NoZ Engine

A code-first 2D game engine built with C# and .NET. More than a framework, less than Unity — everything you need, nothing you don't.

NoZ Engine

AREPO — built entirely with NoZ Engine

Code First

NoZ is built for programmers. You write C# to define your game — no dragging components in a visual editor. The editor is there when you need it for sprites, bones, and particles, but your code is always in control.

Because everything is code, NoZ works exceptionally well with AI coding agents like Claude Code. The engine ships with a ready-to-go CLAUDE.md memory file so agents understand the engine architecture from the first prompt.

NoZ Engine code

Rendering

WebGPU graphics pipeline with automatic draw call batching, automatic sprite atlasing, custom WGSL shaders, and a pixel-perfect mode for crisp pixel art. Includes a 2D camera with screen shake, render targets, and post-processing support.

Rendering

Sprites & Animation

Frame-based and skeletal animation with crossfading between states. The editor packs sprites into texture atlases automatically, and GPU-accelerated bone transforms keep skeletal rendering fast.

Sprites & Animation

Editor

Built-in vector tools for creating and editing sprites, bone rigging, live VFX preview, atlas packing, and font generation. Includes a command palette, undo/redo, and multi-document workspaces.

NoZ Editor

UI Framework

Retained-mode UI with flex, grid, and scroll layouts. Build menus, HUDs, and in-game interfaces with full styling, clipping, and resolution-independent scaling.

UI Framework

VFX / Particles

Curve-driven particle system with custom shaders per effect. Animate color, size, speed, and opacity over lifetime with configurable emitters. The text-based format hot-reloads — edit, save, see it instantly.

VFX / Particles

Cross-Platform

Ship to Windows, Linux, and macOS via SDL3, or to the web via Blazor WebAssembly with WebGPU rendering. Players open a link and play — no installs.

Windows
Linux
macOS
Web

Also Includes

Asset Pipeline Hot-reloadable assets with lazy loading
Text Engine Crisp, resolution-independent fonts with outlines and kerning
Audio Mixer Sound and music playback across desktop and web