bebraw
1/6/2011 - 6:07 PM
List of JS game engines. You can find a wikified version at https://github.com/bebraw/jswiki/wiki/Game-Engines. Feel free to modify that. I
List of JS game engines. You can find a wikified version at https://github.com/bebraw/jswiki/wiki/Game-Engines. Feel free to modify that. I sync it here every once in a while.
IMPORTANT! Remember to check out the wiki page at https://github.com/bebraw/jswiki/wiki/Game-Engines for the most up to date version. There's also a "notes" column in the table but it simply does not fit there... Check out the raw version to see it.
This table contains primarily HTML5 based game engines and frameworks. You might also want to check out the [[Feature Matrix|Game-Engine-Feature-Matrix]], [[Game Resources]] and [[Scene Graphs]].
| Name | Size (KB) | License | Type | Unit Tests | Docs | Repository | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akihabara | 453 | GPL2, MIT | Classic Repro | no | API | github | Intended for making classic arcade-style games in JS+HTML5 |
| AllBinary Platform | Platform Dependent | AllBinary | 2D/2.5D/3D | no | API | github | J2ME, Android, J2SE, HTML5, and more in 2013 (Adobe/Flash and Native) |
| bdge | github | Badly Design Game Engine, an HTML5 Javascript game engine Demo. | |||||
| Canvex | FPS | An experimental browser-based FPS game engine in the HTML tag. Created in 2006 | |||||
| ChesterGL | MIT | 2D (WebGL/Canvas),iso,ortho | tests | github | ChesterGL is a simple scene-based 2d rendering engine, with full support for WebGL and a simple (automatic) fallback to canvas when there's no WebGL support. Support time-based actions and animations as well as TMX files and spritesheets. | ||
| ClanFX | Tile based | clanfx is a 2D, tile-based Javascript game engine developed using Javascript and CSS. It currently works in Firefox, Epiphany and Opera browsers. Features include many animated sprites, spell effects, buildings, tiles/textures and basic game AI. | |||||
| Cocos2D | MIT | 2D | API | github | Cocos2d-javascript is a 2D game/graphics engine based on cocos2d-iphone but designed to run in the web browser. It uses the latest features available in HTML 5 allowing real-time rendering of 2D graphics without the need for plug-ins such as Adobe Flash | ||
| cssgameengine | Javascript Game Engine with CSS. Aimed for beginners | ||||||
| Effect Games | Effect Games provides free, online tools for building, sharing and playing your own browser based games. | ||||||
| enchant.js | GPL, MIT | ||||||
| EntityJS | 27kb | MIT | 2D | yes | API | github | Flexible javascript game engine utlizing entity-component design. Supports sprites, animation, collision, keyboard, mouse, math and more. |
| Flambe | |||||||
| Flax | Apache 2.0 | Not released yet. Uses GWT and HTML5. Focus on web-based gaming for GNU/Linux and Mac OS X. About | |||||
| GameJs | 20-80KB | MIT | 2D | yes | API. Tutorial | github | similar to PyGame (easy) for Canvas only. CommonJs modules. Comes with development server (only Java needed). |
| gameQuery | MIT | API. Docs | github | gameQuery is a jQuery plug-in to help make javascript game development easier by adding some simple game-related classes. It's still in an early stage of development and may change a lot in future versions. | |||
| GammaJS | MIT | 2.5D Platform | Tests | API. Tutorials. Topics | github | Gamma is a new Javascript library which can be used to create 2.5D platform games for a web browser using the power of HTML, JavaScript, CSS and WebGL. | |
| Gamvas Web | 40KB | MIT | 2D | No | Docs API | google code | Javascript / HTML5 Game Framework with Box2D physics integration. Demos |
| Gladius | MIT | 3D | yes | github | Modular 3D engine, w/ entity/component system, event system, extension framework | ||
| gTile | Tile based | ||||||
| The GMP Javascript Game Engine | GPL2, MIT | API. Manual | Emphasis on speed and simplicity, "easy to learn and use" | ||||
| Hydrax | MIT | github | Haxe port of the PushButton Engine, works with js (css and canvas), flash, and soon C++. | ||||
| ingenioJS | <2KB | GPL | 2D/2.5D RPG Engine | yes,included | github | JavaScript / HTML5 RPG Game Engine. Its structure allows independent rendering methods, such as WebGL, Canvas or DOM Elements. By default it makes usage of DOM Elements and a 2D environment. Currently Tile-Based and 2D, can be easily used for 2.5D and other Rendering Methods. | |
| j5g3 | GPLv3 | github | Still WIP | ||||
| The Javascript 2D Game Engine | GPL | Emphasis on gravity/physics/collision detection; uses HTML5 Canvas and ExplorerCanvas for IE support. Focus on limiting CPU usage. | |||||
| Jaws | 33KB (minified), 86KB (full) | LGPL | 2D | Test Suite | yes | github | Jaws is a HTML5 2D game development library written in javascript. Sprite, viewport, gameLoop, input handling etc. The core to create a 2D game. Comes with examples. |
| Jest | 30KB (minified), 58KB (full) | MIT | 2D | not yet | Demos | github | Jest provides a way to rapidly create JavaScript (HTML5) games using the canvas element. Includes a few samples currently with more on the way. |
| jGen | Isometric | wiki | google code | An attempt to recreate "old school" isometric techniques in the modern web browsers without using a canvas, with only JavaScript and HTML. Map editor online demo | |||
| Jomoho JS | MIT | 2D | github | Framework for quick game sketching. features: preloading, animations, sound, input, tile Engine, fullscreen, requirejs asynchronous modules | |||
| jsGameSoup | LGPLv3 | 2D | API | bazaar / google code | Cross browser event handling. Game entity management. Rudimentary polygon, box, circle collision detection. Sprite management. Fast, deterministic random number generator. Networking (ajax) abstraction layer. Basic cookie management. Auto-init to launch code attached to a specific HTML canvas. | ||
| js-verge | MIT | 2D | github | A javascript game engine largely based on (and importing file assets from) the VERGE game engine. Demo | |||
| LimeJS | Apache License | API | github | Special attention to touchscreen devices. HTML5 game framework for fast, native-experience games for all modern touchscreens and desktop browsers. | |||
| MelonJS | unknown | github | Can use Tiled Map Editor, the engine is declared "lightweight" | ||||
| Monwarp | github | Simple game engine based on using dojo toolkit with box2dweb integration. | |||||
| Paladin | |||||||
| PixieEngine | MIT | Yes | Docs Tutorials | PixieDust IDE | Hosted IDE with easy import and export. CoffeeScript support. | ||
| Play My Code | Free to use | No | Docs | Hosted IDE with asset management and image editing. Uses own language that compiles to JavaScript/HTML5. | |||
| PlayN | Apache 2.0 | yes | Docs | Google Code | HTML5 Canvas and WebGL, plus Flash, Android and JVM backends | ||
| PropulsionJS | 19.6KB | MIT | API | github | Uses HTML5 Canvas element | ||
| Pulse | 84KB | MIT | 2D | some | API | github | Focuses on high performance 2D games using HTML5 canvas. |
| pp3Diso | 44KB | CC BY-SA 3.0 | 2D Isometric | no | Docs | To display and manage an 2D isometric map. JavaScript and HTML. Compatible IE6+, Firefox, Safari, iOS, Android, Chrome, ... | |
| QuarkJS | 2D | Successor of CasualJS. | |||||
| Red Locomotive | 2D, 2.5D | ||||||
| The Render Engine | MIT | 2D | API. Tutorials | google code | Object oriented. Cross-browser. Extensive API. Open-source. Supports canvas and DOM rendering. Support for Touch Input. Box2DJS Physics Engine Features | ||
| Rosewood | 2D | github | Rosewood is a JavaScript library/engine for creating 2d browser-based games that are somewhat in the spirit of old 16-bit games. | ||||
| RPG JS | |||||||
| Sarien.net interpreter | GPL | 2D Adventure | google code | Focuses on making classic Sierra style adventure games. | |||
| Sprite.js | 23K | BSD | 2D | HTML5 Game framework | API | github | |
| Steppe | 2.5D | Raycast landscape renderer, not full engine (yet). 2D canvas, no WebGL! Includes a PHP port for server-side rendering where the HTML5 canvas element isn't supported. | |||||
| Traffic Cone | MIT | 2D-2.5D | github | Traffic Cone is a 2D and isometric tile based game engine written for html5. It makes complex animations of sprites and tiles based worlds fairly simple. | |||
| Tom's Halls | Platform | ||||||
| TuteiJS | MIT | 2D | github | ||||
| vegalib | LPGL | google code | A library and other related tools for creating games using Vexi | ||||
| xc.js | BSD | 2D | Docs | github | xc.js is a framework for HTML Canvas games in Javascript | ||
| WebSonic | BSD | 3D | Docs | github | WebSonic is a Sonic engine showcased on Sonic Retro in 2010 |
Lightweight
| Name | Size (KB) | License | Type | Unit Tests | Docs | Repository | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| atom | 2.8 | BSD | 2D, minimal | github | A tiny game library intended to get out of the way and let you write your game. | ||
| Crafty | 8.7KB | GPL, MIT | API | github | A lightweight, modular JavaScript game engine to easily produce high quality games. Includes a large variety of components such as animation, event management, redraw regions, collision detection, sprites and more | ||
| Mibbu | 4.35KB (gzip 1.81KB) | MIT | micro-framework for fast prototyping | Mibbu page | github | blog post | |
| Squarepig | 8K | zlib | 2D | no | github | A simple framework for learning and jamming. |
Commercial
| Name | Size (KB) | Pricing | Type | Docs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BXG | 150 | 2D, Isometric, Orthogonal, Hexagonal | |||
| Construct 2 | Early adopter, $32 or $169 + Free Version | 2D | Construct 2 is a visual HTML5 game development tool for Windows. Aimed for both beginners and advanced users. | ||
| Float Engine | 2D, Isometric and Tile Based | Float Engine is a 2d,isometric and tile based game engine built entirely using existing native web technologies such as HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript | |||
| Geom | $69 | 2D | Docs | Javascript / HTML5 Game and Content Engine with Pro Editor. | |
| Impact | $99 | 2D | Docs. API | Javascript / HTML5 Game Engine with world editor. Video tutorial | |
| Isogenic Engine | Commercial + Free Version | Isometric & 2D | Docs & API | HTML5 Isometric & 2D Game Engine. Emphasis on real-time persistent worlds, MMO games & plugin architecture, micro-transactions, cloud-based hosting. Realtime networking. Support for canvas and HTML-based output, Node.js + MongoDB. Physics support using Box2D. | |
| Playcraft | |||||
| UltimateJS | 2D | Cross-platform, target mobile platforms. Box2D integration. Scene Editor. Cross-platform sounds. github | |||
| Unity3D | 3D | JS backend |
Inspired by Flash
| Name | Size (KB) | License | Type | Unit Tests | Docs | Repository | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ActionJS | no | github | AS3 like in Javascript | ||||
| CasualJS | 215kb zipped | Apache 2.0 | 2D, Flash-like | no | API | google code | CasualJS provides seamless transition to HTML5 from ActionScript 3.0. Features include frame-based rendering and object collisions. |
| Doodle-js | 17k, gzipped | BSD | 2D, Flash-like | github | JavaScript animation library for Canvas. Features a scene graph and event handling. Easy to add to an existing page element where Flash no longer displays. | ||
| EaselJS | 575kb zipped | MIT | 2D, Flash-like | API | github | Developed by Grant Skinner, retained graphics mode for canvas including a full, hierarchical display list. | |
| FlashJS | Apache 2.0 | github | Uses Flash development model that is verified for years. Also good for everybody who knows Flash. About | ||||
| FlixelJS | MIT | 2D | github | Demo Port of Flixel (Flash) to JS. Announcement thread | |||
| IvanK | 60k | Free software, original source not open | |||||
| Spaceport | spaceport.js is 30K | Commercial | 2D, Flash-like | yes, not publicly available | API | Supports multiple targets (iOS, Android, Flash, HTML5). Same API as ActionScript 3, hardware accelerated vector graphics automatically converted from Flash SWFs |
Obsolete
| Name | Size (KB) | License | Type | Unit Tests | Docs | Repository | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aves | Commercial | Obsolete. Company bought by Zynga. E3 2010 Aves Engine Prototype "Suburban World" | |||||
| Diggy | BSD | github | DHTML-based, abandoned | ||||
| Hydra | MIT | github | Geared towards mobile, powering a few small commercial games. There's no documentation at all, so I wouldn't recommend it to users, but some pieces may be of interest to other engine developers, such as: How to build a library compatible with Closure Compiler's advanced optimizations, using CSS3 transitions for game animation in a sane way, and abstracting touch events to allow the use of a mouse when playing mobile games on the desktop | ||||
| Javascript Gamelib | GPL | Abandoned. Provides relatively simple routines for animation, sprites, collision detection and control. | |||||
| Rocket Engine | Commercial | Obsolete. Company bought by Disney. Canvas support. WebGL support. Supports IE8, Mobile. Orthographic and isometric tile rendering. Collision detection. Pathfinding. Real-time multi-user Level editor. Common services required by MMOs. Demo | |||||
| SpellScript | Online/MUD | WIP |