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GameMaker logo

GameMaker

Beginner-friendly 2D game engine used in iconic indie games.

Game DevelopmentFreemiumBeginner

About GameMaker

GameMaker is a 2D-focused game development engine available for Windows and Mac, used to create some of the most celebrated indie games including Undertale, Hotline Miami, Spelunky, and Hyper Light Drifter. Its room editor, sprite editor, and object system allow rapid game prototyping, while GML (Game Maker Language) provides a scripting environment accessible to beginners yet capable of complex systems. GameMaker exports to Windows, Mac, Linux, HTML5, iOS, Android, and consoles on paid plans. The free tier allows exporting to Windows and GX.games. GameMaker is particularly well suited to developers who want to focus on 2D game design and fast iteration rather than engine configuration.

Best for

Best for beginners and indie developers focused on 2D games who want fast iteration and a proven track record.

Platforms

WindowsMac

Use Cases

Solo IndieSide Project

Traits

Has Free TierFast To Set UpOffline Capable

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Unity logo
Unity

Cross-platform game engine for 2D, 3D, AR, and VR.

Game DevelopmentFreemium

Unity is the most widely used real-time game development engine, supporting deployment to over 20 platforms including iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and XR headsets, and available on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

WindowsMacLinux
Godot logo
Godot

Free and open-source game engine for 2D and 3D.

Game DevelopmentFree

Godot Engine is a free and fully open-source game development engine released under the MIT licence, available for Windows, Mac, and Linux with no royalties, runtime fees, or seat licences.

WindowsMacLinux
Unreal Engine logo
Unreal Engine

AAA-grade game engine with photorealistic graphics.

Game DevelopmentFreemium

Unreal Engine is a professional-grade, free-to-use game development engine by Epic Games, available on Windows, Mac, and Linux, used in AAA games, architectural visualisation, film production, and live events.

WindowsMacLinux
GameMaker vs Unity →GameMaker vs Godot →GameMaker vs Unreal Engine →