10 Game Servers You Can Run on Your Raspberry Pi

Gaming on the Raspberry Pi is surprisingly versatile, with plenty of classic games to play natively. on a small British computer.

But what if you want something more impressive, but related to the game, from a device?

Well, how about setting it up as a game server? Imagine hosting LAN parties wherever you are, thanks to the pocket-sized Raspberry Pi! All you have to do is make sure you have a handy ethernet cable and power cable and connect the device to the nearest router you can find.

If you’re especially eager to start playing, you can even count on a portable power solution. ! Once launched, you and your friends can connect to your Raspberry Pi’s host game and the fun begins!

Here are 10 games you can host on your Pi and play using another Pi, a standard desktop, or even a web browser.

1. Quake World

Perhaps you are familiar with Quake , the amazing multiplayer deathmatch game from id Software released in 1996. QuakeWorld is a multiplayer version for the web (as opposed to Netquake multi-user version for local network). The source code was released under the GPL license in 1999 and is available to install on your Raspberry Pi. Quake World supports multi-user activities on a local area network (LAN) and is not intended for use on a public server.

Although compatible with the Raspberry Pi Model B, the best results can be obtained from the Raspberry Pi 2 with the Raspberry Pi 2 — with which or later. Quake World based on Debian (not surprising since it’s the basis for the standard Raspberry Pi operating system, Raspbian), and uses less than 32MB of RAM!

Quake World supports up to 16 players, but 6-8 players can enjoy the optimal experience. For best results, make sure the Pi is connected to the router via Ethernet and not wirelessly.

2. Assault Cube

To learn more about shooting online, take a look at Assault Cube . This free to play online multiplayer FPS game takes place in a realistic environment, and its efficient bandwidth usage makes it perfect for the Raspberry Pi. Thanks to the low latency Assault Cube can even work over a 56Kbps connection!

If you have no one to play with Assault Cube also has a single bot mode. In the meantime, you will find several multiplayer modes such as Deathmatch, Survivor, Pistol Frenzy, Last Swiss Standing, Capture the Flag, Hunt the Flag, Save the Flag, One Shot Kill. Each of them also has a command version. Many maps are included in the game, and there is also an in-game map editor.

Check out assault.cubers.net for full details on the game. You can download the code from GitHub and compile the game server on your Pi in just a few minutes.

3. minecraft

Minecraft and Raspberry Pi are great buddies. After all, Minecraft Pi Edition is included with Raspbian. But what about a Minecraft game server?

The results will be on a Raspberry Pi 3, but a Raspberry Pi 2 should also work. You also need to use a full Raspbian install, which is best installed via NOOBS. Use Raspbian Jessie or later as the server needs Minecraft Java is required.

Please note that the best results from this server Minecraft will be received on your home network, not on the public Internet. Updates cannot be installed, which poses a risk to public online play. However, on your home network, which is accessed through games minecraft, installed on a Windows PC, Android or iOS, you will get a world minecraft, ready to build and rebuild at your convenience!

We’ll be honest: it’s not easy to set up. The process has changed many times over the years, so use the link above as a starting point.

If you’re looking for a more challenging project, then be sure to check out our guide to how Minecraft interacts with electronics. on the Raspberry Pi.

4.FreeCiv

Based on Sid Meier’s Civilization , CivNet and Civilization II (many other versions have been released Civilization ), FreeCiv is open source and available in both client and server flavors.

Installation is as easy as:

sudo apt-get install -y freeciv-server freeciv-client-gtk

You can then start the server with:

 freeciv-server

After that, the game server will be available for connection from any other device on which launched game client FreeCiv . Considering how long games can take Civilization having a server that the game will run on makes sense!

Refer to the Guide for server in wiki FreeCiv for detailed configuration information.

5. Doom

We have already seen how you can install doom on a Pi without emulation — but what about multiplayer activities?

Thanks to the Quake On LAN team (also behind QuakeWorld for Pi), Doom On LAN is now an option. This uses the Zandronum port as a game client that supports up to 64 players. Several game modes are available, and there is support for a large number of mods.

Jumping has also been added there, as well as keybindings and even a freeview! As always, the game will work best with a direct Ethernet connection to your router. Now all you have to do is find 63 other people to play with.

6. Windward

An exciting ship game about trade and pirates. Windward is a rarity on this list as it is one of only two games that is not open source. You’ll find it available on Steam for as little as $10, and the game will play in both single and multiplayer modes.

Setup takes a bit of time and requires Mono (an open source implementation of Microsoft’s .NET) to be installed on your Pi.

After installing the server windward (this will require copying some data from the game folder on your PC), you will find it on the Lobby screen of the game client. Time to sail!

7. Terraria

This 2D sandbox adventure was first released on Windows in 2011 but has since been ported to Linux and OS X. If you have Terraria, you should be able to host the game on your Raspberry Pi.

Using a Raspberry Pi 2 or later, you can set up a server Terraria on Raspbian, again installing Mono as a prerequisite. Next, you will use TShock, the game server Terraria which is available on GitHub. After launch, all users of your network who want to play will find the server Terraria in your version of the game. While connecting to a server from a local network is better, Terraria can also be played over the Internet.

8. Crossfire

The multiplayer arcade adventure game Crossfire resembles Gauntlet and fraudulent games. With 3,000 cards, an elaborate magic system, and 150 types of monsters, the world crossfire can be completed individually or as a team.

cross fire pi game server

Client and server software available for crossfire and can be downloaded from the website. After setting up the server on the Raspberry Pi, you can connect to any of the other client platforms.

Beware, Crossfire is massive, addictive…and fun! There is a lot to learn here, like a traditional dungeon game, and you will need to go to the site to learn about the magic system.

9. Battle for Wesnoth

A major open source turn-based strategy game with a fantastic theme, «Battle for Wesnoth» exists since 2003. You’ll find versions for Linux, Microsoft Windows, Macintosh operating systems (up to macOS and above), iOS, Android, and even BeOS and AmigaOS on the site. Oh, and it can be played in the browser too!

Multiplayer options for LAN and Internet are available, and there are 46 multiplayer maps in the game. As with many of the games on this list, The Battle for Wesnoth has its own built-in game server, so all you have to do is install the game on your Pi, set it up to host the game, and invite other players to join.