X-Moto

X-Moto is a free and open source 2D motocross platform game developed for Linux, FreeBSD, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows, where physics play an all important role in the gameplay. The basic gameplay clones that of Elasto Mania, but the simulated physics are subtly different.

Gameplay 
In , a player selects a level and tries to collect the strawberries. Strawberries are required to complete a level, along with touching a flower.  Obstacles to this goal are challenging terrain features and "wrecker" objects which should not be touched; in most levels there are no moving objects (only scripted or physics levels may have them). Also, these can be changed in some levels. The driver is not harmed directly by falling, only by hitting his head on rock or hitting any part of his body or the bike on a wrecker object. If this happens the level is lost (as of version 0.5.3 levels can feature check points). It is possible to save a replay, and to show a previous replay ("ghost driver") in parallel to gameplay.

The game is extensible with over 2500 user-created custom levels that can be automatically downloaded. These are created using Inkscape with the Inksmoto extension.

Development 

The project was started in 2005 on a sourceforge.net repository. The game was developed completely 2D, but utilizing 3D hardware acceleration (OpenGL) for faster rendering. An optional non-OpenGL ultra low requirements vector wireframe render mode is available that should run on any legacy platform. Graphics are kept simple, sound is sparse. The game features only engine sounds, level lost/won sounds, and a strawberry pickup sound, while the main menu features a single soundtrack. Levels can feature their own music.

The game uses the Open Dynamics Engine for physical simulation. Moving objects, variable gravity and other features can be provided by scripting the levels using the Lua programming language. As of version 0.5.0, integration with the Chipmunk physics engine enables levels with multi-body dynamics.

Reception 
 was selected in May 2008 and April 2015 as "HotPick" by Linux Format. Thinkdigit 2009-05 ranked  among the "Most addictive Linux games".
The game was a quite popular freeware game: Between 2005 and May 2017 the game was downloaded alone via Sourceforge.net over 630,000 times. Over various other download portals over 600,000 downloads are aggregated: on Softonic over 357,707 for the Windows version and 70,390 for the Mac version, on Chip.de 67,471 downloads of the Windows version, on Computer Bild 54,351 downloads of Windows version, on Softpedia 48,428 downloads for Linux version and on netzwelt 8,134 downloads. The game was included in Heinz Heise's c't software collection 6/2009 of the c't issue 24/2009.

See also
 List of open source games
 Elasto Mania - a similar game for Windows and iOS
 Bike or Die! - a similar game for Palm OS
 Trials HD - a similar game for Xbox Live Arcade

References

External links 

 Project home page
 More about X-Moto (Spanish)
 Free Software Directory - X-Moto
 The Game Info
 FOSSwire Review
 LinuxLinks directory page

Category:Platform games
Category:Linux games
Category:Open-source video games
Category:Open-source racing video games
Category:Lua-scripted video games
Category:MacOS games
Category:Open-source platform games
Category:Racing video games
Category:2005 video games
Category:Video game clones
Category:Video games developed in France
Category:Freeware games
Category:Windows games