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Polycode VS Defold Engine

Compare Polycode VS Defold Engine and see what are their differences

Polycode logo Polycode

Polycode is a C++ and Lua framework for building interactive applications.

Defold Engine logo Defold Engine

Defold lets you quickly build high performing, cross-platform games together with your team.
  • Polycode Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-10-10
  • Defold Engine Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-19

Polycode features and specs

  • Cross-Platform
    Polycode supports multiple platforms including Windows, macOS, and Linux, allowing developers to write code once and deploy it across different operating systems.
  • Open Source
    Polycode is available under an open-source license, which means that developers can freely use, modify, and distribute the engine's code.
  • Multi-language Support
    Polycode supports both C++ and Lua, giving developers the flexibility to choose the programming language that suits their project best.
  • Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
    Polycode comes with its own IDE, which provides a user-friendly interface for managing assets, writing code, and debugging.
  • 2D and 3D Graphics
    Polycode offers robust support for both 2D and 3D graphics, making it suitable for a wide range of game development projects.

Possible disadvantages of Polycode

  • Limited Documentation
    While Polycode has some documentation available, it is not as comprehensive as more established engines, which can make the learning curve steeper for new users.
  • Smaller Community
    Polycode has a smaller user base compared to more popular game engines, which can make finding tutorials, forums, and community support more difficult.
  • Development Activity
    The development activity of Polycode is less frequent compared to leading game engines, which can result in slower updates and fewer new features.
  • Limited Built-in Features
    Polycode may lack some of the built-in features and tools that are available in more mature game engines (e.g., Unreal Engine, Unity), requiring developers to implement certain functionalities on their own.
  • Learning Curve
    Due to its less extensive documentation and smaller community, new users might find it harder to learn and master Polycode compared to other game engines.

Defold Engine features and specs

  • Lightweight
    Defold is a highly lightweight engine, which makes it easy to download, install, and run on most systems without consuming significant resources.
  • Cross-Platform Development
    Defold supports multiple platforms including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and HTML5, enabling developers to create games that work across a wide range of devices and operating systems.
  • Performance
    The engine is optimized for high performance, which is crucial for creating responsive and smooth gaming experiences.
  • Easy to Learn
    Defold offers a user-friendly interface and good documentation, making it accessible for beginners and professionals alike.
  • Integrated Development Environment
    Defold comes with its own IDE, which includes features like a scene editor, code editor, and asset management, streamlining the development workflow.
  • Community and Support
    The Defold community is active and supportive, with forums, tutorials, and official documentation available to help new and experienced developers.
  • Lua Scripting
    Defold uses Lua, a lightweight scripting language, which is both powerful and relatively easy to learn, allowing for fast prototyping and development.
  • Free License
    Defold is available for free, making it a cost-effective option for indie developers and small studios.

Possible disadvantages of Defold Engine

  • Limited 3D Capabilities
    While Defold does support 3D development, its capabilities are limited compared to other engines like Unity or Unreal, which might not be suitable for complex 3D games.
  • Steep Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While basics are easy to grasp, mastering advanced features requires a significant amount of time and effort due to a lack of extensive tutorials and examples.
  • Smaller Community
    The Defold community, although supportive, is smaller compared to communities for other game engines like Unity or Unreal, potentially limiting collaborative opportunities and third-party resources.
  • Editor Limitations
    Some developers find the Defold IDE lacking in advanced features that are available in other game development environments, which might hinder productivity.
  • Dependency on Lua
    The necessity to use Lua scripting can be a downside for developers who are not familiar with or do not wish to learn this language.
  • Less Asset Market Support
    Compared to other popular engines, there are fewer ready-made assets and plugins available for Defold, which can slow down the development process.

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Defold Engine videos

Defold Engine Open Sourced!

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Polycode and Defold Engine)
Game Development
32 32%
68% 68
Game Engine
32 32%
68% 68
3D Game Engine
35 35%
65% 65
2D Game Engine
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Polycode and Defold Engine

Polycode Reviews

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Defold Engine Reviews

The Best Gaming Engines You Should Consider for 2023
Defold is a 2D game engine developed by the creators of Candy Crush, King. It’s designed to make 2D game development easier than ever, and compatible with many platforms, including mobile, desktop, and web.
Best Game Engines for Linux in 2021
Defold is the ultimate game engine for Web and Mobile. You create your game with Lua scripts in Defold.
Source: kerneltips.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Defold Engine seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 50 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Polycode mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Polycode yet. Tracking of Polycode recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Defold Engine mentions (50)

  • Building Game Prototypes with LÖVE
    Defold is not as well-known as Löve, but it seems to fit your description: https://defold.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • Ask HN: Platform for 11 year old to create video games?
    Humble Bundle has a Godot bundle is available for the next day or so. That might be a good one to look at if you're ok with leaning into code a bit (gdscript is very very similar to python). https://www.humblebundle.com/software/learn-godot-43-complete-course-bundle-software Also check out the RPG Maker bundle. That's pretty point-and-click. You can have something basic up and running in a couple minutes... - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
  • Rawdrawandroid – Build Android apps without any Java, in C and Make
    Defold is another great open source Lua-based cross-platform game engine, and has a healthy ecosystem. https://defold.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
  • Alternatives to Unity, Unreal, and Godot for 3D games
    Https://defold.com might anyway be something that is interesting for you. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Which GUI toolkit that can be easily distributed to win/mac/linux?
    Or maybe defold can be forced to only render when UI changed '__'). Source: over 1 year ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Polycode and Defold Engine, you can also consider the following products

Unreal Engine - Unreal Engine 4 is a suite of integrated tools for game developers to design and build games, simulations, and visualizations.

Godot Engine - Feature-packed 2D and 3D open source game engine.

Unity - The multiplatform game creation tools for everyone.

GDevelop - GDevelop is an open-source game making software designed to be used by everyone.

Construct 2 - Scirra Construct is a 2D game development engine with a focus on building games visually.

Stencyl - Make iOS (iPhone/iPad), Android, Flash, Windows & Mac games without code using Stencyl.