Pros of MonoGame

• Larger community and ecosystem, with more resources and third-party libraries available
• Cross-platform support for a wider range of platforms, including mobile and consoles
• More mature and stable, with a longer development history

Cons of MonoGame

• Steeper learning curve for beginners, especially those new to game development
• Less built-in functionality, requiring more manual implementation of common game features
• Lower-level API, which can lead to more verbose code for simple tasks

Code Comparison

MonoGame:

protected override void Draw(GameTime gameTime)
{
    GraphicsDevice.Clear(Color.CornflowerBlue);
    spriteBatch.Begin();
    spriteBatch.Draw(texture, position, Color.White);
    spriteBatch.End();
    base.Draw(gameTime);
}

Nez:

public override void render(Graphics graphics, float deltaTime)
{
    graphics.batcher.begin();
    graphics.batcher.draw(texture, position);
    graphics.batcher.end();
}

Nez provides a more streamlined API for common game development tasks, while MonoGame offers greater flexibility and control at the cost of more verbose code. MonoGame's larger ecosystem and cross-platform support make it suitable for a wider range of projects, while Nez's built-in features and simpler API can accelerate development for certain types of games.

Pros of FNA

• More mature and established project with a longer history
• Closer to the original XNA framework, making it easier for XNA developers to transition
• Broader platform support, including mobile and console targets

Cons of FNA

• Steeper learning curve for developers new to XNA-style frameworks
• Less built-in features compared to Nez, requiring more manual implementation
• Potentially more complex setup process for new projects

Code Comparison

Nez example:

public class MyScene : Scene
{
    public override void Initialize()
    {
        AddEntity(new Player());
    }
}

FNA example:

public class MyGame : Game
{
    protected override void Initialize()
    {
        base.Initialize();
        // Add game objects and initialization logic here
    }
}

Summary

FNA aims to be a faithful reimplementation of XNA, providing a familiar environment for XNA developers and broad platform support. Nez, built on top of FNA/MonoGame, offers a more feature-rich and beginner-friendly framework with additional tools and systems out of the box. The choice between the two depends on the developer's background, project requirements, and desired level of abstraction.

Pros of raylib

• Cross-platform support for multiple programming languages (C, C++, Lua, Python, etc.)
• Lightweight and easy to integrate into existing projects
• Extensive documentation and examples

Cons of raylib

• Less focused on game development specifics compared to Nez
• Fewer high-level game-oriented features out of the box
• Steeper learning curve for beginners in game development

Code Comparison

Nez (C#):

public class MyScene : Scene
{
    public override void Initialize()
    {
        AddEntity(new Entity().AddComponent(new SpriteRenderer(Content.LoadTexture("sprite.png"))));
    }
}

raylib (C):

#include "raylib.h"

int main(void)
{
    InitWindow(800, 450, "raylib example");
    Texture2D texture = LoadTexture("sprite.png");
    while (!WindowShouldClose())
    {
        BeginDrawing();
        DrawTexture(texture, 0, 0, WHITE);
        EndDrawing();
    }
    CloseWindow();
    return 0;
}

Pros of Stride

• More comprehensive 3D game engine with advanced graphics capabilities
• Larger community and more active development
• Cross-platform support for multiple devices and operating systems

Cons of Stride

• Steeper learning curve due to its complexity
• Heavier resource requirements for development and runtime
• Less suitable for simple 2D games compared to Nez

Code Comparison

Stride (C#):

public class MyScript : SyncScript
{
    public override void Start()
    {
        // Initialization code
    }

    public override void Update()
    {
        // Update logic
    }
}

Nez (C#):

public class MyComponent : Component, IUpdatable
{
    public override void OnAddedToEntity()
    {
        // Initialization code
    }

    public void Update()
    {
        // Update logic
    }
}

Both frameworks use C# and have similar component-based architectures. However, Stride's scripting system is more tightly integrated with its engine structure, while Nez offers a more lightweight approach that's closer to MonoGame's style.

Stride is better suited for complex 3D games with high-end graphics, while Nez excels in 2D game development and offers a simpler, more accessible framework for indie developers and smaller projects.

Pros of Godot

• Complete game engine with built-in editor, offering a more comprehensive development environment
• Larger community and ecosystem, providing more resources, plugins, and support
• Multi-platform support, including web and mobile, out of the box

Cons of Godot

• Steeper learning curve due to its custom scripting language (GDScript) and more complex architecture
• Potentially slower performance for certain 2D scenarios compared to Nez's optimized 2D-focused approach

Code Comparison

Godot (GDScript):

extends Sprite

func _ready():
    position = Vector2(100, 100)
    scale = Vector2(2, 2)

Nez (C#):

public class Player : Entity
{
    public override void OnAddedToScene()
    {
        Position = new Vector2(100, 100);
        Scale = new Vector2(2, 2);
    }
}

Both examples demonstrate setting position and scale for a game object, showcasing the syntax differences between GDScript and C#. Godot uses a more Python-like syntax, while Nez leverages C# for its implementation.

Pros of libGDX

• Cross-platform development (desktop, mobile, web)
• Large, active community with extensive documentation
• Rich ecosystem of extensions and tools

Cons of libGDX

• Steeper learning curve for beginners
• Less streamlined for 2D game development compared to Nez
• Requires more boilerplate code for simple projects

Code Comparison

libGDX: Creating a basic game screen

public class GameScreen implements Screen {
    @Override
    public void render(float delta) {
        // Game logic and rendering
    }
    // Other Screen methods...
}

Nez: Creating a basic scene

public class GameScene : Scene
{
    public override void Update()
    {
        // Game logic
    }
}

Summary

libGDX is a versatile, cross-platform framework with a large community and extensive features. It's well-suited for both 2D and 3D game development across multiple platforms. However, it may have a steeper learning curve and require more setup compared to Nez.

Nez, on the other hand, is more focused on 2D game development and offers a simpler, more streamlined approach for C# developers. It integrates well with MonoGame and provides a more opinionated structure, which can be beneficial for rapid development of 2D games.

The choice between the two depends on factors such as target platforms, development language preference, and the specific requirements of your game project.