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What are the best mobile game development tutorials for complete beginners?
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I'm really interested in creating mobile games but I'm not sure where to start. There seem to be so many mobile game development tutorials out there, but I'm worried about choosing the wrong path. Some tutorials focus on specific engines while others teach general concepts.
I want to learn game development free if possible, but I'm willing to invest in a good game development course free trial or affordable resources. What I'm looking for are beginner game development tutorials that specifically address the unique challenges of mobile development - things like touch controls, performance optimization, and different screen sizes.
Has anyone here gone from zero to creating their first mobile game? What were the best game dev tutorials for beginners that helped you understand mobile game development? I'm particularly interested in both 2d game development tutorials and simple 3d approaches.
For mobile game development tutorials, the most important thing is finding resources that address mobile-specific challenges. Regular game tutorials often miss crucial mobile considerations like touch input, performance on lower-end devices, and different aspect ratios.
Unity has excellent mobile-specific learning paths on their Learn platform. The Mobile Game Development" pathway covers everything from touch controls to optimizing for battery life. What's great is that they provide actual performance profiling tools and teach you how to use them.
For complete beginners, I'd recommend starting with 2D mobile games. 2d game development tutorials for mobile are simpler because you don't have to worry about 3D performance optimization. Make something like a simple endless runner or puzzle game first.
Also, pay attention to tutorials that cover both iOS and Android deployment. The build process is different for each platform, and good mobile game development tutorials will walk you through both. Unity's tutorials are particularly good for this - they show you how to set up both platforms in the same project.
As someone who creates mobile games with Godot, I can tell you that the tutorial landscape is different but growing rapidly. Godot's export system for mobile is actually quite straightforward, and there are good tutorials covering it.
What I look for in mobile game development tutorials is attention to performance. Mobile devices have limited resources compared to PCs, so tutorials should teach you about optimization from the start. Things like draw call reduction, texture compression, and efficient collision detection are crucial.
For beginner game development tutorials focused on mobile, I'd recommend starting with simple games that use minimal resources. A puzzle game or card game is perfect because it doesn't require complex graphics or physics.
Godot has the advantage of being lightweight, which means your games will naturally perform better on mobile. The tutorials often emphasize this - teaching you to write efficient code and use assets wisely.
Also, look for tutorials that cover mobile-specific features like ads, in-app purchases, and analytics. These are often overlooked in general game tutorials but are essential for mobile games.
I've released several mobile games, and here's my advice for finding the best tutorials: look for ones that include testing on actual devices. Simulators are great, but they don't give you the full picture of performance and touch responsiveness.
For mobile game development tutorials, I can't stress enough how important it is to learn about input handling. Mobile games live or die by their touch controls. Tutorials should cover different input methods (taps, swipes, multi-touch) and how to make them feel responsive.
Unity's mobile tutorials are good, but I've found that smaller creators on YouTube often provide more practical advice. Check out channels like Code Monkey" - he has excellent tutorials on mobile-specific features in Unity.
Also, pay attention to tutorials that cover the business side of mobile games. Things like setting up store listings, creating app icons and screenshots, and understanding store requirements are just as important as the technical development. The best game dev tutorials for beginners in mobile should include this holistic view.
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