GameMaker vs Solar2D
Side-by-side comparison for macOS
GameMaker
7.0Complete development tool for making 2D games
Solar2D
8.0Lua-based game engine
| Metric | GameMaker | Solar2D |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Developer Tools | Developer Tools |
| AI Score | 7.0 | 8.0 |
| 30-day Installs | 18 | 2 |
| 90-day Installs | 43 | 8 |
| 365-day Installs | 227 | 62 |
| Version | 2024.14.4.222 | 2026.3729 |
| Auto-updates | No | No |
| Deprecated | No | No |
| GitHub Stars | 444 | 2.8K |
| GitHub Forks | 30 | 307 |
| Open Issues | - | 179 |
| License | CC0-1.0 | MIT |
| Language | — | C++ |
| Last GitHub Commit | 2mo ago | 1mo ago |
| First Seen | Aug 30, 2022 | Oct 21, 2020 |
Reviews
GameMaker
GameMaker is a comprehensive tool for creating 2D games, offering a complete set of features for game development. It is particularly beneficial for non-commercial developers who can use it for free, with a one-time fee for commercial purposes.
GameMaker provides a complete set of tools for developing 2D games.
Pros
- + Complete game development toolset
- + Free for non-commercial use
- + Active community support
Cons
- - No auto-update feature
- - Limited commercial use
Solar2D
Solar2D is a Lua-based game engine designed for ease of use and rapid iteration, making it ideal for game developers seeking a straightforward solution for cross-platform deployment. It offers a robust scripting environment, extensive community support, and a variety of plugins, catering to those focused on efficient game development.
Solar2D is a game engine used for developing 2D games using Lua scripting.
Pros
- + Lua scripting for ease of use and integration
- + Cross-platform support for various devices
- + Rapid prototyping capabilities
- + Active community and regular updates
- + Permissive MIT license
Cons
- - No automatic updates available
- - Some open issues in the GitHub repository