General Purpose Lua Game Frameworks
For a general-purpose game and app framework in Lua, the strongest matches are love2d/love (LÖVE is a cross-platform framework that lets you build), glfw/glfw (GLFW is a cross-platform C library for windowing, input) and okamstudio/godot (Godot is a full-featured game engine for building games). phaserjs/phaser and cocos2d/cocos2d-x round out the shortlist. Each is ranked by relevance to your query, popularity and recent activity.
Cross-platform development kits and engines for building interactive applications and games using the Lua language.
General Purpose Lua Game Frameworks
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- love2d/love
love2d/love
8,458View on GitHubLÖVE is a cross-platform game engine and framework for developing two-dimensional games using the Lua programming language. It provides a 2D graphics API for rendering shapes, images, and sprites across multiple desktop and mobile platforms. The framework enables the development of a single codebase that can be deployed to Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. It utilizes a Lua-based scripting interface to control internal engine systems. The project covers 2D game development, mobile game development, and cross-platform game deployment.
LÖVE is a cross-platform framework that lets you build 2D games and applications using Lua, with built-in support for graphics, audio, input, and windowing, though its core is implemented in C++ rather than pure Lua.
C++2D Graphics Frameworks - glfw/glfw
glfw/glfw
14,716View on GitHubThis project is a cross-platform library designed for desktop application development, providing a unified interface for window management, input handling, and hardware-accelerated graphics. It serves as a foundational framework that abstracts platform-specific windowing protocols and graphics APIs, enabling developers to create interactive software that functions consistently across Windows, macOS, and Linux. The library distinguishes itself by providing deep integration with low-level graphics APIs, specifically OpenGL and Vulkan. It manages the complexities of graphics context initializati
GLFW is a cross-platform C library for windowing, input, and graphics context management, but it is not a Lua-based framework for building games and applications — it is a low-level building block that would require separate Lua bindings and additional game-oriented features to match the visitor's search.
CInput HandlingInput HandlingCross-Platform Windowing Abstractions - okamstudio/godot
okamstudio/godot
112,685View on GitHubGodot is a multi-platform game engine and a suite of tools used to develop 2D and 3D interactive games and applications across multiple operating systems. It provides specialized development environments for both two-dimensional and three-dimensional design, including tools for sprite animation, tilemaps, lighting, meshes, and physics simulations. The engine includes a cross-platform export tool that packages projects for deployment to desktop, mobile, web, and console hardware targets from a single codebase. The system covers broad capabilities for interactive experience design and game dev
Godot is a full-featured game engine for building games and applications, but it uses its own GDScript and C# rather than Lua, so it does not serve as a Lua-based framework.
C++2D2D Engines2D and 3D - phaserjs/phaser
phaserjs/phaser
39,791View on GitHubPhaser is a comprehensive 2D game engine designed for building high-performance, interactive content that runs directly in web browsers. At its core, the engine utilizes a fixed-timestep simulation loop that decouples game logic from variable browser frame rates, ensuring consistent behavior across diverse hardware. It provides a robust framework for managing asset loading, physics, input, and audio, enabling the creation of complex, responsive visual experiences for both desktop and mobile devices. The engine distinguishes itself through a high-performance graphics pipeline that automaticall
Phaser is a 2D game engine, but it is written in JavaScript and targets web browsers, not Lua, so it does not match the required Lua-based framework.
JavaScript2D Engines - cocos2d/cocos2d-x
cocos2d/cocos2d-x
18,942View on GitHubCocos2d-x is a high-performance C++ game development framework designed for building and deploying interactive applications across mobile, desktop, and web platforms. It functions as a cross-platform game engine that utilizes an entity-component system to manage object lifecycles, behaviors, and spatial relationships within a unified codebase. The engine is distinguished by its specialized 2D graphics rendering pipeline, which is optimized for hardware-accelerated performance when displaying sprites, particle effects, and skeletal animations. It provides developers with low-level access to gr
Cocos2d-x is a C++ game engine with Lua scripting support, not a framework written primarily in Lua, so it does not match the request for a Lua-based implementation language despite covering many of the listed features.
C++Audio Playback2DInput Handling Systems - libgdx/libgdx
libgdx/libgdx
24,816View on GitHubLibGDX is a Java-based framework designed for cross-platform game development, enabling the creation and deployment of 2D and 3D games across desktop, mobile, and web environments from a single codebase. It functions as a comprehensive library that abstracts hardware-accelerated graphics, audio, input, and file system access, providing a unified interface for developers to manage game logic and application lifecycles. The framework distinguishes itself through a high-performance architecture that prioritizes efficiency and native interoperability. It utilizes a batch-oriented graphics pipelin
Libgdx is a Java-based cross-platform game framework that supports 2D/3D rendering, audio, input, and windowning, but it is not implemented in Lua, so it does not fit the core requirement of a Lua-based game and application framework.
JavaAudio PlaybackInput Handling2D - urho3d/urho3d
urho3d/urho3d
4,707View on GitHubUrho3D is a cross-platform 3D game engine written in C++. It uses a component-based scene graph to compose game objects from nodes and attached components, separating transforms from behaviors for modular design. The engine integrates AngelScript and Lua scripting for game logic, uses the Bullet library for physics simulation, and renders scenes with OpenGL or Direct3D through forward, deferred, or light pre-pass pipelines with customizable render passes and shadow mapping. The engine distinguishes itself with a built-in visual scene and UI editor for composing 3D worlds and interface layouts
Urho3D is a C++ game engine that offers Lua scripting, not a framework built in Lua itself, so it falls short of the request for a primary-Lua implementation.
C++Input Handling2D and 3D
