EXCLUSIVES

Tux Racer
Words by Nam-Phuong Nguyen

The chubby little Linux penguin is now coursing down slippery slopes and gobbling up herrings like Mario snatches coins, starring in a Linux based, shareware (free) single player 3D game. People add new levels all the time and Tux Racer, as mesmerizing as Pac Man or Frogger and similar in concept and graphics to Monkey Ball, is perfect to sooth an impatient attention span. It also goes well with Cheese Curls.

The goal is to consume enough herring while completing the courses and beating the clock. Your keypad is your control: the cursor keys control forward, left, and right. The back cursor slows the penguin down and the space bar flaps its wings (keeps you in the air longer off jumps).

For shareware, the game has surprisingly good graphics and details. Snowy hills, icy patches, pine trees, and distant mountains are the primary features. A flattened trail made by the penguin as it slides down is a nice touch. The penguin travels slower on powdery snow and faster on icy terrain and speed increases with time and pitch as a cheerful soundtrack, a little annoying at times, reassures you that you are in video game land. Ah, yes, and turn the volume down if you don't want the guy in the next cubicle to know you aren't filling out a spreadsheet.

Tux Racer has the appeal of being a light download. It is not buggy and doesn't crash, but it does take over the entire screen and might temporarily change display settings. The races occur in short segments and progress is saved. This makes it the perfect game to play in-between spouts of work (multitasking), and is not demanding. It does take a few tries however to pass upper levels and produces that frustrated enthusiasm that keeps you coming back.