$128.5 billion. This is the amount of game revenues that is expected to be approached by 2020. Amazing, ha? Well, you may be impressed even more if we tell you that about half of the relevant market will represent mobile game development.
Since mobile technologies are expanding farther and farther and people are spending more and more of their time on smartphones and tablets, mobile game development seems to be unstoppable. The numbers mentioned above attract not only investors but also developers and entrepreneurs who want to be in the trend and grow professionally within one of the most prosperous industries.
Among the first five things newcomers have to consider while entering the mobile game development world are the platforms where modern iOS and Android games are created. We have chosen 5 ultimate tools for mobile game development utilized for the best projects you have ever heard.
Unreal Engine In Mobile Game Dev
Unreal Engine 4 is the latest version following Unreal Development Kit released by Epic Games. It allows developers to create awesome stuff for PC, console, and mobile platforms. If you are looking for a solution for an amazingly animated 3D shooter or epic MMORPG with a huge universe this is what you need.
Unreal Engine 4 provides all the modern tools for creating super-realistic graphics, physics, and sound. It allows you to work with thousands of particles in a certain scene at the same time so you don’t have to change each object after changing another one.
Although the platform is based on C++, it includes a Blueprint (visual scripting) system, which can be used to avoid coding on C++ while working on the game logic. It also makes possible live debugging and updating when the engine is running.
Unreal Engine package is equipped with special tools to utilize VR (virtual reality) and even augmented reality technologies for the games that are developed for iOS and Android devices.
Famous projects: Crackdown 3, Batman: Arkham VR, Darksiders III, Tropico 6, Battle Royale, Psychonauts, Life Is Strange
Unity
Might be an ideal solution for cross-platform game development. If you are going to release your adventure, arcade, racing, fight, or RPG game on the AppStore and Google Play, Unity is all you need. This engine is suitable for both 2D and 3D games and supports integration with 3D Max, SoftImage, Blender, Maya, Cinema 4D, and other applications that are often used in game design.
Although the latest version of Unity features 64-bit support and WebGL, it provides quite a small set of instruments available in the engine’s editor. Of course, it can always be fulfilled with paid assets from the Unity library or third-party applications, but this is not convenient for some developers.
Anyway, if you are interested in launching two- or three-dimensional games for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices, Unity is a good choice. Along with capabilities to create stunning animations and physics in the virtual world, it provides a lot of its cloud-based services that are perfect for team collaboration and further project updates and promotion.
Famous projects: Assassin’s Creed, Deus Ex, Dead Effect 2, Runner 3, Sonic Runners, Mobius Final Fantasy
Corona SDK In Mobile Game Development
Corona SDK is another cross-platform solution for the game developers. However, it allows only 2D app creation. This kit is very popular among young and indie developers because it is quite easy to learn. Corona’s programming language is Lua, which provides lightweight and easy-to-read scripts. The kit includes more than 500 APIs featuring dozens of pre-set options to make work with animation or physics faster and more efficient. Moreover, within Corona SDK the developers can try out live QA which means they can remove, add, or update the scripts and validate them in one go.
One more reason why Corona attracts so many game creators is the free plan. Although it has just basic tools, in many cases it is enough to create a simple arcade, shooter, puzzle, or quest. But if you want integration with social media, multiplayer, in-game purchases, and other ‘heavy’ features, you’d better look closer at the pricing.
Famous projects: Fun Run 2, Zip Zap, The Lost City, Mandora, Designer City, Endless Sk8boarder, Gravity Swap, Sea Monsters Island.
Lumberyard
Lumberyard is promoted by Amazon to encourage ambitious game creators. It was built on CryEngine and supports iOS, Android, Xbox and PlayStation. It comes as cross-platform development kit which supports AAA class game creation.
With Lumberyard full C++ coding is possible as well as networking, integration with AWS and Twitch API. among most valuable functions are Audiokinetic’s feature-rich sound engine and graphics editor, powered with rendering and authoring tools.
Amazon Lumberyard SDK has no paid plans, licensing fees or royalties. The only cost is related to the usage of AWS Cloud for collaboration and multiplayer regimes implementation.
Cocos2D-x
It is not hard to guess that Cocos2D-x is dedicated to the two-dimensional games creation. Similar to Corona SDK, Cocos2D-x is good for the beginners and indie developers. Since it is an open-source SDK, you may count on lots of guidelines, educational tutorials, and community Q&As.
From its first release Cocos2D-x has been evolving dynamically and has become one of the most effective solution for the two-dimensional iOS and Android game development. Due to its high level of resource-efficiency it is able to produce ready-to use game applications which size is just 1.5 MB. Utilizing Cocos Creator a developer gets access to the game engine, scene editor, and effective resource management. Previewing, debugging, and publishing to AppStore and Google Play from the same environment are additional benefits you need to consider.
Famous projects: Badland, Clash of Kings, Hardest Game Ever 2, Contra: Evolution, Diamond dash, Family Guy, Castle Clash: Age of Legends.
Although many people believe that all the scripts are written and all the stories are told, and it is hard to create new mobile games, there are hundreds of publishes appearing on App Store and Google Play every day. The only reason why you may fail is the poor quality of the product. And bad marketing. If you are interested in cooperation with a team that has an outstanding experience in both 2D and 3D mobile game development you should look closer at Melior Games. These guys produce only high-quality staff and care about their reputation.
