When comparing jMonkey3 vs Clickteam Fusion 2.5, the Slant community recommends jMonkey3 for most people. In the question“What are the best 3D game engines?” jMonkey3 is ranked 12th while Clickteam Fusion 2.5 is ranked 36th. The most important reason people chose jMonkey3 is:
Java is a well-optimized just-in-time compiled language. It's faster than languages without an effective native-code compiler such as Python or Ruby, similar in speed to other just-in-time compiled languages such as C#, while slightly slower than compiled languages such as C or C++ (with some low-level and numeric [benchmarks](http://benchmarksgame.alioth.debian.org/u64q/java.html) being similar to C++). Java also has a wide variety of high-class IDEs available.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Java is a great development platform
Java is a well-optimized just-in-time compiled language. It's faster than languages without an effective native-code compiler such as Python or Ruby, similar in speed to other just-in-time compiled languages such as C#, while slightly slower than compiled languages such as C or C++ (with some low-level and numeric benchmarks being similar to C++).
Java also has a wide variety of high-class IDEs available.
Pro Multiplatform support
Code can be ported to mobile (iOS is in the works) and other Android supported devices with minor changes to the code (just change some implementations that vary on the platform such as inputs and user interface). It can even run on certain Raspberry Pi devices.
Pro Free and open-source
jMonkey is completely free, meaning it's possible to develop and release a game with no fees or royalties. Because it is open-source, jMonkey has plenty of people fixing bugs and, adding to the engine as well as creating a variety of plugins that can be used in the engine.
Pro Not limited to using its own IDE
Unlike some engines, jMonkey doesn't force its own IDE. You can use its Netbeans-based IDE, but you can also set up a project to work in another IDE such as Eclipse. You can still use the special tools from jMonkey's IDE in such projects.
Pro Engine modifications can be made using Java
Because jMonkey is implemented in Java, the same language its apps are typically developed in, developers will have an easier time modifying the engine to their needs.
Pro Has everything
jMonkey3 handles input from computers and mobile devices. It handles networking, physics, rendering, terrain, and cinematics.
Pro Ease of extensibility
Engine is modifiable.
Pro Freedom of choice for architecture
The user is not compelled to use any programming architecture nor standard in order to make a project working. JME allows the freedom to use what is best for a game.
Pro Offers both low-level and high-level ways of editing shaders
Modifying shaders can be done either via a visual tool called Shader Nodes or via GLSL that allow you to make your own shaders without the engine getting in the way or having to hack around to do so.
Pro Permissive runtime license agreement
With the Developer edition of the product, there are absolutely no limits or requirements when selling your creations. You are free to make as much money as you want (this applies to the Standard edition too), and you don't have to include any logos or credits in your creations.
Pro Upgrade discounts
If you buy Fusion 2.5, and later decide you want to upgrade to the Developer version, or in the case of moving from MMF2 to F2.5, the company offers upgrade discounts.
Pro Export native runtime for all platforms
Be it Windows EXE, Android APK, iOS, HTML5 and Flash SWF, Fusion 2.5 is able to export your game to fast, truly native runtime for specified platform with a click.
Pro Intuitive drag & drop interface & visual event editor
CF2.5 uses a straightforward drag & drop editor that allows for easy level, animation and event creation without having to write a single line of code.
Pro Developers work so closely with the user base
Dedicated Bug tracking system linked to user forum for ease of access.
Pro Free version
A free version is available for download here.
Pro Can also create Windows applications
CF allows creating Windows applications. Additionally, due to hundreds of available extensions, the process is quick.
Pro Box2D physics engine included on all platforms
Clickteam Fusion 2.5 brings to you the box2D physics engine.
Pro Community-driven extensive object repository
Click Fusion has a great selection of extensions submitted by the community.
The extensions cover a variety of game-building tasks including parsing of strings using up to two alternating delimiters using the "Tokenizer Object", generating random numbers without reusing them from multiple lists which can be refilled and distinctively replenished with the "Random Multipool Object" among others.
Pro Not only is it the best, it is the original
This software has been around since 1994 (then called Klik & Play) and is still going very strong. Also, one of the founders of Clickteam was the developer of STOS BASIC and AMOS BASIC for the Atari ST and Amiga computers.
Pro A great unofficial community for Spanish-speaking users
A great community in Spanish where you will receive all the help you need to solve your doubts and problems. You'll also find all kinds of resources and materials in Spanish.
Una gran comunidad en español en donde recibirás toda la ayuda que necesites para solucionar tus dudas y problemas. También encontrarás todo tipo de recursos, tutoriales y ejemplos en español.
Pro Balanced feature set
An excellent compromise between ease of use, power, flexibility and ability to export to different platforms. Easy to learn for beginners with the ability to make complex things, of course, at the expense of a larger effort. Good rapid application development tool for making 2D games.
Pro Supportive, passionate community
Any time you have a question or a problem, the community and the software developers are there to help you out either on forums or steam. The devs repond quickly to private messages or instantly on ClickConverse (chat). Additionally, many users have support sites with open source examples and tutorials.
Pro Well-optimized
Runs well under high object numbers, particularly on PC and iOS thanks to hardware acceleration.
Pro Great IRL user events
Clickteam holds user conventions for customers to come along, meet the staff and hang out with people who they've met online. This furthers the community spirit which is so prevalent around Clickteam's products and it's a fantastic weekend.
Pro It is very powerful for making 2D games, yet requires no traditional programming experience and very little to no higher math
There is no 'easy button' program that will make a good game for you with no hard work, and this software is no exception to that, but it does make the process easier. With the option of coding in either a spreadsheet style editor or a list style editor, the event based programming language reads more like English than traditional programming languages. This has made it ideal for me as I have a very hard time understanding traditional programming. I would say this is the perfect solution for people that want to make 2D games but who don't have a very mathematically oriented mind, and think more visually. Just like anything it can take some getting used to, but after following some tutorials and tinkering with it, you'll be able to create practically any kind of 2D game with it so long as you have the determination.
Pro Exports native mobile code, making great performance games
Pro Great for non-game apps
Such as tools, utilities, multimedia projects, etc.
Pro Great online store to get free and paid assets
Pro Can create custom extensions
Pro Visual (HLSL) effects
Pro Great formula editor, which allows you to create complex maths and events with ease
Pro Box2D physics engine
Pro Stable
Have used fusion 2.5 through all of its iterations, even when it was owned by imsi as CNC ( click n create ) it has been very stable and projects have been known to run on almost any Windows based computer. The projects you create even run on future versions of Windows with never many issues.
Pro 3D powerful solution
Cons
Con Terrible API reference
The methods are not defined.
Con Not an engine for total beginners
While it's clear that you need to know Java first before using this engine, it is recommended that you have some programming experience as well. Most performance issues and memory leaks are more due to bad programming practices than the engine itself.
Con Slow release cycle
jMonkey3 lacks manpower to have a fast and decent release cycle.
Con Relies on archaic tool chain
jMonkey Engine uses Apache Ant for build automation, which is archaic and backwards, even by Java standards.
Con Some features are really outdated and major updates are few and rare
There are some features that could make the software a lot more powerful but Clickteam does not have the staff resources to handle updating the software to be competitive with similar software.
Con Its Event Editor can be cumbersome if you are working on complex projects
While Fusion's visual programming event system is great to simplify things, it can be much more cumbersome to work with it than reading lines of code when you are working on a complex project. Especially if your events involve many nested conditions and lots of objects on the frame.
You are able to group events and objects, but it doesn't help at all if there's lots of conditions on an event and it becomes pretty hard to read.
Con Many extensions not available on non-Windows platforms
A lot of community-made extensions are only written for Windows, making it hard to port your game to other platforms.
Con It is very expensive
100$ to $400.
Con Many event 'gotchas', especially with object selection
Many events have very unpredictable selection behavior, e.g. the 'Create' action (where the selection depends on whether a selection list already exists).
There is also a lot of subtle selection behavior, e.g. implicit object pairs for actions when an object is used in an expression.
Con No native animator with curves, etc
Con Poor native movements
The native non-physical movements are practically unusable if you don't want to use Box2D physics in your game.
Con Need to write C++ extensions when existing extensions don't cut it
If you need e.g. a Steamworks extension or 3D display extension, you need to move out from the event system and create extensions in C++ with a cumbersome API. Fusion does not have FFI calls like other programming languages.
Con No animation/object hierarchy
You need to position/rotate objects manually.
Con Cannot script editor
You cannot script the IDE or editor with e.g. macros or custom functionality, like you can in other popular game engines.
Con Slow event system
Since the event system is interpreted, complex frames will start to slow down. This is also caused by poor code reuse, as usually, you need to copy+paste events with new conditions, making it impossible to cache intermediate results.
Con Lack of native network multiplayer system, built-in database support, social media support
Con Exporters are separate purchases, and they are not cheap
Con No console/Linux exporters
Up to now, Clickteam has a console convert service.
Con Simpler than Scratch
Fusion 2.5 is more Simpler than MIT'S Scratch!