Games for MacBook?

April 7, 2008 10:58 PM

Gaming on a MacBook: what games would run well in OS X on a 2.2GHz MacBook (with GMA X3100)?

I've been out of the video game loop for a very long time, but as my life gets busier, I'd like to have at least one new time waster. I used to be huge into Quake, Marathon, Lux, Myst, and platformers like Mario and Sonic, and I'd be interested in something similarly hypnotic. I don't have any urge to get the newest games - just something new, interesting, pretty, and playable for my new toy. I'd be interested in an arcade-type game with a quirky sense of strategy, and no MMORPGs, please.

I'd love games in the vein of Crayon Physics. I'd also love to find a replacement for Quake.

posted by Sticherbeast to computers & internet (12 answers total)

Defcon might suit if you're into quirky strategy and hypnotic effect.
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 11:17 PM on April 7, 2008

Quake 1.1 for OS X (Universal Binary)
Magic Pen, flash version of Crayon Physics
Quinn, tetris clone for OS X
and just to be weird: The Graveyard, which isn't so much a game as an art piece.

Don't forget to check Apple's Game Download section for Shareware & freeware games.
posted by aristan at 11:32 PM on April 7, 2008

Cave Story.
posted by wanderingmind at 11:46 PM on April 7, 2008

Older games might work well, and will be cheap if they don't.

Did you play ALL 5 of the Myst games?

Lego Star Wars ran fine on a G4, should run great on a newer model, and is interesting, pretty, quirky, and very playable.

I had a lot of fun playing No One Lives Forever and NOLF 2 on that same G4. A mission-based sneak-and-shoot, set in a very campy Avengers/Man from Uncle 60's spy world. Not very pretty now, (children of the present age find bleeding edge 2002 graphics laughable) but there's a lot of gameplay in there.
posted by bartleby at 11:54 PM on April 7, 2008

You might find some neat games at indygamer. The Ur-Quan Masters wasted plenty of my time.
posted by theiconoclast31 at 12:13 AM on April 8, 2008

The GMA X3100 is alas a really really rubbish 3D card, like all intel's onboard efforts, despite their marketing. Anything 3d gamish from the last 5 years will struggle, unless it's on 800x600 at minimum settings and literally 4/5 years old.

Assuming you're prepared to dual-boot windows with bootcamp, or use crossover, there's a range of windows games available. Far cry is playable at minimum, quake 2 and 3, unreal tournament 2004, that sort of era. Doom 3, quake 4, anything from the last 3 years will be out of reach I'm afraid, even at minimum settings.

Half-life 2 is also possible, and I'm told tf2 is possible at fairly low settings - you could join the metafilter tf2 gaming group!

If you're after quirky, I can definitely recommend portal, another orange box game.

Assuming you're only after OSX native games, then http://insidemacgames.com/reviews/
is probably a good kick off point.
posted by ArkhanJG at 2:11 AM on April 8, 2008

Oh yes, nearly forgot. Peggle and Puzzle quest are both highly addictive. Popcap games (who make peggle) make way too addictive games, with osx native versions like zuma, bejewelled 2 and bookworm.
posted by ArkhanJG at 2:17 AM on April 8, 2008

Well, if you used to play Marathon (and woe be to any Mac fan who didn't), get yourself Aleph One and relive those golden years.
posted by Thorzdad at 4:49 AM on April 8, 2008

We like Nexuiz as a (free) Quake replacement at our house.
posted by eafarris at 6:32 AM on April 8, 2008

I play Warcraft on my macbook...
posted by nougat at 6:55 AM on April 8, 2008

I play WoW as well and may play Spore if it manages to make it to Mac.
posted by LunaticFringe at 8:40 AM on April 8, 2008

seconding quinn, to which I've become completely addicted (236.538 points though prolly means I still suck). also onsider desktop tower defense as a nice little timewaster.


and marathon... long ago but so much fun on networks.
posted by krautland at 9:11 AM on April 8, 2008