Highly Rated Mobile Gaming Engines, Tools, and Development Platforms
8 minute(s) read
|
Published on: Aug 04, 2022
Updated on: Aug 04, 2022
|
Intro
1- Unreal Engine 4
2- Cocos2d-x
3- Godot
4- Corona SDK
5- Gamemaker Studio
6- Unity
7- Amazon Lumberyard
8- CryEngine
9- SpriteKit
With such a large and growing market, there is a big demand for mobile game engines and the modern features they offer. In this article, we will take a look at some of the best mobile gaming engines, tools, and development platforms.
Unreal Engine 4
The Unreal Engine 4 is a game engine created by Epic Games, first demonstrated in the 1998 first-person shooter title Unreal. Unreal Engine 4 is the successor to the Unreal Engine 3, which was first released in 2006.
Pros
- Unreal Engine 4 has amazing graphics and produces very realistic visuals.
- It also has a lot of features for making games, including Blueprint visual scripting, which makes it easy to create games without writing code.
- Unreal Engine 4 is also very well suited for making virtual reality (VR) games.
Con:
- Unreal Engine 4 can be difficult to learn, especially if you are not familiar with programming.
- It also requires a high-end computer to run well, so you may need to invest in some expensive hardware.
Cocos2d-x
Cocos2d-x is an open source game development engine for making 2D games. It is based on the Cocos2d-iphone engine, which was originally created by Ricardo Quesada and other contributors. The engine has been used to create many popular games, including Badland, Angry Birds Epic, and more.
Pros
- Cocos2d-x is very easy to learn and use.
- It supports a lot of platforms, so you can reach a large audience with your game.
- There are also many plugins and assets available for Cocos2d-x, so you can extend the engine to do almost anything you want.
Cons
- The graphics in Cocos2d-x are not as realistic as some of the other engines on this list.
- It can be difficult to find documentation and support for Cocos2d-x.
Godot
This program is a game engine that runs on PCs, mobile devices and consoles. It was created by the same people who created GameMaker: Studio. Originally developed by Juan Linietsky and Ariel Manzur, Godot is known for its ease of use and flexibility. It also supports a wide variety of platforms, including Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, and iOS.
Pros
- Godot is very easy to learn and use.
- It supports a lot of platforms, so you can reach a large audience with your game.
- It has a customizable workflow that allows you to tailor the engine to your needs.
- Godot also has a built-in game engine, so you don't need to use an external game engine.
Cons
- The graphics in Godot are not as realistic as some of the other engines on this list.
- It can be difficult to find documentation and support for Godot.
Corona SDK
Corona SDK is a cross-platform game engine developed by Corona Labs Inc. It was first released in 2009. Corona SDK allows you to create games and apps for mobile devices, including iPhones, iPads, Android phones and tablets, Amazon Fire devices, and more.
Pros
- Corona SDK is very easy to learn and use.
- It supports a lot of platforms, so you can reach a large audience with your game.
- Corona SDK has a lot of features for making mobile games, including graphics, physics, audio, and more.
- There is also a large community of Corona SDK developers who can help you if you run into any problems.
Cons
- The free version of Corona SDK has some limitations, such as the ability to only use 3GB of RAM and 2 CPU cores.
- Corona SDK can be slow to load and it can take a while to learn all of the features.
GameMaker Studio
This is a cross-platform game engine developed by the YoYo Games group and was first released in 1999. GameMaker Studio is designed for making 2D games. It has a simplified drag and drop style interface that makes it easy to create games without any programming knowledge.
Pros
- GameMaker Studio is very easy to use, even if you don't know how to code.
- It supports a lot of platforms, so you can reach a large audience with your game.
- GameMaker Studio has a lot of features for making 2D games, including graphics, physics, audio, and more.
Cons
- The free version of GameMaker Studio has some limitations, such as the ability to only use 3GB of RAM and 2 CPU cores.
- GameMaker Studio can be slow to load and it can take a while to learn all of the features.
Unity
This is a gaming engine developed by Unity Technologies that supports multiple platforms. It was announced and launched as a Mac OS X-exclusive game engine at Apple Inc.'s Worldwide Developers Conference in 2005. The engine has been expanded to support over 25 platforms as of 2018.
Pros
- Unity is very easy to get started with and it has a lot of documentation to help you learn the engine.
- It supports a lot of platforms, so you can reach a large audience with your game.
- It has a lot of features for making games, including graphics, physics, audio, and more.
- There are also many plugins and assets available for Unity, so you can extend the engine to do almost anything you want.
Cons
- The free version of Unity has some performance limitations.
- Unity can be slow to load and it can take a while to learn all of the features.
Amazon Lumberyard
Amazon Lumberyard is a multi-platform game engine developed by Amazon. It was first released in 2016. Amazon Lumberyard is a free and open-source engine for making 3D games. It is based on the CryEngine from Crytek and was developed in conjunction with Amazon Fire products.
Pros
- Amazon Lumberyard is very easy to learn and use.
- It supports a lot of platforms, so you can reach a large audience with your game.
- Amazon Lumberyard has a lot of features for making 3D games, including graphics, physics, audio, and more.
- There is also a large community of Amazon Lumberyard developers who can help you if you run into any problems.
Cons
- Amazon Lumberyard can be slow to load and it can take a while to learn all of the features.
CryEngine
CryEngine is a cross-platform game developed by Crytek. It was first released in 2002. CryEngine is one of the most popular game engines in the world. It is used to create games for a wide variety of platforms, including Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, and iOS. One of their more well-known games is the acclaimed title and GPU destroyer, Crysis.
Pros
- CryEngine is very easy to learn and use.
- It supports a lot of platforms, so you can reach a large audience with your game.
- CryEngine has a lot of features for making 3D games, including graphics, physics, audio, and more.
- There is also a large community of CryEngine developers in aid of tech-support.
Cons
- The free version of CryEngine has some limitations, such as the ability to only use 3GB of RAM and 2 CPU cores.
- CryEngine can be slow to load and it can take a while to learn all of the features.
SpriteKit
SpriteKit is a 2D game developed by Apple. It was first released in 2012. SpriteKit is designed for making 2D games. It has a lot of features for making games, including graphics, physics, audio, and more.
Pros
- SpriteKit is very easy to learn and use.
- It supports a lot of platforms, so you can reach a large audience with your game.
- SpriteKit has a lot of features for making 2D games, including graphics, physics, audio, and more.
- There is also a large community of SpriteKit developers for tech-support help.
Cons
- SpriteKit can be slow to load and it can take a while to learn all of the features.
Conclusion
There are a lot of mobile games, tools, and development platforms to choose from. The best one for you will depend on your needs and preferences. If you want the most popular and widely used game, Unity is a good choice, or if you want a free and open source game engine to play roulette online, Amazon Lumberyard is a good choice. Whatever your preference, there is sure to be a mobile engine that is right for you.
Click here to create a mobile game