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Several tools called game engines are available for game designers to easily code a game quickly without building from the ground up.

[edit] Free engines

These game engines are free software:

• Agar (engine) – A high-level graphical application framework used by 2D and 3D computer games
• Allegro library – A free crossplatform C/C++ game programming library, provides functions for graphics, sounds, input, timers, fixed and floating point, 3d, compressed datafile and a GUI.
• Axiom Engine – A fork containing the core of the OGRE graphics engine written in C#
• Game Blender – flexible node based game logic engine blender 3d
• Boom – A port of the Doom source code by TeamTNT
• Brick engine – A simple cross-platform 2D engine, intended for 8-bit-style games
• Cadabra 3D - A Brazilian LGPL 3D game engine
• Catmother – A BSD-licensed engine from a company that open-sourced its code when it closed the business.
• CheapHack – An outdated TomazQuake derived engine
• ClanLib – A free cross-platform (including Mac OS X), object-oriented C++ game programming library.
• Crystal Entity Layer – An extension of the Crystal Space 3D Engine
• Crystal Space – A general framework for developing 3D applications
• Cube – Powers the computer game of the same name
• DarkPlaces – One of the most advanced free software Quake engines
• Delta3d – Integrates other well-known free software projects into an easy-to-use API, originally developed by the U.S. Navy
• Doom engine – The now free software engine originally used for the hugely popular Doom and Doom II
• DXFramework – A simple, pedagogical 2D/3D DirectX-based game engine for Visual Studio
• Epee Engine – Is a 2D graphics engine with beginning programmers in mind
• Eternity Engine – A source port of the Doom engine
• Exult – A free software reimplementation of the Ultima VII game engine
• FIFE – A free software 2D isometric CRPG engine supporting the assets of Fallout 1 & 2.
• Freely Available Networked Game Engine - a 2D Java networked game engine
• GQ – A Quake engine that adds features from TomazQuake and DarkPlaces
• GZDoom – A source port of the Doom engine based on ZDoom
• GemRB – A free software implementation of the Infinity Engine
• Genesis3D – A real-time 3D engine for Windows
• Genesis Device Is a powerful LGPL engine
• Horde3D – A lightweight next-generation graphics engine
• id Tech 2 – Formerly known as the Quake II engine, the original open-source engine from id Software
• id Tech 3 – Formerly known as the Quake III engine, the original open-source engine from id Software
• ioquake3 – A cleaned-up, bugfixed and updated fork of the original id Tech 3 engine
• Irrlicht Engine – A cross-platform and lightweight three dimensional graphics engine.
• jMonkeyEngine – An open-source, BSD licensed Java scenegraph engine.
• JGame - An open-source, BSD licensed 2D Java game engine, support mobile devices and desktop application.
• Joge – Is a platform to develop 2D game in Java.
• Jogre – A Java based client/server game engine and API for online real time games such as chess, checkers, etc.
• KallistiOS – A free, BSD licensed development library for the Sega Dreamcast, by Dan Potter.
• KonsolScript – opensource cross-platform 2D game engine plus scripting capability, by MJ Mendoza IV.
• Libsmog – opensource, C++, massively multi-player, script-able, real-time 3D game engine.
• Lightfeather 3D Engine - A cross-platform, zlib licensed, real-time 3D graphics engine.
• Nebula Device – A realtime 3D game engine developed by German game studio Radon Labs.
• OctLight – A Java game engine that uses scene-graph and renders on top of Lightweight Java Game Library (LWJGL) using OpenGL
• Open Game Engine is an open source library combining the components used to make games.
• OGRE Engine – A very popular object-oriented graphics rendering engine. Also called OGRE3D
• PLIB – A game engine – includes 3D, Audio, Music, GUI, Window manager and is portable Linux/Windows/Mac OS X.
• ProQuake – A modified Quake engine
• PySoy - Multi-threaded 3d game engine for Python, freely licensed under the GPLv3 for Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows
• Reality Factory - An open-source engine built off of Genesis3D.
• RealmForge – An open-source game engine for the Microsoft .NET Framework, predecessor to Visual3D.NET
• Retribution Engine – A game engine to make first person shooter games
• Sauerbraten – A upgraded engine forked from the Cube engine
• southatlantic – Open Source 2D java game engine (applets and applications).
• Soya 3D – Object oriented "high level" 3D engine for Python.
• Stratagus – A cross-platform real time strategy game engine
• Sylphis3D – Game engine with unified lighting and shadowing, physics and fully python scripted!
• Telejano – A modified Quake engine
• Tenebrae – One of many Quake engine clones
• vbGORE – Open source MMORPG engine in Visual Basic 6.
• Elysium Diamond – Another open source MMORPG engine made with Visual Basic 6.
• Verge RPG engine - A BSD-licensed open source game engine that uses a C-like scripting language called, VergeC.
• Victory Engine - A Java-based 2D game engine, designed with flexibility in mind.

[edit] Freeware engines

These engines are available free of charge:

• Adventure Game Studio – Mainly used to develop third-person pre-rendered adventure games, this engine is one of the most popular for developing amateur adventure games.
• Baja Engine – Professional quality engine used for the game The Lost Mansion.
• Build engine – A first-person shooter engine used to power Duke Nukem 3D
• BYOND – Short for "Build Your Own Net Dream." Makes various genres of games, including MOGs.Coding, mapping,drawing and testing are all done in one program very simple to use.
• Daybreak motor – Flexible, object-oriented graphics rendering engine for .NET and XNA (XNA 3D Engine) http://www.daybreak.ru
• DGD – An object-oriented programmable MUD engine
• dim3 – Freeware 3D javascript engine for the Mac (although finished games are cross platform).
• DX Studio – Real-time professional 3D engine and editing suite produced by Worldweaver Ltd
• Flatredball – A 2.5D XNA and MDK game engine.
• Game Blender – A sub-application of Blender for creating games
• Game Maker Lite – Object-oriented game development software with drag-and-drop interface and its own scripting language
• GTGE – Golden T Game Engine (GTGE) is an advanced cross-platform game programming library written in Java language.
• Luxinia
• M.U.G.E.N – A 2D fighting game engine
• Panda3D – A relatively easy to use python-driven game engine by Disney
• Pentagram – A project to create a game engine that is capable of running Ultima VIII: Pagan
• PlayerWorlds – A easy-to-use online RPG development engine. Sprites included.
• PlayerRealms – Create old-school style online adventure games with this fantastic game creator. Design your world from scratch and join others with our ever-growing community!
• Q 1.1 Technology – A cross-platform engine for games and other interactive 3D applications. Developed by Servan Keondjian's Qube Software.
• Reactor 3D – A easy-to-use XNA based game engine. High level shader support and powerful features!
• The RealFeel Engine – Powerful 2D, MMORPG engine for Windows XP and Vista
• Torque MMO Kit - Indie friendly, production ready, commercially proven, award winning, MMORPG system.
• World Builder – A pre-Mac OS X game engine.
• XtremeWorlds – A simple, and widely used 2D Online RPG Engine for Windows only
• Wintermute Engine – A runtime and development tools for creating 2D and 2.5D point'n'click adventure games.
• PhyreEngine - A cross platform(PC & PS3) graphics engine from Sony Computer Entertainment.

[edit] Commercial engines

• A7 – The engine behind the Gamestudio Authoring system
• Aurora Engine – For Role-playing games
• Beyond Virtual - A relatively cheap game engine with particle effects, and a nice gui. Can be used for any genre.
• BRender – A real-time 3D graphics engine for computer games, simulators and graphic tools
• C4 Engine – An emerging next-generation computer game engine created by Eric Lengyel
• Coldstone game engine – An old game creation suite for Macintosh/Windows to create role-playing or adventure-style games
• CPAL3D – Is an engine for 3D games and applications. It contains own game content editor and script compiler. It's made by Centauri Production and used in adventure Memento Mori (game), rpg Numen or 3rd person shooter Pound of Ground.
• CryEngine, CryEngine 2 – The game engine used for the first-person shooter computer game Far Cry. CryEngine 2 is a new generation engine developed by Crytek to create the FPS game Crysis.
• CrossM - Game engine developed by Gamasoft Co., Ltd.
• Dagor Engine 3 – A high-tech cross-platform game engine (3D, physics, game logic) with rich toolset for content development
• Dunia - Is currently under development by Ubisoft and will be used in the first person shooter Far Cry 2. In Arabic and it means world or earth
• id Tech 4 – (Also known as Doom 3 engine) Used by the games Doom 3, Quake 4, Prey and Quake Wars (Will become Open Source at a later date)^[1]
• id Tech_5 -
• DX Studio – Engine and editing suite that allows rapid creation of real-time games and simulations
• Earth-4 Engine – The graphics engine used in Earth 2160
• Electron engine – Currently in development by Obsidian Entertainment for their game Neverwinter Nights 2, based on the Aurora engine
• Elflight Engine – High-performance cross-platform 3D streaming game engine designed from the ground up for use over the Web. Games can play in a web browser window, in a separate window or full-screen. Java and OpenGL based.
• EMotion FX – A real-time character animation SDK and tools by Mystic Game Development.
• Enigma Engine – A real-time tactics game engine, used in Blitzkrieg.
• Euphoria – A real-time motion synthesis engine by NaturalMotion
• Explorations – 2D MMO creator
• FPS Creator - A game engine by The Game Creators. It lets the user create their own First Person Shooter without any knowledge of scripts.
• Frostbite Engine – Game engine used for the next-gen title Battlefield: Bad Company
• Gamebryo – A cross-platform game runtime engine and associated tools coded in C++
• Glacier, Glacier2 – Developed by IO Interactive and used for the Hitman series of games. Glacier2 being a new generation engine currently in development for upcoming games.
• GNet – A rapid game development SDK and deployment platform for MMOG
• Havok – High-tech cross-platform (PC, PS3, Xbox 360 etc) middleware engine
• IMUSE – Specifically designed to synchronize music with visual action
• INSANE – Used in LucasArts games
• Infinity Engine – Allows the creation of isometric computer role-playing games
• Jade engine – Developed by Ubisoft, originally for Beyond Good & Evil
• Jedi – A game engine developed by LucasArts for Star Wars: Dark Forces and Outlaws
• Kaneva Game Platform – A full featured MMOG engine for independent and professional game development
• Kinetica - A game engine developed by Sony for PlayStation 2.
• KjAPI – A C++ technology to create games and 3D applications for PC computers
• Lithtech – A competing alternative to the Quake, and Unreal engines.
• Lithtech Jupiter Ex – A new generation Lithtech engine developed by Monolith Productions to create the game F.E.A.R.
• Medusa – A C++ 3D game engine developed by Palestar and used in the DarkSpace MMO. It features distributed world simulation, single tool version control and asset realisation, cross-platform compatibility and an integrated client/server network system.
• MMFusion
• Monumental Technology Suite – A MMOG platform, including server and client technology and development / live management tools.
• Multiverse Network – An MMOG platform, including server, client, and tools. (Free for development and use — revenue sharing upon commercial deployment).
• NeoAxis Engine – A game engine and toolkit designed for the creation of game titles for all genres, as well as 3D Visualization and Virtual Reality projects.
• Offset Engine – In development, being used to create fantasy FPS Project Offset (working title)
• Odyssey Engine – Used to create three dimensional computer role-playing games, used in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
• Onyx Engine – Developed by Ubisoft
• Power Render – A general purpose software development kit for games and 3D visualization
• "Q" – A hi tech cross-platform flexible framework and fully featured plugin set for games and other interactive 3D applications with the emphasis on customisability. Developed by Servan Keondjian's Qube Software.
• RAGE – A game engine created by Rockstar Games use it to power their upcoming video games on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3
• Realm Crafter – A 3D MMORPG specific game engine with an easy click-and-drop design. Easy to learn scripting language.
• RelentENGINE – A next-generation FPS engine supporting massive destroyable city environments and realistic vehicle control, makes extensive use of shader model 3.
• RenderWare – A very popular 3D API and graphics rendering engine
• Revolution3D – A 3D graphics engine developed by X-Dream Project
• RPG Maker XP – A 2D engine to make top-down and isometric-style role-playing games for Windows.
• SAGE engine – Used to create real-time strategy games
• SCUMM engine – Used in LucasArts graphical adventure games
• Serious Engine – The engine by Croteam used in the epic Serious Sam: The First Encounter and The Second Encounter
• Shark 3D – A middleware from Spinor for computer, video games and realtime 3D applications
• ShiVa – An all-in-one 3D game development platform. The engine (Ston3D) is available for Windows and Macintosh, and can be used inside a web browser.
• Silent Storm engine – A turn-based tactics/tactical RPG game engine, used in Silent Storm.
• Sith – A game engine developed by LucasArts for Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II
• Source engine – A game engine developed by Valve Software for Half-Life 2
• Torque Game Engine – A modified version of a 3D computer game engine originally developed by Dynamix for the 2001 FPS Tribes 2
• Torque Game Engine Advanced – A next-generation 3D game engine support modern GPU hardware and shaders.
• TOSHI – A fourth generation cross platform game engine designed by Blue Tongue Entertainment
• Truevision3d – A 3D game engine using the DirectX API
• Unigine – Cross-platform middleware engine
• Unity – An easy-to-use open-ended 3D game/interactive software engine for web, Windows, Mac OS X, and Nintendo Wii
• Unreal engine – One of the most popular game engines for action games
• Vengeance engine – A video game engine based on the Unreal Engine 2/2.5
• Vicious Engine – Available for Microsoft Windows, Sony PlayStation 2, Microsoft Xbox, and Sony PlayStation Portable
• Visual3D.NET – 3D platform and visual development environment built upon Microsoft .NET 2.0 and XNA Framework for developing for PC, Xbox 360, and Windows Mobile devices using C#, Visual Basic, J#, C++.NET, JScript.NET, IronPython, and visual scripting.
• Virtools – A 3D engine combined with unique high-level development framework, used for game prototyping and rapid developments. Available for Windows, Macintosh, Xbox, PSP
• White Engine – Square-Enix's proprietary seventh generation game engine.
• XnGine – Developed by Bethesda Softworks, one of the first true 3D engines

[edit] PSP

• WGAF – The game engine developed by Guild Software which powers their MMORPG Vendetta Online
• LTE Game Engine - An opensource game engine for the PSP (a direct port of the multi platform Irrlicht Engine). Website: http://www.ltestudios.com/

[edit] Games and the game engines they use

[edit] See also

• Game engine
• Physics engine
• First person shooter engine
• Game Middleware