Retrom vs Solarus
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted game engines & frameworks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Retrom
Self-hosted game library server with launcher clients
VS
Solarus
Open-source 2D action-RPG game engine
| Feature | Retrom | Solarus |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Game Engines & Frameworks | Game Engines & Frameworks |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,032 | ★ 730 |
| First released | 2024 | 2011 |
| Replaces | Playnite, Steam library | RPG Maker |
Why pick each one
Choose Solarus if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Written in C++
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Retrom or Solarus better?
Neither is universally better. Retrom has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Retrom and Solarus free and open-source?
Yes. Retrom is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Solarus under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Retrom and Solarus with Docker?
Retrom: yes. Solarus: check the project docs for container support.