Best Game Engines for Mobile Games

CEO & Founder at RetroStyle Games | Apr 21, 2023

Mobile games in 2024 are becoming increasingly popular and profitable. As a result, there are a wide variety of engines available for developers to choose from. A game engine is a software framework designed to facilitate the creation and development of video games. There are several types of engines available for creating mobile games, including 2D engines, 3D engines, and cross-platform engines.

And today we will try to dive as deep as possible with you to find answers to all pressing questions and may even be able to choose the best game engine for mobile games. We rely on our personal experience working with 3D and 2D games and beyond, so let’s get started. We promise it will be interesting.

Mobile games can be categorized into different types, including casual genre, puzzle games, role-playing games, action games, and more.

Choose any genre, as they are all equally popular now and immerse yourself in the amazing and sometimes unpredictable world of developing based on game engines for Android or other types of systems.

What Engine Do Mobile Games Use?

People often ask us what game engine is used to make mobile games in mobile game development outsourcing studios or other companies.

As experienced mobile game developers, we will explain the most commonly used engines for mobile game development, including their advantages and strengths.

These engines include Unity or Unreal, Godot, Game Maker, and more obscure or custom engines.
Unity is the most popular, with an estimated 50% market share among mobile games. Some studios, such as Gameloft, also have their internal game engines, but may still use Unity or Unreal to create games (for certain projects)

Why are Game Engines Important?

Gaming engines are crucial components in modern games and development platforms, as they provide the foundation upon which games are built. These software frameworks allow developers to create and manage assets, simulate physics, handle user input, implement AI, and much more. Essentially, top game engines are tools that streamline the game development process, making it faster, more efficient, and more accessible to a wider range of developers.

The best game engine for mobile games also provides a high level of abstraction, meaning that developers do not need to worry about low-level details like graphics rendering or audio playback. Instead, they can focus on creating gameplay mechanics, building levels, and designing assets. Additionally, most powerful game engines typically come with pre-built modules and libraries that handle common tasks, such as collision detection or network communication, saving developers time and effort.

Popular Engines for Mobile Games

There are several engines available for creating mobile games, and the choice of engine depends on the type of game you want to create, the features you need, and your budget. Some popular game engines for mobile games include Unity, Unreal Game Engine, Gobot, RPG Maker, Gamemaker Studio 2, and Amazon Lumberyard.

And we would like to tell you a little more about the latest game engine. Amazon Lumberyard is a powerful game engine that provides game developers with a wide range of tools and features to create high-quality, immersive gaming experiences across multiple platforms. In 2021, the Open 3D Foundation was created based on Lumberyard under the Apache-2.0 open-source license. For you, this means that you can modify and extend its functionality to suit your specific needs.

1
Unity
Unity is a popular cross-platform engine that allows developers to create games for multiple platforms, including the best game engine for Android. It is easy to use, has a large community, and offers a wide range of features.
2
Unreal Engine
Unreal Engine is another popular engine, known for its advanced graphics capabilities and realistic physics simulation.

But there are also many other isometric game engines that are also worth your attention. For example:

1
Godot
Godot is a free and open-source game engine that supports 2D and 3D graphics, physics, and scripting. It offers a user-friendly interface and a community-driven approach to development, making it an excellent choice for indie developers and hobbyists.
2
RPG Maker
RPG Maker is a game engine specifically designed for creating role-playing games. It offers a range of features, including 2D graphics, scripting, and a pre-built database of resources such as characters, monsters, and maps. RPG Maker is a great choice for beginners who want to create simple RPG games for mobile devices.
3
GameMaker Studio
GameMaker Studio is a user-friendly game engine that supports 2D graphics, physics, and scripting. It offers an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, making it easy for beginners to create simple games quickly. GameMaker Studio is the best game engine for Android and iOS.

So as you can see, we have compiled a fairly extensive list of the best mobile game engines that you can use in your work.

Advantages of Using a Specialized Engine for Mobile Games

Using a specialized engine for mobile game development has several advantages. It can help reduce development time, improve game performance, and make it easier to implement features such as in-app purchases and social integration. The table below outlines some of the key advantages of using the best mobile game engine for beginners for creating mobile games.

ADVANTAGE	DESCRIPTION
Optimization👍	Specialized engines are optimized for mobile hardware and can provide better performance than general-purpose engines.
Cross-platform development🥷	Many specialized engines are cross platform game engines and support multiple platforms, allowing for easier cross-platform games development.
Built-in mobile-specific features📱	Specialized engines often have built-in features that are specifically designed for mobile games, such as touch screen input, accelerometer support, and mobile advertising integration.
Streamlined development🧑‍💻	Using a specialized engine can streamline the development process by providing pre-built assets and tools designed specifically for mobile games.
Lower learning curve📗	Specialized engines often have a lower learning curve than general-purpose engines, making them easier for beginners to use.
Community support🐱‍💻	Popular specialized engines often have a large community of developers who can provide support, resources, and guidance for creating mobile games.
Cost-effective💵	Many specialized engines offer free or low-cost options for mobile game development, making them a cost-effective choice for indie developers or small studios.

Important Questions when Starting with Game Development

Starting with mobile game development company can be exciting, but it can also be overwhelming if you don’t know where to begin. Every developer of 2D and 3D games for the Google Play Store may face dozens of questions that cannot always be answered with just a snap of your fingers.

That’s why we try to single out some important questions to ask yourself when starting with your game development journey:

WHAT TYPE OF GAME DO YOU WANT TO CREATE?

Decide on the genre and style of game you want to develop. This will help you determine the tools and the best software for mobile game development you need to use.

WHAT IS YOUR TARGET PLATFORM?

Choose the best platform for mobile game development you want to develop your game for. This will also affect your choice of game engine and development tools, because it can depend on what you want for iOs or Android.

WHAT IS YOUR BUDGET?

Determine your budget for game development. Here you need to understand whether you are planning to develop AAA games or if it makes sense to limit yourself to something simpler to minimize costs in the future.

WHAT IS YOUR DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCE?

Assess your experience level in game development. This will help you determine the level of complexity of the game you can develop and check your knowledge about some programming language.

DO YOU NEED TO COLLABORATE WITH OTHERS?

Determine if you need to collaborate with other developers, artists, or musicians to develop your game. Since, for example, our art team has experience in mobile game development with unity, and we have the necessary knowledge about the introduction of game art into this cross platform game engine already. We hope that detailed answers to the most pressing questions will help you determine not only the best game engine for mobile games but also draw your attention to the main points when choosing software.

Issues With Game Engines

While game engines provide a lot of benefits for game developers, they can also come with some issues. Some common issues with game engines include:

1
Learning curve
Game engines can have a steep learning curve, which can be challenging for beginners.
2
Bugs and glitches
Game engines may have bugs or glitches that can impact gameplay.
3
Limited customization
Some game engines may not offer the level of customization that you need for your game.
4
Performance issues
Game engines can sometimes lead to performance issues, such as slow loading times or frame rate drops.

However, let’s gather all the main issues of the most popular game engines and describe them so that in the future, you can avoid them and find the software that will best suit amazing games and correspond to your programming knowledge.

ISSUE	DESCRIPTION
Compatibility❌🫶	Game engines may not be compatible with all platforms and devices, which can limit the potential audience of the game.
Complexity❌⚙️	Some game engines can be difficult to learn and use, requiring a significant amount of time and effort to master.
Cost❌💵	Some game engines can be expensive, especially for small indie developers or those just starting out in game development.
Performance❌⛭	Some game engines may not be optimized for mobile devices, resulting in slow performance and lower frame rates.
Limitations❌♾️	Game engines may have limitations on the types of games that can be created, as well as the features and assets that can be used.
Bugs and Glitches❌🆘	Like any software, game engines can have bugs and glitches that can impact the development process and final product.
Technical Support❌💻	Technical support can vary between game engines, with some offering more robust resources and assistance than others.

To mitigate these issues, it’s important to choose a perfect game engine that is well-supported, has a good community, and offers reliable documentation. But we will talk about that in the next section.

Tips for Choosing the Best Engine

After trying out several engines in our work, we can draw some conclusions about what to pay attention to in order to achieve really good results with accelerated hardware games. So if you are looking for the best game engine for mobile games, we have compiled a few key points that you should focus on.

1
Ease of Use
Look for an engine that is easy to use and has a user-friendly interface. You want to focus on creating your own game first, not figuring out how to use the engine. Check out the engine’s documentation, tutorials, and forums to get a sense of its usability.
2
Features
Consider the features you need to create the type of game you want. Does the engine support 2D or 3D graphics? Does it have physics engines, AI tools, or animation tools? Make a list of the features you need and compare them with the engine’s capabilities.
3
Cost
Consider the cost of the engine. Some engines are free to use, while others require a subscription or a one-time payment. Factor in any additional costs, such as licensing fees for publishing your game on certain platforms. So the way out of this situation will be to choose free mobile game engines.
4
Performance
Look for an engine that can handle the performance requirements of your game. Consider the target platform and the hardware requirements of your game. Some engines are optimized for specific platforms or have better performance for certain types of games.
5
Community
Check the community surrounding the engine. Is it active and helpful? Are there resources and tutorials available? A strong community can provide support and help you troubleshoot any issues you encounter.
6
Flexibility
Look for an engine that is flexible enough to accommodate your game design and development process. Some of the best mobile game engine is designed for specific types of games or workflows, while others are more flexible. By focusing on these points when choosing a game engine for mobile devices, you will be able to ensure comfortable work and encounter minimal issues.

Conclusion

In conclusion, game development engines are important tools for rapid game development, as they provide a variety of benefits such as improved productivity, easier development, and better performance.

When choosing the best mobile game engine for beginners, it’s important to consider the ease of use, platform compatibility, features, performance, and cost. Using a specialized game engine can provide even more benefits, such as improved efficiency and better optimization for specific types of games. And we recommend that you pay attention to all the information presented in this text, because this will significantly simplify your work in creating games.

What Engine Do Mobile Games Use?

Why are Game Engines Important?

Popular Engines for Mobile Games

Unity

Unreal Engine

Godot

RPG Maker

GameMaker Studio

Advantages of Using a Specialized Engine for Mobile Games

Important Questions when Starting with Game Development

Issues With Game Engines

Learning curve

Bugs and glitches

Limited customization

Performance issues

Tips for Choosing the Best Engine

Ease of Use

Features

Cost

Performance

Community

Flexibility

Conclusion