Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

pyglet VS Pygame

Compare pyglet VS Pygame and see what are their differences

pyglet logo pyglet

Cross-platform windowing and multimedia library for Python.

Pygame logo Pygame

Pygame is a set of Python modules designed for writing games.
  • pyglet Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-08
  • Pygame Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-17

pyglet features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    Pyglet is designed to work on Windows, macOS, and Linux, allowing developers to create applications that are easily portable across different operating systems.
  • No External Dependencies
    Pyglet does not require any external dependencies or additional installations, simplifying the setup process and reducing potential compatibility issues.
  • Rich Media Support
    Pyglet natively supports a wide range of image, audio, and video formats, facilitating the development of multimedia applications.
  • OpenGL Integration
    Offers comprehensive support for OpenGL, enabling developers to create high-performance graphics and make use of advanced rendering techniques.
  • Event-Driven Architecture
    Pyglet provides a flexible event-driven architecture, making it easier to manage user inputs and other events in a clean and organized manner.

Possible disadvantages of pyglet

  • Limited Community and Resources
    Compared to some other libraries, Pyglet has a smaller community and fewer tutorials or online resources, which can make learning and problem-solving more challenging.
  • Performance
    While Pyglet is adequate for many applications, it might not be the best choice for very high-performance requirements or very large-scale games without significant optimization.
  • Less Abstraction for Beginners
    Unlike some other libraries or frameworks, Pyglet requires a good understanding of graphics programming concepts as it doesn't abstract as much detail away, which might be intimidating for beginners.
  • Sparse Development Updates
    Pyglet's updates and new releases are somewhat infrequent, which might lead to concerns about long-term maintenance and feature additions.

Pygame features and specs

  • Easy to Learn
    Pygame is beginner-friendly, making it accessible to those new to game development and programming. Its simple syntax allows for quick learning and development.
  • Comprehensive Documentation
    Pygame offers extensive documentation and tutorials, which are extremely helpful for new developers. The community-contributed examples and guides also aid in the learning process.
  • Cross-Platform
    Games developed with Pygame can run on multiple platforms including Windows, Mac, and Linux, which makes deployment much easier.
  • Active Community
    Pygame has a vibrant and active community, which means you can find plenty of resources, forums, and user-contributed codes to help you with your projects.
  • Built on Python
    Being built on Python, Pygame leverages Python's clarity and simplicity, and integrates well with its extensive libraries and frameworks, making it highly versatile.

Possible disadvantages of Pygame

  • Performance Constraints
    Pygame is not the most performance-optimized game development framework. For high-performance or graphics-intensive games, a more optimized engine might be necessary.
  • Limited 3D Support
    Pygame is predominantly designed for 2D games, lacking advanced 3D graphics support. Developers looking to create 3D games might need to look into other frameworks or engines.
  • Less Modern Functionality
    Some features provided by modern game engines, such as advanced physics engines or high-level scripting systems, are either missing or require additional libraries.
  • Lower Community Size Compared to Major Engines
    While Pygame has an active community, its community is smaller compared to major game engines like Unity or Unreal, meaning fewer resources and third-party tools.
  • Manual Memory Management
    Handling memory management, such as manually freeing up resources and optimizing performance, can become cumbersome for developers as Pygame does not automate this.

Analysis of Pygame

Overall verdict

  • Pygame is a good choice for those who want to start game development in Python, especially for 2D games. Its simplicity and large community support make it an attractive option for both beginners and intermediate developers. However, for more complex or 3D game development, other engines may be more suitable.

Why this product is good

  • Pygame is a popular library for game development in Python due to its simplicity and ease of use. It provides a wide range of modules for handling graphics, sound, and input, allowing developers to create 2D games efficiently. The library is well-documented and boasts a large community that contributes tutorials, forums, and examples, making it accessible for beginners. It is also cross-platform, which means games developed with Pygame can run on multiple operating systems.

Recommended for

  • Beginners learning game development
  • Developers creating 2D games
  • Python enthusiasts interested in game design
  • Educational purposes and teaching programming concepts

pyglet videos

Pyglet Python and OpenGL - part 01 - Hello Triangle

More videos:

  • Review - PyCon.DE 2018: 3D Graphics in Python with Ratcave and Pyglet - Nicholas A. Del Grosso

Pygame videos

2019 Pygame Projects

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to pyglet and Pygame)
Game Development
26 26%
74% 74
Game Engine
29 29%
71% 71
3D Game Engine
30 30%
70% 70
Visual Novel 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 pyglet and Pygame

pyglet Reviews

Top 6 Python Framework for Game Development | by Ankur Kumar | unikaksha | Medium
Pyglet is a windowing and multimedia library used to create games and other visually-rich applications using Python. Windowing, game controls, user interface event management, OpenGL graphics, joysticks, picture, and video loading, and sound and background music playing are all supported by this program. Pyglet runs on Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux.
Source: medium.com

Pygame Reviews

Top 6 Python Framework for Game Development | by Ankur Kumar | unikaksha | Medium
Pygame is the most popular game development framework. Itโ€™s a Python wrapper building video games based on the SDL library. The SDL library allows cross-platform access to the systemโ€™s multimedia hardware, such as audio, video, the mouse, keyboard, and joystick. Because SDL and Pygame are cross-platform, they help develop games and rich multimedia Python programs on any...
Source: medium.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, pyglet seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 7 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.

pyglet mentions (7)

  • I need a good python game engine.
    Years ago I had some success with pyglet. It seems to still be actively developed! I haven't seen anything about swf files though. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Minecraft-like engine...having a hard time getting geometry on screen fast enough
    Bottom of the page: https://pyglet.org/. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Pglet โ€“ Web UI framework for back end developers
    Already exists: https://ollycope.com/software/piglet-templates/latest/ also this one is very popular too: http://pyglet.org/ I would personally avoid the current name as it sounds phonetically the same as the above. - Source: Hacker News / almost 4 years ago
  • What's the best game-engine for making RPG games with Python?
    First, you can use Python plus a library like Pyglet or Cocos2D or Arcade or Pygame. The only one of these that I have any experience with is Pygame, but it looks like none of these are "engines" in the modern sense. Working with them means doing everything from your favorite Python IDE. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • In a nutshell: Aren't game engines just pre-programmed instructions written for the user?
    In the same way, if your goal is to make a game, why go to the trouble of writing all the code to do basic things like loading images and drawing sprites and playing sounds when you could just type "import pyglet"? Source: about 4 years ago
View more

Pygame mentions (0)

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

What are some alternatives?

When comparing pyglet and Pygame, you can also consider the following products

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

BYOND - BYOND is the premier community for making and playing online multiplayer games.

Unity - The multiplatform game creation tools for everyone.

RPG Toolkit - The RPG Toolkit is a free, open source project delivering a simple, flexible and powerful tool for...

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

RPG Maker VX Ace - Check out all of the amazing features of RPG Maker VX Ace!