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 these pages: [[Feature Matrix|Game-Engine-Feature-Matrix]], [[Game Resources]].
| Name | Latest Release | Size (KB) | License | Type | Unit Tests | Docs | Repository | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ActionJS | no | github | AS3 like in Javascript | |||||
| Akihabara | 1.3.1 (2011/05) | 453 | GPL2, MIT | Classic Repro | no | API | github | Intended for making classic arcade-style games in JS+HTML5 |
| Aves | Commer-cial | Obsolete. Company bought by Zynga. E3 2010 Aves Engine Prototype "Suburban World" | ||||||
| bdge | github | Badly Design Game Engine, an HTML5 Javascript game engine Demo. | ||||||
| CAAT | MIT | 2D, 3D WebGL | github | multi-instance director-based Scene graph manager | ||||
| Canvex | FPS | An experimental browser-based FPS game engine in the HTML tag. Created in 2006 | ||||||
| CasualJS | 0.1 (2011/02) | 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 coliisons. |
| ClanFX | 0.0.1 (2007) | 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 | 0.1 | MIT | 2D | 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 | |||
| Construct 2 | r51 (2011/08) | Commercial (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. | ||||
| Crafty | 0.4.2 (2011/04) | 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 | ||
| cssgameengine | 2009/08 | Javascript Game Engine with CSS. Aimed for beginners | ||||||
| Diggy | BSD | github | DHTML-based, abandoned | |||||
| Doodle-js | 17k, gzipped | BSD | 2D, Flash-like | API | 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 | 0.3.2 (2011/03) | 575kb zipped | MIT | 2D, Flash-like | API | github | Developed by Grant Skinner, retained graphics mode for canvas including a full, hierarchical display list. | |
| Effect Games | Effect Games provides free, online tools for building, sharing and playing your own browser based games. | |||||||
| enchant.js | 0.4.0 | GPL, MIT | ||||||
| EntityJS | 0.2.2 (2011/10) | 27kb | MIT | 2D | no | API | github | Flexible javascript game engine utlizing entity-component design. Supports sprites, animation, collision, keyboard, mouse, math and more. |
| Flax | Apache 2.0 | Not released yet. Uses GWT and HTML5. Focus on web-based gaming for GNU/Linux and Mac OS X. About | ||||||
| FlashJS | 0.4 (2011/10) | 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 | ||||
| Float Engine | Commer-cial | 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 | |||||
| GameJs | 2011/01 | 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 | 0.5.1 | 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 | 1.0 | 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. | |
| Geom | Commer-cial ($69) | 2D | Docs | Javascript / HTML5 Game and Content Engine with Pro Editor. | ||||
| gTile | 0.0.1 (2008) | Tile based | ||||||
| The GMP Javascript Game Engine | 1.7.4 | GPL2, MIT | API. Manual | Emphasis on speed and simplicity, "easy to learn and use" | ||||
| 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 | |||||
| Hydrax | MIT | github | Haxe port of the PushButton Engine, works with js (css and canvas), flash, and soon C++. | |||||
| ingenioJS | 0.4c | <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. | |
| Impact | Commer-cial ($99) | 2D | Docs. API | Javascript / HTML5 Game Engine with world editor. Video tutorial | ||||
| Sprite.js | 1.1.1 | 23K | BSD | 2D | HTML5 Game framework | [API] (http://readthedocs.org/docs/spritejs/en/latest/) | [github] (https://github.com/batiste/sprite.js) | |
| Isogenic Engine | Currently in beta, RC expected June 2011 | Commer-cial + Free Version | Isometric & 2D | 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. | |||
| 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. | ||||||
| Javascript Gamelib | 2.10 | GPL | Abandoned. Provides relatively simple routines for animation, sprites, collision detection and control. | |||||
| Jaws | 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. | |||
| 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 | v120 | 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" | |||||
| Mibbu | 0.1 (odoacer) | 4.35KB (gzip 1.81KB) | MIT | micro-framework for fast prototyping | Mibbu page | github | blog post | |
| Paladin | ||||||||
| PixieEngine | Beta | MIT | Yes | Docs Tutorials | Gamelib IDE | Hosted IDE with easy import and export. CoffeeScript support. | ||
| Play My Code | 31/08/2011 | Free to use | No | Docs | Hosted IDE with asset management. Uses own language, but compiles to JavaScript/HTML5 powered games. | |||
| PlayN | 1.0-SNAPSHOT | Apache 2.0 | yes | Docs | Google Code | HTML5 Canvas and WebGL, plus Flash, Android and JVM backends | ||
| PropulsionJS | 1.1 | 19.6KB | MIT | API | github | Uses HTML5 Canvas element | ||
| pp3Diso | 1.06 (2011/08) | 37.3KB | CC BY-SA 3.0 | 2D Isometric | no | To display and manage an 2D isometric map. JavaScript and HTML. Compatible IE6+, Firefox, Safari, iOS, Android, Chrome, ... | ||
| Red Locomotive | 2D, 2.5D | |||||||
| The Render Engine | 1.5.3 | 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 | ||
| Rocket Engine | Commer-cial | 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 | ||||||
| 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 | Alpha 2 | |||||||
| Sarien.net interpreter | GPL | 2D Adventure | google code | Focuses on making classic Sierra style adventure games. | ||||
| Spaceport | 2.0 | spaceport.js is 27K | 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 | |
| SpellScript | Online/MUD | WIP | ||||||
| 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. | ||||||
| Tom's Halls | 3.0 | Platform | ||||||
| TuteiJS | MIT | 2D | github | Demos: | ||||
| Unity3D | Commer-cial | 3D | JS backend | |||||
| 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 |