Is there any video game brewing in your mind for years? What if you could make that game idea come to life, even if you have no video game development experience? Nowadays, anyone can make a video game with a little elbow grease and perseverance.
Of course, it doesn’t mean video game development is easy. Not by a long shot. But thanks to the free game development software tools, a game that might’ve taken one year to be completed can now be made in six months or even faster than this, sometimes without any code!
The simple free game development tools are easy to use, but have limitations. Here is the list of game development tools, you can choose them according to your convenience.
Construct 2: It is the best option if you’re not familiar with writing the code. This tool is fully GUI-driven, which means everything is drag-and-drop. The beauty of this software is that it can export to dozens of different formats and platforms, and you don’t have to change a single thing in your game to accommodate these various options. It has some of the best and most comprehensive documentation. Also, there are hundreds of tutorials to understand concepts from basic to advanced. With Construct 2, you can browse and purchase ready-made assets from the Scirra Store.The free version has all of the main features, but it is limited to 100 events, 2 simultaneous special effects, 4 object layers, access to only a small part of the included sample assets, and no permission is granted to sell your games. The Personal license costs $130 and lifts all of these restrictions.
Game Maker: Studio: GM:S has been around since 1999, and it’s yet active along with other free game development software out there. New versions with updated feature are released at regular intervals. Like Construct 2, GM:S allows you to create entire games using nothing more than its drag-and-drop interface for variables and game logic. Once your game is completed, you can use the required version to export to any number of platforms and formats. The free version only supports Windows export while the Professional version can export to Android, iOS, and HTML5 using modules that you need to purchase separately. It has interesting quality-of-life features like the ability to add in-app purchases to your game, multiplayer networking, source control, and extensibility through third-party extensions. It also has built-in editors for animations, images, and shaders. You can use the free version, but GM:S is a bit pricey otherwise.
Unity: Unity started as a 3D engine, but ultimately added 2D support in 2013. Although it’s perfectly capable of creating 2D games, but it could affect 2D games performance. It is a component based design. Everything in the designed game is an object, and you can connect various components to each object, where each component will control some aspect of the object’s logic and behavior. The provided documentation is excellent. Unity has the widest export support of all the game engine: Mac, Windows, iOS, Linux, Android, Facebook, WebGL, all kinds of VR systems like Steam VR and Oculus Rift, as well as several gaming consoles like XB1, PS4, Switch and Wii U. You can buy all the required assets for your game on the Unity Asset Store, many of them are available for free. The free version does not have any engine restrictions and can be used royalty-free as long as your revenues stay under $100,000 per year. For some advanced editor features and unlimited revenue, you need to buy the paid version.
Which free game development software tool did you find more engaging? What kind of games are you craving to make? Share with us in the comments section or tweet us @essjay_ent!
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Thanks for the list. I’ll share this post with my boyfriend. He’s always wanted to start making his own game and coding it.
does anyone know which of these software is easy for a beginner like a fifth grade student? my brother is on to making his own game right now so i want to help him a bit.
i want to give these software a try. I want to try new things and programming is one of the things i’m curious of. although i don’t have a programming background.
I tried a bit of GM:S and it was fun! You just need a bit of creativity. It feels so good when your finished games comes out working! LOL!
Is there a mobile version of these software? I mean, can I make a game using my phone?
I love playing games but I haven’t thought of making one. Now if these softwares are easy to work with as what the article says, then I might give it a go!
I swear by GM:S. I’m not a techie guy but it’s very easy to use. And fun too!
What a coincidence I am watching Mask Rider Ex Aid. EAch rider has what they call gashats to create game. I know it is fictional but its a neat software for game creation.
Awesome constructs! Are these websites easy to navigate if your a first timer? It’d be cool if there were some youtube tutorials on each program so you could get a better feel of which one is the right fit for you.
Awesome, I like that the list includes simpler and more complex programming tools. I also like that Unity is so accessible on many different website platforms. Do these programs offer free trials so you can get a more familiar feel to them?
You should launch a amateur game creator competition! You might just discover some fresh and natural talent that way. Who knows…
when you said it is a drag and drop type of construction, then i’m in! i want to try making my own game but i don’t have programming background. i’ll try it, this should be fun.
this is good news for me. i wanted to try to make a game of my own for my kids. i hope it is not as hard to use. i have been meaning to make a game especially tailored to my kids needs.
I think i would go for Unity. I like the 3D and 2D capability to make game. This is a nice tip as I always thought that video games are difficult and complicated to make.
I love playing games. I’m thinking about making one. Thanks for this, will study these tools.
I’m familiar with Unity. It’s fun and challenging to use software like these. Except I think I would really need to have a powerful computer next time.
Hey i like this article. I know a little about programming, but i’m going to try it anyway.
I like gaming, so i”l try in the future. Thanks for the article.
These sound like great tools for newbies and people who want to try their hand in video game development. It looks like if you really want to have some profits, Unity is your best bet? Anyway, I think it would be worth to check and compare these tools.
I tried GM:S to make something like Flappy Bird and it worked! But I think it is too tiresome for just a casual thing to do. You really have to be creative and imaginative to make a game! Very hard!
I haven’t thought about making a game, but I am curious about these softwares. I like My Little Pony so I’ll start from there. Jumping horses running along obstacles, perhaps?
This is gonna come in handy in the future 🙂