Pingus.
By Ingo Ruhnke
Pingus is Ingo Ruhnke's side-view puzzle game about guiding a group of walking animals to an exit. The official site describes 77 levels, a world map, secret levels, a level editor, multiplayer, and actions such as building a bridge, digging, and a jumper. Stable downloads are listed for Windows, Intel Macs, and Linux source. The site says the game is free as in freedom under the GNU GPL, and it explicitly says that does not mean free of charge.
The F7 Insight
Pingus is worth the detour because the animals keep walking unless you spend a command. The puzzle is the timing of those commands, and the site is honest that freedom to change the game is not a price tag.
A closer look.
- 01
Guide walking characters to an exit with commands such as building a bridge or digging.
- 02
Play 77 levels, including a world map, secret levels, and a jumper action.
- 03
Use the built-in level editor and the multiplayer mode described on the official site.
- 04
Download stable Windows and Intel Mac builds, or the Linux source archive.
- 05
The project states a GPL freedom grant and says that is not a promise of zero price.
Sources & credits
Verified against the sources below. Features, pricing, and availability may change; check the creator’s current information before installing or buying.
- Official site: GPL game, 77 levels, editor, multiplayer, and no zero-price claimChecked 17 Oct 2026
- Official stable downloads for Windows, Mac, and Linux sourceChecked 17 Oct 2026
- Repository readme: GPLv3+ and desktop buildsChecked 17 Oct 2026
- GPL-3.0 license text for the gameChecked 17 Oct 2026
- Official logo used unmodifiedChecked 17 Oct 2026
Artwork acknowledgments
Pingus logo from the official website. Copyright 1998-2015 Ingo Ruhnke. The site says the game is covered by the GNU GPL. Image used unmodified.