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You can author a 2D map in Tiled and use it as a starting point for Phaser, Godot, Unity, or GameMaker, but there is no evidence here of one export that guarantees identical results in all four engines. Tiled’s generic JSON is the best-supported general interchange option in the documentation covered here, Phaser documents Tiled JSON input, and Tiled also offers a GameMaker-specific export. For Godot and Unity, choose an importer or conversion workflow that matches your engine version and verify its feature support before committing to a pipeline.
What “one map for several engines” means
Tiled is the map-authoring tool in this workflow, not a universal one-click converter for five applications. You create and save a map in Tiled, then select a format or engine-specific route for each destination. An exported map may still need adjustment or feature-specific handling in its target engine.
Tiled’s generic export documentation describes JSON as supporting all Tiled features and as an alternative to TMX. JSON is particularly convenient for browser and JavaScript use. That does not establish that every engine importer represents every Tiled feature in the same way, or that a round trip back into Tiled will be lossless. Tiled’s generic format documentation
Which export should you choose?
| Route | What the documentation establishes | Best fit and cautions |
|---|---|---|
| Tiled JSON | Tiled describes generic JSON as supporting all Tiled features. Phaser documents Tiled JSON input. Tiled generic formats; Phaser Editor tilemap workflow | A strong general interchange choice, especially for a Phaser workflow. This does not prove that Godot or Unity importers support every feature. |
| Tiled CSV | CSV export represents tile layers only. Multiple tile layers are exported as separate files; IDs can be ambiguous with multiple tilesets unless custom tile names are used. Tiled generic formats | Consider it only when your map can be represented as tile-layer data and your pipeline can handle separate files and tileset identification. Do not expect object layers or other map features in the CSV output. |
| GameMaker-specific export | Tiled documents a GameMaker export option; its GameMaker page describes producing room files and a workflow involving room.yy. Tiled export formats; Tiled GameMaker export |
Use the instructions for the specific GameMaker version you have installed. The route is not a general interchange format for the other engines. |
Prepare and export the map
- Author and save the map in Tiled. Keep the map file and its tileset images organized together so the files needed by your destination workflow are available.
- Choose an output for the target. For Phaser, the documented Phaser Editor workflow uses a Tiled JSON map and imported tileset images. For a simple tile-layer pipeline, CSV is an option only if its limitations fit your map. For GameMaker, follow Tiled’s GameMaker export instructions for your installed version.
- Set a separate import or conversion route for Godot and Unity. The official-source details covered here do not establish current, exact procedures for either engine. Select a current importer or converter that explicitly matches your engine version and required map features rather than assuming JSON is automatically compatible.
- Validate the result inside each destination. Check the map features you actually use, including tile placement, empty cells, flips, layer order, collisions, object layers, custom properties, animations, and external tileset references. Treat these as checks, not as a promise that every route transfers them identically.
Engine-specific considerations
Phaser
Phaser documentation describes importing Tiled JSON and parsing its layers and tilesets. The Phaser API documentation specifically warns that the ParseTilesets function does not support external tilesets represented with a source property; it produces a warning in that case. Account for that limitation when organizing tilesets and test the map in the Phaser version and workflow you intend to ship. Phaser tilemaps API
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Godot
No current, exact Godot import procedure is established by the official references cited here. Before building a pipeline around a particular importer or converter, confirm that it supports your Godot version and the map features you need, then test a representative map.
Unity
No current, exact Unity import procedure is established by the official references cited here either. Choose a workflow that explicitly supports your Unity version and validate its handling of your map’s layers, tilesets, objects, and other features before migrating a larger level set.
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GameMaker
Tiled provides a dedicated GameMaker export route, including a workflow involving room files and room.yy. Follow the instructions for the matching Tiled and GameMaker versions; do not assume that file-replacement or import steps remain identical across releases. Tiled’s GameMaker export instructions
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Why one export may not be enough
Format support and importer behavior are different questions. Tiled’s statement that generic JSON supports Tiled features describes the format; it does not establish identical implementation across Phaser, Godot, Unity, and GameMaker. Likewise, a destination may need referenced images or a compatible handling of external tilesets. Make the map portable by keeping assets organized, choosing a route per engine, and checking the features your project depends on after import.
Workflows are version-sensitive. The cited documentation includes version-specific material, including Phaser Editor v5 and Tiled 1.12.2 documentation, so check the linked instructions against the versions in your project rather than treating editor steps as universal.
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