IMPORTANT! Remember to check out the wiki page at https://github.com/bebraw/jswiki/wiki/Game-Engines for the most up to date version.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Commercial (early adopter, $32 or $169) + Free Version | 2D, 2.5D | Construct 2 is visual game HTML5 development too 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. | |||||||
| Flax | Apache 2.0 | Not released yet. Uses GWT and HTML5. Focus on web-based gaming for GNU/Linux and Mac OS X. 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 | |||||
| Free HTML5 Game Engine | MIT | 2D | github | Demos: Asteroids game, Particles, Parallax, Physics, More Physics, Sprite and TileMap, Dialog | ||||
| 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 | ||||
| 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 | |
| PixieEngine | Beta | MIT | Yes | Docs Tutorials | Gamelib IDE | Hosted IDE with easy import and export. CoffeeScript support. | ||
| PropulsionJS | 1.1 | 19.6KB | MIT | API | github | Uses HTML5 Canvas element | ||
| 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. | ||||
| 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 | ||||||
| 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 |