LinCity-NG vs OpenRCT2

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted game servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
FeatureLinCity-NGOpenRCT2
CategoryGame ServersGame Servers
LicenseGPL-2.0GPL-3.0
LanguageC++C++
Setup difficultyEasyMedium
Min. RAM256 MB512 MB
Deploymentbinary, sourcebare-metal, binary, source
GitHub stars★ 620★ 16,049
First released20052014
ReplacesSimCityRollerCoaster Tycoon

Why pick each one

Choose LinCity-NG if…

  • Released under the GPL-2.0 license
  • Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
  • Written in C++
  • Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
LinCity-NG details

Choose OpenRCT2 if…

  • Faithful modern remake
  • Active community
OpenRCT2 details

Frequently asked questions

Is LinCity-NG or OpenRCT2 better?

Neither is universally better. OpenRCT2 has the larger community, while LinCity-NG is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.

Are LinCity-NG and OpenRCT2 free and open-source?

Yes. LinCity-NG is licensed under GPL-2.0 and OpenRCT2 under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run LinCity-NG and OpenRCT2 with Docker?

LinCity-NG: check the project docs for container support. OpenRCT2: check the project docs for container support.

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