Tag
2d tools
5 reviewed tools: 5 free or open source.
Order: free and open source first, then hosted products with a real free tier, then paid-led; catalog order inside each group, with quiet or archived repos last. Not a score, and no tool pays for its place.
5 tools
- KAPLAYMIT successor to Kaboom for playground-first 2D games
Free / OSS · OSS/MIT · 1.8k GitHub stars
VerdictThe living Kaboom successor. MIT, playground-first, not Phaser.
CatchTwo lines: stable v3001 vs v4000 still alpha. Official host is kaplayjs.com, not kaboomjs.com. Named homepage titles are testimonials, not a studio showcase.
- Matter.jsMIT 2D rigid-body physics, not a Phaser replacement
Free / OSS · OSS/MIT · 18.5k GitHub stars
VerdictThe MIT 2D rigid-body lib. Use it off Phaser; on Phaser you already have Matter.
CatchPhaser already ships Matter physics. If you are on Phaser, you already have this. This gem is for Pixi/KAPLAY/canvas, not a second physics stack inside Phaser. Distinct from Phaser (full engine).
- RapierApache-2.0 Rust/WASM physics: 2D+3D, joints, SIMD
Free / OSS · Apache-2.0 · 5.9k GitHub stars
VerdictApache-2.0 2D+3D physics. Not Matter.js 2D.
CatchRust/WASM 2D+3D with joints/SIMD/optional determinism — Matter.js is MIT 2D only. Planck covers the same 2D JS slot as Matter. Distinct from Matter.js.
- GodotMIT engine with HTML5/Wasm+WebGL2; Compatibility mode for embeds
Free / OSS · OSS/MIT · 119k GitHub stars
VerdictMIT Godot. Web works in Compatibility/WebGL2; plan COOP/COEP only if you need threads.
CatchCompatibility/WebGL2 only for web; threaded export needs COOP/COEP — single-thread default since 4.3 for embeds. Not Phaser JS canvas. Distinct from Phaser.
- Excalibur.jsBSD-2 TypeScript 2D HTML5 game engine; free forever
Free / OSS · BSD-2-Clause · 2.4k GitHub stars
VerdictBSD-2 TS 2D engine. Free forever; pre-1.0, Phaser still wins ecosystem size.
CatchStill pre-1.0 API caution. Vs Phaser/melonJS/KAPLAY: smaller plugin marketplace than Phaser; not a 3D/WebGPU-first engine. You bring art pipeline and multiplayer.
FAQ
- What is the top free pick among 2d tools?
- KAPLAY leads the Stack Gems list for 2d tools. Verdict: The living Kaboom successor. MIT, playground-first, not Phaser.
- How many 2d tools does Stack Gems review?
- 5: 5 free or open source. Each review has a verdict and an honest Catch; no tool pays for its spot.
- Which 2d tools can I self-host for free?
- KAPLAY, Matter.js, Rapier, Godot and Excalibur.js.
- Which 2d tools have the most GitHub stars?
- Godot (119k), Matter.js (18.5k), Rapier (5.9k), per GitHub on 2026-10-21. Stars measure attention, not fit; read the Catch.
- What is the catch with KAPLAY?
- Two lines: stable v3001 vs v4000 still alpha.