000–2002)) | ||
OpenMW | Windows, Linux, macOS | 0.44 | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind | ||
OpenTESArena | Windows, Linux, macOS | 0.8.0 | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ (WIP) | The Elder Scrolls I: Arena | ||
RTS | ||||||||
openage | Windows, Linux, macOS, BSD | 0.3.0 | ✗ | ✓ | ~ | Age of Empires, AoE II (HD), Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds | ||
OpenSAGE | Windows Linux, macOS | 0.2.0 | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ (WIP) | EA's Command & Conquer games (C&C: Generals, C&C: Generals - Zero Hour) Soon: The Battle for Middle-earth series (2004-2006), C&C 3 & expansion. | ||
RTT | ||||||||
FreeSynd | Windows Linux, macOS | 0.7.5 | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | Syndicate (1993) | ||
Syndicate Wars Port | Windows Linux, macOS | 0.3 | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | Syndicate Wars | ||
TBS | ||||||||
civctp2 | Windows, Linux, Pandora, Pyra | 2010-04-01 (ctp2 for Linux/Pandora/Pyra]) |
✗ | ~ | ✓ | Call to Power II | ||
CivOne | Windows, Linux, macOS | 0.1.0pre-alpha | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ (WIP) | Sid Meier's Civilization | ||
OpenXcom | Windows, Linux, macOS | Git | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | UFO: Enemy Unknown (X-Com: UFO Defense), X-COM: Terror From the Deep | ||
Sim - Construction/Management | ||||||||
CorsixTH | Windows, Linux, macOS, BSD | 0.62 | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | Theme Hospital | ||
OpenLoco | Windows, Linux, macOS | 18.02 | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | Chris Sawyer's Locomotion | ||
OpenRCT2 | Windows, Linux, macOS | 0.2.1 | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 | ||
OpenTTD | Multi-platform | 1.8.0 | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | Transport Tycoon Deluxe |