12 Free and Open-source Gamedev Apps for macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon)

12 Best free gamedev for macOS Intel and Apple Silicon.

Share

1- Blender

Open-source free 3D modeling

BlenderOpen-source free 3D modeling

Blender is the free and open source 3D creation suite. It supports the entirety of the 3D pipeline-modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing, motion tracking and video editing.

Read about Blender 's features, license, platforms, and more.


2- Dust3D

3D modeling software to create low poly 3D models for video games, 3D printing

Dust3D3D modeling software to create low poly 3D models for video games, 3D printing

Dust3D is a cross-platform 3D modeling software that makes it easy to create low poly 3D models for video games, 3D printing, and more.

Read about Dust3D 's features, license, platforms, and more.


3- OpenSCAD

Solid 3D CAD Modeller for Programmers

OpenSCADSolid 3D CAD Modeller for Programmers

OpenSCAD is a software for creating solid 3D CAD objects. It is free software and available for Linux/UNIX, MS Windows and macOS.

Unlike most free software for creating 3D models (such as the famous application Blender), OpenSCAD focuses on the CAD aspects rather than the artistic aspects of 3D modeling. Thus this might be the application you are looking for when you are planning to create 3D models of machine parts but probably not the tool for creating computer-animated movies.

OpenSCAD is not an interactive modeler. Instead it is more like a 3D-compiler that reads a script file that describes the object and renders the 3D model from this script file (see examples below). This gives you, the designer, complete control over the modeling process and enables you to easily change any step in the modeling process or make designs that are defined by configurable parameters.

OpenSCAD provides two main modeling techniques: First there is constructive solid geometry (aka CSG) and second there is extrusion of 2D outlines. As the data exchange format for these 2D outlines Autocad DXF files are used. In addition to 2D paths for extrusion it is also possible to read design parameters from DXF files. Besides DXF files OpenSCAD can read and create 3D models in the STL and OFF file formats.

Read about OpenSCAD 's features, license, platforms, and more.


4- 3dfier

The open-source tool for creating 3D models

3dfierThe open-source tool for creating 3D models

Takes 2D GIS datasets (e.g. topographical datasets) and "3dfies" them (as in "making them three-dimensional") by lifting every polygon to 3D. The elevation is obtained from a point cloud (we support LAS/LAZ at this moment), and the semantics of every polygon is used to perform the lifting. That is, water polygons are extruded to horizontal polygons, buildings to LOD1 blocks, roads as smooth surfaces, etc.

Every polygon is triangulated (constrained Delaunay triangulation) and the lifted polygons are "stitched" together so that one digital surface model (DSM) is constructed. Our aim is to obtain one DSM that is error-free, i.e. no intersecting triangles, no holes (the surface is watertight), where buildings are integrated in the surface, etc. This surface will then be used as input in simulation software for instance.

Read about 3dfier 's features, license, platforms, and more.


5- Aseprite

Animated sprite editor & pixel art tool

AsepriteAnimated sprite editor & pixel art tool

Animated sprite editor & pixel art tool (Windows, macOS, Linux)

Read about Aseprite 's features, license, platforms, and more.


6- Castle Game Engine

Cross-platform (desktop, mobile, console) 3D and 2D game engine

Castle Game EngineCross-platform (desktop, mobile, console) 3D and 2D game engine

  • "Castle Game Engine" is a cross-platform (desktop, mobile, console) 3D and 2D game engine, supporting many asset formats (glTF, X3D, Spine...) and using modern Object Pascal

Read about Castle Game Engine 's features, license, platforms, and more.


7- GDevelop

Open-source, cross-platform game engine

GDevelopOpen-source, cross-platform game engine

GDevelop is a free, open-source, and cross-platform game creation tool that anyone can use to create games without programming skills. Unleash your creativity with GDevelop and create any kind of game: platformers, puzzles, shoot 'em up, strategy, 8-bit games, and many more.

GDevelop is a full-featured, no-code, open-source game development software. You can build games for mobile, desktop and the web. GDevelop is fast and easy to use: the game logic is built up using an intuitive and powerful event-based system.

What makes GDevelop unique and so easy to use is the event system. Events are a powerful way to express the logic of your game: it's as efficient as coding, but without the complexities of a programming language.

Games created with GDevelop run anywhere and can be exported in a single click. On the web, as a mobile app for iOS and Android, publish on Steam, Epic Games Store, Facebook Gaming, Poki, CrazyGames, Itch.io, Newgrounds, the Microsoft Store...

Read about GDevelop 's features, license, platforms, and more.


8- Godot

Free and open source 2D and 3D Multi-platform game engine

GodotFree and open source 2D and 3D Multi-platform game engine

Godot is a cross-platform, free and open-source game engine released under the MIT license. It was initially developed by Argentine software developers Juan Linietsky and Ariel Manzur for several companies in Latin America prior to its public

Godot Engine is a feature-packed, cross-platform game engine to create 2D and 3D games from a unified interface. It provides a comprehensive set of common tools, so that users can focus on making games without having to reinvent the wheel. Games can be exported with one click to a number of platforms, including the major desktop platforms (Linux, macOS, Windows), mobile platforms (Android, iOS), as well as Web-based platforms and consoles.

Read about Godot 's features, license, platforms, and more.


9- jMonkey

open-source 2D game engine

jMonkeyopen-source 2D game engine

jMonkey is a free, open source game engine, made especially for Java game developers who want to create 3D games using modern technology. The software is programmed entirely in Java, intended for wide accessibility and quick deployment.

Read about jMonkey 's features, license, platforms, and more.


10- LÖVE

framework you can use to make 2D games in Lua

LÖVEframework you can use to make 2D games in Lua

LÖVE is an awesome framework you can use to make 2D games in Lua. It's free, open-source, and works on Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Android and iOS.

Read about LÖVE 's features, license, platforms, and more.


11- Untold Engine

easy to use, Open-Source, 3D game engine for iOS/macOS game development.

Untold Engineeasy to use, Open-Source, 3D game engine for iOS/macOS game development.

The Untold Engine: An easy to use, open source, 3D game engine for iOS/macOS game development

Read about Untold Engine 's features, license, platforms, and more.


12- Phoenix Game Launcher

An open source game launcher written in SwiftUI for MacOS!

Phoenix Game LauncherAn open source game launcher written in SwiftUI for MacOS!

Phoenix is an open-source game launcher for MacOS, created by Shock9616, written in SwiftUI. This launcher was inspired by projects like Playnite and Lutris, and supports any game which can be launched from the command line. (So basically all of them!) It was designed to be small, fast, and not overly complicated.

Read about Phoenix Game Launcher 's features, license, platforms, and more.


Share