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Game Development · head to head

Adventure Game Studio vs Phaser

Adventure Game Studio logo

Adventure Game Studio

Game Development

Create point-and-click adventure games

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Phaser logo

Phaser

Game Development

Fast, free, and fun open source framework for Canvas and WebGL

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Adventure Game Studio the AGS editor and IDE run only on Windows (Vista, 7, 8, 10 or 11), even though built games run on Linux, macOS, Android and iOS; Phaser the Phaser framework is open source but Phaser Editor is a commercial product at $12 per month
  • They diverge on capability: Adventure Game Studio covers Point-and-click editor, Phaser covers Canvas and WebGL rendering.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Adventure Game Studio and Phaser actually diverge.

Attributes where Adventure Game Studio and Phaser differ
AttributeAdventure Game StudioPhaser
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, WebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded19972013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Game Development).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Adventure Game Studio

  • Point-and-click editor
  • Room system
  • Sprite animation
  • Built-in scripting
  • Inventory system
  • Dialog system
  • Resolution scaling
  • GitHub

Only in Phaser

  • Canvas and WebGL rendering
  • Physics engine (Arcade)
  • Input handling
  • Animation system
  • Particle effects
  • Tilemaps
  • Event system
  • JavaScript frameworks

Both cover

  • Audio support
  • Git
  • Open-source
  • Web deployment
  • Mobile deployment
  • Ios support
  • Android support
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Adventure Game Studio

  • Building point-and-click adventure games in a classic Sierra or LucasArts stylenot Phaser
  • Shipping a commercial or freeware adventure game with no licence feenot Phaser
  • Scripting game logic in a Java or C# style language with a built-in debuggernot Phaser

Phaser

  • Building 2D HTML5 games that run in the browsernot Adventure Game Studio
  • Rapid browser game prototyping with a code editor, tilemap and atlas toolsnot Adventure Game Studio
  • Publishing web games with one click hostingnot Adventure Game Studio

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Adventure Game Studio

  • The AGS editor and IDE run only on Windows (Vista, 7, 8, 10 or 11), even though built games run on Linux, macOS, Android and iOS
  • The editor requires the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable, and .NET Framework 4.5 on Windows 7 and Vista
  • Video playback supports only FLC and OGV (Ogg Theora) and is full-screen only; AVI and WMV support was dropped after version 3.6.0 and existed only on Windows builds
  • MSSCCI source control integration was discontinued in version 3.6.0
  • Graphics drivers are limited to Direct3D 9 and OpenGL
  • Audio format support is limited to OGG, MP3, WAV, MOD, XM and MIDI
  • Support is community-only through forums and Discord, with no vendor support channel

Phaser

  • The Phaser framework is open source but Phaser Editor is a commercial product at $12 per month
  • Phaser Editor stops working when the licence expires
  • No free trial of Phaser Editor is offered
  • AI tools in the free Phaser suite require purchasing credits
  • SSO through Google Workspace, private support and Editor source code availability are Enterprise only, which is custom priced and requires contacting sales
  • No educational discounts are offered
  • Subscription cancellations are not refunded pro rata

Pricing, plan by plan

Adventure Game Studio

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full editor
    • Built-in script editor
    • Room editor

Phaser

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full source code
    • Community support
    • Game examples

Which should you pick?

Choose Adventure Game Studio if

  • You need point-and-click editor.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want room system.
Adventure Game Studio review

Choose Phaser if

  • You need canvas and webgl rendering.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want physics engine (arcade).
Phaser review

Questions people ask

Is Adventure Game Studio or Phaser better?
Neither clearly leads. Adventure Game Studio starts at Free and Phaser at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adventure Game Studio or Phaser?
Adventure Game Studio starts at Free and Phaser at Free.
Does Adventure Game Studio or Phaser run on more platforms?
Adventure Game Studio runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web. Phaser runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Adventure Game Studio for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Adventure Game Studio best used for?
Adventure Game Studio is most often used for building point-and-click adventure games in a classic sierra or lucasarts style, shipping a commercial or freeware adventure game with no licence fee, scripting game logic in a java or c# style language with a built-in debugger. Of those, building point-and-click adventure games in a classic sierra or lucasarts style and shipping a commercial or freeware adventure game with no licence fee are not what Phaser is typically brought in for.
What can Adventure Game Studio do that Phaser cannot?
Adventure Game Studio covers Point-and-click editor, Room system, Sprite animation, Built-in scripting. Phaser covers Canvas and WebGL rendering, Physics engine (Arcade), Input handling, Animation system. Both handle Audio support, Git, Open-source, Web deployment.
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