Start Game Development with 7 HTML5 Game Engines
Have you played any games that have really stuck with your memory? The art, the story, or the complex puzzles could have been everything. You may have been so impressed by this game that you said to yourself: “I’d love to create something like that! “
You then look up how to create games, and you are presented with hundreds of thousands articles, videos and tutorials. It’s hard to know where to begin with all of that information!
Different Game Engines
We are here to help you! We understand that making the first move into game development may seem intimidating. We want to remove that fear and assist you in finding the best game engine to create your masterpiece.
Check out this list of different game engines and learn what makes them unique. They can all create games that are playable in web browsers. These engines are a great place to start if you have ever wanted to create a game for Coolmath.
Construct
Best for: 2D games, Platformers, Top-Down Action games, Puzzle games
Scirra Ltd. developed Construct, a HTML5-based gaming engine in 2017. This engine has a unique feature: you can use in both your web browser AND offline! The engine is optimized to develop 2D games. 3D games are also possible. Construct’s visual scripting system allows you to create complex gameplay features without coding. If you need more complex scripts, JavaScript can be used. Construct comes in different versions, the latest being Construct 3. Construct 2 is still available for use.
You can publish your game on desktops, Macs and mobile devices.
Construct is free to use, but you will have some restrictions on the features that you can use. Also, there are limits on how much code can be included in your game. You will need to subscribe to gain access to additional features and options. Here are some of the most popular games created in Construct.
There Is No Game
OvO
Geometry Tower
Iconoclasts
Godot
Best for: 2D games, 3D games, VR games, Adventure games
Godot, an open-source engine for games created by Juan Linietsky & Ariel Manzur back in 2014, is a game engine that can be used to create both 2D and 3D games. It can create both 2D and 3-dimensional games. Godot has its own coding system, GDscript. You can code in C# or C++ but you will need to download an additional resource. Godot includes a tool for animating characters and cutscenes.
You can publish your game on mobile devices, consoles and VR.
Godot can be used for free! Godot is a popular game maker.
Legend
Space Walrus 3000
Sonic Colors Ultimate
Cassette Beasts
GameMaker
Ideal for: 2D, RPGs and Top-Down Games
GameMaker, a cross-platform engine for games created by Mark Overmars and YoYo Games since 2007, is a game engine that was developed by YoYo Games. The engine is primarily used to create 2D games. GameMaker has its own programming language, GameMaker Language (GML), which is similar to C++ or C#. GML is a scripting language that you can use or GameMaker Language Visual which allows you to drag and drop visual scripts. GameMaker provides tools to create animations and pixel sprites for your game.
You can publish your game on desktops, Macs and consoles.
GameMaker is free to use, but you are limited in terms of resources and the places where your game can be shared. You will need to subscribe if you want to create games for multiple platforms and have access to more features. Here are a few popular games created in GameMaker.
Idle Breakout
CircloO
Undertale
Forager
PICO-8
Best for: 2D games, Puzzle games, Adventure games, Platformers, Side-Scrollers
Pico-8 was created in 2015 by Lexaloffle Games. This engine allows you to create 8-bit style games, as if transported to the 1980s. This engine is programmed in Lua. PICO-8 allows you to also create music, sound, sprites and animations.
You can share your game on desktops, Macs and web browsers when you are ready to publish it.
To use PICO-8, you’ll have to pay $14.99 as a one-time charge. Here are a few popular PICO-8 games:
ISLANDER
Slipways
Just One Boss
CELESTE Classic
Unity
Best for 2D and 3D games Multiplayer Games Adventure games, RPGs and Simulations
Unity is a 2005 game engine developed by Unity Technologies. This engine can be used to create both 2D and 3D video games. The engine is coded in C#. Unity offers a wide range of resources, including the ability to create animations and render 2D and 3-dimensional objects. Unity’s ability to create large-scale multiplayer video games is what makes it stand out.
You can publish your game to web-based platforms as well as desktops, Macs and consoles.
Unity’s pricing is based on the amount of revenue generated by your game. You can use the free version if you’re a student, or if you have less than $100k in revenue/funding over a period of 12 months. If you earn more than 100k in revenue/funding, you’ll need to pay for a subscription. You will need to pay an installation fee if you have the latest version of Unity, and a Pro or Enterprise Subscription. Here are a few popular Unity games:
Trace
Duck Life
Double Cheeseburger, Medium Fries
Pokemon Go
Twine
Best for: Text-based Narrative games, Interactive Fiction, Choose-Your-Own-Adventure
Chris Klimas is the creator of Twine, an open-source engine. The engine can be used to create text-based games. Twine does not require you to know a programming language. There is a specific structural format to follow depending on the story format. You can create advanced commands, as well as a visual design, for your game, using HTML, CSS and JavaScript. You can create narrative games that branch by using conditions and variables to create multiple paths within one game.
You can publish your game online when you are ready.
Twine is available for free! Twine is free to use!
An Unusual Creature Has Joined my Party
You Are Jeff Bezos
The Writer will Do Something
Phaser
Best for: 2D games, Adventure games, Action games, Visual Novels, Sidescrollers
Richard Davey developed Phaser, an open-source 2D gaming engine in 2013. This engine is primarily used to create 2D games. You can choose to code in JavaScript, TypeScript, or both. Phaser offers a wide range of resources, including the ability to scale your game for multiple devices, implement audio, or create 2D animations and sprites.
You can publish your game on mobile devices and web browsers.
Use Phaser for free! You can play some of the most popular games created in Phaser.
Awesome tanks
Jelly Truck
Johnny Upgrade
Push Your Luck
We know there are many game engines available and that it can be overwhelming to choose one. This list is meant to help ease your anxiety, and give you some ideas on how to start when it comes game engines. We are looking forward to what you create!
