Game development is not easy. It is a complex process which requires highly skilled programmers, visual designers, sound designers, and plenty of other resources to build a game. What’s more important is the use of the right tools and gaming engines which make sure that the developed game lives up to the hardcore gamer’s expectation. There are various popular game development tools from Unity to Unreal Engine that you can use to start building the game of your dream, but choosing a game development tool totally depends on following factors listed below. In this post, we will compare between game development tools, so that, you can pick the best one as per your requirements.
– Type of game you are developing i.e. if you are going for FPS games, then CryEngine will be a better option than most others. Similarly, if you want to develop a 2D iOS game, then go with Cocos2D or SpriteKit.
– Your experience with the supported languages of the game development tools.
– Choose between an open source or closed source solution. If you have the access to the game development tool source code, then you can tweak it as per your game project and even fix any of its bugs to ship your game on time.
Let’s now compare top game development tools:
1. Unity:
Unity is a cross-platform gaming engine which targets multiple platforms including desktops, consoles, and mobile devices (Android and iOS). Unlike many other gaming engines, you can develop both 2D and 3D games in Unity. Most mobile game developers and small to large game studios in the world use it to build interesting and addictive games like Temple Run and Assassin’s Creed Identity. Recently, we also developed a thrilling game Pigs In Peril using Unity engine. In this game, you have to show your quick reflexes by rescuing the falling pigs.
Supported languages: C#, Boo (deprecated Unity 5), and UnityScript (deprecated in August 2017).
Pros:
– Intuitive interface with easy to use editing tools and plugin support.
– Online tutorials for beginners.
– Supports a wide range of platforms.
– Easy asset workflow.
– Active community support.
Cons:
– Not open source. You have to play a large amount to get its source code which is out of range for most indie game developers.
– Sharing game assets and code among team members is difficult.
2. Cocos2D:
As its name suggests, Cocos2D is a 2-D game engine which supports multiple platforms and languages. You can also use its variant named Cocos2D-x to develop cross-platform games targeting Android and iOS. So, if you want to develop a 2D game for these two platforms, then Cocos2D is most probably the best option out there for you. Best of all the gaming engine is available in multiple languages, including Objective-C, Java, C++, C#, Ruby, and JavaScript makes it easier for game developers to code using scripting languages and utilizing the underlying engine performance.
Pros:
– Wide platforms support.
– Large community support.
– Great graphics performance.
– Simple and easy to learn
Cons:
– No dedicated organization to provide bug fixes like Unity.
– Unorthodox APIs.
3. Unreal Engine 4:
Epic Games launched Unreal Engine in FPS game Unreal in 1998. The gaming engine is written in C++ which makes it easier to port developed games to other platforms. The latest version is Unreal Engine 4 which include new tools and workflow enhancements like sequencer improvements and motion blur support. The gaming engine is a very powerful tool for professionals to develop games of any genres like RPG, arcade, FPS, etc. If we talk about the platforms, then there are plenty that you can target including Android, iOS, Windows, Nintendo, etc. Best of all it is the perfect match if you want to build any VR games for Oculus Rift, Google Daydream, and other supported VR devices.
Pros:
– Good performance.
– You can access source code and modify it to ship your project without any delay.
– Extensive animation toolkit.
– Full editor in VR mode.
– Advanced AI and powerful audio engine.
Cons:
– Not suitable for beginners.
– Less number of available plugins than Unity.
– Licensing policies are not so friendly.
4. CryEngine 5:
CryEngine is another powerful game development tool developed by Crytek. The game engine was first used in Far Cry and till date, many popular games have been developed using it including all sequels of Far Cry. Its source code is written in C#, C++, and Lua and you can use it to develop games for all major mobile platforms (iOS and Android) and gaming consoles including PlayStation, Xbox, etc.
Pros:
– Realistic rendering of natural scenes and water effects.
– The latest version of Cry Engine supports DirectX 12 and Vulkan libraries.
– “Pay what you want” pricing model.
– VR support.
Cons:
– Steep learning curve.
– Makes it easier to develop FPS games but you need to have good knowledge of C++ in order to develop games of other genres.
Now, that you know about pros and cons of some of the top game development tools available in the market, you should be able to pick one without any hesitation. To ease up your thoughts, we will recommend, Cocos2D if you want to develop a 2D game, Unity for 3D, Unreal Engine for VR games, and Cry Engine for FPS games. All of these gaming engines target multiple platforms and supports latest consoles to build immersive gaming experience for your players and take their breath away.
Other posts by us:
