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. | |
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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. | |
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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). | |
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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. | |
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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”. | |
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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. | |
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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. | |
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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. | |
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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. | |
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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. | |
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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. |
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