List of Game Engines - Free and Open Source

Free and Open Source

Note: The following list is not exhaustive. It mixes game engines with rendering engines as well as API bindings without any distinctions.

Name Primary programming language Bindings Cross-platform SDL 2D/3D oriented Scripting Notable games License Notes and references
3D Rad C++ No No 3D AngelScript 3D, Physics based engine, very easy to learn, no scripting required.
Adventure Game Studio C++ Yes No 2D AGSScript Chzo Mythos, The Blackwell Series Artistic License 2.0 Mostly used to develop third-person pre-rendered graphical adventure games, one of the most popular for developing amateur adventure games.
Aleph One C++ Yes Yes 2.5D Lua, Marathon markup language Aleph One (Marathon remake) GPL FPS engine
Allegro library C Ada, C++, C#, D, Lisp, Lua, Mercury, Pascal, Perl, Python, Scheme Yes Yes 2D zlib Graphics and audio
Ardor3D Java Yes No 3D zlib Fork of jMonkeyEngine 2.0
Axiom Engine C# Yes No 3D LGPL
Blender Python Yes No 3D Python Yo Frankie!, ColorCube GPL 2D/3D game engine packaged in a 3D modeler for quick and intuitive use; fully integrated Bullet physics library
Box2D C++ Yes Yes 2D Python Angry Birds Sleepy Hollow zlib License Primarily a physics engine, but used in many games
Build engine C No No 2.5D Duke Nukem 3D, Shadow Warrior, Blood Custom FPS engine, 2.5D (2D grid base geometry.)
PolyCode C++ Yes Yes 3D Lua MIT A self-described "Framework for creative code"
BRGameEngine C++ and Lua No No 2.5D Trem de DOido GPL2 Adventure engine, 2.5D (3D Ogre, OpenGL, OpenAL, Bullet.)
Cafu Engine C++ Yes No 3D Lua GPL or proprietary Full game engine; graphics, audio, physics, scripting, networking, and map editor
ClanLib C++ Yes Yes 2.5D Clanlib Self-described "toolkit", provides most game engine functionality and extensive GUI programming
Cocos2d Python, Objective-C C++, JavaScript, Java Yes No 2D MIT Ported to Linux, Mac OS X, iOS, Windows. iOS port uses Objective-C and integrates with Box2D and Chipmunk physics engines. Android port binds to Java. Cocos2d-x is multi-platform and uses C++.
Construct Classic Event Based No No 2D Minitroid GPL/ BSD
Crystal Space C++ Java, Perl, Python Yes Yes 3D LGPL Graphics, audio, physics
Cube C++ Yes Yes 3D zlib Previous gen, 2d grid-based system, optimised for outdoor rather than indoor maps
Cube 2 C++ Yes Yes 3D Cubescript zlib Efficient 6 directional height-map based geometry (versus traditional Polygon soup model), hence the name Cube, FPS engine
Delta3d C++ Yes No 2.5D Python LGPL Uses modular libraries.
DimensioneX Multiplayer Engine Java Java, VBscript Yes No 2.5D VBscript GPL Produces browser games with pseudo-3D views, sounds and music. Games can be turned into Facebook Apps. Intended for beginners. Free support and hosting.
ENIGMA C++ Yes No 2D EDL GPL
Env3D Java Yes No 3D GPL 3D game engine that creates a simple interface for dynamically adding EnvObjects. Built on jMonkeyEngine 2.0. Intended for educational use in teaching computer science.
Exult C++ Yes Yes 2D GPL Free software reimplementation of the Ultima VII game engine
FLARE C++ Yes Yes 2D GPL RPG engine that supports isometric and orthogonal perspective
FlashPunk ActionScript Yes No 2D MIT License
Flexible Isometric Free Engine C++ Yes Yes 2D Python Unknown Horizons LGPL 2d game engine optimised for RTS or RPG games
Flixel ActionScript Yes No 2D Various games by Gregory Weir MIT Full boiler-plate code for flash games
GameKit (OgreKit) C++ Yes No 3D Lua MIT/zlib/ BSD Has Blender integration similar to BGE. Fully integrated Bullet physics library
gameplay C++ Yes No 3D Lua Apache 2.0 Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, iOS, Android, Blackberry, Playbook
Gamvas JavaScript Yes No 2D JavaScript MIT license Html5 canvas game engine with Box2D integration
Grit C++ Yes No 3D Lua MIT Optimised for Open world games like GTA
Haaf's Game Engine (HGE) C++ C, Go No No 2D Hammerfight zlib Hardware accelerated 2D library with particle effects, sprite & animation handling, GUI controls, distortion, font, and resource handling. Original Windows version lacks cross platform support. API compatible with hge-unix. C binding. Go binding
Haaf's Game Engine(HGE) for UNIX (hge-unix) C++ C, Go Yes Yes 2D Hammerfight (OS X & Linux port) zlib A fork of HGE to provide OS X & Linux support and thus API compatible with HGE. Hardware accelerated 2D library with particle effects, sprite & animation handling, GUI controls, distortion, font, and resource handling. C binding. Go binding
Horde3D C++ Yes Yes 3D EPL
HPl 1 engine C++ Yes Yes 3D AngelScript Penumbra: Overture, Penumbra: Black Plague, Penumbra: Requiem GPLv3 HPL is a cross-platform game engine which is compatible with the OpenGL, OpenAL, and Newton Game Dynamics libraries.One of the engine's defining features is its ability for advanced object interaction through the use of Newton's physics code.
id Tech 1 C Yes No 2.5D ACS Doom, Doom II, HeXen, Heretic, Strife GPL 2D based geometry, sprite and particles, uses clever methods to emulate 3D graphics
id Tech 2 C Yes No 3D C Quake II GPL Full game engine, better known as the Quake II engine.
id Tech 3 C Game Data {PK3 } Yes No 3D C Quake III Arena GPL Full game engine, better known as the Quake III engine.
id Tech 4 C++ Game Data {PK4 } Yes No 3D via DLLs Doom 3, Doom 3: BFG Edition, Quake 4 GPL Full game engine, better known as the Doom 3 engine with a set of good tools and MegaTexture.
Indielib C++ No Yes 2.5D LGPL 2d game engine in C++. Includes entity system, sprite animations, collision detection, bitmap/TTF fonts, parallax scrolling, 3d objects, cameras, timers, alpha blending, shaders and image filters.
ioquake3 C Yes Yes 3D Urban Terror GPL
Ignifuga Game Engine Python/Cython Yes Yes 2D Python Modified BSD/Commercial Win/Linux/Mac/Android/iOS 2D engine, entity/component based, fully data driven, supports animated sprites, fonts, parallax scrolling. HTML/CSS GUIs via transparent integration with libRocket. Dynamic development and fully static binary only deployment to targets. Simple building and packaging for all targets using the Schafer tool. Actively developed.
IwGame Engine C++ Yes No 2D GPL Seamless support for iPhone, iPad, Android (phone and tablet), Samsung Bada, Blackberry BB10 (inc. Playbook), Symbian, WebOS, Windows Mobile, Mobile Linux, LG-TV, Windows Desktop and Mac OS. IwGame is built on top of the Marmalade SDK.
Irrlicht Engine C++ Java, Perl, Ruby, Python, FreeBASIC, Lua, Delphi, C#, Game Maker, AutoIt Yes Yes 3D Squirrel, AutoIt H-Craft Championship, Gekkeiju Online, Star Sonata zlib
Jake2 Java Yes No 3D GPL
JGame Java, Actionscript 3 Yes No 2D BSD Also runs on J2ME and Android
jMonkeyEngine Java Yes No 3D BSD
K-Grunt C++ Lua Yes No 3D MIT
Jogre Java Yes No 2D GPL
Kobold2D Objective-C Yes No 2D Lua MIT Supports cross-development of iOS and Mac OS X apps. Based on Cocos2d with integrated Lua, Wax, cocos2d-iPhone-extensions, cocos3d, Box2D, Chipmunk, Chipmunk SpaceManager, Google AdMob and ObjectAL libraries.
Lavgine Lua, C++ Yes Yes 2D Lua Zlib/libpng
Linderdaum Engine C++ C#, LinderScript Yes No 3D LinderScript Linderdaum Puzzle MIT (for non-commercial), commercial Android, Windows and MacOS. Prototyping can be done on Windows. Supports advanced 3D features on Android (mesh skinning, raycasting)
LÖVE Lua Yes Yes 2D Lua Mari0, Journey to the Center of Hawkthorne Zlib/libpng
LWJGL Java Yes Yes 3D Minecraft The Lightweight Java Game Library
Maratis C++ Yes No 3D Lua Save Our Souls zlib/libpng/GPL Editor based environment. Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, iOS and Android support.
Moai SDK C++ Lua Yes Yes 2D Lua Crimson Steam Pirates CPAL iOS, Android, Windows, Mac OS X and Chrome browser compatible
Nebula Device C++ Java, Python Yes No 2.5D Lua, Tcl/Tk MIT
Multiverse Platform Python and Java No No 3D Python MIT Open source MMO and Virtual World Development Platform. Download includes starter assets and fully functional online world to play around with. Currently optimised for third-person RPG games.
nxPascal Object Pascal Delphi, Lazarus Yes No 3D MIT License
OpenSimulator C# Yes No 3D LSL BSD
ORX C/C++ Yes Yes 2D zlib 3D accelerated, supports Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, iPhone, iPad and Android
Panda3D Python C++ Yes No 3D Python Toontown Online, Pirates of the Caribbean Online BSD
PixelLight C++ Yes No 3D AngelScript, Lua, Python, Javascript/V8 LGPL OpenGL & ES 2 and D3D 9 & 11 renderers, OpenAL & FMOD sound, physics, Database, & GUI.
PLIB C++ Yes Yes 3D LGPL
PushButton Engine C++ Yes No 2D ActionScript, JavaScript, Python LGPL No longer being developed
Pyrogenesis C++ Yes Yes 3D JavaScript 0 A.D. GPL Specifically designed for flexibility and ease of modification. Game logic, artwork, and data can easily be changed through data files. The engine itself is modular in design to provide maximal flexibility while still remaining efficient.
Quake engine C Yes No 3D QuakeC Quake GPL Full game engine, first true 3D id tech engine.
Retribution Engine C++ No No 3D GPL
SFML-Fork C++ Yes No 2.5D Lua LGPL Game engine tool kit providing access to graphics, audio, scripting, networking
Sge2d C Yes Yes 2D MIT
Sphere C++ Yes No 2D JavaScript GPL
Spring C++ C, C++, Java/JVM, Lua, Python Yes Yes 3D Lua Balanced Annihilation, Zero-K GPL RTS, simulated events, OpenGL
Storymoto JavaScript JavaScript Yes No 3D JavaScript Adslife MIT Runs on any JavaScript-enabled browser, client side. Full sources on GitHub
Stratagus C Yes Yes 2D Lua GPL
Torque3D C++ No No 3D TorqueScript MIT
URGE C++ Yes No 3D Freeware/Custom First or Third Person 3D Computer Games Engine, created with OpenGL and its own physics engine.
Eclipse Origins Visual Basic 6 Windows only No 2D Crystalshire GPL A free and stable 2D MMORPG engine with a very large community. Includes NPCs, maps, resources, dynamic sprites, animations, skills, a bank, player chat, items, and more.
Wire3D C++ Yes No 3D LGPL Currently supports Wii and Windows.
WorldForge C++ Yes Yes 3D Lua(client), Python(server) GPL MMORPG framework consisting of Libraries, Server, Client, and Media.
ZenGL Pascal C, C++ Yes No 2D zlib Cross-platform(GNU/Linux, Windows, MacOS X, iOS, Android) game development library written in Pascal, designed to provide necessary functionality for rendering 2D-graphics, handling input, sound output, etc.
Name Primary programming language Bindings Cross-platform SDL 2D/3D oriented Scripting Notable games License Notes and references

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