diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index a49f9a2e62..0cf10cbb3a 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ set(SOURCE_FILES
         util/Meta.hxx
         util/Exception.{hxx,cxx}
         util/OSystem.{hxx,cxx}
+        util/AppOptions.{hxx,cxx}
         services/Randomizer.{hxx,cxx}
         services/GameClock.{hxx,cxx}
         services/GameClock.inl.hxx
diff --git a/src/main.cxx b/src/main.cxx
index 4642939d54..74785ec6ee 100644
--- a/src/main.cxx
+++ b/src/main.cxx
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include "MainMenu.hxx"
 #include "Exception.hxx"
 #include "LOG.hxx"
+#include "AppOptions.hxx"
 #include "engine/WindowManager.hxx"
 
 #include <SDL.h>
@@ -51,32 +52,15 @@ int protected_main(int argc, char **argv)
 
   LOG(LOG_INFO) << VERSION;
 
-  // add commandline parameter to skipMenu
-  auto has_args = [argv, argc](const std::string &param)
-  {
-    for (int i = 1; i < argc; ++i)
-      if (param == argv[i])
-        return i;
-
-    LOG(LOG_DEBUG) << "Unknown game option " << param;
-    return 0;
-  };
-
-  bool skipMenu = has_args("--skipMenu");
-  uint32_t videoOpt = has_args("--video");
-  const char *videoDriver = nullptr;
-  if (videoOpt)
-  {
-    videoDriver = argv[videoOpt + 1];
-  }
+  bool skipMenu = AppOptions::parseOption("skipMenu", "");
+  std::string videoDriver = AppOptions::parseOption("video", "", "");
 
   LOG(LOG_DEBUG) << "Launching Cytopia";
-
   Cytopia::Game game;
 
   LOG(LOG_DEBUG) << "Initializing Cytopia";
 
-  if (!initialize(videoDriver))
+  if (!initialize(videoDriver.c_str()))
     return EXIT_FAILURE;
   else
     LOG(LOG_DEBUG) << "DONE Cytopia";
@@ -101,6 +85,11 @@ int protected_main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
+  AppOptions::setArgvOptions(argc, argv);
+  std::string errorInfo;
+  if (!AppOptions::parseOptions(errorInfo))
+    LOG(LOG_DEBUG) << "Options error: " << errorInfo;
+
   systemSetupCrashHandler();
 
   try
diff --git a/src/util/AppOptions.cxx b/src/util/AppOptions.cxx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e745b5fda9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/util/AppOptions.cxx
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+#include "AppOptions.hxx"
+
+#include <cstring>
+
+// build a vector of argv options
+// the program path argv[0] is excluded
+static std::vector<std::string > argvOptions;
+
+void AppOptions::setArgvOptions(int argc, char **argv)
+{
+  argvOptions.clear();
+  for (int i = 1; i < argc; i++)
+    argvOptions.emplace_back(std::string(argv[i]));
+}
+
+bool AppOptions::parseOptions(const std::string &errorInfo)
+{
+  std::string arg, subArg, subArg2;
+
+  for (auto &arg : argvOptions)
+  {
+    if (arg.compare(0, 2, "--") == 0)
+    {
+      parseOption(arg.substr(2), errorInfo);
+    }
+    else if (arg[0] == '-')
+    {
+      size_t i;
+      for (i = 1; i < arg.length(); ++i)
+      {
+        if (i > 1 && isalpha((unsigned char)arg[i]) && arg[i - 1] != 'x')
+        {
+          // parse the previous option in subArg
+          parseOption(subArg, errorInfo);
+          subArg = "";
+        }
+
+        if (arg[i] == '-')
+        {
+          parseOption(subArg2, errorInfo);
+          subArg2 = "";
+          i++;
+        }
+
+        // append the current option to subArg
+        subArg.append(1, arg[i]);
+        subArg2.append(1, arg[i]);
+      }
+
+      subArg = "";
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      parseOption(arg, errorInfo);
+      subArg = "";
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (errorInfo.length() > 0)
+    return false;
+
+  return true;
+}
+
+bool AppOptions::isOption(const std::string &arg, const char *op)
+{
+  return arg.compare(op) == 0;
+}
+
+bool AppOptions::isOption(const std::string &arg, const char *a, const char *b)
+{
+  return (isOption(arg, a) || isOption(arg, b));
+}
+
+bool AppOptions::isParamOption(const std::string &arg, const char *option)
+{
+  bool retVal = arg.compare(0, strlen(option), option) == 0;
+  // if comparing for short option, 2nd char of arg must be numeric
+  if (retVal && strlen(option) == 1 && arg.length() > 1)
+    if (!isdigit((unsigned char)arg[1]))
+      retVal = false;
+  return retVal;
+}
+
+bool AppOptions::isParamOption(const std::string &arg, const char *option1, const char *option2)
+{
+  return isParamOption(arg, option1) || isParamOption(arg, option2);
+}
+
+std::string AppOptions::getParam(const std::string &arg, const char *op)
+{
+  std::string param = arg.substr(strlen(op));
+  if (param.size() > 1 && param.front() == '=')
+    param.erase(0, 1);
+  return param;
+}
+
+std::string AppOptions::getParam(const std::string &arg, const char *op1, const char *op2)
+{
+  return isParamOption(arg, op1) ? getParam(arg, op1) : getParam(arg, op2);
+}
+
+std::vector<std::string > &AppOptions::getArgvOptions()
+{
+  return argvOptions;
+}
+
+void AppOptions::parseOption(const std::string &arg, const std::string &errorInfo)
+{
+  // sample how to check options
+  if (isParamOption(arg, "s", "map-size="))
+  {
+    std::string mapSizeStr = getParam(arg, "s", "map-size=");
+    int mapSize = 0;
+    if (mapSizeStr.length() > 0)
+      mapSize = atoi(mapSizeStr.c_str());
+
+    return;
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/util/AppOptions.hxx b/src/util/AppOptions.hxx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..85c194fcb8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/util/AppOptions.hxx
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+#ifndef APPOPTIONS_HXX_
+#define APPOPTIONS_HXX_
+
+#include <vector>
+#include <string>
+
+struct AppOptions {
+  template<class Func>
+  static bool parseOption(const char *a, const char *b, const Func &func)
+  {
+    bool hasb = (b && *b);
+    for (auto &arg : getArgvOptions())
+    {
+      if (arg.compare(0, 2, "--") == 0)
+      {
+        std::string rarg = arg.substr(2);
+        if (hasb && isParamOption(rarg, a, b)) {
+          std::string param = getParam(rarg, a, b);
+          return func(param);
+        } 
+        else if (isParamOption(rarg, a))
+        {
+          std::string param = getParam(rarg, a);
+          return func(param);
+        }
+      }
+      else if (arg.front() == '-')
+      {
+        std::string rarg = arg.substr(1);
+        if (hasb && isParamOption(rarg, a, b)) {
+          std::string param = getParam(rarg, a, b);
+          return func(param);
+        }
+        else if (isParamOption(rarg, a))
+        {
+          std::string param = getParam(rarg, a);
+          return func(param);
+        }
+      }
+      else 
+      {
+        if (hasb && isOption(arg, a, b)) {
+          return func("");
+        }
+        else if (isOption(arg, a)) {
+          return func("");
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  static bool parseOption(const char *a, const char *b) { return parseOption(a, b, [] (auto &) { return true; }); }
+  static std::string parseOption(const char *a, const char *b, const char *def) { 
+    std::string param;
+    bool found = parseOption(a, b, [&param] (auto &p) { param = p; return true; });
+    return found ? param : def;
+  }
+
+  static void setArgvOptions(int argc, char **argv);
+  static bool parseOptions(const std::string &errorInfo);
+
+private:
+  static void parseOption(const std::string &arg, const std::string &errorInfo);
+  static bool isOption(const std::string &arg, const char *op);
+  static bool isOption(const std::string &arg, const char *a, const char *b);
+  static bool isParamOption(const std::string &arg, const char *option);
+  static bool isParamOption(const std::string &arg, const char *option1, const char *option2);
+  static std::string getParam(const std::string &arg, const char *op);
+  static std::string getParam(const std::string &arg, const char *op1, const char *op2);
+  static std::vector<std::string> &getArgvOptions();
+
+  AppOptions(const AppOptions &) = delete;
+  AppOptions &operator=(AppOptions &) = delete;
+};
+#endif // APPOPTIONS_HXX_