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Top 5 Tools you need to know for Game Development

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Mages Institute

Developing a video game requires a combination of technical and creative skills and involves multiple stages. To create a modern video game, you need to have a solid understanding of the programs and tools required for game development. In this article, we will provide a breakdown of some of the essential game development tools that you need to know before getting started with Game Development.


  1. Game Engines: Game engines are software frameworks that provide tools for creating and managing game objects, handling physics and collisions, managing sound and music, and handling input from players. Unity Game Engine (owned by Unity) and Unreal Game Engine (owned by Epic Games) are two of the most popular game engines (market share) available today. They have grown in popularity due to the fact that they are both free to use and ask for licensing fees/revenue only if your published game hits a certain revenue threshold.

  2. This allows hobbyists and explorers a degree of comfort while wandering into the new and highly dynamic field of game development.

  3. Programming Languages: To develop a video game, you need to know at least one programming language. The most commonly used programming languages in game development are C++, C#, and Java. Both Unity and Unreal Engines have tools which provide you a “no-code” solution for game development, called Visual Scripting. All coding for game logics etc is done in a graphical user interface (GUI) by using drag-and-drop nodes. This is another reason Unity and Unreal Engine command the bulk of the game development market share.

  4. Graphic Design Tools: Video games today require high-quality graphics, so you need tools for creating and editing images, animations, and 3D models. (Note that by high-quality, we do not mean “realistic” or “highly-detailed”; they can be stylised artworks and models etc, or 2D sprites such as the recent game Octopath Traveller 2). Blender, 3ds Max are well regarded in the game development field for the creation of 3D models and their animation. Other graphical elements such as UI can be made/manipulated using the trusty Adobe Photoshop.

  5. Sound Editing Tools: Audio plays a crucial role in video games, from sound effects to intro music, menu music, OST, etc. You would need tools for creating and editing sound effects and music. Some popular sound editing tools for game development include Adobe Audition, Audacity, and FMOD. The audio files generated will feed into the Game Engine and be triggered as per your scripting set up.

  6. Version Control Software: Version control software allows you to keep track of changes to your game's code, assets, and other files over time. It also allows multiple developers to work on the same project simultaneously without overwriting each other's work. Some popular version control tools for game development include Git and SVN.

  7. However, most indie developers can get by without the need for the software for version control - doing so would “only” require an organised workflow.


As the scope of the project grows, the need for project management tools/softwares increases. As multiple teams of people work on multiple aspects of the game concurrently, dependencies in workflows must be managed and controlled. Miscommunications and inadequate management of changes/updates can lead to loss of hours and days of work. Project management tools help you keep track of tasks, assign responsibilities, and collaborate with your team. Some popular project management tools for game development include Trello, Asana, and Jira.


In conclusion, game development has never been easier - the two most popular game development engines are free for use and have plenty of learning materials available for free, making it a . However they are not one-stop solutions for aspiring developers to fully create their own game - alot goes on behind the scenes!


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