Awesome Games
A curated, archived list of open-source games, engines, and game-related projects hosted on GitHub across all genres and platforms.
What is Awesome Games?
Games on GitHub is an archived, curated directory of open-source video games, game engines, frameworks, and related tools hosted on GitHub. It solves the problem of discovering quality open-source games across all genres—from browser-based HTML5 arcade games to native desktop RPGs and mobile titles—by providing a community-maintained list with direct links and descriptions.
Game developers looking for inspiration or code examples, open-source enthusiasts exploring game projects, and players interested in trying free, browser-playable games across many genres.
It offers the most comprehensive, genre-organized list of open-source games on GitHub, with many entries including direct playable links. Unlike generic lists, it focuses exclusively on GitHub-hosted projects, making it a trusted resource for developers and gamers in the open-source community.
Overview
Archived — A list of games, add-ons, maps, etc. hosted on GitHub. Any genre. Any platform. Any engine.
Use Cases
Best For
- Finding open-source HTML5 games to play directly in a browser
- Discovering game engines and frameworks for personal projects
- Exploring code examples from classic game clones (e.g., Mario, Doom, Tetris)
- Researching the history of open-source game development
- Locating assets, maps, or utilities for game modding
- Browsing curated game jam entries and indie experiments
Not Ideal For
- Developers seeking active, maintained game engines with regular updates and support
- Projects requiring detailed technical documentation, tutorials, or learning resources
- Teams looking for commercial-grade, production-ready games with polished user experiences
- Users wanting a searchable, interactive database with advanced filters, ratings, or metadata
Pros & Cons
Pros
The README notes contributions from over 100 developers, ensuring a diverse and vetted list of open-source games, which grew from a Hacker News thread into a trusted resource.
Many browser-based games include 'Play it now!' links, allowing instant access without installation, as seen in entries like 'BrowserQuest' and '2048'.
It documents the evolution of open-source gaming from 2012 onward, providing context on how the ecosystem expanded from a niche to a vibrant community.
The list spans browser, native desktop, mobile, and game engines, organized by genre and platform, catering to a wide range of interests and use cases.
Cons
The repository is officially archived, so no new games or updates are added, making it incomplete for recent projects and innovations in open-source gaming.
As admitted in the README, 'a single Markdown file was never the best database,' leading to a cluttered, static list that lacks advanced navigation or search features.
Since it relies on community submissions, the maintenance and polish of listed games vary widely; many are hobbyist experiments or abandoned, with no quality ratings.
Entries lack crucial details like last update dates, user reviews, or difficulty levels, which would help users assess project health and suitability.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Found a gem we're missing?
Open-Awesome is built by the community, for the community. Submit a project, suggest an awesome list, or help improve the catalog on GitHub.