SuperTuxKart is proof that free and open source can mean genuinely great. It’s a kart racer in the Mario Kart mold, drift around wild tracks, grab power-ups, and pelt your rivals with cakes and bowling balls, except here the drivers are the mascots of open-source projects, led by Tux the Linux penguin. It costs nothing, shows no ads, and hides no catch.
Built by a volunteer community since 2007, it’s been polished over nearly two decades into something that punches well above its hobby-project roots. Colorful tracks, tight arcade handling, a full story mode, and both online and couch multiplayer make it a brilliant pick for families, casual players, and anyone who misses local split-screen racing.
It’s the standout kart racer on our list of the best free racing games for PC, and one of the finest free games in any genre.
Is SuperTuxKart Free?
Completely, in every sense. SuperTuxKart is free and open source, released under the GPLv3 license. There’s no purchase, no subscription, no ads, and no microtransactions anywhere in it. A community of volunteers builds and maintains it, funded by donations, so the whole game and all its content are yours the moment you download it.
Because it’s open source, you can even peek at (or contribute to) the code, and the game ships with a free add-ons library where players share extra karts and tracks. Free here means genuinely free, not free-to-start.
Gameplay & Features
If you’ve played a kart racer, you’ll feel at home instantly. Collect nitro to boost, grab item boxes for weapons and defenses, and use the bananas and gifts strewn across each track to trip up the pack. It leans into fun over realism, with catch-up AI and chaotic item play that keep races close to the line.
- A full Story Mode and Grand Prix cups, plus single races, time trials, and follow-the-leader.
- Battle modes including 3-Strikes, Capture the Flag, and even a soccer mode.
- Online multiplayer alongside classic local split-screen for several players on one screen.
- Over 20 tracks and arenas, a roster of open-source mascots, and a free add-ons library of community karts and tracks.
For more free arcade racing, Trackmania delivers precision time-trials and GeneRally is a charming top-down classic.
PC System Requirements
SuperTuxKart runs on almost anything. It needs under a gigabyte of storage and very little power, and a built-in fallback renderer keeps it playable even on genuinely old hardware.
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 7 or later (64-bit) | Windows 10 or later (64-bit) |
| Processor | Intel Core i5 2.8 GHz / AMD equivalent | Intel Core i7 / AMD equivalent |
| Memory | 1 GB RAM | 2 GB RAM |
| Graphics | OpenGL 3.3 compatible (NVIDIA GeForce 400 series / AMD Radeon HD 6000 / Intel HD 4000), 512 MB VRAM | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 / AMD Radeon RX 460, 1 GB VRAM |
| Storage | 800 MB available space | 1 GB available space |
It’s cross-platform too, with official builds for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and Nintendo Switch.
How to Download & Play SuperTuxKart for Free
The safest place to get SuperTuxKart is the official project site, and it’s completely DRM-free. Here’s how:
- Head to the official SuperTuxKart website and download the version for your operating system.
- Run the installer, or unzip the portable version. No account needed.
- Launch it, pick a kart and a track, and race.
It’s also free on Steam, itch.io, the Microsoft Store, and Google Play if you prefer those. For more on grabbing free games safely, see our guide to the best free PC game download sites.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SuperTuxKart free?
Yes, completely. It’s free and open source under the GPLv3 license, with no ads, no microtransactions, and no paid version.
What does “open source” mean here?
The game’s code is public and community-maintained, so anyone can study, improve, or build on it. For players, it simply means the game is free forever, with no strings.
Does SuperTuxKart have multiplayer?
Yes. It supports online multiplayer as well as local split-screen, so you can race friends over the internet or on the same couch.
Is SuperTuxKart good for kids?
Very. It’s family-friendly, with cartoonish, non-violent action, no ads, and nothing to buy, which makes it a great pick for younger players.
