Looking for a few tools to add to your bag of tricks? We’ve compiled a short list of things we’ve found useful in the past, from Game Engines, Dev tools, Audio Editors and Image generators. Check out the list below.

Game Engines:

• Love  https://love2d.org/  – A free Lua game engine
• Stencyl http://www.stencyl.com/stencylworks/overview/ - A Flash based game making tool.
• GameSalad http://gamesalad.com/ – A Flash based game making tool.
• Craftyjs http://craftyjs.com/JavaScript / –  HTML5 game engine.
• Impactjs http://impactjs.com/JavaScript / – HTML5 game engine.
• Flixel http://www.flixel.org/ - Flash based game making library.
• FlatRedBall http://www.flatredball.com/frb/blog/XNA based engine

Development Tools:

• Scratch http://scratch.mit.edu/ - A game development tool for young children
• Corona http://www.anscamobile.com/ - A free to use (for dev only) mobile device simulator using LUA.
• UDK  - Unreal 3 engine and tools
• Unity http://unity3d.com/ - Unity 3 is a game development tool that has been designed to let you focus on creating amazing games.
• XNA  - A game development platform based on .net
• Komodo Edit http://www.activestate.com/komodo-edit - Code Editor with auto-complete, syntax highlighting etc for several languages
• PolyVox http://www.volumesoffun.com/polyvox-about/ – A fast and light C++ library for the storage and processing of volumetric (voxel-based) environments.
• Zoetrope  – A free library for making 2d games that runs ontop of LOVE. (See link above).

Animation Tools/Image Editors:

• Inkscape http://inkscape.org/ - An Open-Source Vector Graphics Editor.
• Graphics Gale http://www.humanbalance.net/gale/us/download.html - Animation Graphics Editor, useful for pixel art. (Windows Only)
• Maya http://usa.autodesk.com/maya/ - 3D animation software delivers an end-to-end creative workflow with comprehensive tools for animation, modeling, simulation, visual effects, rendering, matchmoving, and compositing on a highly extensible production platform
• GIMP http://www.gimp.org/ - Graphics and image editor, similar to photoshop.
• Paint.net http://www.getpaint.net/ - Free image and photo editing software (Windows only). It features an intuitive and innovative user interface with support for layers, unlimited undo, special effects, and a wide variety of useful and powerful tools.
• Blender http://blender.org - An open source 3D modeling tool
• Hexels http://hexraystudios.com/hexels/ – A free tool for making pixel art
• Pyxel Edit http://pyxeledit.com/index.php – A free tool for making pixel art

Audio Tools:

• Soundbyter http://www.soundbyter.com/ - A Collection of free sound effects
• Audacity http://audacity.sourceforge.net/- An Open-Source audio editing program
• Bfxr http://www.bfxr.net/ - A neat little browser based synth programe for generating simple sound effects. Results can be downloaded as .wav files.