Super Tux, the classic open-source 2D platform game inspired by Super Mario, It recently launched the second Beta of its version 0.7.0. This update comes a month after Beta 1, which introduced important features such as a revamped world map and a redesign of the character Tux.
This update andIt's a direct response to player feedback, as it focuses on polishing the experience, correcting critical flaws from the previous release, and crucially, making life easier for both level creators and Linux distribution users.
A level editor that finally "flows"
For the creative community that keeps the game alive, this update is a breath of fresh air, because The level editor is no longer a clunky tool to approach modern design standards. And with the arrival of this beta 2, the most interesting change is the implementation of WASD navigation. With this, creators are no longer tied to the directional arrows to move around.allowing for a much more agile left hand. Furthermore, The editor now starts in mosaic mode by default., eliminating those repetitive initial clicks that frustrated veteran designers.
La The interface has also become more communicative, Since the toolbar updates dynamically when switching between objects and terrains, and shortcuts like Ctrl+H have been added to instantly hide or show triggers, cleaning up visual noise during the design process.
Physics and multiplayer overhaul
In terms of gameplay, the development team has adjusted the difficulty levels and physics. old pumpThe classic element of the arsenal has reduced its detonation time from five to just two seconds, transforming its strategic use into a rapid reaction mechanism.
On the other hand, underwater and on-slope performance has been improved: Bullets now ricochet off inclined surfaces instead of disappearing, and they move faster than Tux himself in aquatic environments. Multiplayer mode has also been improvedAbandoning the ambiguity of previous versions to offer clear and differentiated options when adding a second player, either via keyboard or controller, avoiding input conflicts.
With this Beta 2, SuperTux doesn't just fix what was broken (such as inaccessible secrets or unexpected closures on maps with relative routes), but prepares the ground for a stable final launchdemonstrating that open source can be as rigorous in its maintenance as it is creative in its proposal.
Of the Other notable changes in the latest beta version include:
- Fixes problems with relative paths
- Goldbomb no longer drops coins when it's not shining.
- Editor: Fixed saving of state for undefined tile maps.
- Editor: Always start in tile mode
- Updated manual pages
- Menu-level improvements
- The left and right directions for the rocket launcher were fixed.
- Add option to allow ignoring the hardcoded player limit
- Enable the use of preview keys to navigate menus
- The bullets ricochet off the slopes
- Editor: Update the toolbar when switching to tile/object from the menu
- Making hairlines look less ugly (on menus)
- Avoid selecting worlds within the same world
- Various improvements across many levels in World 1 and World 2
- Enable builds without network support (curl)
- Editor: Stop 'updating' layers after any changes
- Add Tux floating dolls
- The warning about the virtual machine not being initialized and the possible incorrect memory reference have been corrected.
- Add a workaround for the open editor on macOS
Finally, if you are interested in learning more about this, you can check the details in the following link.
Download and try SuperTux 0.7.0 Beta 2
For those interested in trying this beta, they should know that the team has made two main options available: AppImage and Flatpak.
For purists who prefer the AppImage format, available in the "Assets" section of their GitHub, There is an important warning: the package requires a glibc version equal to or higher than 2.38. In practical terms, this means that the Ubuntu users will need version 24.04 LTS or laterFurthermore, since many modern distributions have stopped including certain legacy libraries by default, the game is likely to fail to start unless the FUSE 2 library is manually installed.
Therefore, before running the file, we must ensure compatibility, and to do this, we must run the following command in the terminal:
sudo apt install libfuse2
The AppImage file can be obtained from the official website of the project, although for those who prefer it, they can open a terminal and obtain the file with the following command:
wget https://github.com/SuperTux/supertux/releases/download/v0.7.0-beta.2/SuperTux-v0.7.0-beta.2.glibc2.38-x86_64.AppImage -O SuperTux.AppImage
Once the download is done, we have to give it execution permissions. We can do this from the terminal by executing the following command in it:
sudo chmod +x SuperTux.AppImage
On the other hand, the Flatpak route It is presented as the most robust option, especially now that this beta has enabled native support for OpenGLThis guarantees superior graphics performance. Installation is done directly from the terminal.
To install it, simply run the following command:
flatpak install --user https://github.com/SuperTux/supertux/releases/download/v0.7.0-beta.2/SuperTux-v0.7.0-beta.2-x86_64.flatpak
Once the process is complete, the game starts with
flatpak run org.supertux.SuperTuxNightly
One detail to keep in mind is that if the game icon does not appear immediately in the applications menu, it is usually necessary to log out and log back in to the user session so that the system paths are updated correctly.