How Does Unity Stack Up Against Phaser?

For full-scale 3D game development, cross-platform capabilities, and an array of tools for creation, Unity shines as the go-to choice. However, for developers seeking a readily accessible framework for HTML5-based 2D games, Phaser’s simpler, leaner structure, and strong community support emerge as superior.

Key Differences Between Unity and Phaser

• Dimension & Platform: Unity focuses on 3D and 2D game development and can deploy cross-platform games, while Phaser is specifically for 2D HTML5 games.
• Community & Support: Unity boasts a globally active developer base, while Phaser engages developers with extensive support, notably through 1800+ examples.
• Pricing: Unity’s controversial pricing model imposes per-install fees, Phaser is absolutely free.
• Evolution & Language: Unity comprehensively supports multiple coding languages and keeps innovating its platform; Phaser has several versions and is based on JavaScript/TypeScript.

What Is Unity and Who’s It For?

Unity is a robust game development engine that made its debut in 2005. It’s specifically designed to enable the creation of feature-rich 3D and 2D games, and it allows these games to be launched across different platforms, including Android and iOS. Unity isn’t just for game developers. It also caters to those working on cutting-edge applications, ranging from Augmented Reality to 3D simulations. Whether you’re an indie developer or an established company, Unity’s range of services helps to streamline the game creation process.

Pros of Unity

• Offers cross-platform game development
• Provides rich asset store integrated with diverse pre-designed textures and features
• Supports a variety of coding languages
• Active developer community for problem-solving and feedback

Cons of Unity

• Recent pricing redesign leading to backlash from developers
• Retroactive fees leading to mistrust among users
• Fears of potential abuse of per-install fees

What Is Phaser and Who’s It For?

Launched in 2013 by Richard Davey, Phaser is a 2D game framework that allows the development of HTML5 games for desktop and mobile devices. Written in JavaScript and TypeScript, it uses Canvas and WebGL renderer for speedy rendering. Developers looking to create dynamic and visually pleasing games for deployment on iOS, Android, or native desktop apps will find Phaser an excellent tool. With it’s ongoing, vibrant community and extensive learning resources, Phaser is highly recommended to both novices and experienced game developers.

Pros of Phaser

• Versatile, functioning across various platforms
• Developer-friendly with over 1800 examples and active community support
• Offers multiple physics systems for game development

Cons of Phaser

• Users must have a good grasp of JavaScript or TypeScript
• Lack of substantial commercial games built with Phaser

Code Examples for Unity & Phaser

Unity

This Unity code snippet allows for the customization of a character’s movement capabilities. Remember to ensure the ‘CharacterController’ component is attached to the game object in Unity. Also, ‘Input.GetAxis’ is used to retrieve the inputs of our arrow keys / WASD keys.

using UnityEngine;

public class PlayerMovement : MonoBehaviour
{
    public CharacterController controller;
    public float speed = 8f;
    public float gravity = -9.81f;
    
    Vector3 velocity;

    void Update()
    {
        float x = Input.GetAxis("Horizontal");
        float z = Input.GetAxis("Vertical");

        Vector3 move = transform.right * x + transform.forward * z;
        controller.Move(move * speed * Time.deltaTime);

        velocity.y += gravity * Time.deltaTime;
        controller.Move(velocity * Time.deltaTime);
    }
}

Phaser

In this Phaser example, we’re creating a simple 2D platform game scene, using tile sprites for a looping background. Ensure that you have the ‘sky’, ‘ground’, ‘star’, ‘bomb’, and ‘dude’ assets loaded in your preload function before utilizing this code snippet.

function create() {
    //sky
    this.add.tileSprite(400, 300, 800, 600, 'sky');
    //platforms
    platforms = this.physics.add.staticGroup();
    platforms.create(400, 568, 'ground').setScale(2).refreshBody();
    platforms.create(600, 400, 'ground');
    platforms.create(50, 250, 'ground');
    //player
    player = this.physics.add.sprite(100, 450, 'dude');
    player.setBounce(0.2);
    player.setCollideWorldBounds(true);
    //keyboard
    cursors = this.input.keyboard.createCursorKeys();
    //stars
    stars = this.physics.add.group({ key: 'star', repeat: 11, setXY: { x: 12, y: 0, stepX: 70 } });
    stars.children.iterate(function (child) { child.setBounceY(Phaser.Math.FloatBetween(0.4, 0.8)); });
    this.physics.add.collider(stars, platforms);
    this.physics.add.overlap(player, stars, collectStar, null, this);
}

The Final Showdown: Unity vs Phaser

When selecting a game development engine, making an informed choice is decisive. We have reviewed Unity and Phaser and now present our verdict tailored for different audience segments to provide optimal clarity.

Indie Mobile Game Developers

Phaser works best for this group. Phaser’s coding language, primarily JavaScript/TypeScript, is web-oriented, posing less complexity. Its compatibility with Apache Cordova and PhoneGap solidifies its stance for mobile game development. On the other hand, Unity’s new pricing structure may deal a harsh blow to indie developers, escalating costs with each install.

Professional AR/VR Developers

Unity outperforms Phaser in the domain of AR/VR. Its superior toolset, including advanced 3D rendering capabilities, empowers developers to create complex AR/VR applications. Phaser, though robust, is confined to 2D game development and might not meet AR/VR demand.

Game Development novices

For beginners, Phaser is a more suitable choice. Its comprehensive learning resources, including 1800+ examples and Phaser Mini-Degree at Zenva Academy, provide a clear learning path, making this game engine approachable and user-friendly.

When comparing Unity to Phaser, our verdict sways in Unity’s favor for AR/VR development, but Phaser takes the win for indie mobile game developers and beginners, owing to its easier learning curve and budget efficiency.