Godot is a game engine used by hobbyists, solo developers, and indie teams to create everything from for-fun home projects to full-blown, commercial releases in both 2D and 3D. GameMaker is a game engine that’s primarily used by beginners, solo devs, and indie studios to create almost exclusively 2D games. Godot and GameMaker differ in their target users, flexibility, and difficulty to learn. Read on to learn about the differences between Godot and GameMaker and what kind of projects each engine is suited to.
What is the difference between Godot and GameMaker?
The biggest differences between Godot and GameMaker are their target users and use cases. Godot is a capable engine for both 2D and stylized 3D development suited to beginners and experienced devs, while GameMaker is focused exclusively on 2D and ideal as a first game engine. Godot is more flexible and relatively simple to learn, but GameMaker is considered the easiest tool for beginners to make their first games with.
Godot’s target users are beginner to intermediate developers who want control over their game’s logic and are comfortable learning GDScript. Indie development teams who want to build custom workflows or otherwise customize the engine for unique results choose Godot for its open-source nature. Godot’s mix of 2D and 3D capabilities make it appealing to learners who want to start with 2D and explore 3D after some coding experience. GameMaker’s drag and drop system, combined with its simple-to-learn GML script, make it ideal for those with no prior coding experience. Hobbyists and small indie teams like GameMaker for its simple workflow, 2D focus, and rapid prototyping capabilities.
Godot is considered an accessible engine in terms of its learning curve because of its Python-like script and visual, node-and-scene scripting system. That said, to create anything unique and substantial, Godot user must understand some programming in GDScript (and potentially C# and C++ for advanced features). Godot’s learning curve isn’t an issue for those with prior coding experience, and its tutorials, documentation, and community are helpful. GameMaker’s simpler, drag-and-drop interface and simple logic make it easy to learn how to build games quickly. It has a much lower learning curve in terms of going from simple idea to execution. GML script is considered easier to understand for beginners than Godot’s GDScript.
Which is better for a beginner: Godot vs GameMaker?
The better choice between Godot or GameMaker for a beginner comes down to what that beginner intends to create. GameMaker is easier to learn, featuring more visual, drag-and-drop elements and minimal, simple coding. GameMaker runs into limitations when creating larger-scale ambitious games with complex systems. The engine also features minimal support for 3D.
Godot’s superior 3D capabilities and more powerful GDScript (and support for C# and C++) come at the cost of complexity. Godot’s UI and node-and-scene system are considered cleaner and more intuitive than many more powerful game engines, but not as simple as GameMaker. Beginners who want to get to grips with code and experiment with 2D and 3D choose Godot. Beginners who want minimal coding and favor 2D choose GameMaker.
The pros and cons of Godot and GameMaker are further detailed in the list below.
Godot beginner pros:
- Free and open-source
- GDScript is an intuitive, Python-like language
- Godot handles 2D and 3D
- Modular, node-based architecture lets users learn on the go
- Excellent community, documentation, and support
Godot beginner cons:
- GDScript is intuitive, but more complex than GML
- Scenes, signals, and nodes take time to fully understand
- Fewer assets and smaller general commercial ecosystem than other engines
GameMaker beginner pros:
- Drag-and-drop features allow users to build without code
- GML is the easiest language for beginners to get to grips with
- Easier than Godot to get a 2D game up and running
- Lots of resources, assets, and a large ecosystem
- Fast prototyping
Gamemaker beginner cons:
- Free to use (must buy a commercial license to sell games)
- Limited scalability
- Limited 3D support
