COMPARISON OF MODERN GAME ENGINES WITH A CUSTOM CORE FOR NATIVE GAME DEVELOPMENT ON THE ANDROID PLATFORM

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20998/2079-0023.2025.01.13

Keywords:

game engine, ARM, Android, Vulkan, low-level development, Java, C , Rust, energy efficiency, mobile optimization

Abstract

The modern game industry is increasingly focused on mobile platforms, particularly devices based on the ARM architecture, which dominates the smartphone and tablet markets. Developers are actively adapting their engines and tools to this architecture, taking into account its energy efficiency and widespread adoption. In this context, the development of a custom game core that can be installed directly on an Android device without the need for additional engines opens new opportunities for optimization, faster prototyping, and full control over device-level performance. This approach is especially relevant in light of the growing popularity of independent game development and the demand for lightweight solutions without unnecessary dependencies. This study presents a comparative analysis of modern game engines (Unity, Unreal Engine, Godot, Defold, Cocos2d-x) and a custom-developed game core designed for direct installation and execution on Android devices with ARM architecture, without relying on any intermediate engine. The paper examines the advantages of ARM architecture, including energy efficiency, scalability, and broad support in mobile devices, making it a suitable platform for native game development. Particular attention is paid to the technical comparison of engine capabilities, including application size, launch speed, API flexibility, access to system resources, and support for low-level languages. It has been revealed that although traditional engines offer extensive functionality and ease of development, they limit hardware-level control and significantly increase APK size. On the other hand, a custom core, specifically designed for ARM devices, provides minimal size, instant launch, and maximum performance due to direct access to graphical APIs (OpenGL ES/Vulkan) and Android system resources. The study also analyzes the suitability of programming languages such as Java, Kotlin, C++, and Rust for Android game development. It outlines the potential of Vulkan as a high-performance graphics API and discusses the feasibility of a core-centered approach for creating lightweight, optimized mobile games and tools.

Author Biographies

Valerii Yatsenko, Sumy State University

Candidate of Technical Sciences (PhD), Docent, Associate Professor at the Department of Economic Cybernetics, Sumy State University, Sumy, Ukraine

Dmytro Parkhomenko, Sumy State University

Higher Education Student, Sumy State University, Sumy, Ukraine

Oleksandr Kushnerov, Sumy State University

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Senior Lecturer at the Department of Economic Cybernetics, Sumy State University, Sumy, Ukraine

Vitaliia Koibichuk, Sumy State University

Candidate of Economic Sciences (PhD), Docent, Head of the Economic Cybernetics Department, Sumy State University, Sumy, Ukraine

Kostiantyn Hrytsenko, Sumy State University

Candidate of Technical Sciences (PhD), Docent, Associate Professor at the Department of Economic Cybernetics, Sumy State University, Sumy, Ukraine

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Published

2025-07-11

How to Cite

Yatsenko, V., Parkhomenko, D., Kushnerov, O., Koibichuk, V., & Hrytsenko, K. (2025). COMPARISON OF MODERN GAME ENGINES WITH A CUSTOM CORE FOR NATIVE GAME DEVELOPMENT ON THE ANDROID PLATFORM. Bulletin of National Technical University "KhPI". Series: System Analysis, Control and Information Technologies, (1 (13), 88–94. https://doi.org/10.20998/2079-0023.2025.01.13

Issue

No. 1 (13) (2025)

Section

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

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