Duke Nukem: 3 Open Source Clones Compared
Dave Gnukem explicitly describes itself as not a clone or remake but a 'similar but different' parody, built entirely with its own hand-drawn sprites and levels rather than any Duke Nukem 1 assets or level data, and includes an in-game level editor. Freenukum, by contrast, is a literal work-in-progress reimplementation of the original 1991 DOS game that requires the original Duke Nukem 1 graphics data to run and is still missing content such as enemies and some level items.
Comparison table
Availability
- Status
- Playable
- Platforms
- Windows, Linux, OSX
- Play in browser
- No
- Mobile
- No
Project health
- Development status
- Active
- Last updated
- 3mo ago
- Stars
- 84
- Contributors
- 14
- License
- GPL-2.0
- Engine
- SDL2
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- NoThe game includes its own original sprites and levels; no original Duke Nukem assets are required or used.
- Modding support
- YesIntegrated level editor available in-game with F5 key; users can create and edit custom levels.
Availability
- Status
- Semi-playable
- Platforms
- Linux
- Play in browser
- No
- Mobile
- No
Project health
- Development status
- Halted
- Last updated
- 4y ago
- Stars
- 11
- Contributors
- 4
- License
- other
- Engine
- —
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- YesRequires installation of original Duke Nukem 1 game graphics data; shareware episode available free from 3D Realms FTP.
- Modding support
- —
Availability
- Status
- Playable
- Platforms
- TI calculator
- Play in browser
- No
- Mobile
- No
Project health
- Development status
- Not tracked
- Last updated
- Not tracked
- Stars
- Not tracked
- Contributors
- Not tracked
- License
- Not tracked
- Engine
- Not tracked
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- —
- Modding support
- —
| Title | Dave Gnukem | Freenukum | Duke 68k |
|---|---|---|---|
| Status | Playable | Semi-playable | Playable |
| Platforms | Windows, Linux, OSX | Linux | TI calculator |
| Play in browser | No | No | No |
| Mobile | No | No | No |
| Project health | |||
| Development status | Active | Halted | Not tracked |
| Last updated | 3mo ago | 4y ago | Not tracked |
| Stars | 84 | 11 | Not tracked |
| Contributors | 14 | 4 | Not tracked |
| License | GPL-2.0 | other | Not tracked |
| Engine | SDL2 | — | Not tracked |
| Compatibility | |||
| Requires original assets | NoThe game includes its own original sprites and levels; no original Duke Nukem assets are required or used. | YesRequires installation of original Duke Nukem 1 game graphics data; shareware episode available free from 3D Realms FTP. | — |
| Modding support | YesIntegrated level editor available in-game with F5 key; users can create and edit custom levels. | — | — |
| Preview | | | |
Known limitations
- gameplay: Game is work in progress; opponents and some items are missing from the levels.
Frequently asked questions
Are the Duke Nukem clones on this page open source?
Yes — every clone catalogued here is an open-source project. Availability, license, and development-status details for each one are listed in the comparison table above.
What license do these Duke Nukem clones use?
Dave Gnukem (GPL-2.0); Freenukum (other).
Do I need to own the original Duke Nukem to play these clones?
Dave Gnukem runs standalone, no original files needed; Freenukum requires original game assets to play.
Which Duke Nukem clone is the most actively maintained?
Dave Gnukem is currently under active development, based on recent commit activity. See the "Development status" row above for every clone's current status.
See the full write-up for each clone, or go back to Duke Nukem.