LittleJS - The Tiny Fast JavaScript Game Engine

🚂 All Aboard!

LittleJS is a fast, lightweight, and fully open source HTML5 game engine designed for simplicity and performance. Its small footprint is packed with a comprehensive feature set including rendering, physics, particles, sound, and input handling. The code is very clean and well documented with many examples to get you started quickly.

Demos | Docs | Trailer | Discord | FAQ

LittleJS Features

✨ Graphics

🔊 Audio

Sound and music with mp3, ogg, or wave files
Use ZzFX sound effect generator to play sounds without asset files

🎮 Input

Comprehensive input handling for mouse, keyboard, gamepad, and touch
Customizable on screen gamepad designed for mobile devices

💥 Physics

Robust arcade physics system with collision handling
Fast tilemap collision and raycasting
Full Box2D integration for realistic physics

🚀 Flexibility

🛠️ Developer Tools

Live example browser with code editor
Debug overlay and primitive rendering system
Medal tracking system with Newgrounds support
Node.js build system

How To Use LittleJS

To get started download the latest LittleJS package from GitHub or install via npm: npm install littlejsengine

Making Awesome Games With LittleJS - A short talk about LittleJS with some tips on how to use it.
Tutorial: Breakout - Learn how to make a simple game from scratch
Tutorial: Make a ski game - This tutorial by eoinmcg that shows how to make a pixel art style game.
LittleJS Quick Reference Sheet - A reference sheet to help you get started.
Little JS FAQ - Answers to common questions about LittleJS.
JS13k Branch - For size coding events like JS13k there is a special branch that builds to a 7KB zip.

Examples

LittleJS comes with a several demos both for learning and using as starter projects to create new games.

Example Browser - Live example browser with all examples
Breakout - Block breaking game with post-processing effects
Puzzle Game - Match 3 puzzle game with HD rendering and high score tracking
Platformer - Platformer/shooter that loads level data from Tiled Editor
Box2D Demo - Box2D plugin demonstration and testbed
Stress Test - Sprite rendering benchmark and music system demo
Particle System Designer - Particle system editor and visualizer

Builds

File	Mode	Module	Use case
littlejs.js	Debug	No	Debug mode with asserts
littlejs.release.js	Release	No	Optimized for release
littlejs.min.js	Release	No	Optimized for release and minified
littlejs.esm.js	Debug	ESM	Debug mode with asserts
littlejs.esm.min.js	Release	ESM	Optimized for release and minified

Games Made With LittleJS

Here are a few of the many amazing games created with LittleJS...

Space Huggers - Roguelike platformer shoot-em-up game with procedural levels. by KilledByAPixel
Black Cat Squadron - One button shooter based on a WW2 Navy squadron. JS13k 5th place! by repsej
L1ttl3 Paws - Cat glider with procedural art and levels for JS13K! by KilledByAPixel
KleptoKitty - Cat themed heist puzzle. JS13K 22nd place. by eoinmcg
The Way of the Dodo - Single button platformer. JS13k 5th place! by repsej
Undergrowth - An interactive music videogame for the band Squid. by KilledByAPixel
204Snake! - A puzzle game that combines 2048 with snake. LittleJS Jam 1st place! by Sodoj and Shai-P
GATOR - Retro platformer shooter game where you rescue animals. LittleJS Jam 2nd place! by eoinmcg
A Hedgehog's Search - Adventure game starring a hedgehog. LittleJS Jam 3rd place! by willsm1111
Wendol Village - Warcraft inspired RTS game. by sanojian
Dead Again - Top down survival horror. by sanojian & repsej
Isletopia - Relaxing strategy game of greenifying barren islands. by Gamex Studio
Tetrimals - A puzzle game mixing Tetris with animals. by nixn
Bug&Bee - Low fi shoot em up with co-op gameplay. LittleJS Jam 1st place! by eoinmcg
Little Platformer - Platformer with many mechanics. LittleJS Jam 2st place! by PSEMO, Solita666, GabrielRG, Nate
Rogue Pong - Roguelike crossed with classic pong gameplay. LittleJS Jam 3rd place! by webdevbrian
LittleJS Jam 2024 Results - All the games from the first LittleJS Game Jam.
LittleJS Jam 2025 Results - All the games from the second LittleJS Game Jam.