Globally, the market value for online games is on the verge of passing $100 billion. This indicates that online gaming industries are still booming. With lots of new projects, companies, investments, and opportunities for game developers and players alike. Indeed, it is incredible when one reflects on the recent past. You would remember how web game development went from using Flash to Java. For programming games using powerful games in 2D and 3D gaming engines. Most of these games are run mostly through HTML5 and JavaScript. With the rise of 2D and 3D games through these two programming languages (JavaScript & HTML5), mobile and social games became gained a lot of popularity.
For many years, game developers found it very challenging to make ends meet. From the look of things, anytime someone builds a great game, someone else introduces a simpler version and bags all the big rewards. Flappy Bird was a classic example. If you care to find out, there are several other cases in web game development in which simpler gaming experiences made the creators millionaires overnight. However, this is what all game developers dream of. The dream is to build a game that would be so successful, they would never have to worry about money again. As audacious as such a dream may sound, it’s not impossible.
One of the key cornerstones of successful web game development is a solid framework. Today, there are several frameworks upon which you can build your game. They are also popularly called game development engines. For the sake of this article, we’ll focus primarily on JavaScript frameworks that are ideal for development and some of the powerful features associated with them.
List of 10 Web Game Development JavaScript Engines
Below is a list of the 10 very robust JavaScript game engines for web game development.
#1 Unity
Unity 3D is among the world’s topmost game engines and for the matter one of the best suited for web game development. Together, lots of game developers have built games and generated billions in revenue using the 2D and 3D unity engine. Plus, a lot of the collections of games on Steam's libraries were built using this engine. Really, the Unity engine isn’t just a tool you can use for web development.
Other popular platforms that Unity supports include, Playstation, Windows, Virtual Reality, Linux, Television sets, Wii and Xbox. In essence, it is the quintessential multiplatform game engine. With several amazing tools and features that ensure your web game development project is nothing short of amazing. For those who aren’t programmers, it’s easy to build games in Unity by enlisting the expertise of game developers that special in Unity and development. The opportunities are indeed endless with unity.
#2 PhysicsJS
This web development engine has been around for quite some time and hence has gained a lot of popularity. It is still among the best options for physics engine for online games. If you are a beginner, the PhysicJS might be ideal for you. The same applies to senior game developers since the engine has tools and features that one both levels. To begin, you need to go through the demo previews to have a look at the options of physics experiments at your disposal. Remember, the code editor in PhysicJS is interactive. Therefore, you can load custom code into a live environment for the test.
#3 Pixi.js
Pixi.js is intended for HTML5 and is well capable of rendering games in 2D. The aim with these engines to make it as quick as technically possible. No matter the device you work on. With Pixi, you don’t have to invest countless hours in Hardware Acceleration. Usually, it is the best option for top video game developers who want to undertake web game development projects without using WebGL. It offers an interactive game display, rich game content and ultimate platform support.
#4 BabylonJS
If you’re family with the term development, then you might have heard of Babylon.js. This game engine has thrived in the web game development industry for many years. Nevertheless, its popularity as a leading Java game development engine still on the rise. It supports 3D development and WebDL. One great feature of the Babylon.js, you don’t necessarily have to install it on your computer to use. Therefore it supports full browser editor programing. Hence, developers who prefer to program on the go find this engine quite appealing.
#5 Phaser
Phaser is a very recognizable name among web development experts. Those who are currently introducing themselves to the world of game development will surely come across this engine sooner or later. This is because it is a good choice. Not only for both beginners, but also for seasoned experts. It has a large community and an open-source codebase. These enable beginners to quickly get up to speed. Hence, you can build games both for desktop computers and mobile devices.
In addition to this, Phaser has a great JavaScript functionality that brings along with it the entire Pixi.js library. This comes in handy for putting together Canvas components and WebGL. With this engine, your web game development projects can bring you millions of dollars in income. That’s provided you can put together the different components in the right way.
#6 Stage.js
To use stage.js your previous experience web game development will play a key role. This is because the engine allows the easy and flexible building of 2D games with both JavaScript and HTML5 support. All your favorite gaming platforms are supported. Also, you have full access to an open-source library to supercharge your game project. With Stage.js, you can stage dynamic games physics-based games.
#7 Goo Create
Goo Create is among the best options for people with literally no knowledge whatsoever about coding. It has all the characteristics of any top-rated learn-to-code application. Hence, all you do will be facilitated through a graphical user interface (GUI). With Goo Create, you can the tedious technical lines of code out of web game development and design beautiful sceneries for your web-based game.
You can create a quality replica of a game like Flappy Bird with Goo Create in a matter of hours. That’s how powerful this game engine can get. Because all the commands necessary to execute the game are preprogrammed.
#8 QICI Engine
Here too you get an improvement upon the Phaser engine. With this engine, you get full access to its interface that is supported in the browser. Hence you don’t require a separate code editor to finish your web development project. However, if you choose to, the choice is all yours. The best part, it supports full web game development with mobile gaming devices. Now, your commuting times could get more exciting; you can finish that gaming project you’ve long wanted to complete.
#9 WiMi5
If you’ve dreamt of using your web browser to design, launch and monetize an online casino business without the need to install any third-party app on your computer then WiMi5 is your pick. It makes those browsers based programming dreams come through. With WiM5 you can build games that go toe-to-toe with any of the top online games we have today.
#10 Lychee.js
Though the name may sound far-fetched, Lychee.js might be just what you need to for your game development. Here is why. With Lychee.js, you can build 2D games and even more interesting, it is pluggable into your existing game engine. Therefore, you will be able to take advantage of some of the best web game development features of other JavaScript engines. Thereby giving a progressive and robust solution for developing high-end web games.
In Summary
These 10 web game development engines enable any kind of developer to pull off a phenomenal game. However, there are individual differences that set each of these apart from the other,. This is why some of the best game development services are renowned for choosing the best platform for the type of game under consideration.