A Guide to the 5 Best Books on Mobile Game App Development

The Art of Game Design: A Deck of Lenses

Authored by Jesse Schell, “The Art of Game Design: A Deck of Lenses,” is a veritable game design toolkit in itself. A companion to the acclaimed book, “The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses,” this book comprises unique “lens cards,” each of which addresses vital principles of game development. These cover all topics of development such as aesthetics, creativity, technology, teamwork, testing, and even certain tips on the business of game development. This book is ideal for beginners and experienced developers alike.

Beginning Mobile Phone Game Programming

Authored by Michael Morrison, this book teaches you to develop fully functional games, plus a game engine that you can use for developing mobile phone game apps. It includes a CD that offers all the tools, graphics, and codes necessary for completing the exercises and assignments provided in each chapter. The book also gives clear instructions on wireless game programming and Java programming, providing practical assignments on using the J2ME Game API. Important lessons include adding music to mobile game apps, controlling graphics and animation, and using mobile networks to develop multiplayer games.

Mobile 3D Game Development: From Start to Market

This handy book on mobile 3D game programming teaches you to work with Java to develop interesting and engaging games for mobile devices. A vast source of information, it is good for both amateur and experienced game developers, as well as 2D mobile game developers. Including theoretical and practical training sessions, it teaches developers to create high-quality 3D games, using Java ME and 3D API. It walks you through the process of developing three games from start to finish, such as Space Busters, a multiplayer racing game, and a first-person shooter game.

Corona SDK Mobile Game Development: Beginner’s Guide Ebook

Authored by Michelle M. Fernandez, this book offers a brief crash course in both Lua scripting language and Corona software development kit. It takes developers into the art of creating complete and fully functional games through the course of each of its chapters. Once you learn the essentials and tools of mobile game app development, you will also be taught how to add advanced features, cross-platform development for a variety of mobile platforms, integration with social networks, and how to monetize your app. Suitable for both amateurs and fairly experienced developers, this book is for those who are serious about developing commercially successful mobile game apps for Android and iOS.