So, which languages do you recommend most for making video games? The answer lies in the kind of game you want to create. For example, if you want to create a 2D platformer, you may choose a language such as Lua or JavaScript. However, C++ and C# languages may be more appropriate for creating a first-person shooter in 3D.

Here we’ll examine the top languages for making games and talk about the many games that may be made in each.

What Exactly Is Gaming Development?

Gaming development involves planning, producing, and coding a game. This step may be taken in various ways, each appropriate for its respective game genre and development team size.

Whether interested in graphics, plot, or gaming mechanics, you may choose from various games, including text-based, 2D, 3D, and real-time single-player and multiplayer options. But I’m sure you already know that, so let’s dive into game design!

The Top Game Development Programming Languages

Each of these languages has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, but they’re all widely used for making games. Let’s analyze each language individually.

C++

Because of its speed and efficiency, C++ is a great language for making video games. C++ is used to produce high-performance games because of its abundance of debugging tools, which is crucial in creating games.

Other languages, like Python, are intended to be easy to understand and comprehend. Given this, Python is great for quickly testing new game concepts, but there are better fits for creating a full-fledged game.

C++, a compiled language, is turned into machine code before being executed on a computer. This means C++ code can be executed much quicker than code written in an interpreted language like Python. Multiple programming styles, including object-oriented and data-driven, are available in C++.

Popular game engines often support C++, giving programmers access to various game design resources.

The following are popular gaming engines that use C++:

Amazon Lumberyard
Unity
Unreal Engine
CRYENGINE

C++ has several drawbacks that make it less desirable than other programming languages. These include its high learning curve, memory management features, and lack of mobility to other platforms.

Java

Java is employed in many different fields because of the language’s flexibility and capability. As it shares many of C++’s benefits and is compatible with many other platforms, it is also a suitable option for game development.

Java games, a platform-independent language, may operate on any operating system, like Windows, macOS, and Linux, owing to the Java virtual machine (JVM). Since iOS and Android can run Java, it has become a popular alternative for creating mobile games. Actually, Java is the language for creating native applications using Android Studio.

Examples of Java-based game engines include:

libGDX
jMonkeyEngine
Java 3D

Java’s general drawbacks:

It’s not as user-friendly and sometimes sluggish, especially on older devices.
It’s less popular than C++, though.

JavaScript (with HTML and CSS)

Another flexible language used in game creation is JavaScript (JS), which has the added benefit of being simple to pick up. JavaScript’s slower performance compared to C++ and Java makes it a viable choice for creating 2D games.

HTML and CSS aren’t programming languages but useful tools for making video games. HTML is used to establish a game’s framework, while CSS is utilized to style the game.

JavaScript games are portable because they may be played in any web browser. However, games written in JavaScript are less popular than those written in other languages.

The following are popular gaming engines that use JavaScript:

PixiJS
Phaser
Cocos2d-x

Overall drawbacks of JavaScript:

Slower than some other languages
Less often used
For browser-based games

Microsoft developed the C# programming language. It’s a great option for creating both 2D and 3D games, and it has many benefits with C++.

C# has the benefit of being simpler to learn than C++. Because C# is a cross-platform language, games written in it may be played on several operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Cdebugging #’s and testing tools, as well as the tools with which they are integrated into Microsoft’s Visual Studio, are top-notch.

The following are popular gaming engines that use C#:

Unreal Engine
Unity
Godot

General drawbacks of C#:

Restricted to the Microsoft environment and not as popular

Lua

Lua, a simple but powerful scripting language, is widely utilized in many fields, including video game creation. It’s quick (a rare combination!) and simple to learn and use.

Since Lua can be integrated into other programming languages, it is often used for developing game logic. As a result, it is a viable option for creating games with intricate gameplay systems.

Lua isn’t as popular as other languages for game development, but it’s a fantastic option for creating 2D games, and several game engines support it.

The following are popular gaming engines that use Lua:

LÖVE
Solar2D
Gideros

General disadvantages of Lua:

Used mostly by the video game industry and seldom elsewhere

Which Game Programming Language Should Beginners Use?

Naturally, Lua! As we’ve established, Lua is an approachable, lightweight programming language. For this reason, it should come as no surprise that Lua provides a solid foundation to develop more advanced games, especially for those new to programming.

Also, several well-known games have included Lua; therefore, many resources are available. In addition, you may use it to code on a wide variety of game engines as you learn C++ for more involved projects.

Conclusion

The world of game creation is ever-evolving, as new technology and platforms appear every few years. This means that game development languages will also need to evolve.

Lua and Python are great languages to learn as a beginner. These languages are simple to pick up and use and provide a solid groundwork for creating more involved video games.

You’ll need a more robust programming language to create an intricate game. For complex games, C++, C#, or even Java may be the best option for development.

Greater control over the game’s inner workings is possible with low-level languages like C++, but this comes at the cost of more development and testing time.

JavaScript is the most popular programming language in the world, and according to a survey conducted by Stack Overflow in 2020, more than 63% of developers are using it.

It is easy to start with, and there are many frameworks and libraries built with JavaScript. Even though at the beginning, JavaScript was only possible to run on web browsers, today, it can be run both locally and on a server. This means that it can be used for the development of complete applications – both front- and back end.

Read on to find out what you can use JavaScript for.

Front-end web development

Front-end development, also known as client-side development, is concerned with that part of the web page users see and interact with.

JavaScript is one of the three main technologies for front-end development – the other two being HTML and CSS. While HTML is all about the structure and content, and CSS is about styling, JavaScript makes the page dynamic. This can be achieved in several ways:

Presentation – create sliders and carousels using JavaScript libraries such as Swiper JS, Reveal JS, and Owl JS to customize the website’s presentation.
Animation – using animations is a great way to make the website more attractive. Choose a library like Anime JS, Mo JS, Greensock JS, and Animate on Scroll – all these are built for JavaScript and aim to create animations easier.
Single page application – you can build a SPA with JavaScript frameworks and libraries like React JS, Vue JS, Polymer JS, and Angular JS.

Back-end Web Development

Back-end development, or server-side development, is about the part of the web page that has to do with APIs, databases, cloud services, file servers – or everything a user does not visually interact with.

Using JavaScript for back-end development is possible thanks to runtime engine Node.js. There are different frameworks that can be used to simplify the back-end development process, such as Express JS, Fastify, and Koa.

Game Development

Games are also possible for development with JavaScript, and depending on the complexity of the game, there are different ways to use JavaScript.

You can use JavaScript, HTML, and CSS to build simple 2D games, and for more complex game designs, you can use a JavaScript game engine such as Babylon JS, Phaser JS, and Lime JS, which will help you make the process easier.

Mobile App Development

JavaScript can also be used for mobile app development, and you can benefit from various frameworks and libraries. Some of these include:

React Native: an open-source framework for building cross-platform native apps.
NativeScript: one of the most popular cross-platform frameworks that can be used for the development of native mobile apps for iOS and Android platforms.
Ionic: another popular JavaScript framework that can be used for the development of hybrid apps.

As you can see, JavaScript is a multipurpose language that can be used for many different areas of technology. And due to its popularity, you can rely on a large and active community to reach out to in case of any issues or questions you might have.

Posts tagged "Game Development"

How to Choose the Right Language for Your Game’s Development