What are the best game engines for 2D, 3D, and VR/AR development?

I’d like to offer another perspective on this question. The best engine is the one that meets the game’s requirements. What I mean is that you first determine what kind of game you’re going to make and for whom, as well as the audience’s expectations regarding graphics, amount of content, and so on. Then, you translate this information into requirements for the engine. From there, you choose the engine that works best for you.

For students who are new to programming, starting with a drag-and-drop environment can be an excellent introduction to game development. Platforms like GameMaker Studio 2, Roblox Studio, or similar tools offer a beginner-friendly way to create engaging 2D games with features like sprites, animations, and simple mechanics—all without requiring coding expertise. These platforms allow students to focus on creativity and design while gradually building their technical skills. For instance, they can start by developing single-player games with animations and interactive sprites, helping them gain confidence and understanding of game development concepts.

Choosing the right game engine depends on your project’s needs. For 2D games, Unity offers strong tools, a large asset store, and community support, while Godot is lightweight, open-source, and ideal for quick development. GameMaker Studio 2 suits beginners with its drag-and-drop system and tutorials. For 3D games, Unreal Engine stands out with top-tier graphics, advanced physics, and visual scripting, making it perfect for cinematic projects. It’s also excellent for VR, with native support for Oculus, HTC Vive, and PlayStation VR, plus advanced optimization tools. For VR/AR, Unity offers strong support with its XR toolkit, while A-Frame is a lightweight, web-based option using HTML and JavaScript

The right game engine depends on the type of experience you’re building: 2D Games: Godot is a great choice for lightweight, efficient development, while Unity offers flexibility for more complex projects. GameMaker Studio is perfect for simpler 2D games, especially with pixel art. 3D Games: Unreal Engine excels in delivering high-quality visuals and detailed environments, making it ideal for large-scale projects. Unity, on the other hand, is versatile and works well for both small and large 3D games across platforms. VR/AR Games: Unity is a go-to for VR/AR with its XR support and developer-friendly tools. The key is to match the engine’s strengths to your project’s needs, ensuring efficiency and quality from start to finish.

Duas das game engines mais populares para desenvolvimento de projeto 2D também podem ser usados com 3D, que é o caso do Unity e Unreal. Para projetos de pequeno e médio porte, o Unity é frequentemente mais indicado devido à sua interface intuitiva e flexibilidade, permitindo que equipes menores ou menos experientes desenvolvam jogos de qualidade sem a necessidade de uma configuração de hardware poderosa. Já o Unreal Engine, com sua complexidade e recursos avançados, tende a ser mais adequado para equipes maiores e mais especializadas, que podem aproveitar ao máximo as capacidades sofisticadas do motor, especialmente em aspectos como gráficos de alta fidelidade e efeitos visuais complexos.

Before selecting a game engine, you need to carefully document your must-haves and then you can assess these against the different engines such as Unity, Cocos2D, Unreal, etc. Some areas you should discuss with the team include: 1. what platforms does the engine need to support, 2. what expertise do you have on the team, 3. can you afford to license an engine or do you need a free one, 4. do you need any integrated tools for physics, AI, game services, audio, etc, 5. what is the device compatibility are you targeting, 6. how much rendering power do you need, etc. Always a great topic of conversation at industry events too as you should always get feedback from others on their experience with engines.