GameMaker + GML
An editor-led workflow for 2D games: rooms and objects for composition, GML for reusable gameplay, and platform exports for release.
Sources verified Sep 2026
When to use it
- A solo developer or small team is building a 2D game
- Designers want to arrange rooms, sprites, and objects in an editor
- The team is comfortable with a proprietary engine and commercial export terms
How the pieces fit
GameMaker owns rooms, sprites, objects, and the export pipeline. Object events drive gameplay; use GML functions and scripts for shared rules rather than copying logic between objects. Keep input, game state, and presentation separate enough to test them. Prototype the controls and performance on the target hardware early, and confirm commercial licensing and platform access before release.
Tools and responsibilities
Architectural examples
Each example links to a public source — no claims about private internals.
Undertale
The official GameMaker showcase lists Toby Fox's RPG. Engine example; the source does not document its internal code organization.
sourceHotline Miami
The official showcase lists Dennaton Games' top-down action game. An example of a released GameMaker title, not a template for current export or licensing requirements.
sourceSkip if
Skip if 3D is central, an open-source engine is required, or the team wants Lua rather than GML.