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You can use Tiled as a map-authoring hub, but there is no documented one-click export that guarantees the same map will work unchanged in Phaser, Godot, Unity, and GameMaker. Tiled’s generic JSON is the best-supported general interchange option here, Phaser documents Tiled JSON input, and Tiled provides a separate GameMaker export. For Godot and Unity, choose an importer or conversion workflow that matches your engine version and validate the features your map uses.
What one map can—and cannot—mean across engines
Tiled can author a map and export it in several formats, but each game engine interprets map data through its own importer or runtime code. An export file is therefore not a promise that every layer, object, property, animation, tileset reference, or collision will behave identically in every destination. Treat this as a shared source-map workflow, then validate the result in each engine.
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Tiled documents generic JSON, Lua, and CSV output, plus a GameMaker-specific export option. Its generic JSON format is described as supporting all Tiled features and as an alternative to TMX; JSON is particularly convenient for browser and JavaScript projects. Tiled generic export formats and Tiled export formats explain the available options.
Choose an export route
| Route | What the documentation establishes | Best fit and caution |
|---|---|---|
| Tiled JSON | Tiled describes JSON as supporting all Tiled features. Phaser documents Tiled JSON input and parsing of map layers and tilesets. Tiled JSON documentation; Phaser Tilemap workflow | Strong general choice when Phaser or a JavaScript workflow is involved. The receiving engine still needs a compatible importer. |
| Tiled CSV | CSV export represents tile layers only. Multiple tile layers export as separate files; numeric IDs can be ambiguous with multiple tilesets unless custom tile names are used. Tiled generic export formats | Use when a simple tile-grid representation is sufficient. Do not expect it to carry object layers or the full map feature set. |
| Tiled GameMaker export | Tiled documents a GameMaker-specific route that produces room files and includes a workflow involving room.yy. Tiled GameMaker export |
Use the instructions that match the GameMaker version installed; the documented steps are version-sensitive. |
| Godot or Unity importer/converter | A current official import procedure is not established here for either engine. | Select a version-compatible importer or conversion workflow, then confirm its supported map features before adopting it. |
Set up the source map and export
- Keep the source organized. Save the map in Tiled and keep its tileset images and related map files together. This makes references easier to track when you import or convert the map elsewhere.
- Choose a route for the destination. For Phaser, the documented Phaser Editor workflow uses a Tiled JSON map with imported tileset images. For a tile-grid-only pipeline, CSV may be adequate, subject to its layer and tileset limits. For GameMaker, follow Tiled’s dedicated GameMaker instructions for your installed version.
- Import or convert using a matching tool. For Godot and Unity, identify an importer or converter intended for your engine release. Check its documentation for the Tiled features and file references it supports rather than assuming a generic format is accepted directly.
- Validate in the destination project. Compare the imported result with the Tiled source, checking the map features that matter to your game.
Check Phaser’s tileset handling
Phaser’s tilemap documentation covers loading Tiled JSON and parsing its layers and tilesets. However, the Phaser API documentation for ParseTilesets says external tilesets represented by a source property are unsupported by that function and produce a warning. If your map references external tilesets, confirm that your specific Phaser loading path handles them; do not assume this parser will resolve them. See the Phaser tilemaps API.
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What to verify after import
Do a feature-by-feature comparison in every engine you intend to ship with. Prioritize the parts of the map your game actually uses:
- Tile placement and empty cells: Check that grid positions, gaps, and blank areas remain as intended.
- Flips and layer order: Look for mirrored or rotated tiles and confirm foreground, background, and overlapping layers render in the right order.
- Collisions and object layers: Verify collision shapes, object positions, and any gameplay objects are available to the engine code that needs them.
- Properties and animations: Confirm custom metadata and animated tiles are preserved or deliberately recreated in the destination.
- Tileset references: Check image paths, embedded versus external tilesets, and tile IDs. This is especially important for Phaser external tileset references and for CSV maps using multiple tilesets.
These are validation targets, not a claim that all five tools transfer every feature identically. The relevant editor and engine documentation is version-sensitive: the cited Tiled pages identify Tiled 1.12.2 documentation, while the Phaser Editor workflow is for Phaser Editor v5. Confirm behavior against the releases you use.
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