The best game engines for beginner developers: Unity, Unreal Engine, and others

To save you from spending months scouring forums, we at KISS Software have put together a live guide to the most popular game engines. Yevhen Kasyanenko, our leading expert, uses personal examples to explain why beginners are often advised to use Unity or Unreal Engine, in which situations Godot carries the entire project, and when GameMaker or Construct become a real find.

What is a game engine and why is it needed?

A game engine contains all the starting pieces of the puzzle called “game.” For example, graphics, physics, sound. The developer only needs to add their idea, characters, and creatively figure out how it will all work.

Before choosing a platform, it is worth asking yourself a few important questions:

• Visual capabilities. What special effects can be implemented without rewriting the core?
• Performance. Will the game run smoothly on both phones and computers?
• Cross-platform compatibility. How much time and effort will it take to release the game on Windows, iOS, Android, and consoles at once?

“ When a game engine takes on routine tasks, developers have a clean slate for their ideas. A mistake in choosing a platform can easily turn into endless problems consisting of constant rework. The more competent the choice of tool, the sooner you will see the result and the first reviews from players,” emphasizes Yevhen Kasyanenko.

Why is it important to choose the right game engine?

The speed of the entire development process directly depends on the game engine. If you use Unity, you can build a 2D prototype over the weekend and then scale up as your ambitions grow. Unreal Engine immediately gives you cinematic tools, but it also requires more attention to detail. A mistake at the start results in three problems:

• rewriting code;
• purchasing additional licenses;
• delaying the release.

Before starting a new project, ask yourself three questions:

• The goal of the project. Do you want a mobile hit or a visual masterpiece for PC?
• The level of the team. How long will it take to master the engine to an acceptable level of quality?
• Budget and deadlines. Can you afford the subscription, hardware, and unplanned optimizations?

The answers will immediately outline the framework within which the decision will be balanced rather than spontaneous.

Unity is the best choice for beginners

“If you want a friendly and easy start, go with Unity. In one installer, you get a scene editor, profiler, cloud build system, and a huge asset store. Today you’re putting together a minimalist platformer, tomorrow you’re adding a VR level, and it’s all within the same environment,” says our expert.

Advantages of Unity for beginners

Indeed, Unity’s strengths for beginners are obvious. So before diving into the details, keep in mind the four main advantages highlighted by Yevhen Kasyanenko:

• Intuitive interface. Any object, such as a character, background, light source, etc., can be dragged onto the scene with the mouse. Changes are immediately visible in the preview window; press Play and the character runs without restarting.
• Active community. The Unity forum will respond faster than you can ask a question. Video tutorials, guides, ready-made templates — there is enough material to cover 90% of typical tasks without involving external consultants.
• Multi-platform support. The same project can be compiled for 25+ devices: smartphones, PCs, consoles, and even smart TVs. There is no need to rewrite the logic; only the export settings change.
• Asset Store. In the asset store, you will find models, shaders, music, and animations. Some of these are paid, some are free. Purchasing a ready-made package reduces the production cycle by a third and allows you to focus on unique mechanics rather than trees and rocks.

At KISS Software, we believe that Unity for beginners removes technical difficulties and shifts the focus to content — something that players are willing to pay for.

Disadvantages of Unity

Every coin has two sides, and here’s what we want to draw your attention to:

• Load on heavy scenes. If the project is built on millions of polygons, you will have to seriously optimize the image. For mobile visuals, this is a minor issue, but for large 3D action games, it becomes a separate task.
• Free license threshold. As long as the company’s income is low, the engine is free. But as soon as you exceed the limit, you will have to pay for Unity Pro. This is fair, but it is important to factor it into your budget.

“It’s easier to address weaknesses at the start than to fix them at the final stage,” notes our specialist.

When to choose Unity?

Our team at KISS Software can confidently say that Unity is ideal if you:

• are taking your first steps in development;
• are launching a 2D project or a lightweight 3D game;
• are working in a small team or alone;
• want to see results in the coming weeks, not months.

Yevhen Kasyanenko advises weighing all the pros and cons before starting development to avoid additional costs later on.

Unreal Engine – capabilities for realistic and large-scale games

Unreal Engine was developed by Epic Games, the company that owns Fortnite. Game engines for beginners are valued for their advanced rendering and flexible physics, and it helps achieve almost cinematic quality without purchasing third-party plugins.

Advantages of Unreal Engine for beginners

In this case, the following strengths can be highlighted:

• Photorealism right after installation. Lumen and Nanite technologies create realistic lighting and geometry without requiring lengthy configuration. This is enough to assemble a prototype of an AAA-level location in a week.
• Blueprints instead of code. The visual block system allows you to assemble logic with virtually no C++. The designer draws a line, connects the nodes, and the game object comes to life according to the specified rules.
• Pay when you earn. As long as the game’s total revenue does not exceed $1 million per quarter, royalties are zero. This is an excellent option for a startup that does not want to pay upfront.
• Turnkey VR and AR. Ready-made templates for Oculus Quest, HTC Vive, and HoloLens allow you to release a demo without any problems or complications.

Yevhen Kasyanenko highlights Unreal Engine, especially for those who care about visual results. In this case, the image and technical potential play an important role.

“We once worked with a novice developer who wanted to create an atmospheric walking game for Steam. He didn’t know C++, but with the help of Blueprints, he put together a forest scene with dynamic lighting and soft shadows in a month. When he showed it, many thought that the project was being done by an experienced studio. Now this developer is part of the KISS team,” recalls Evgeny.

Disadvantages of Unreal Engine

Before making a choice, it is also worth paying attention to the shortcomings. We can highlight several:

• The entry threshold is higher. The interface is saturated with tabs, and there are so many settings that it will take time to figure them out.
• System requirements. Ray tracing rendering will not run on an office laptop. You need a modern graphics card and a fast SSD.

These are not serious drawbacks. Rather, they are features that should be considered before starting development.

When to choose Unreal Engine?

If you’re unsure, our team has summarized who Unreal Engine is suitable for:

• When the visual level of the project is your key to success;
• When the team is ready to undergo Unreal Engine training for the sake of high potential;
• If your target platform is PCs or consoles, rather than low-end smartphones.

“Unreal is for those who prioritize graphics and scale,” says Evgeny.

Godot – flexibility and openness

Godot is a completely free and open-source game engine that is ideal for those who want full control over the code and no licensing fees.

Advantages of Godot for beginners

Godot is often chosen by those who want to get started quickly, without unnecessary costs and complications. At KISS Software, we find it particularly convenient for beginners because of the following advantages:

• No payments. Download, install, get started, and no headaches.
• GDScript, similar to Python. The readable syntax makes it easy to get started, even for those seeing code for the first time.
• Minimal requirements. Runs on an average laptop without requiring hardware upgrades.
• Open source model. You can dig into the source code, create your own modules, and share them with the community.

“If you want to learn game development in practice and not be dependent on licenses and restrictions, Godot gives you maximum freedom to do so. We often recommend Godot to beginners. One guy from our team used it to build a mini-simulator of a cafe with orders and a timer. It weighed less than 10 MB and ran smoothly even on an old ultrabook,” says Yevhen Kasyanenko.

Disadvantages of Godot

It is worth considering some of the engine’s features:

• Limited 3D rendering capabilities. If you need ultra-realism, this game engine falls short of Unity and Unreal.
• Fewer training materials. There are more guides, but it is sometimes more difficult to find a rare solution.

These nuances are not critical if you understand the tasks of your project in advance.

When to choose Godot

This option is worth choosing if:

• you focus on 2D games, visual novels, or educational projects;
• you have a limited budget and want to avoid paid licenses;
• you love open source and flexible engine customization.

According to Yevhen Kasyanenko, Godot is an excellent choice for those who want to start developing games without unnecessary barriers and at a comfortable pace, while maintaining full control over the process.

Other popular game engines for beginners

Sometimes you need to make a simple 2D game. It is important to implement everything quickly, inexpensively, and without unnecessary fuss. For example, to show an idea to a publisher or to check how the mechanics work. In such situations, the best game engines for beginners come to the rescue. Everything is clear from the first click, and you can immediately start playing the game instead of figuring out the code and settings.

GameMaker Studio

GameMaker has long been appreciated by pixel platformer authors. In the editor, you can assemble levels, set the logic of objects with simple scripts, and immediately run everything in the preview window.

If you need to release a 2D project and get it on Steam or mobile stores as quickly as possible, GameMaker is an excellent choice.

Construct

Construct runs directly in the browser and is entirely based on visual blocks. Drag a condition, connect an action, and your character is already jumping or shooting.

Exporting to HTML5 allows you to upload your game to itch.io or embed it on a website in just a couple of clicks, which is especially convenient for educational projects and jams.

Cocos2d

Cocos2d is a lightweight framework for mobile 2D games. It requires a little more code than GameMaker or Construct, but it allows you to flexibly customize graphics and controls for iOS and Android.

If you need a full-fledged mobile release with a minimal build size, Cocos2d is the way to go.

“In one of our mobile games on Cocos2d, we managed to achieve a game size of less than 30 MB, with smooth animation and adaptation for two screens,” recalls our specialist.

Unity or Unreal Engine – which one to choose?

If you don’t know which one to choose, focus and answer three test questions:

• Which is more important: speed of release or maximum visual quality? For a quick release, choose Unity; for cinema, choose Unreal.
• How much time does the team have for training? Unity is quicker to learn; Unreal offers more possibilities but requires deeper immersion.
• What are the resources designed for? Unity puts less strain on equipment, while Unreal requires a powerful PC but rewards you with image quality.

As Yevhen Kasyanenko emphasizes, the right game engine is not just a tool but the starting point for all future development.

Why is it worth turning to professionals?

A game engine is only the foundation. On top of it, you build code architecture, economic balance, multiplayer, analytics, and marketing. That’s why without experience and professional help, it’s easy to hit a ceiling or even fail completely. One incorrectly constructed element can drag down everything else.

At KISS Software, we offer a full range of professional game development services:

• Idea diagnostics. We choose an engine based on goals, not trends.
• Turnkey development. From prototype to early access, and then release.
• Optimization. We clean up memory, speed up downloads, and tailor the game to target devices.
• Marketing and release. We help you get on Steam, the App Store, Google Play, and bring your game to your audience.

“Our task is to eliminate technical risks and give authors the opportunity to focus on creativity,” notes Yevhen Kasyanenko.

Conclusion

Choosing an engine always starts with three simple questions: what kind of game are we making, what skills do we have, and how much are we willing to invest? Therefore, we highlight the following points for making the right choice:

• Unity is chosen when speed of launch, a rich set of ready-made solutions, and cross-platform plans are important.
• Unreal Engine is chosen for its cinematic graphics and powerful physics if the team is ready to delve deeper into the tool.
• Godot is valued by those who need maximum freedom and no licenses.
• GameMaker, Construct, and Cocos2d are great for simple 2D projects and educational prototypes.

“The engine should help reveal the idea, not restrict it with boundaries,” says our expert.

If you need a team that will take care of the technical details and bring the project to release, KISS Software is ready to join at any stage, from platform selection to successful game launch. Write to us, and during the first consultation, we will draw up a roadmap that will save you time and money!