Best Mobile Game Engines for Developers in 2025

According to Statista and SensorTower, the game dev mobile market is still going strong in 2025 and is expected to continue its rapid growth in near future, despite several predictions that the big leap it made in 2020 during the pandemic won’t last for too long. A lot of game-makers dream of developing mobile games and the interest in the medium and the market doesn’t go away. 

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In this blog post, we are going to discuss the best game engines for mobile games you can use in 2025 and provide some tips on developing great games that will attract an audience in the saturated mobile gaming market. 

Game Engines Comparison

First, let's take a look at a short summary of all engines’ best qualities and features:

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To make the reading experience more convenient for you, here’s a list of engines we mentioned with an example of their usage. You can jump straight ahead to the one that interests you the most:

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• Unity (great for ambitious projects)
• Buildbox (perfect for non-programmers)
• Fusion 2.5 (good choice for beginners)
• MonoGame (works very well for cross-platform development)
• Solar2D  (ideal for small, casual games)
• Godot (works best for indie and 2D games)
• SpriteKit (nice option for iOS/macOS)

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How To Choose The Right Platform For Mobile Games Development

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As you start working on a mobile game, you will inevitably have to choose the right instruments for your work. The core tool is the engine. Choosing it will define the foundation on which you will build your project, so take it seriously. Before taking a look at the list of possible game engines for mobile, let’s dive into some basic principles of choosing the right platform for your particular project. Here are some of the tips on choosing the right engine for mobile game dev.

Ensure that the engine matches your goals and needs

All game dev mobile engines can be pretty flexible, yet some engines are better suited for a particular style or direction you’re aiming at. For example, Godot works exceptionally well with 2D projects but presents a lot of complications if you’re making a 3D game. Similarly, Unreal Engine is visually stunning and can be a bit of an overkill for a small mobile game debut you’re planning. 

Keep in mind the platform compatibility

Some game engines mobile devs use do not support the operating system you’re aiming at. And some of them are better suited for iOS, for instance. As you choose the engine, consider this too, since it may present some uncomfortable obstacles later on.

Asset management and integration

Assets are going to be pretty useful for smaller mobile game dev studios or indie devs. They provide options to add a model into the game and not waste time on sculpting, texturing and other aspects. However, some engines have bigger asset libraries than others. For instance, Unity’s library/store is incredibly vast and useful, making it great for different types of developers. If you’re considering using assets frequently, keep that in mind.

Make sure the scripting matches your team’s experience

Some engines work in different languages (Unity’s is C#, Unreal Engine is C++), and a team that has experience in a particular language will obviously work better with the mobile game engine that matches their previous experiences. It will definitely save some time and effort in all stages of development if you choose the engine that matches your skills and experience.

Best Game dev mobile engines to use

In no particular order, here’s a list of mobile game engines that can be good choices for developing mobile games, their pros and cons and what aspect of development they will work best with.

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Unity

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One of the most popular game dev mobile engines to use, Unity can be used for anything from desktop development to iOS and Android work. For example, one of the biggest mobile games, Pokemon GO, was developed with Unity. It’s a great general choice, especially if you don’t have any experience with games yet plan to make something ambitious.

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Pros:

• Cross-platform also allows you to easily port games to other devices – consoles and desktops
• Unity has a convenient set of tools for ads and in-app purchase integration, which is useful if you’re going to develop a monetization progression for your game
• A great library of 2D and 3D assets makes it easier for a smaller team to develop their projects and focus on gameplay aspects

Cons: 

• Even though Unity is free, some subscription plans may be expensive for smaller teams
• Despite being novice-friendly, there’s still some coding required, which is more difficult than some no-coding engines mentioned in this list
• Works better for 3D rather than 2D projects

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Good for: Making a casual 3D project for Android.

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Buildbox

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Buildbox is a great tool for those who have only started mobile game app development: first off, it doesn’t require coding, which can be incredibly convenient for short, quick development cycles. Another advantage is the interface, which is based on drag-and-drop functionality that is easily accessible for every one who wants to make their games. 

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Pros:

• You can use it without coding/scripting knowledge, making it very friendly for newcomers in the game-making process
• Buildbox works very well with hypercasual, simple games, like puzzles/match-3 and so on, making it a great choice for popular genres in mobile game dev
• Great community that is eager to help you out – again, a very important aspect for beginners

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Cons:

• Better suited for smaller projects of developing mobile games rather than big and complex ones – so if you’re aiming for a particularly ambitious project, it’s better to choose a different engine
• Coding is not required, which leads not only to the convenience, but also to the lack of flexibility and versatility 
• Paid subscription may be expensive for smaller teams and beginners

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Good for: Small, hypercasual 2D/3D Android games.

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Fusion 2.5

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This engine uses event-based programming, making it similar to Buildbox in terms of accessibility for newcomers since it doesn’t require any advanced skills. Overall, when it comes to mobile game development platforms, Fusion is pretty similar to Buildbox in regard of usage and will work very well for two-dimensional experiences, not too complex.  

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Pros:

• An event-based system makes it pretty good for beginners and hobbyists
• The one-time payment will provide you with Fusion forever, making it a great budget solution
• It can be used for developing static 2D games, which are common on mobile devices

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Cons:

• The interface may seem too outdated for some developers
• Some limitations in terms of 3D development capabilities make Fusion a better choice for 2D rather than three-dimensional projects
• Not as suitable for 3D as for 2D as the other mobile game engines

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Good for: 2D casual Android and iOS games.

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MonoGame

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This mobile game engine allows developers to create cross-platform releases written in C# language and also uses Microsoft’s XNA framework, which makes it a very good choice for the type of project that requires versatility and creates different kinds of versions for your upcoming games.

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Pros:

• Very flexible and allows easy cross-platform development which is not limited to mobile devices
• Like Godot, MonoGame is free and open-source
• Fully supports C# and allows full control over the project for developers, which makes it a great choice for those who want to have general control over all things

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Cons:

• Requires the C# and XNA’s understanding and knowledge and, along with experience in programming in general, making it not as accessible as the other engines
• Developing interface, physics and animating will require an additional set of tools that are not available in MonoGame
• Does not have a built-in system for managing assets like textures, sounds, or animations, which may lead to some additional complications.

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Good for: Advanced, mid-core projects for iOS, Android and even consoles.

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Solar2D

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Solar is perfectly suited for two-dimensional mobile game app development. As its name suggests, it enables developers to create unique gaming experiences while maintaining an effective workflow. Projects can be developed relatively quickly thanks to its convenient features and excellent overall performance.

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Pros: 

• Great for mobile game development due to its 2D focus, easy-to-learn Lua programming language and open-source model
• Solar has a small but very active community with passionate developers providing different kinds of additional plugins
• Perfect for smaller games thanks to its lightweight nature and efficient performance

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Cons:

• Solar2D does not have as many features as other engines and is mostly focused on basic functionality
• Lack of 3D support can be a crucial point for those who are interested in three-dimensional gaming experiences
• The community is smaller in comparison to other engines mentioned in this list

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Good for: 2D mobile games of all kinds.

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Godot

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Godot is a free mobile game engine that developers can use to develop both desktop and mobile games. It can be used for both 2D and 3D development, although the 3D development process is a bit more complex and requires more knowledge and experience.

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Pros:

• Completely free and open-source, making it a great selection for small or indie developers
• A great choice for smaller developers and indie devs, thanks to Godot’s overall easiness and availability
• A very simple and intuitive GDScript that feels very similar to Python and is easy to learn 

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Cons:

• Does not have a big collection of graphic assets available for use (in comparison to Unity)
• Some features that some developers may find useful are going to be implemented later on
• Not well-suited for large 3D game development, as it primarily excels at smaller, 2D projects

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Good for: Indie mobile games.

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SpriteKit

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Apple’s very own take on the mobile game engines, SpriteKit is a great choice for iOS development. It’s free to use and has full integration into Apple’s systems, making the development process much easier for game-makers.

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Pros:

• An organic solution by Apple for Apple developers, SpriteKit has all the support and tools an iOS/macOS developer may need
• Available for free for all Apple developers
• A simple integration into Apple’s programming language Swift makes the workflow plain and simple

Cons:

• Since it’s developed by Apple, it is focused on Apple products, making it a very limited choice for mobile game devs – you can’t use it to make a game for Android or maintain a cross-platform release
• Does not have a big and official asset store, like other engines do
• There are not as many learning materials in comparison to other engines

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Good for: iOS and macOS games.

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Tips on making great mobile games

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Based on other big projects’ experiences, here are some of the tips you can keep in mind as you start developing mobile games:

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• Don’t make it too complex: Mobile games are the ones that players pick up, play for a bit and then close until a better time. Mobile game development tends not to work out for those who forget about it. It’s something that people play in long queues and traffic jams. Ensure that your game can be easily played for 5-15 minutes and then returned later. Do not make a complex real-time strategy that requires an immense amount of dedication.
• Make it visually nice: Visually attractive games feel like candies for kids – you want them no matter what! Beautiful, saturated colors, gorgeous art design – it all will attract players who don’t know anything about the mechanical aspects of your game yet. That’s why it’s very important to come up with great visuals – otherwise, people will not download it easily. 
• Make it fun and engaging: Fun is the keyword for mobile game devs to make gameplay-oriented games, so you have to make sure players want to keep playing the game no matter what. Come up with gameplay mechanics that feel so good and fun that they become addictive. Be sure to treat players with different kinds of pleasant mechanics, pay attention to the sound design and make it all satisfying on a sensory level – to keep players engaged and happy is a very important goal when you make a mobile game. 
• Ensure steady progression: In mobile game app development, you have to make sure players will get back to your project again and again. Progression is a great way to ensure it. In addition, progression is a great way to monetize the game. Daily tasks, progress bars, regular new events – it all can help to establish a game that players will regularly return to.
• Test, test, test: The experience that’s been thoroughly tested for bugs, mechanical issues or gameplay aspects that just do not work is a working way for developing mobile games that will resonate with the audience and make them happy with your project. During the testing, you can come up with a new feature or see clearly that a particular one doesn’t really work and should be cut. The same goes for bug-squashing: a bug-free experience is something all developers should strive for, as it helps to keep players happy – nobody wants to lose because it’s not their fault. 
• Don’t underestimate the importance of marketing: Marketing games is incredibly crucial, and doing it the right way is not as simple as it may seem. There are a lot of complications, reliance on social media algorithms, working with influencers, building a community and preparing the pipeline of upcoming content to raise interest. 

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Getting Started With Developing The Mobile Game

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Here’s a basic workflow of mobile game app development that is recommended to follow as you start working on a mobile game. 

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1. Come up with a fun idea: Make sure that the game is fun. Relying on existing projects for inspiration is totally fine, but if you manage to create something new that testers/players will not be able to stop playing easily, that will be especially great. 

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2. Choose an engine of your preference: As we mentioned earlier, choosing among the game engines for mobile development is incredibly important. Сhanging it in the middle of the road will be very difficult, so be sure to choose the one that suits your project.

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3. Gather a team: Generally, you will need a game designer, a programmer and a lead artist. If the project is bigger, then you will have to have more people for different needs, or you can even go solo – granted that you can design mechanics, code and create amazing visuals! 

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4. Ensure an eye-catching visual style: As we mentioned, visuals are tremendously important to be visible in the oversaturated market. You can use unique, stylized artwork or maybe create particularly charming characters that players will love. The goal is to make potential players look at screenshots or a trailer and say “Wow, I need to play that!”

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If developing a particularly unique art style is too difficult, you can always rely on game art outsourcing companies.

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RocketBrush Studio has been working since 2016, assisting big, leading industry names such as Supercell, Romero Games, Paradox Interactive, Applovin and many more with their projects. Read our testimonials.

We provide services for art in different kinds of styles, genres and aesthetics, and can assist with other things as well, including sound design, game design and even full-scale game development. Look at our portfolio to see the vast scope of things we can do!

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5. Start developing mobile games: Now it’s time to start building the stuff of dreams! It may be complicated and there will inevitably be some rough moments, but the first positive feedback, the first sight of great things that are shaping up and the eventual release will be absolutely worth the effort. You can read more about the stages of game development in this article we posted earlier. 

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6. Optimize and test it out: Never forget about testing everything out: game mechanics, different kinds of players’ behavior, new additions to the gameplay and overall stability. A game that works well and is stable will be much better than a clunky game, rough around the edges, crashes and so on – it goes without saying. 

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Conclusion On Mobile Games Development

Choosing a mobile game engine is a crucial part of the game development

pipeline. It affects a lot of possibilities and complications that the game-making process tends to present, so be sure to choose the engine and set of tools that will match your ambitions as well as the style, game feel and genre you’re pursuing.

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If you experience any issues with developing mobile games, do not hesitate to reach out to game outsourcing studios for additional help. We would love to discuss potential partnerships and solutions that may help you create the mobile game of your dreams.

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Mobile game dev still remains a popular activity among game makers, so we hope that your project will come out well and find its audience, providing you with the experience and success. 

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