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Kartik Patel
Kartik Patel

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Zero to Game Dev - What is Game Engine?

#course #minimicro #miniscript #gamedev

What Do Game Engines Do?

Welcome to the third chapter of this course.

There is no better time to start working on your dreams than today, because someone much wiser than both of us once said:

The best time to plant a tree was 10 years ago.

The second best time is now.

So with the motivation out of the way, let’s actually build something useful.

In this chapter, we’ll learn:

  • What a game engine is
  • What game engines actually do
  • What they do not do
  • Which engines we’ll use in this course and why

In the previous chapter, we answered a very important question:

What is a game?

Today, we continue that chain of thought and ask:

What even is a game engine?

What Is a Game Engine?

If we use boring, Google-style language, a game engine is:

A software framework designed to simplify and accelerate the development of video games.

That definition is technically correct and emotionally useless.

So let’s build a mental model instead.

Imagine a World With NO Game Engines

Let’s pretend game engines do not exist.

In that world, you, the game developer, must handle everything manually:

  • Drawing every pixel on the screen
  • Talking directly to keyboard and mouse hardware
  • Playing sounds from scratch
  • Managing memory safely
  • Running the game loop yourself

Is this possible?

Yes.

Is this painful?

Also yes.

Is this beginner-friendly?

Absolutely not.

After making a few games like this, most people either quit game development or develop a deep personal hatred for computers.

Why Game Engines Exist

Eventually, a stubborn developer would think:

“Why am I rewriting the same boring code every time?”

So they build a system that:

  • Handles repetitive tasks
  • Abstracts hardware complexity
  • Lets developers focus on gameplay, not pixels

That system is a game engine.

So, What Is a Game Engine Really?

At its core, a game engine is:

  • A toolbox
  • A runtime
  • A set of rules

It handles the boring, hard stuff so you can focus on making the game fun.

One sentence to remember:

A game engine lets you build games without fighting the computer every second.

What Does a Game Engine Actually Do?

A game engine typically handles:

  • Input

    Keyboard, mouse, controller, touch

  • Rendering

    Drawing sprites or 3D models to the screen

  • Game Loop

    Input → Update → Render → Repeat

  • Physics & Collisions

    Gravity, falling, hitting walls

  • Audio

    Music, sound effects, volume

  • Scene Management

    Menus, levels, restarting the game

All of this runs in the background while you focus on logic and gameplay.

What a Game Engine Does NOT Do

This part is important for expectations.

A game engine does not:

  • Design your game
  • Make your game fun automatically
  • Decide your rules or goals

A bad game made with a powerful engine is still a bad game.

This is how we avoid engine hopping syndrome.

Engine vs Game

They are not the same thing.

Engine

  • Generic
  • Reusable
  • Used for many games

Game

  • Your rules
  • Your logic
  • Your idea

Analogy:

  • Engine = Kitchen
  • Game = Recipe

A better kitchen won’t save a bad recipe.

Types of Game Engines

Most engines fall into two broad categories.

2D Game Engines

  • Simpler
  • Faster results
  • Beginner friendly

3D Game Engines

  • Cameras
  • Depth
  • More math
  • Slower learning curve

Many engines support both, but complexity grows fast.

Engines Used in This Course

In this series, we’ll use two engines:

  • Mini Micro for 2D
  • LÖVR for 3D

You might wonder:

Why not use something like Godot that does both?

The answer is simple.

For beginners, heavy engines hide too much logic.

You end up clicking buttons without understanding why things work.

This course focuses on fundamentals first:

  • Game loops
  • Logic
  • Systems
  • Thinking like a game developer

Advanced engines make sense after that foundation exists.

There will be a full Godot course later as an intermediate step.

Why This Course Uses Mini Micro

Mini Micro is perfect for learning because:

  • Text-based scripting
  • No complex setup
  • Forces you to think logically
  • Makes the game loop visible
  • No distractions from fancy UI

You learn how games actually work, not how to fight an editor.

Outro

At this point, you understand:

  • What a game is
  • What a game engine is
  • Why engines exist

In the next chapter, we stop talking and start building.

Small games.

Simple logic.

Real understanding.

That’s how game developers are made.

Connect With Me

My dev.to account -> https://dev.to/kartik_patel
My Discord server -> https://discord.gg/qStHEDfge7

TEXTUAL

Zero To Game Dev #1 -> https://dev.to/kartik_patel/zero-to-game-dev-1-1n6l
Zero To Game Dev #2 -> https://dev.to/kartik_patel/zero-to-game-dev-what-even-is-game-gii

VIDEO

Zero To Game Dev #1 -> https://youtu.be/rbN1BMmSi7s?si=PfguGzXXI2wktCs4

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