Mobile Game Development: Everything You Need To Know About Unreal And Unity Engines

Game engines are the ultimate powerhouses for game developers, providing the technology and resources necessary to transform undeveloped ideas into fully functional mobile gaming experiences. For mobile games, Unity and Unreal are the go-to choices They function like an all-in-one dev toolkit, offering prebuilt assets, drag-and-drop interfaces, and highly customizable features that make even the most ambitious game designs achievable.

Aside from the out-of-the-box features, these engines do a lot behind the scenes. We’re talking about physics simulations, rendering pipelines, and intricate programming frameworks; game engines automate all those technical grind areas so designers can focus on developing smooth gameplay mechanics and memorable visuals. They streamline the whole process, which boosts productivity and enables even small teams to compete in the crowded gaming industry.

Game engines are the core development framework, combining modular components and versatile programming languages to create seamless and captivating gameplay experiences. Consider them the pinnacles of development, where all the components—sound, physics, graphics, and AI—combine to create an interactive universe. Leading mobile game engines like Unity and Unreal provide creators with tools that streamline complex processes while optimizing creative potential. A combination of the following engine elements makes playing games possible:

Any game is about playing. Thus, mobile device-compatible game engines support a variety of inputs from gamepads, touch screens, a mouse, and joysticks. There are several ways to support input, but polling and events are the two most common methods.

A computer records input events, such as right-clicking a mouse or pushing the arrow key up. Then, your selected gaming engine executes a custom code in response. Similarly, polling obtains an accurate position of your input value. As a response, your game allows you to control movement and progress through different tasks.

AI greatly impacts how well a game performs... and thinks. When a mobile game development company or designer creates a game, the artificial intelligence engine makes automatic recommendations depending on player behavior. Some examples of player actions include knowing which weapon a user might select or using previous responses to predict input.

If you wonder how to build mobile games with AI integrations, using a game engine will make the task easier. Artificial intelligence relies on pre-written scripts from various engineers and software professionals. So, rather than writing complicated code for every action, you can depend on the game engine to simulate characters through pre-established behavior connections.

The internet era ushered in a more interactive gaming experience based on networking. A networking engine allows multiplayer and social gaming, so you can play with other people!

A mobile game engine aims to provide each user with a fully functional game. Several video games have supported social and multiplayer gaming online for several years. However, with additional support and scripts from gaming engines, you don’t have to worry about integrations, traffic, or other things.

A physics engine is a crucial piece of software, especially for games that involve simulation. Developing games based on real-life movements and activities relies on the physics engine’s subcomponents, such as velocity, fluidity, and acceleration kinematics. An excellent example is how vehicle crashes in games create a graphic representation of the scenario in real-time.

Unity Technologies' game engine is a leading choice in mobile game development, powering over 70% of the top 1,000 mobile games. Unity supports over 25 platforms, including Windows, Macintosh, PlayStation, Oculus, and Xbox. Many users prefer Unity because it allows them to build in 2D, 3D, and virtual reality.

The Unity Mobile Game Engine is free for personal usage and pretty user-friendly. Almost all game developers can quickly create their full-featured, high-quality games with optimized performance through the platform.

If you are a beginner who has never glanced at a gaming engine or line of code before, Unity offers online tutorials to help.

Smaller teams from a mobile game development company or novice developers would benefit from the Unity Assets. Everything from 3D visuals to sounds, custom scripts, and AI editors can be found here. While most of the content is community-created, Unity frequently uploads free resources to help you.

Unreal Engine is a versatile, visually powerful game development platform. It's behind some of the most compelling role-playing games, stealth experiences, and fighting titles. It's designed to perform flawlessly on mobile devices, PCs, consoles, and even virtual or augmented reality platforms. Developers prefer Unreal because it allows them to create games with a cinematic feel: stellar graphics coupled with smooth, interactive gameplay.

A notable feature that distinguishes Unreal from other engines is the presence of the Blueprint Visual Scripting system. This allows developers to create gameplay mechanics and animations without writing code, thus simplifying the process for developers regardless of their experience level. It is straightforward, versatile, and beneficial when rapidly testing ideas or tweaking intricate features.

Unreal isn’t limited to gaming. It’s also a valuable tool for creating live renders, designing user interfaces, and automating workflows. Its flexibility has made it a favorite not just for game studios but also for industries like film and architecture.

The engine supports important platforms like Android, PlayStation, and Nintendo, so developers can create things for a diverse audience. It even powered Minecraft Dungeons, an action-adventure spinoff of the iconic Minecraft universe. Unreal Engine offers great experiences to indie and large studio developers without many hassles in the creation process.

Unity and Unreal Engine are two the most popular tools for creating mobile games. Both engines offer powerful features that cater to developers of all skill levels. Their core mission is to simplify game creation while delivering high-quality results.

Both engines allow developers to start for free, making them ideal for indie creators or small studios. Unity’s free plan and Unreal’s royalty-based model enable developers to experiment and grow without large upfront costs. This accessibility has powered the success of mobile hits like Monument Valley (Unity) and PUBG Mobile (Unreal).

Unity and Unreal offer essential features for mobile game development, including terrain editing tools and animation systems. Support for VR and AR makes these engines popular for immersive experiences on mobile devices, as evidenced by games like Pokémon Go, built with Unit,y and Robo Recall: Unplugge,d made with Unreal.

Both engines offer wonderful graphics and smooth gameplay on mobile devices. Unity is best for artistic and lightweight designs, while Unreal Engine is best for high-quality graphics. So, whether one is designing a minimalist puzzle game or an intense RPG, both engines ensure that the game looks great and plays great, too.

Unity's intuitive interface and Unreal's Blueprint Visual Scripting make these engines accessible to new developers. Both provide comprehensive tutorials and dynamic communities, making finding solutions simple and enhancing your skills while developing your game.

Unity and Unreal may have distinct strengths, but they share a common goal: enabling developers to create exceptional mobile games. Whether you prioritize simplicity or visual impact, either engine is a great choice to bring your mobile game idea to life.

While Unity and Unreal share the purpose of facilitating game development, their methods and features differ. Both are cross-platform engines, which means the games developed on them can run easily on different devices, from mobile to console. However, Unreal provides access to its source code, allowing developers to modify the engine for tailored functionality—something Unity doesn’t offer.

While many beginners often cite Unity’s use of the C# programming language as making accessibility a strong point and something that can be learned quickly, Unreal offers an effective counter in its Blueprint Visual Scripting system that requires no coding knowledge whatsoever and is, therefore just as accessible to novice developers. For those with programming experience, C++ gives more flexibility with Unreal but takes much longer to learn than the streamlined workflows of Unity. In this regard, both engines level the playing field depending on the developer's skill set.

Due to differences in functionality, Unreal Engine is widely chosen for projects requiring high-fidelity graphics and complex mechanics, particularly for PC and console games. Conversely, Unity is more famous for mobile games, AR/VR projects, and stylized visuals. Unity also boasts a more extensive library of modules and add-ons than Unreal. While both engines offer excellent visuals, Unreal Engine delivers cutting-edge, realistic graphics.

Game development without tools like Unity and Unreal can be daunting. Both engines have unique strengths and trade-offs, so the right choice depends on your project’s specific needs.

Unity shines with its versatility, making it ideal for 2D and 3D simulations, mobile applications, and AR/VR projects. Its extensive documentation and thriving community ensure ample support. On the other hand, Unreal Engine is the go-to for large-scale games with cutting-edge graphics, offering features like real-time global illumination and high-fidelity rendering.

Which engine is right for your next game? Still unsure? Argentics is here to help you make the best decision for your vision.