Game Development with Corona SDK (Solar2D) and Lua: Build Cross-Platform 2D Mobile Games for iOS, Android, and Desktop
Paperback
Publisher: Independently Published
Published: May 13 2025
Pages: 538
Weight: 2.03
Height: 1.09 Width: 7.00 Depth: 10.00
Language: English
Solar2D (formerly Corona SDK) is a powerful, open-source 2D game engine built on Lua, designed to help developers create cross-platform games with minimal code and maximum performance. With Solar2D, you can build mobile games for iOS and Android, as well as desktop games for Windows and macOS-all from a single codebase. This lightweight framework is trusted by indie developers and studios around the world for its speed, flexibility, and ease of use.
This book is written by Ethan Austin, a developer-turned-educator with a passion for simplifying complex technology. With years of experience in Lua scripting and mobile game development, Ethan distills everything you need to know about game design, UI interactions, scene transitions, physics, monetization, and deployment into a single accessible volume. This book is your go-to resource for turning your game ideas into fully functional and polished 2D games.
Game Development with Corona SDK (Solar2D) and Lua is a complete, hands-on guide for building mobile and desktop 2D games from scratch. Perfect for absolute beginners and self-taught coders, this book offers a step-by-step approach to designing, scripting, testing, and publishing games. With clear explanations, real-world projects, and best practices, you'll learn everything from player control and physics to saving game data and integrating ads.
What's Inside:
A practical introduction to Lua programming for games
How to create responsive UIs and touch-based interactions
Scene-based navigation and game state management
Physics simulation, collisions, and animations
Drag-and-drop mechanics, scoring systems, and enemy AI
Step-by-step tutorials to build games like Fruit Slice and Space Blaster
How to monetize with AdMob and In-App Purchases
Building for Android, iOS, and desktop platforms
Tips for optimizing memory, performance, and screen resolutions
Final publishing and post-launch updates
This book is for aspiring game developers, indie creators, students, and hobbyists with little to no prior coding or game development experience. If you want to learn Lua and use Solar2D to publish real mobile or desktop games, this beginner-friendly guide is for you. No need for a computer science degree-just a passion for games and a willingness to learn.
You don't need years of training to build and publish your own game. With the hands-on approach in this book, you'll see tangible progress in hours, not months. Each chapter builds your confidence with real coding skills and visible results, helping you complete your first fully functional 2D game in just a few days.
Start building real games today with Game Development with Corona SDK (Solar2D) and Lua. Whether you're dreaming of launching your own app on Google Play or just want to explore the world of indie game development, this book gives you the tools, knowledge, and support to succeed. Scroll up and grab your copy now to take the first step toward becoming a game developer.
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