What I need to get android game with graphics like

Question

I've created a few android apps but using just regular layouts and views. Now I am trying to learn a game developing and I understand that I need to use either custom drawings to canvas or open gl to get better graphics and performance. I just can't quite figure out where to start. For example, to get graphics like this (see attachments) is drawing to canvas is enough, or should I learn Open GL, or is it only achievable with things like unity or libgdx?

Answer 1

This looks like a pretty straightforward game. A few images, a few animations to move them around, and possibly some particle effects (celebration fireworks, etc). You would get the images and then use a game engine like unity or a framework like libgdx or monodevelop.

I have experience with both Unity and libgdx (which is similar to monodevelop and XDA). I would suggest you use unity just because of the editor. This is something that I think isn't mentioned as much in the unity vs libgdx comparisons. The unity editor will allow you to prototype the game visually MUCH quicker than using a code-focused environment like libgdx. There is an open source editor for libgdx called Overlap2D but it of course doesn't have nearly as many features. For loading the scene from the editor into your game it's using an entity component system (just like unity) called Ashley. In similar to unity and is basically mimicking it.

I would recommend using libgdx only if you're an experienced developer and require the level of low level control libgdx provides, or if you just want to learn. It's good to learn and get experience with working at a lower level, such as managing the game loop and assets yourself.

Also some recommend unity only for 3D games. This was the case couple years ago, but now they have official 2D support, so it's pretty good for 2D games now. The editor works the same as for 3D games. They even have a 2D physics editor built in (assigning colliders to images, creating joints between colliders, etc).