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  1. Stackups
  2. Application & Data
  3. Game Engines
  4. Game Development
  5. GB Studio vs Gamemaker Studio 2

GB Studio vs Gamemaker Studio 2

OverviewComparisonAlternatives

Overview

Gamemaker Studio 2
Gamemaker Studio 2
Stacks40
Followers76
Votes21
GB Studio
GB Studio
Stacks4
Followers19
Votes0
GitHub Stars9.1K
Forks527

GB Studio vs Gamemaker Studio 2: What are the differences?

Introduction

In this markdown code, we will compare the key differences between GB Studio and Gamemaker Studio 2, highlighting the unique features of each.

  1. Ease of Use: GB Studio is designed specifically for creating Game Boy games and has a simpler interface, making it easier for beginners to get started. Gamemaker Studio 2, on the other hand, offers more flexibility and power, but has a steeper learning curve.

  2. Platform Compatibility: GB Studio is limited to creating games for the original Game Boy system, while Gamemaker Studio 2 allows developers to create games for multiple platforms including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and more. This gives Gamemaker Studio 2 a broader reach and potential for monetization.

  3. Built-in Features: GB Studio focuses on recreating the retro game development experience, and as such, comes with built-in features designed for Game Boy games such as limited color palettes and sprite size restrictions. Gamemaker Studio 2, being a more advanced game development tool, offers a wide range of built-in features including physics engines, particle systems, and networking capabilities.

  4. Scripting Languages: GB Studio primarily uses a visual scripting system where code is created using a graphical interface, making it accessible to those without coding knowledge. Gamemaker Studio 2, on the other hand, supports multiple scripting languages including its own language GML (Gamemaker Language) which allows for more control and customization.

  5. Community and Resources: Gamemaker Studio 2 has a larger and more active community, with a wealth of tutorials, forums, and assets available to developers. GB Studio, although rapidly growing, has a comparatively smaller community and fewer resources available.

  6. Pricing: GB Studio is completely free and open-source, allowing developers to create Game Boy games without any upfront investment. Gamemaker Studio 2, on the other hand, offers a trial version but requires a paid license to access all features and remove the Gamemaker Studio 2 watermark.

In Summary, GB Studio is a beginner-friendly tool specifically designed for creating Game Boy games, while Gamemaker Studio 2 offers a more powerful and versatile game development platform with broader platform compatibility and advanced features, but with a steeper learning curve.

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Detailed Comparison

Gamemaker Studio 2
Gamemaker Studio 2
GB Studio
GB Studio

It has everything you need to take your idea from concept to finished game. With no barriers to entry and powerful functionality.

Visual game builder with no programming knowledge required. Design your graphics in any editor that can output PNG files e.g. Photoshop, Tiled, Aseprite.

Backwards Compatible; YoYo Account; Laptop Mode
Create Real ROM files; Simple Setup; No knowledge required; Build for the web; Built for macOS, Windows and Linux; Supports both macOS light and dark mode
Statistics
GitHub Stars
-
GitHub Stars
9.1K
GitHub Forks
-
GitHub Forks
527
Stacks
40
Stacks
4
Followers
76
Followers
19
Votes
21
Votes
0
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • 3
    Good User Interface
  • 3
    Good Documentation
  • 3
    Quick Prototyping
  • 3
    Incredibly Easy to Learn
  • 3
    Powerful System
Cons
  • 3
    HTML5 export is buggy
  • 3
    Quite Expensive
  • 2
    Not the best scripting language
  • 1
    Unstable
  • 1
    Limited Support For OOP
No community feedback yet
Integrations
Android Studio
Android Studio
Firebase
Firebase
HTML5
HTML5
CSS 3
CSS 3
PlayFab
PlayFab
Electron
Electron
Linux
Linux
HTML5
HTML5

What are some alternatives to Gamemaker Studio 2, GB Studio?

Unity

Unity

Unity is the ultimate game development platform. Use Unity to build high-quality 3D and 2D games, deploy them across mobile, desktop, VR/AR, consoles or the Web, and connect with loyal and enthusiastic players and customers.

Godot

Godot

It is an advanced, feature-packed, multi-platform 2D and 3D open source game engine. It is developed by hundreds of contributors from all around the world.

Unreal Engine

Unreal Engine

It is a game engine that helps you make games. It is made up of several components that work together to drive the game. Its massive system of tools and editors allows you to organize your assets and manipulate them to create the gameplay for your game.

Panda3D

Panda3D

It is a game engine that includes graphics, audio, I/O, collision detection, and other abilities relevant to the creation of 3D games.

pygame

pygame

It is a cross-platform set of Python modules designed for writing video games. It includes computer graphics and sound libraries designed to be used with the Python programming language.

Corona SDK

Corona SDK

It is a cross-platform framework ideal for rapidly creating apps and games for mobile devices and desktop systems. It builds rich mobile apps for iOS, Android, Kindle and Nook. Build high quality mobile apps in a fraction of the time.

Buildbox

Buildbox

It is the easiest drag and drop game maker software.Make your own games without coding and export them to iPhone, iPad, Android, Mac, PC and Microconsoles.

Amazon Lumberyard

Amazon Lumberyard

It is a game engine with no royalties or seat fees, frictionless integration with Twitch and AWS, plus much more on the horizon.

AppGameKit

AppGameKit

It is an easy to learn game development engine, ideal for Beginners, Hobbyists & Indie developers. It solves many problems caused by mobile device fragmentation. With it you can code your game once and then deploy your game to multiple platforms. Different resolutions and input systems are all easily handled by it.

Phaser

Phaser

It is a free open source HTML5 game framework. It uses Pixi.js for WebGL and Canvas rendering across desktop and mobile web browsers. Games can be compiled to iOS and Android apps via 3rd party tools.

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