Top Free Fps Games For Mac
By Vernon Roderick, Last updated: July 11, 2020
Most of the top games in Mac are shooter games. With improved graphics and animation, they have reached immense heights. So here are the top five games for MAC which can take your breath away: 1. Bio-shock is an amazing first person shooter game. It has got some scientific and political undercurrents running throughout the games. The game is not only playable on Catalina, but you can even download it straight from the Mac App Store. Shadow of the Tomb Raider and the first two in the new trilogy will really make Mac gamers feel loved again, being one of the few 100% Triple-A hits to be fully available to us and is a highly recommended fresh of breath air for anybody.
If you’ve tried gaming at least once, you’re probably already aware of how important it is to know your FPS at all times during a game.
With this, you’ll have an edge against players that will help you with your competitive gaming. However, seeing your FPS at all times is not as simple as you think. FPS counters were made for this exact reason.
You’re not required to have a high-end computer to access such features. What you need is some knowledge of what FPS is and the patience to look for reliable FPS counters. After all, there is some software that instead of helping you will only make you suffer through viruses, malware, etc.
So today, we’re going to talk about FPS counters that are accessible to all gamers around the web, and we’re not just talking about your typical ones, we’ll talk about the best there is. But before that, of course, you’ll first have to know more about what FPS is for the sake of those who have only started gaming recently.
Part 1. A Brief Overview of FPS for Gamers
FPS is a term referring to Frames-Per-Second. As the name suggests, it is the unit of measure for the frames that are displayed by the computer every second. So why exactly does this make it so important to gamers?
This is because each device is only able to display a limited number of frames. Getting a high number will mean that your device is of high-quality and will display the graphics smoothly. On the other hand, if the FPS is low, it just means that the device is poor at displaying graphics.
For gamers, having a low FPS is a very alarming issue. After all, you don’t want to find out that your device is only capable to do so much.
So how can you know that you’re actually on a pretty good standing when it comes to FPS?
Part 2. What Should be Your FPS?
As previously said, the FPS is the number of frames your device can display every second, currently. This means that it can change depending on your graphic settings and the current screen being displayed.
For example, if you are running on low resolution, you will get a higher number on your FPS since it doesn’t take too much effort for the computer to display such low-quality graphics. Having a high resolution will lead to lower FPS.
Regardless, you’ll have to remember the ranges of the FPS you will want to see on your FPS counter:
- 30 FPS– The lowest range of FPS that you can see. This is also the most common and is typically seen on low-end PCs. Most of the time, people with such FPS will try to lower their graphic settings to get a higher number and avoid it dropping it 20 FPS.
- 60 FPS– Although not that high, it is still enough to run most games nowadays. It is seen on most middle-range PCs. Despite that, people with this FPS still lower their graphics settings since it might make their gameplay better.
- 120 FPS– A rather rare sight for gamers, but also one of their dreams. It can only be achieved if you have a high-end PC on top of expensive graphics cards. Middle-range PCs can also achieve this if the graphics settings are set to the lowest.
- 240 FPS– The highest number your FPS counter can give you, but it is seen as an unobtainable feat by many gamers, the reason being that they can’t afford the maintenance cost, let alone the initial price, of such high-quality hardware.
While these ranges of FPS is easy to remember, the most important thing you have to take note of is that FPS can change depending on your graphic settings and the current screen being displayed. Thus, the need for FPS counters became prevalent, which leads us to our next topic.
Part 3. Why Do You Need an FPS Counter?
As a gamer, it is important to focus on the game more than anything else. You’ll have to take it at your own pace and remember to adjust to the game’s situation.
However, gamers aren’t used to adjusting their gameplay according to changes in their FPS. They can’t possibly react to a sudden drop on their FPS. In the worst case, the FPS drop may cause their defeat in their respective games.
On the other hand, if the FPS suddenly skyrockets, it can still take them by surprise. Their previous gameplay will be ruined and they’ll have to adjust to another that is suited for one that tackles a game with high FPS.
The moment they get caught off guard, it has the potential to lead to their doom. Plus, they can’t possibly go to the settings and check their FPS every second.
That’s why FPS counters are very essential to gamers. Since most games don’t display the FPS normally, they use FPS counters to add another aspect of the game.
With all that being said, here are some recommendations for the FPS counter you should check out in case you decide to use one.
Part 4. FPS Counter for Gaming
#1. Steam’s In-Game Overlay
Steam is a storefront for all kinds of games you can think of. It is accessible in your macOS, Windows, and PCs running on other operating systems. It also offers people a community portal where they can connect with people and talk about their favorite games. It promotes cooperative gaming.
However, even this game has its flaws. For one, there’s no default setting that allows you to see your FPS through a built-in FPS counter. Fortunately, the issue has been circulated throughout the community that it even reached the moderators. Thus, they’ve added a feature called In-game FPS counter. Here’s how you can use it on Steam.
- Open the Steam
- Go to the Settings.
- Click on the In-Game
- Click on the dropdown menu under the In-game FPS counter.
- Select anything besides Off. The option that you choose will indicate the position wherein the FPS counter will appear.
While it may look small to you, the FPS counter should still be visible. This should actually be the best size to avoid distracting you too much from the game.
However, as you may have already realized, the Steam In-Game FPS Counter only appears on games played on Steam, obviously. So we’ll talk about an FPS counter that will hopefully help you with other games.
#2. NVIDIA GeForce Experience
You may have heard of NVIDIA a couple of times, being the gamer you are. In fact, you might even have an NVIDIA graphics card on your PC right now. If that’s the case, then gaining access to an FPS counter will be as easy as pie for you.
As you can see, NVIDIA is a graphics hardware that allows for a better experience with your PC. More specifically, it focuses on gaming.
First-Person Shooters
For one, it allows for automatic game optimization. That means you don’t have to adjust your graphics settings to suit your gamer’s preferences. NVIDIA does it for you automatically. It also accesses the game’s graphics settings so it can set a setting that fits your graphic card’s capabilities perfectly. This will allow you to maximize your graphics.
However, the most important thing you have to remember right now is that NVIDIA also offers an FPS counter. This feature can be accessed through the NVIDIA GeForce Experience. Here’s how you can use the feature:
Best Fps Games For Mac
- Go to the NVIDIA GeForce Experience
- Click on the Settings button that is indicated by a gear.
- Under the Share section, click on the Settings
- Under the Home section, look for Overlays and click on it.
- You will be taken to the Overlays
There should be many options such as Camera, Status Indicator, Viewers, and most importantly, FPS Counter. Click on FPS Counter.
- The FPS Counter button should now be highlighted green. Now what you have to do is set the position where it should appear.
There will be four boxes you can choose from which should indicate the position where the FPS counter should appear. Choose which position depending on your preferences.
With that, you’ll already gain access to an FPS counter no matter which game you play. However, as previously said, it can only be accessed if you have an NVIDIA graphics card. Since some of us have different graphics cards, we’ll talk about more options for the best FPS counter.
Note: The following options will have their own set of instructions for you to learn by yourself.
#3. FRAPS
How do I display the FPS counter? FRAPS is perhaps one of the most popular FPS counter third-party software made for PC gamers. It has many functionalities and it doesn’t only show the FPS, it can also increase it. It is capable of many things and you can easily set it up once you installed it on your PC.
Compared to other third-party FPS counters, it’s definitely on top. However, you can only gain access to FRAPS by paying some bucks. You can buy your way to FRAPS with $37 and you won’t have to pay for anything for your lifetime.
However, once you pay for it, you’ll see that it’s actually worth it. The FPS counter can be configured. You can set its position, shortcut, and more.
#4. FPS Monitor
Just like FRAPS, FPS Monitor is another specialized software made as an FPS counter. It was developed in a similar way as FRAPS.
It has a lot of functions, a clear interface, and a wide range of configurations. You can even set the settings while gaming.
In addition, it supports all sorts of operating systems. Fortunately, there’s a free version of the tool. But of course, if you want to support them, you can always opt for the paid premium version.
#5. DXtory
Our last option for a third-party FPS counter is DXtory. DXtory is more of a video capture tool that was made for OpenGL applications and DirectX. So it’s kind of like Steam in a way that you can’t use it on other games that aren’t running on these two specific components.
Either way, it allows you to have access to an FPS counter at all times. Of course, there are other gaming features as well, including the screenshot feature.
Part 5. The Final Word
Knowing about FPS is a very beneficial objective for every gamer. Even more so when it comes to understanding its importance. Alas, you can’t easily manipulate your FPS to your advantage. You can only monitor it so you can adjust your gameplay accordingly.
However, it won’t be as easy as you think. You’ll have to think of software that will serve as an FPS counter for you. Once you gain access to one of these tools, you’ll find that you can easily improve your gameplay with just the addition of a small number on your screen.
This is a list of some of the most popular freeware and free and open-source softwarefirst-person shooter games.
Title | Developer | Release date | Last update | Operating system | Engine | License | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Action Quake 2 | The Action Team | 1998 | 2003 | Linux, Windows | id Tech 2 | Freeware | Team and Deathmatch based very fast FPS |
AssaultCube | Rabid Viper Productions | 2006 | 2013 | Linux, Mac OS, Windows | Cube Engine | zlib License (code), Individual licenses (media) | Realistic environments, fast arcade game play, many game modes. Single/Multiplayer. |
Black Shades | Wolfire games | 2001 | Linux, OS X, Windows, Mac OS, iOS | Wolfire Games | Freeware | Free First-person shooter | |
BZFlag | Chris Schoeneman, Tim Riker | 1993 | 2016-10-10 (2.4.8) | Linux, BSD, OS X, Windows, other UNIX | GNU LGPL | Tank combat | |
Chub Gam 3D: Director's Cut | ChubGamSoft | 1998 | MS-DOS | Pie in the Sky | Freeware | Surreal horror single player game | |
CodeRED: Alien Arena | COR Entertainment, LLC | 2004-11 | 2011-12-29 (7.53) | Linux, BSD, OS X, Windows | CRX Engine | GNU GPL (code), Proprietary license (media) | Science fiction, with single or multiplayer modes. |
Cube | Wouter van Oortmerssen | 2001 | 2005-08-29 | Linux, BSD, Mac OS, Windows | Cube Engine | zlib License (code), Individual licenses (media) | Quake style multiplayer deathmatch. Single/Multiplayer. |
Cube 2: Sauerbraten | Wouter van Oortmerssen | 2004 | 2020-11-30 | Linux, BSD, OS X, Windows | Cube 2 Engine | zlib License (code), Individual licenses (media) | Quake style deathmatch, includes built in level editor. Single/Multiplayer. |
The Dark Mod | Team Dark Mod | 2009 | 2015-02-08 (2.03) | Windows | id Tech 4 engine | CC-BY-NC-SA | First person stealth game in the style of the Thief (series) games (1 and 2) using a modified Id Tech 4 engine |
Fallen Empire: Legions | GarageGames, InstantAction | 2009-06-30 | 2013-06-27 | Windows | Torque Game Engine | Proprietary license | First-Person Shooter with Jetpacks, Multiplayer, CTF, Deathmatch |
Freedoom | Freedoom project | 2019-10-22 (0.12.1) | Linux, OS X, Windows, Android, Mac OS, MS-DOS, others | Doom engine | GNU GPL (code), BSD (media) | A Doom WAD file intended to be used instead of the copyrighted file from the original Doom and Doom II. | |
The Glorious Mission | Giant Interactive Group | 2013-06-20 | Windows | Proprietary license | Online multiplayer. Developed with the People's Liberation Army of China for use as a recruitment and training tool. | ||
Gore: Special Edition | 4D Rulers | 2008-07-04 | Windows | AMP engine | Proprietary license | ||
Hidden & Dangerous | Illusion Softworks, Take-Two Interactive | 1999-07-29 | 2001-11 | Windows | Insanity Engine | Proprietary license | |
.kkrieger | .theprodukkt | 2004 | Windows | Proprietary license | Won first place in the 96k game competition at Breakpoint in April 2004. | ||
KumaWar | Kuma Reality Games | 2004 | 2006-07 | Windows | Source engine | Proprietary license | Tactical episodic shooter. Single/Multiplayer. |
Marathon | Bungie | 1994-12-21 | 2007 | Mac OS (original), ported to Linux, OS X and Windows via AlephOne | Aleph One | GNU GPL (code) | Released as freeware and source code. |
Nexuiz | Alientrap | 2005-05-31 | 2009-10-01 (2.5.2) | Linux, OS X (10.4 or later), Windows | DarkPlaces Quake engine | GNU GPL | Unreal Tournament style deathmatch. Single/Multiplayer. |
OpenArena | OpenArena team | 2005-08-19 | 2012-02-20 (0.8.8) | Linux, OS X, Windows | GNU GPL | Free software content remake of Quake III Arena. Single/Multiplayer | |
Point Blank | Zepetto, NCSOFT | 2008-03 | Windows | N/A | Proprietary license | Free FPS created by Zepetto in 2009. Close Beta version. | |
Red Eclipse[1] | Quinton Reeves, Lee Salzman | 2009 | 2019-12-19 (2.0.0) | Linux, BSD, OS X, Windows | Cube 2 Engine / Tesseract | zlib License | New take on the first person arena shooter, featuring parkour, impulse boosts, and more. |
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. build 1935 | GSC Game World | 2009-02 | Windows | xrCore build 1935 | Proprietary license | 2004 Alpha build of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl. Contains content and features cut from the final release. Has a number of bugs but contains a full, playable single player campaign. | |
Savage: The Battle for Newerth | S2 Games | 2003-09-09 | Linux, OS X (commercial), Windows | Silverback Engine | Proprietary license | Hybrid FPS/RTS with both ranged and melee combat | |
Savage 2: A Tortured Soul | S2 Games | 2008-01-16 | Linux, OS X, Windows (commercial) | K2 Engine | Proprietary license | The sequel to the award-winning game, Savage: The Battle for Newerth. | |
Smokin' Guns | Smokin' Guns Productions and Iron Claw Interactive | 2009-01-01 | 2012-06-08 | Linux, BSD, OS X, Windows, others | GNU GPL (code/some media) Proprietary license (some media) | Western Quake-like FPS. Single (with bots)/Multiplayer. | |
Starsiege: Tribes | Dynamix, Sierra Entertainment | 2004 (free release) | Windows | Darkstar engine | Proprietary license | Futuristic team based combat, released for free to promote Tribes: Vengeance. Multiplayer only. | |
The DinoHunters | Kuma Games | 2006-04-24 | Windows | Source engine | Proprietary license | Also a machinima series. Single/Multiplayer. | |
Tremulous | Dark Legion Development | 2006-03-31 | 2009-12-04 (preview release) | Linux, OS X (unofficial), Windows | GNU GPL | Aliens vs Humans multiplayer team combat with some RTS elements. | |
Tribes 2 | Dynamix, Sierra Entertainment | 2004 (free release) | Windows | Torque Game Engine | Proprietary License | Futuristic team based combat, released for free to promote Tribes: Vengeance. Single/Multiplayer. | |
UberStrike | Cmune | 2010-09-17 | OS X, Windows | Unity | Proprietary license | Free-to-play 'social shooter' on Facebook, MySpace and Apple's Dashboard Widgets. | |
Unreal Tournament | Epic Games | TBA | 2015-03-09 | Linux, OS X, Windows | Unreal Engine 4 | Proprietary license | Crowdsourced and free first-person shooter. |
Unvanquished[2] | Unvanquished Development | 2012-02-29 | 2018 (Alpha 0.51.1) | Linux, OS X, Windows | modified ioquake3 | CC BY-SA 2.5/GPL | Fork of Tremulous with new assets |
Urban Terror | Silicon Ice Development / Frozen Sand | 2000-08-05 (Beta 1.0) | 2016-09-30 (4.3.0) | Linux, OS X, Windows | GNU GPL (ioquake3 engine), Proprietary license (mod code, media) | Fast-paced, Hollywood tactical shooter. Originally a Quake 3mod, now a standalone game. | |
Warmonger: Operation Downtown Destruction | NetDevil | 2007-11-28 | 2009-08-27 | Windows | Unreal Engine 3 | GNU GPL (code), Proprietary license (media) | High-end Free-to-play first person shooter with destructible environments.. |
Warsow | Warsow team | 2005-06-08 | 2016-04-14 (2.1) | Linux, OS X, Windows | GNU GPL (code), Proprietary license (media) | Quake style deathmatch focussed on high-paced action and trickjumps. | |
Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory | Activision, id Software, Splash Damage | 2003-05-29 | 2015-08-21 (ET:Legacy 2.74) | Linux, OS X, Windows | id Tech 3, ET:Legacy | GNU GPL (code), Proprietary license (media) | Intended expansion pack turned freeware. WW2 multiplayer team combat |
World of Padman | Padworld Entertainment | 2007-04-01 | 2011-07-16 (1.5.4 beta Windows/Linux), 2011-01-24 (1.5.1 OS X) | Linux, OS X, Windows | GNU GPL (code), Proprietary license (media) | A free Quake 3 like comical FPS game | |
Xonotic | Team Xonotic | 2010-12-23 | 2017-04-01 (0.8.2) | Linux, OS X, Windows | DarkPlaces Quake engine | GNU GPL | Fork and direct successor of the Nexuiz Project. |
Team Fortress 2 | Valve | 2007-10-7 | 2019-3-28 | Windows, Mac OS, Linux. | Source | Proprietary license | Also available on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, formerly pay to play, sequel to Team Fortress Classic. |
Freeware clients[edit]
Some free-to-play online first-person shooters use a client–server model, in which only the client is available for free. They may be associated with business models such as optional microtransactions or in-game advertising. Some of these may be MMOFPS, MMOTPS or MMORPG games.
Title | Developer, Publisher | Release date | Operating system | Engine | License | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Blacklight: Retribution | Zombie Studios | 2012-04-03 | Windows | Unreal Engine 3 | Proprietary license | Online multiplayer, futuristic setting. |
CrossFire | Z8Games | 2006 | Windows | Lithtech Jupiter | Freeware | Modern team-based shooter. Many game modes. |
Mission Against Terror | Kingsoft Dalian JingCai Studio, Wicked Interactive / Suba Games | 2012 | Windows | Proprietary license | Free-to-play online fps, developed by KingSoft, published by Wicked Interactive / Suba Games. | |
Fallen Earth | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | Online multiplayer[3] |
Heroes and Generals | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | Online multiplayer[3] |
War Rock | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | Online multiplayer, features controllable vehicles |
Combat Arms | Nexon | 2008-07-11 | Windows | Lithtech | Proprietary license | Online multiplayer, modern setting; microtransaction business model. |
CrimeCraft | Vogster Entertainment | 2009-08 | Windows | Unreal Engine 3 | Proprietary license | Massively multiplayer online with 3rd and 1st-person perspectives; microtransaction business model. |
PlanetSide 2 | Sony Online Entertainment | 2012-11-20 | Windows | Forgelight Engine | Proprietary license | Massive battles with 2000 players per continent at a time. 3 factions fighting over 4 continents. Player customization, microtransaction business model. |
Sudden Attack | Nexon | 2005-4-11 | Windows | Lithtech | Proprietary license | Online multiplayer |
Tribes: Ascend | Hi-Rez Studios | 2011-12 | Windows | Unreal Engine 3 (modified) | Proprietary license | Online multiplayer; microtransaction business model. |
Game engines[edit]
Engine | Developer, Publisher | Release date | Linux | OS X | Windows | other | License | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aleph One | Bungie (originally) | 2000-01-17 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Mac OS, BSDs | GNU General Public License | Aleph One is an open-source project based on the Marathon 2: Durandal code, which was released to the public by Bungie. |
Build engine | Ken Silverman/3D Realms | 2000-06-20 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes[which?] | Custom licence, GNU General Public License | First released by Silverman; 3D Realms later did GPL releases of Duke Nukem 3D and Shadow Warrior |
Cube Engine | Wouter van Oortmerssen | 2001 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | zlib License (code), Individual licenses (media) | FPS with sandbox style level-editor |
Cube 2 Engine | Wouter van Oortmerssen | 2004 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | zlib License (code), Individual licenses (media) | FPS with sandbox style level-editor |
Dim3 | Brian Barnes | No | Yes | Yes | No | MIT License | Development set | |
id Tech 1 | id Software | 1999 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | GNU General Public License | Known as the Doom engine, originally used for Doom, Doom II, and clones |
id Tech 2 | id Software | 2001-12-22 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | GNU General Public License | Quake 2, CRX and Qfusion are open-source derivatives |
id Tech 3 | id Software | 2005-08-19 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes[which?] | GNU General Public License | Quake 3, ioquake3 is an open-source derivative |
id Tech 4 | id Software | 2011-11-22 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes[which?] | GNU General Public License | Doom 3 |
Quake engine | id Software | 1996 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | GNU General Public License | Quake, DarkPlaces is an open source derivative |
Torque Game Engine | GarageGames | 2012-09-20 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | MIT License | |
Unity | Unity Technologies | 2009 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Purchasable license for commercial use, iPhone license, Free indie license | Development set |
Unreal Engine | Epic Games | 1998 | Yes | Yes | Yes | PlayStation 4, Xbox One, iOS, Android | Proprietary | Free to download and use |
Wolfenstein 3D engine | id Software | 1995 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | GNU General Public License | Also available from Blake Stone: Planet Strike source release; earlier versions in Hovertank 3D and Catacomb 3D source releases, and further developed in Rise of the Triad source release |
References[edit]
- ^Red Eclipse
- ^Unvanquished
- ^ abList of free MMOFPS games