Action Game Maker is a software that enables you to create your own games. It's very easy to use, with no programming required. You can create a game in minutes. Whatever your 2D game dreams are, Game Editor is the tool for you. This powerful 2D game maker enables you to create games quickly and easily, even if you have no programming experience whatsoever! With Game Editor, 2D game programming is easier than you ever imagined. With this 2D game maker, you simply select actors, actions and paths - all.
Do you have an idea for a game that's been brewing for years? What if you could bring that idea to life, even without any game development experience? These days, anyone can make a video game with the right software and a bit of know-how.
Of course, that doesn't mean game development is easy. Even a simple game like Flappy Bird or Tetris requires effort if you want it to look and feel good. But thanks to free game development software tools, a game that once might've taken a year to make can now be made in months or days—sometimes even without any code!
Here are the best free game development tools and software you can use to start making your dream game today.
Note: This list is ordered from least complex to most complex. The simpler free game development tools are easier to pick up, but have more limitations. As you go down the list, you'll gain more flexibility but steeper learning curves.
1. Construct 3
No programming needed. Construct 3 is the best option if you've never written a line of code in your life. This game development tool is completely GUI-driven, meaning everything is drag-and-drop. Game logic and variables are implemented using the design features provided by the app itself.
Create once, publish everywhere. The beauty of Construct 3 is that it can export to dozens of different platforms and formats, and you don't have to change a single thing in you game to accommodate these various options. Once your game is done, you can export to HTML5, Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux, Xbox One, Microsoft Store, and more.
Lots of documentation. Construct 3 has some of the best and most comprehensive documentation I've ever seen for a game development tool. In addition, there are hundreds of tutorials that will help you understand concepts from basic to advanced, and the forum community is extremely active if you ever need assistance.
Asset Store. Most programmers have no skills in art, music, or animations. But that's fine with Construct 3 because you can always browse and purchase ready-made assets from the Scirra Store. Most asset packs are just a few dollars, but the professional-grade stuff can price at $30 or beyond. You can also buy sample games with source, which can be helpful for studying and learning new tips and tricks.
Pricing. The free version has all of the core features but is limited to 25 events, 2 object layers, 2 simultaneous special effects, 1 web font, no multiplayer functionality, can only export to HTML5, and no permission to sell your games. The Personal license is $99/year and lifts all of these restrictions.
Download:Construct 3
2. GameMaker Studio 2
Drag-and-drop OR code. Like Construct 3, GameMaker Studio 2 allows you to create entire games using nothing more than its drag-and-drop interface for variables and game logic. But unlike Construct 3, GameMaker Studio 2 grants more power through its Game Maker Language, which is a C-like scripting language with a lot of flexibility.
Create once, publish everywhere. Once your game is done, you can export to any number of platforms and formats without having to adjust your code: Windows, Mac, Linux, HTML5, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and more. The free version unfortunately doesn't allow exporting to any platforms.
Long history. GameMaker Studio 2 is a rewritten-from-scratch version of Game Maker: Studio, which started way back in 1999. Today, it's one of the most popular and active free game development engines currently available. New versions with feature updates are released at regular intervals.
Built-in advanced features. GameMaker Studio 2 is great because it supports a lot of interesting quality-of-life features right out of the box, such as the ability to add in-app purchases to your game, real-time analytics on how users play your game, source control, multiplayer networking, and extensibility through third-party extensions. It also has built-in editors for images, animations, and shaders.
Pricing. The free version can be used indefinitely, but has limitations on how complex your games can be. The Creator plan costs $39/year and allows exporting to Windows and Mac. Or you can unlock individual exports each with a one-time permanent purchase: Desktop for $99, HTML5 for $149, Amazon Fire for $149, and Android/iOS for $399. Exports for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One are available for $799/year each.
Download:GameMaker Studio 2
3. Unity
Supports 2D and 3D. Unity started off as a 3D engine, but eventually added official 2D support in 2013. Although it's perfectly capable of creating 2D games, you may run into the occasional bug or glitch because Unity's 2D system is actually tacked onto its core 3D system. This also means that Unity adds a lot of unnecessary bloat to 2D games, which could affect performance.
Component-based design. Unity didn't come up with component-entity design, but it had a huge hand in popularizing it. In short, everything in the game is an object and you can attach various components to each object, where each component controls some aspect of the object's behavior and logic.
Widespread usage and documentation. To make the most of Unity, you'll need to use C#. The good news is that Unity is so widely used—among hobbyist and veteran game developers alike—that you'll find thousands of great Unity tutorialsThe Best Unity 3D Tutorials for BeginnersThe Best Unity 3D Tutorials for BeginnersWant to develop games with Unity, but don't know where to start? Try one of these awesome Unity 3D tutorials today.Read More all across the web to help get you started. Unity itself also has numerous in-depth video series for newbies, and the provided documentation is excellent.
Interested in the coding aspect? Check out our introduction to Unity.
Create once, publish everywhere. Unity has the widest export support of any game engine: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, HTML5, Facebook, all kinds of VR systems like Oculus Rift and Steam VR, as well as several gaming consoles like PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Wii U, and Nintendo Switch.
Asset store. Want a minimap system in your game? Or how about a commercial-grade networking solution? Maybe you need 3D models, HUD graphics, and environmental textures? Or even a dialog system for your action-adventure RPG? You can acquire all of this and more on the Unity Asset Store, many of which are available for free.
Pricing. The Personal plan is completely free and doesn't restrict any engine features, as long as you earn less than $100,000 in annual revenue from your games. The Plus plan is necessary up to $200,000 in annual revenue, and also unlocks the coveted 'dark theme' for the editor. After that, you'll need the Pro plan, which allows for unlimited revenue.
Download:Unity
For more on development with Unity7 Unity Game Development Languages to Learn: Which Is Best?7 Unity Game Development Languages to Learn: Which Is Best?Want to begin game development in Unity? You'll need familiarity with one of these Unity-compatible languages.Read More, take a look at additional programming language options to learn.
4. Godot Engine
Supports 2D and 3D. Like Unity, Godot supports the creation of both 2D and 3D games. Unlike Unity, however, Godot's support is far better. The 2D aspect of the engine was carefully designed from the start, which means better performance, fewer bugs, and a cleaner overall workflow.
Scene-based design. Godot's approach to game architecture is unique in that everything is divided into scenes—but not the kind of 'scene' you're thinking of. In Godot, a scene is a collection of elements like sprites, sounds, and/or scripts. You can then combine multiple scenes into a bigger scene, and then those scenes into even bigger scenes. This hierarchical design approach makes it very easy to stay organized and modify individual elements whenever you want.
Custom scripting language. Godot uses a drag-and-drop system for maintaining scene elements, but each of those elements can be extended through the built-in scripting system, which uses a custom Python-like language called GDScript. It's easy to learn and fun to use, so you should give it a try even if you have no coding experience.
Create once, publish everywhere. Godot can deploy to multiple platforms right out of the box, including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, and HTML5. No extra purchases or licenses necessary, though some restrictions may apply (like needing to be on a Mac system to deploy a Mac binary).
Built-in advanced features. Godot iterates surprisingly quickly for a game engine. There is at least one major release every year, which explains how it has so many great features already: physics, post-processing, networking, all kinds of built-in editors, live debugging and hot reload, source control, and more.
Free and open source. Godot is the only tool on this list that's actually free through and through. Because it's licensed under the MIT License, you can use it however you want and sell the games you make without any restrictions. You can even download the engine's source code and modify it! (The engine is coded in C++.)
Download:Godot Engine
For more on Godot and why it's a great game development tool10 Reasons to Use Godot Engine for Developing Your Next Game10 Reasons to Use Godot Engine for Developing Your Next GameNeed an open source tool for game development? Here are 10 reasons why Godot Engine might be just what you're look for.Read More, check out our helpful article.
5. Unreal Engine 4
Download:Unity
For more on development with Unity7 Unity Game Development Languages to Learn: Which Is Best?7 Unity Game Development Languages to Learn: Which Is Best?Want to begin game development in Unity? You'll need familiarity with one of these Unity-compatible languages.Read More, take a look at additional programming language options to learn.
4. Godot Engine
Supports 2D and 3D. Like Unity, Godot supports the creation of both 2D and 3D games. Unlike Unity, however, Godot's support is far better. The 2D aspect of the engine was carefully designed from the start, which means better performance, fewer bugs, and a cleaner overall workflow.
Scene-based design. Godot's approach to game architecture is unique in that everything is divided into scenes—but not the kind of 'scene' you're thinking of. In Godot, a scene is a collection of elements like sprites, sounds, and/or scripts. You can then combine multiple scenes into a bigger scene, and then those scenes into even bigger scenes. This hierarchical design approach makes it very easy to stay organized and modify individual elements whenever you want.
Custom scripting language. Godot uses a drag-and-drop system for maintaining scene elements, but each of those elements can be extended through the built-in scripting system, which uses a custom Python-like language called GDScript. It's easy to learn and fun to use, so you should give it a try even if you have no coding experience.
Create once, publish everywhere. Godot can deploy to multiple platforms right out of the box, including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, and HTML5. No extra purchases or licenses necessary, though some restrictions may apply (like needing to be on a Mac system to deploy a Mac binary).
Built-in advanced features. Godot iterates surprisingly quickly for a game engine. There is at least one major release every year, which explains how it has so many great features already: physics, post-processing, networking, all kinds of built-in editors, live debugging and hot reload, source control, and more.
Free and open source. Godot is the only tool on this list that's actually free through and through. Because it's licensed under the MIT License, you can use it however you want and sell the games you make without any restrictions. You can even download the engine's source code and modify it! (The engine is coded in C++.)
Download:Godot Engine
For more on Godot and why it's a great game development tool10 Reasons to Use Godot Engine for Developing Your Next Game10 Reasons to Use Godot Engine for Developing Your Next GameNeed an open source tool for game development? Here are 10 reasons why Godot Engine might be just what you're look for.Read More, check out our helpful article.
5. Unreal Engine 4
Developed by industry masters. Of all the tools on this list, UE4 is the most professional. It was created from scratch by the geniuses behind the Unreal franchise—people who know what's needed in a top-shelf engine and what it takes to deliver next-generation features. They know exactly what they're doing.
Cutting-edge engine features. One of UE4's driving principles is allowing you to iterate and develop as quickly as you can, so you get features like live debugging, hot reloading, a streamlined asset pipeline, instant game previews, plus hundreds of included assets and systems like artificial intelligence, cinematic tools, post-processing effects, and more.
No code necessary. The unique selling point of UE4 is its Blueprint system, which lets you create game logic without touching any code. It's advanced enough that you can create entire games, even complex ones, without ever opening a source editor. But if you want to code your own Blueprints, you can do that too.
The best tutorials on the planet. The UE4 YouTube channel has over 800 videos that take you through every inch of the engine, and most of those videos are between 20 and 60 minutes long. That's more content than you'd get from a semester-long course at university. If you need step-by-step guidance, UE4 has you covered.
Create once, publish everywhere. Starting to see a pattern here? All of the best engines allow seamless exporting to multiple platforms, and UE4 is no exception: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, HTML5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Oculus VR, and more.
Pricing. As a free user, you get access to the entire engine (including source code). You only need to pay a 5% royalty on all revenues after the first $3,000 earned every quarter per game. In other words, you only start paying when your game succeeds.
Download:Unreal Engine 4
Other Notable Free Game Development Software
There are a handful of other game development tools that didn't quite make the cut for Top 5 but are still worth checking out, especially if the ones listed above are too complex or simply aren't what you're looking for:
- Defold (like a lightweight version of Unity, except using Lua rather than C#)
- RPG Maker MV (if you want to create traditional 2D RPGs, scripted using JavaScript)
- Cerberus X (great for creating 2D games, using a custom programming language)
- Stencyl (very similar to Construct 3 in that it's drag-and-drop only)
- GDevelop (also drag-and-drop but not quite matured yet)
If you want to get serious about game development, you should really learn some programming. Learn about how much money game programmers can earnHow Much Money Do Programmers Make?How Much Money Do Programmers Make?If you're interested in pursuing a job as a programmer, you should know what kind of salary to expect in these positions.Read More, then look at getting one of the best laptops for programmersThe 6 Best Laptops for Programming and CodingThe 6 Best Laptops for Programming and CodingThis list will teach you what makes a great development laptop, and which is the best laptop for programming that you can buy.Read More. And you can finish off with some fun coding games to enhance your skillsThe 9 Best Coding Games to Build Your Programming SkillsThe 9 Best Coding Games to Build Your Programming SkillsCoding games help you learn faster with hands-on practice and experience. Plus, they're a fun way to test your programming skills!Read More.
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I've actually been using Construct 3. It's actually kinda cool. I just started today, and so far, I got to the point where I have a character, plus they can move. Thank you for the recommendations. They were very helpful!
You made an error saying Defold focuses on JavaScript since Defold uses pure LUA with calling naming method, if you please could update this info. Thanks!
I am trying to make a first person, choose your own adventure, rpg, but I have no money and little coding experience. Does anyone know of anymore good platforms for a game like I am trying to make?
I used Game Maker Studio to Develop Platform Builder, another toolkit for creating 2D Platformer Games without code. Not many people are using Platform Builder yet, but it's gaining a bit of momentum.
just to let you know that the information about royalty free from unity is now obsolete, when you click 'get unity' you get this green message: 'All Unity plans are royalty-free and include All Platforms Free, Core Engine Features, Continuous Updates, and Beta Access.' it's been updated since june or july 2017.
Enigma (lateral make maker) Is, hands down, the best one out there. It is as close to Game Maker as you can get, and is open source.
have you guys tried or looked into gamesalad ?
I want to computerize ancient hex-grid wargames (I have a boatload of them moldering in the attic). Which free software would be the best for this? I am an experienced software developer, so development skills and complexity are not an obstacle.
my favorite was godot engine 'cause its FREE!!!!!
Hello! I was trying to download Unreal Engine 4 and windows firewall blocked it. Is there a concerning reason for that? I would like to have it, but don't want to damage my computer.
Any ideas?mine worked fine.
I can confirm that Godot is much much better than Unity.
hell yeah buddy
hi, i want to make or you make a game similar to red alert 1, but want to add more stuff.. do you guys have a game maker that can do that? tx for your help.. that is the best war game i have played and seen... looks very realistic
Don't know if you still need the info but look for openRa
Well done!
Your descriptions are very useful for me!
Thanks a lot!
:-)
Ps: what do you think which tool would be better to make a new billiard game? And I am new to making videogames without experiences.Defold uses Lua, not Javascript.
My very first programming language was BBC Basic...
Great article! if you are looking for more guys, I highly recommend that blog: blog.theknightsofunity.com
hello can you please create a unity c# tutorial for running and shooting at a time multi touch tutorial for me
Thank you so much for this! I had an idea to make a fangame for a you tuber that I regularly watch (anyone know Markiplier?) but I didn't want to buy some program I will probably waste $40 of monthly fees before I can even make a proper starting screen. I love this and I'll be trying out the 3DUnity one. Thanks again!
Hi there I had 2 questions that hopefully someone can answer.
1. Which of these programs can support adverts? E.g embedding adverts in banners or in load screens? (Like AdMob etc) Same goes for in app purchases. Before I found this article I recently made a game using software which isn't on this list and after 100s of hours of dev work I've found out the only way to generate income from the game is to sell it on the app store (which wont get nearly as many downloads as a free game with adverts)
2. How up to date is this list? I guess it was written a while ago but have things changed much? Is the software listed still the best bet?
Thanks
Rich
Unity 3D is now Unity Engine 5, and has evolved into a AAA crossplatform for giant studios. At the moment of writing this, Unity Free remians free (engine with all features) and supports globalized UnityADS platform, embedded into engine, since Unity 5.
This is also really outdated: UDK, Unity3D???? REALLY?
coombasswood
I have tried game maker but it still requires loads of Coding and Programing Language that I don't understand how to use , I just want a easy user interface like the way RPG Maker 2003 is set out , But I want to make a platforming game , So far I have tried IG maker and Gamemaker and both are too difficult for me to grasp and there are so many tutorials and help videos I don't even know where to start. Can't believe it's so difficult for for me to make a simple platformer game like sonic or mario especially this day and age.
Thanks
Bro, just use GDevelop. Its easy to understand, simple coding and you could create a very quality platforming game easily.
I REALLY like Gdevelop too. Game Maker made some things just too hard in my opinion. While Gdevelop has a lot of presets and enough Events and Actions to make almost anything 2D. And it's free! No expensive add-on for Android export.
Use Game Salad, it needs 0 coding and 100% logic
';'l,[
,I have tried game maker but it still requires loads of Coding and Programing Language that I don't understand how to use , I just want a easy user interface like the way RPG Maker 2003 is set out , But I want to make a platforming game , So far I have tried IG maker and Gamemaker and both are too difficult for me to grasp and there are so many tutorials and help videos I don't even know where to start. Can't believe it's so difficult for for me to make a simple platformer game like sonic or mario especially this day and age.
I would try scratch. It is a web based game creator. I'm also pretty sure you can download it but don't quote me on that. It has a very beginner style in which you drag different units of code that just look like regular code but tells you what it does, er... It's more self-explanatory. You can sign up for free at:
https://www.scratch.mit.edu/After 3 years of experience with a variety of game engines / Game Maker, I must say that the most user friendly engine is the terrorist.
I have seen on youtube also made a small tutorial about this (though German, there are also many good English tutorials few parts you have the basics out) in only 6 parts I have shown how easy it is for a little indie horror game not only to develop but also changed the menu and then as .exe stores.
Game Guru (successor to the FPS Creator) is also kept very simple models are included in both engines as well as many objects, sounds, trigger zones, and everything you need for a first game.
The shown game engines are in my opinion for the beginning not the right, but rather frightened people.
You need knowledge in C ++ and must know how to write different scripts to get ahead here.
Here is the link to the terror engine you can also test it for free: http://www.zeogames.net/game.php?id=3
If i wanted to design a high-quality horror game, what would you suggest? I'm thinking either Unity 3D or Unreal Development Kit, but what do you suggest?
I'd recommend V-Play from personal experience. V-Play is aimed at all levels of developer but has a very gradual learning curve, making it a great option for beginners.
i plan to make a game simmiler to infamous second son which software should i use?
Most large scale commercial games are not made using game making software like this. They are made by large teams of people, with massive budgets... and while they are generally built off of an existing engine, you're not going to get anywhere if you don't have a solid understanding of things like programming and game physics.
I've met a number of kids who don't even know the basics of computer programming, who think they're going to jump into making something like their favorite games. Let me put it this way: if writing a Tetris clone in, say, C, or Java is something you don't know how to do, you're not going to be making anything that remotely resembles the Infamous games.
Is there any way for me to make a game and post it to the android play store for free? Just curious.
What is the Software to make games like as gta or igi
well, it was made with RAGE engine which is propietary software owned by Rockstar Games. You can't get unless ur an employee of Rockstar.
They built it from an engine they wrote themselves. If you're not a large team of very skilled and experienced programmers, you're not going to make anything like GTA. That's like thinking you can make your own iPhone with a soldering iron and a disassembled VCR.
So if I use Unity 3D or Game Maker Studio, I could possibly publish one of my games to the play store, or apple store?
Unity also comes with pro version
you can check pricing on its websitePro version has features to publish on way many platforms including playstore and Apple store
l have any idea of creating a game which is familiar to grand theft auto what software must l use
Its really helpful article. Thank you very much for your time.
So the two at the end you mentioned are FREE right? As long as I just want to play around, make my own game and have no ambition to publish them, right? Because I downloaded the free version(Personal Edition?) of Unity and to open it I have to accept that if I(this entity) make 100k I have to buy the Pro Version. The way it was worded has me worried as to accepting the agreement, just so I can experiment and goof around.
It's actually called Unity... not Unity 3D.
relly man really
I could just feel the expression in Twin's comment
I really think that this website helped me out alot!!!!! thx ya'll for lettin' me copy paste all dis info fer my ppt in my class u rlly hrlpred bring out da star in meh. i hope ya have a relly gud day and eat lotta beans and vbricks and ur dairy!!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
hope ya swim in a brick fulla bricks.
- lil swag pce outBy any chance do you no any game develping systems for kids?
Try out game maker 8, it's really easy to use.
I always wanted to make a game for years. I was trying java for game development which was too difficult. Thank you for suggesting so many more softwares.
I always wanted to make a game for years. I was trying java for game development which was too difficult. Thank you for suggesting so many more softwares.
super... thank uuu
no one even mentioned 'DARKBASIC or DARKBASIC PRO' hmmmmm i think it the easiest to learn and the free versions are tops.
This is awesome! I love this article, it's exactly what I was looking for! I've used Sploder a bunch in the past, but I'm looking for something more complex, and these are great! Thank you so much!
This is great! Gonna try these stuffs! Hehe.
great read, I used to use RPG maker 95, before XP was even around, had some great projects just out of fun.
The game factory, I played with it as a kid, don't need to know how to code.
http://www.clickteam.com/eng/tgf2.phpi think that panda 3d is the best http://www.panda3d.org/
its open source, cross platform, used for pro stuf and complitly free (:(: unibrow ? :D
If you're a fan of the old Sierra/Lucas Arts point and click adventure games, you could give Adventure Game Studio, Visionare2D or Wintermute a try.
Nice post. Alas, RPG Maker XP is not free :(
I used RPG Maker for awhile, never got a game made but I found it was fun to design.
Another good option for people who enjoy Python and want to go a bit further, I would recommend Blender 3D - http://www.blender.org/
It allows for drag-and-drop 3D game creation, as well as letting users drop into Python for some extra logic. It is what our team used to create Boro-Toro - http://www.boro-toro.co.nr
I learn to program using Game Maker 5 about 6 years ago...
And yep, it's one of the best... very easy to learn, very powerful when learning GML...RPG Maker is also good in it's area, very simple, but RPG Maker XP is not free U^^
Great article! I'm a fan of PyGame. For those who want to make games that are compatible with multiple systems easily, it is awesome. It uses the Simple DirectMedia Layer (libSDL), so once you learn PyGame, you can then move on to making games with C and libSDL when you are ready. Good stuff.
I use to use Game Maker 4 years ago. I think it's one of the best programs to use for beginners.
And advanced users have made some really amazing games. Some even in 3D.Nice article Jon. Great resources to get started in game dev..
Thanks,awesome i have always wanted to make a game
Making games is hard. The more you know about the process, the more miraculous it seems that games get made at all. As former PC Gamer writer Tom Francis described programming when he was making Gunpoint: 'The most useful way I've found to think of it is this: Your game is fucking insane. It is a mental patient. It has completely lost its mind, and to make it behave in any kind of reasonable way, you have to be expecting every sensible instruction to be met with screaming, preposterous bullshit.'
While it's easy to feel paralyzed by the thought of learning to design and program your own game, we asked quite a few indie devs for their advice and they all offered the same advice for beginners: just do it. Jump in, no matter how scary it is. To help you take that first exhilarating (and inevitably frustrating—but also, probably, rewarding!) dive into game development, we've devised this handy list of 2D game engines for developers who are still new to programming. Paired with developer recommendations, hopefully this will serve as the push you need to get started.
GameMaker Studio 2
Price and License: $100 for permanent desktop license; Free trial available
Best for: Short-format 2D platformers and RPGs; cross-platform games
Notable games: Nidhogg, Hyper Light Drifter, Undertale, Risk of Rain
GameMaker Studio 2 is your one stop destination if you want to get into game development. The platform allows creators to use the tool's easy-to-learn drag-and-drop interface, or work hands-on with the engine's own scripting language, GML. We talked to several developers who've made popular games in GameMaker, who shared their own experiences with the tool.
The Pros
Mark Essen, creator of Nidhogg and Nidhogg 2, says GameMaker is great for beginners because scripting is pretty open-ended, and Yoyo Games has a wealth of tutorials and guides to help folks get set up quickly. A marketplace also offers add-ons to customize the engine to build a platformer or top-down RPG.
Alx Preston, the mind behind Hyper Light Drifter, says that the GameMaker community is a huge asset. He notes that young developers should be '...learning the best places to get support in the community and the best tricks to use for the engine to achieve what you want—usually by going to the community as a resource.'
The Cons
Of course, you might not be making a Steam-ready game right off the bat. 'Because GameMaker is so forgiving with its code, projects can get messy very quickly,' Essen says. 'I like that in the beginning stages of a project you can iterate quickly and focus on the game design, but down the line this will bite you in the butt if you don't maintain some personal organizational standards!'
Duncan Drummond, the creator of beloved roguelike Risk of Rain, also noted that GameMaker's ease of use can come back to haunt developers. 'It's very easy and fast to develop, but does come at a performance cost if done incorrectly,' he says. Drummond also noted that GameMaker doesn't translate to any other engines, so if you're looking to make the jump to Unity or another engine down the line, this might not be the tool for you.
Beginner's Advice
'Don't forget to delete your work! Starting over frequently is a great way to work your design muscles.' — Mark Essen, Nidhogg
'Get started! Get involved, get as much help as you can. Just make work, even if it's bad. The more mistakes you make the more you'll learn.' — Alx Preston, Hyper Light Drifter
'Just start! It's fun and relatively easy—and doesn't really cost you much but time.' — Duncan Drummond, Risk of Rain
Unity
Price and License: Beginner's package is free, $35/month for Unity Plus, $125/month for Unity Pro
Best for: Pretty much everything indie
Notable games: Ori and the Blind Forest, Galak-Z, West of Loathing, Cuphead
Unity is one of the main platforms for popular indie games, and while it has impressive 3D capabilities, there are dozens of fantastic 2D games built in the engine, too. Unity has more of a learning curve than the other engines on this list, but with a huge community and bountiful tutorials, there are more than enough resources out there to get you off to a solid start.
Unity's asset store also includes a wealth of add-ons that customize the engine for 2D development. There's Unity's free 2D Platformer asset, and tools like Corgi Engine and Rex Engine, which offer platforming physics, controls and abilities out of the box.
We spoke to both inkle's Joseph Humfrey and Asymmetric Publications' Victor Thompson about jumping into Unity as a new programmer.
The Pros
Thompson may have been used to making games the old-fashioned way, but has quickly grown to be a fan of Unity, the engine he used to create the team's latest game, West of Loathing. 'After 2-3 years of using it full time, the most exciting thing for me is how quickly you can put together concepts and prototypes,' he says. 'Despite having used many engines, both small and simple for personal projects as well as big and complex in the AAA industry, Unity is by far the best designed engine I've ever used, and allows me to be the most productive I've ever been.'
The Cons
However, there are some limitations when using a single platform for all of your development needs. If you encounter a bug in Unity, you're often at the mercy of the engine's designers to fix the problem, which can involve some waiting. 'Despite publicly saying that they've put bug fixing at the top of their list of priorities, we still find editor and debugger stability a big problem at inkle,' Humfrey says.
Beginner's Advice
'Whatever it is you want to do, try to shape it in your head as a thing you want to make, rather than a skill you want to have. It's useful and rewarding to know how to do things, but in the long term I think people get more out of setting a goal, learning the things that they need in order to achieve that goal, and then reaching the goal.' — Victor Thompson, West of Loathing
Ren'Py
RPG Maker and other enginesIn early 2017 we wrote about the surprise explosion of RPG Maker on Steam, and how the engine has become a go-to for aspiring indie developers. But there are also some other tools you should check out:
HaxeFlixel, which is open source and cross-platform
Stencyl, a tool designed for making games without programming
Price and License: Free
Best for: 2D Visual Novels, Simulation
Compatible with: Python
Notable games: Long Live the Queen, Analogue: A Hate Story
Ren'Py is an easy-to-learn open source engine. While the tool does require some programming, you really only need to know how to use a text-editor and photo editing software to get started. It's a useful gateway to Python for newcomers.
Video Game Maker 2d
Here's what Georgina Bensley, creator of Long Live the Queen, had to say about Ren'py.
Unity
The Pros
'Ren'Py is open source and cross-platform, which opens up a broad range of opportunities for dedicated users,' Bensley says. 'I also consider it a plus that it is beginner-friendly but still requires looking at and editing script files, rather than a graphical drag-and-drop interface, because I think it's useful to get people over that hurdle of thinking that code is scary.'
Ren'Py is also a good tool if you feel overwhelmed by the sheer prospect of building a game from scratch:
'One of the biggest roadblocks faced by people who've never made any sort of game before is simply the belief that coding is 'too complicated' and not something that they would be able to do. Being able to get a simple game up and running quickly helps get new developers over that hurdle, even if visual novels are not something they intend to make in the future. Once you've made something that other people can play, even something simple, it can change the way you feel about yourself and your ability to do things.'
The Cons
Free Easy 2d Game Maker
Ren'Py is a bit limited in support for graphical and mechanical features. If you're looking to create games with 3D, Live2D, collision detection and other bells and whistles, you might want to look elsewhere before getting started.
Beginner's Advice
'Don't be afraid to try, it's easier to get started than you think. Don't be afraid to ask for help, there are a lot of other people out there who have been where you are and can offer tips, or who are looking for projects themselves and might want to join you. Don't assume that something is impossible until you've at least talked about it.'
Easy 2d Game Maker
ink
Price and License: Free
Best for: Text-based adventure games
Compatible with: Unity, C#, HTML
Notable games: 80 Days, Sorcery!
2d Game Maker Online
ink is a good, free supplement to Unity if you're seeking an easy way to write branching dialogue and narratives. It's easy to learn, using markup instead of script, and it integrates with Unity smoothly thanks to the engine's built-in integration. ink was built as 'middleware,' according to inkle's Art and Code Director Joseph Humfrey—after writing an ink script, it's expected you'll plug it into a larger game within Unity. However, developers are also welcome to use the Inky Editor to export a game to the web.
The Pros
Writing extensive narrative with branching paths can get messy, so ink is an excellent tool to ensure you don't get lost along the way. 'This allows writers to use Inky to write their dialogue and narrative text in a format that's a lightweight interactive markup,' Humfrey says. 'The ink engine running within Unity can then read these scripts, and produce text that can be presented by the game.'
Its open nature also comes in handy when creating more ambitious projects. Humfrey notes, 'The text that's produced by the ink engine doesn't even necessarily need to be presented literally. For example, in Heaven's Vault, the ink engine produces a dynamic film script that's interpreted by the game and presented more like an interactive graphic novel or adventure game.'
ink also happens to be a great tool for people who are more interested in writing stories for games, as opposed to pure programming. '...There are increasingly a lot of interactive writers who have been using ink,' Humfrey adds. 'Where The Water Tastes Like Wine is a game by one of the makers of Gone Home and is using ink. It has a large team of well known writers including Leigh Alexander, Emily Short and Cara Ellison. So increasingly, if you're a writer interested in game development, ink could be a good way to get started.'
The Cons
ink is best used to complement games made within Unity, rather than as a standalone engine. Humfrey says, 'ink isn't an alternative to Unity—it's complementary. In fact, ink is one of the only interactive fiction authoring languages that was specifically designed as middleware.'
2d Game Making Software Free
Beginner's Advice
'The most common advice is that you should make a demo game, and I still believe that to be best advice. For artists, make sure you've got an awesome portfolio that shows what you're good at, and hides what you're not good at—only show your best stuff. So, get out there and make stuff!'
