The science of physics has been working its way into games for quite some time now. More often than not, it usually arrives in the form of pushing crates, ragdoll death animations or increasingly realistic driving simulators like Gran Turismo and Forza. There are even tech companies out there pushing hardware accelerators that focus entirely on physics like a 3D card concentrates on graphics.

While incorporating physics into a game is usually an expensive and arduous endeavor relegated to top-tier developers, there is a growing Internet community of hobbyist programmers releasing a library of quality games with physics playing a central role. I recently donned my safari hat and ventured into the dark jungle of the Intertubes in search of some of the better games the underground community has created, discovering some fascinating creations that you can download yourself and have a blast with.

Bontago

Developed by Juniors at the DigiPen Institute, Bontago won the 2004 Independent Games festival for innovative game design, and it’s no wonder. After a few minutes of playing with the interface you become hopelessly addicted. It’s quite an odd game and a challenging one to describe, so instead of reinventing the wheel, I’ll let Bontago’s website description speak for itself:

“Bontago is an intense single or multiplayer 3d real-time strategy game. Players begin with flags (one color for each player) spaced evenly around the edge of a large disk, called the field, balanced on a fulcrum in the center. Around each flag is a circle representing that player's controlled area. Every few seconds a block appears on each player's cursor. The players must place the blocks somewhere in their controlled areas. Players can place the block at any moment in the allotted time, or can hold it until time is up and the block will fall on its own and be replaced by the next block.

The goal of the game is to encompass all of the world flags in the controlled area. To expand the controlled area, the player must build upwards and outwards. The radius of the controlled area (and thus the area the player may place blocks in) is determined using the height of the player's structures perpendicular to the disk. If controlled areas of opposing players meet, a hole is formed in the disk in the overlapping region. The first player to possess a continuous area containing the world flags wins.”

If that made little sense, which I suspect it did, then I highly recommend you download Bontago. The physics are quite remarkable and are central to the gameplay. Bontago also has some pleasing graphics, making this a well-rounded and unique experience.

Armadillo Run

A finalist in the 2007 Independent Games Festival, Armadillo Run is essentially a tricked-out version of The Incredible Machine. The goal is deceptively simple: move a ball (supposedly an armadillo) to a predetermined spot using the available resources at your disposal. Resources take the form of cloth, steel struts, rope and even rockets, each of which you’ll combine to create a pathway for the ball. This is all much easier than it sounds, as you will soon discover that you need to adjust the tension of specific joints if you hope to prove successful. Armadillo Run is not a game for casual players, though they may enjoy just playing around with all of the features on offer. Hardcore puzzle players will benefit the most from this game, as they’ll totally get into the intricacies of the design, coupled with the hardcore physics that must be mastered and properly manipulated. You can grab Armadillo Run from the official site and check out the free demo, though the full version will cost a few bucks.

Stair Dismount

The perfect game for people, like myself, who laugh at the misfortune of others. Stair Dismount is a simple little game that asks you to do one very satisfying task: throw a guy downstairs and maximize the damage he takes. Sign me up! There’s even a sequel of sorts called Truck Dismount for people, like myself, who laugh at car wrecks! Grab both sick programs here.

Toribash

You say you need some turn-based, physics-based fisticuffs? Yeah, I didn’t think I needed it either until I checked out Toribash. This is one of the stars of the physics scene, gaining in popularity as more and more people are finally exposed to its greatness. Sure, it isn’t for everyone, but if you have a passing interest in the physics of human motion when mixed with the physics of combat (and decapitation), then this game is the ultimate.

In Toribash you are given a limited amount of time to allocate your next move, which you do by moving the various joints of your warrior. You can manipulate these joints to perform just about any maneuver you can think of, from wild kicks to an endless amount of grabs, punches, knee-kicks, etc. You then watch the outcome of your move, which includes copious amounts of bloods and, if you’re lucky, a dismembered head rolling across the screen. The full version of Toribash gives you full access to multiplayer servers as well as a rating system that find you trying to achieve a Black Belt. Toribash has to be played to fully appreciate its genius, so head on over to the official site and grab the free demo.

Sumotori

Admit it, what the gaming world has been missing is a physics-based Sumo wrestling game. Well, the void has been filled, thanks to a new little game called Sumotori. When I say little, I mean it, as the download is only 96k, which is nothing short of a miracle. Gameplay is hyper-simplistic, but the graphics are guaranteed to bring a smile to your face as you watch overweight Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots slam in to one another. Download the free game at the official site.

Any one of these games is bound to offer you hours of entertainments at little to no cost. More importantly, each offers a little insight as to what we can expect down the road as big budget titles begin to incorporate physics in innovative new ways. We all just might need one of those dedicated physics cards after all.