Hedgewars vs Teeworlds
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted game servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Hedgewars | Teeworlds |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 75 · Good | 28 · At risk |
| Category | Game Servers | Game Servers |
| License | GPL-2.0 | Zlib |
| Language | Lua | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, binary, source | bare-metal, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 560 | ★ 2,646 |
| First released | 2006 | 2007 |
| Replaces | Worms | Worms, Soldat |
What are Hedgewars and Teeworlds?
Hedgewars
Hedgewars is a free, open-source turn-based strategy and artillery game similar to Worms. It includes a network server for hosting online multiplayer battles.
- Turn-based artillery battles
- Network multiplayer server
- Many weapons and themes
- Map editor
Teeworlds
Teeworlds is a free, open-source 2D multiplayer online game with a retro look. It ships with dedicated server software for hosting fast-paced platform shooter matches.
- 2D platform shooter
- Dedicated server software
- Custom maps and mods
- Very low resource use
Hedgewars vs Teeworlds: key differences
Hedgewars is written in Lua, while Teeworlds is built with C++. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for Hedgewars versus Zlib for Teeworlds. Teeworlds is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Hedgewars. Teeworlds has the considerably larger community, at 2,646 GitHub stars versus 560.
Why pick each one
Choose Hedgewars if…
- Fun Worms-like gameplay
- Lightweight server
Watch out for
- Small online community
- Dated engine
Choose Teeworlds if…
- Extremely lightweight server
- Easy to host
Watch out for
- Dated graphics
- Smaller community
Frequently asked questions
Is Hedgewars or Teeworlds better?
Neither is universally better. Teeworlds has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Hedgewars and Teeworlds free and open-source?
Yes. Hedgewars is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Teeworlds under Zlib. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Hedgewars and Teeworlds with Docker?
Hedgewars: check the project docs for container support. Teeworlds: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Hedgewars or Teeworlds?
Teeworlds has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Hedgewars. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.