Every awesome mobile game starts with an idea or a simple discussion, but where do you go from there? Many games on the Apple Store and Google Play have managed to go from an idea to a famous and popular game with the help of one of the programming languages in this article.
Developing mobile games is a challenging task, but when you have the right tools at your disposal, it’s so much easier. Start by selecting the programming language that best suits your needs and experience, and create a masterpiece that all who play it will love.
1. C# programming language
C# (pronounced “see sharp”) is an object-oriented or multi-pattern programming language released by Microsoft in 2002. It is based on .NET (Microsoft’s default implementation system) and is among the best programming languages. Programming in the world. C# owes its popularity to its expertise in building robust and robust applications.
Unity is a testament to this, as it is one of the most popular game engines in the world and was built entirely using C#. According to Unity Technologies, 71% of all mobile games released today use the Unity game engine. The game engine allows you to create custom 3D games using C# scripts so that you can stand out from the crowd.
Some popular Unity-based mobile games include Pokémon GO, Cuphead, Call of Duty, and Monument Valley.
strength
- C# is a popular language with a large community of game developers, which means plenty of resources are available for beginners.
- It has extensive documentation.
- It belongs to the C family and is closely related to C, C++, and Java. This reduces the learning curve for the developer coming from one of these other popular languages.
- C# is a high-level object-oriented programming language.
- C# has a built-in garbage collector that automatically frees up memory.
- It is a secure programming language.
- C# is fast.
Weaknesses
- C# relies heavily on the .NET platform. Without .NET, the application is Windows-oriented, and there is not much support for other operating systems.
C++ programming language
In 1985, Bjarne Stroustrup released the first official version of C++. In 1998, the C++ Standards Committee issued the first international standard for the language. Today C++ has come a long way and is one of the best programming languages in the world, not just for game development but as a multipurpose language.
Unreal Engine is one of the best mobile game engines in the world. The Unreal Engine, built with C++, bills itself as a “real-time 3D creation tool”. This Engine allows you to develop 3D games and is one of the main competitors of Unity. Unreal Engine has created popular games such as Fortnite, Batman: Arkham City, and Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice.
strength
- It is a multi-paradigm programming language.
- C++ gives you complete control over an application’s behavior, such as its memory management.
- C++ is fast.
- C++ has a great ecosystem.
- It is a medium-level language with high- and low-level features. It is a high-level assembler because it provides direct computer access (through the operating system).
Weaknesses
- C++ lacks features that other programming languages have, such as the built-in garbage collector
- It has security issues like pointers that can crash your app or even be a gateway for hackers.
2. Kotlin programming language
Kotlin is a modern programming language developed by JetBrains, which creates developer tools. In 2016, JetBrains released the first version of Kotlin, a programming language for developing mobile applications. From the beginning, Google has pledged its support for Kotlin for Android development. This move created a general association between Kotlin and Android app development.
However, like any good application development language, Kotlin is a cross-platform language. Kotlin has a Software Development Kit (SDK) for developing Android and iOS apps called Kotlin Multiplatform Mobile. The SDK offers native and cross-platform benefits. This allows you to share consistent logic (such as networking and storage) between Android and IOS by implementing device-specific features separately.
The most popular Kotlin game engine is KorGe. With the addition of KorGE Gradle, KorGE is a native and cross-platform game engine. Use the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) for Android, the local solution for iOS and desktop, and JavaScript for the web. The KorGE game engine mainly produces 2D games.
strength
- Kotlin is a multi-paradigm (object-oriented and functional) language.
- Compared to Java, Kotlin reduces code by about 40%, according to Kotlin.
- Kotlin fast.
- Kotlin has features like brilliant casting, higher-order functions, extension functions, and lambdas.
- Kotlin is very popular among mobile app developers (especially Android developers).
Weaknesses
- Kotlin is a relatively new programming language with a small community.
3. Swift programming language
Swift is another modern programming language. Its development is a joint effort of Apple Inc. Many contributors come from open source. Apple released the first version of Swift in 2014 to develop apps for IOS, IPadOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS. Today Swift supports all Apple and Linux operating systems.
strength
- Swift has an automatic memory manager.
- Swift has features like custom string interpolations, JSON encoding and decoding, first-class functionality, and custom conversion using simplified closures.
- It is fast, thanks to the use of high-performance LLVM compiler technology.
- Swift is a high-level programming language.
- It is a multi-paradigm language.
Weaknesses
- Swift supports the development of mobile game apps for iOS only.
- It is a new language with a small community compared to more established languages used for mobile game app development.
4. Lua. programming language
Lua is one of the most popular options for developing mobile games. Lua says it is “currently the leading scripting language in games.” The other languages on this list use a translator that translates faster. Lua is the only programming language compiled here, fitting the bill as a scripting language.
World of Warcraft and Angry Birds are two of the most popular games today and were developed using Lua. Solar2D (formerly Corona) and Defold are popular game engines created using Lua.
strength
- Lua is a multi-paradigm programming language.
- It’s fast.
- It’s small and mighty.
- Lua is popular in game development.
Weaknesses
- Lua is a powerful language but has a small community compared to the other two giants (C# and C++) on this list.
How to choose the best language for game development
Proven performance is the quality these five languages and their game engines have in common. While these languages are great for mobile game development, they might not all be great for you.
For example, if you want to develop a mobile game for iOS users only, Swift might be your best choice. If your game is for Android and IOS users but will be 2D, Lua and Kotlin are your best options. However, if your game is 3D, then C# and C++ are the best ones that will be useful.
