DDraceNetwork Review, Pricing & Features

DDraceNetwork (DDNet) is a free, open-source cooperative platformer mod of Teeworlds where teams race together through community-built maps.

Category
Gaming & Game Servers
Pricing
Free/Open Source, from Free
Verified
Not yet
Last updated
July 18, 2026
Founded
2013
Free PlanWindowsOpen SourceSelf-HostedMac

Overview

DDraceNetwork (DDNet) is a free, open-source cooperative platformer game built as a modification of Teeworlds, letting teams of up to 64 players work together through physics-based obstacle course maps using grappling hooks and other Teeworlds tools rather than competing against each other.

The project traces its roots to an earlier Teeworlds mod called DDRace, and formally began as DDraceNetwork on July 17, 2013, when community members organized an alternative to the earlier DDmaX server community. It has since become the dominant hub of the DDRace/cooperative Teeworlds community.

Key Features

DDNet supports up to 64 simultaneous cooperative players per server, a global skill-based ranking system tracking completion times across thousands of community-made maps, and cross-platform clients for Windows, macOS, and Linux distributed via its own site, Steam, and Linux package repositories.

The codebase is written in C++ and released under permissive BSD/zlib open-source licensing consistent with Teeworlds, allowing anyone to inspect the code, run their own servers, or build derivative mods such as DDNetPP.

Pricing

DDNet is entirely free with no in-app purchases, subscriptions, or ads. It is maintained by a volunteer community rather than a commercial company, funded through donations and community goodwill.

There is no paid tier of any kind -- every feature, map, and ranking system is available to all players at no cost.

Key Features

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Completely free with no purchases, subscriptions, or ads
  • Cooperative gameplay is unusual and welcoming compared to typical competitive shooters
  • Very lightweight, running well on low-end hardware
  • Over a decade of continuous, active development and a large existing map library

Cons

  • Niche genre with a learning curve around precision grappling-hook movement
  • No formal company or support channel -- entirely volunteer-run
  • Visual style is deliberately retro/minimal, which won't appeal to all players
  • Smaller player base than mainstream multiplayer games, limiting server variety at times

Pricing

Frequently Asked Questions

Is DDraceNetwork (DDNet) free to play?

Yes, DDNet is completely free with no purchases, subscriptions, or ads, and is available on its website, Steam, and Linux package repositories.

What is DDNet based on?

DDNet is a mod of Teeworlds, specifically building on an earlier cooperative Teeworlds mod called DDRace.

How many players can play together?

DDNet supports cooperative gameplay with up to 64 players simultaneously on a single server.

Is DDNet open source?

Yes, DDNet's source code is publicly available on GitHub under permissive BSD/zlib licensing.

What platforms does DDNet support?

DDNet has native clients for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Who runs DDNet?

DDNet is maintained entirely by a volunteer community of developers and administrators rather than a commercial company.

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