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10 Software to create a video game

Video game lover, do you want to take it to the next level and create your own game?
Such a project is much easier these days as video game software and related tools are becoming more
and more accessible. Thus, amateurs and confirmed developers can just as easily create their own game.
Here is our selection of software allowing you to create your own video game in 2D or 3D.


Unreal Engine

It's hard to put together a list of video game development software without mentioning Unreal Engine.
Known to all developers of video game programs, this software is a great classic.
The proof: it was used to develop famous games like the Borderlands sagas or Mass Effect.




In addition, Unreal Engine allows you to develop games on a multitude of platforms:

.Computers
.Consoles
.Android and iOS devices
.Virtual reality headsets
Thanks to its powerful and comprehensive features, this software allows you to create 3D video games
of exceptional quality.

Its main strengths?
A scripting language suitable for beginners;
Powerful features;
Rich editing tools;
Many modules are available for graphical enhancement.
In addition, the tool gives you access to a community of creators from all over the world where you can
ask for advice and tips in the event of a blockage.

Beginners can also count on more than 160 hours of tutorials to learn how to get started with this tool,
a flagship in the field of video game design.


Unity

Like Unreal Engine, Unity is also a reference among video game software.
It has also been used to design successful classics such as The Forest,
Endless Space and Verdun.





Suitable for creating 2D and 3D games, it is a powerful game engine whose free version
is ideal for beginners.
Advanced developers will prefer to opt for the paid version in order to have richer features.
However, Unity is primarily aimed at users and freelancers who have few resources.
Its semi-pro prices are very advantageous.
Multiplatform, Unity allows you to work on computers under:
.macOS
.Steam OS
.Windows
.On the Web
.On consoles like Nintendo Wii U or Xbox One and on virtual reality platforms
However, his preferred platform remains Android. Focusing on this platform has notably
contributed to the success of Unity because its creators have thus bet on a popular platform.
Another advantage of using Unity to create your video games: its easy handling and
an interesting teamwork option.


Cryengine

Developed by CryTech, Cryengine is an essential 3D engine in the development of cross-platform games.
Specialized in shooting games, it allows the creation of games adapted for virtual reality as well
as on PC and console platforms (PS4, Xbox One).





CryEngine has notably enabled the creation of planetary hits such as the Crysis or Far Cry series.
Free, it allows you to develop in the C++ language.


GameMaker Studio

Essential in the world of amateur video game development, GameMaker is one of the most complete
software in the sector. It indeed offers a whole range of functionalities useful at all
stages of your 2D game program design.




The 30-day free trial version only allows you to work on Windows. However, from the paid version,
you must purchase additional licenses to have access to an export on the different platforms available:
Android, Linux, macOS, iOS, HTML5 or even Xbox One and Playstation 4.

Here are the main features of Game Maker:

A powerful and complete image editor that allows you to create and modify images and sprites;
A tile editor that lets you convert sprites to tiles;
An object editor to animate your elements;
An optimized workspace with all the features at your fingertips;
A debugger to optimize the performance of your games, etc.
Having enabled the design of games like Miami or RPG Undertale, GameMaker is suitable for amateurs
and experienced developers alike.
Beginners can indeed take full advantage of the “drag and drop” option: you just have to drag
and drop your elements with your mouse. In addition, the clean programming language used by
the platform has been designed to be easily understood by amateurs.


SOFTWARE TO CREATE A MOBILE VIDEO GAME

If you want to create a game for mobile devices, here is a selection of software you can use.


GDevelop

Multiplatform if and entirely French-speaking, GDevelop is a software developed in France.
It allows you to design 2D and 3D games for Windows, Linux, macOs, for tablets and smartphones
but also for the web. The software also boasts of creating games “that work everywhere” and that
“can be exported with a single click”.



Suitable for beginners in programming thanks to an intuitive, fast and complete interface,
its handling does not require knowledge of a programming language.
GDevelop is nevertheless appreciated by connoisseurs thanks to its powerful functionalities which
allow in particular to:
Fully manage objects, their animations, their collisions;
Support 3D boxes;
Parameterize the behavior of each object thanks in particular to the technique of pathfinding,
etc. The software provides ready-to-use behaviors.
Create events that are intuitive and easy to set up.
Publish your games on different mobile or web platforms;
Use an extension on Javascript to go further.


Game Salad

Ranked among the free game engines, Game Salad is perfect for learning the basics of creative game development.
Its use does not require any coding. In addition, thanks to the drag and drop function, any budding
can practice creating games dedicated to Apple devices.



Even the most experienced developers, however, can use Game Salad to test their creations via the integrated
In-App Previewer tool. The latter allows you to test video game programs on Apple devices to get an overview
of the logic and all the behaviors.
Here is a quick overview of the main features of Game Salad:

An easy-to-use interface, suitable for beginners;
Learning tutorials;
Compatibility with Windows, Android, Amazon Marketplace and iOS;
Ability to add social features as well as monetization options;
Technical support at your disposal, etc.
On the price side, you have the choice between 3 packages ranging from 17＄to 25＄ with the possibility
of benefiting from a 50% reduction for students, educators and members of the American army.
You also have the opportunity to try the tool for free for a limited time.


FREE SOFTWARE


If you're new to game creation, there's nothing like using free software. Here are a few free software


Godot

Having enabled the development of quality independent games, Godot Engine is no longer to be presented.
This engine presents itself as a real alternative to the giants Unity and Unreal Engine.
This is all the more true since it is a game engine intended for experienced developers.
Here is everything you need to know about this 2D/3D game creation software.
First of all, this software is available for free and open source under different platforms such as:

.Windows
.Linux
.macOS
It also offers the possibility of distributing your games on mobile devices, on computers but also on the web.



Godot Engine is particularly appreciated for:

Its graphical and intuitive interface;
Its many features including a powerful animation editor and management of dynamic lights and shadows;
Support for 3D models;
The numerous export possibilities offered.
Using an in-house scripting language, Godot Engine remains professional software. Its manipulation thus
requires to have some notions of coding. Moreover, deployment on the web is still pending.


Lumbeyard

Launched by the giant Amazon, Lumberyard is a 3D game engine. More specifically, it is the department of Amazon,
which specializes in the development of video games, which is the author.
This complete editor has all the features needed to develop a high-performance video game program (AAA games):

A co-mplete editor;
A native code suitable for beginners;
Quality visuals;
A drag and drop functionality;
Access to AWS (Amazon's cloud service);
The possibility of creating a community of fans on Twitch).
In addition, open-source and cross-platform, Lumberyard allows you to create games for PC, mobile devices
and the web.
Its access is free for developers and specialized studios. However, storage via Amazon Web is paid to
stream the game online.




COCOS2-X

Free and open-source, Cocos2d-x is the most widely used 2D game engine. It is a platform that allows the
development of video games, mobile applications or other interactive applications. This tool uses OpenGL ES,
a graphics API which has the advantage of improving the performance of mobile applications.



Using the C++ language and compatible with HTML5 browsers, Cocos2d-x is reputed to be one of the fastest 2D
engines. And this despite being free. It is suitable for developing games on all types of mobile devices,
including those using the older generation Android platform.
Cocos2d-x has also contributed to creating quality games such as:

.Dragon City
.Geometry Dash
.Tales of Asteria
.Final Fantasy


LÖVE

A free 2D game creation platform, LÖVE is aimed at both experienced developers and beginners.
However, it requires some programming skills.




Beginners will especially need to learn the LUA programming language. Moreover, the tools offered by
this framework allow novices to learn this language while integrating the basics of video game design.

LÖVE is therefore the perfect solution for neophytes who wish to take their first steps in the sphere of
game development.

Experienced developers will be able to rely on a powerful and complete tool.
LÖVE is cross-platform software. It is available on mobile (Android) and PC (MacOS, Linux or Windows) platforms.