Design Inspiration
Game UI Database Alternatives: 4 Game UI Reference Sites (2026)
Game UI Database and four other places to study game interfaces: Interface In Game, HUDS+GUIS, Dribbble's game UI tag and GDC Vault, by what each one is good for.
Game UI Database is the reference most game UI designers start with. Its homepage counts 1,988 games, 79,206 screens and 2,554 videos, broken down by screen type: title and settings menus, HUDs, inventories, maps, pause and game-over screens. You can search games, filters and screens, search by a hex colour, and search the text inside the screenshots. It is free to browse, with a daily-updates feed of newly added games.
People look further when they want a second set of eyes on the same problem: a smaller set that is quicker to scan, fictional sci-fi interfaces rather than shipped games, concept work for a visual style, or the reasoning behind a design rather than the screen itself. None of the four below replaces Game UI Database; each covers something it does not.
Checked 5 November 2026 on each site.
| Site | Best for | Size (own claim) | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interface In Game | A smaller curated set of shipped games | 405 games | Free |
| HUDS+GUIS | Sci-fi HUDs and film interfaces | Not stated | Free to read |
| Dribbble, Game UI tag | Visual style and concept shots | 5,000+ designs | Free to browse |
| GDC Vault | Talks on why a UI was designed that way | Thousands of sessions | Some free; most for subscribers |
1. Interface In Game — a smaller, curated library
Best for: browsing a curated set of shipped games when Game UI Database feels like too much.
Interface In Game catalogues 405 game interfaces screen by screen; filter by genre, platform or interface type. It is smaller than Game UI Database and has no colour or in-image text search, but it is quicker to scan and also publishes articles. The library is free.
Official site: interfaceingame.com.
2. HUDS+GUIS — fictional and sci-fi interfaces
Best for: holographic HUDs, cockpits and screen graphics, mostly from film and TV, with some games.
HUDS+GUIS is an editorial blog, not a database: curated posts on fictional user interfaces (FUI), tagged by things like cockpit, holographic, map, schematics or targeting. Use it when you are designing a sci-fi HUD and want references beyond games. Posts are free to read.
Official site: hudsandguis.com.
3. Dribbble's Game UI tag — concept work and visual style
Best for: exploring visual styles, icons and mobile game screens from designers' portfolios.
Dribbble's Game UI tag holds 5,000+ designs. These are concepts and portfolio shots, not screenshots of shipped games, so treat them as style references rather than proof that a layout works in play. There is no filter by screen type or platform. Browsing is free.
4. GDC Vault — the reasoning behind shipped UIs
Best for: learning why a game's interface was designed the way it was.
GDC Vault is the archive of recorded Game Developers Conference talks, thousands of sessions across every games discipline, browsable by event and year. It does not catalogue screens; it explains decisions, from HUD readability to menu flow. A free-content section is open to everyone; the rest is for subscribers.
How to choose
- A specific screen (a settings menu, a loadout, a game-over screen): Game UI Database first, then Interface In Game.
- Motion and transitions: Game UI Database's videos.
- A sci-fi or diegetic HUD: HUDS+GUIS.
- A visual style for a pitch or a mobile game: Dribbble's Game UI tag.
- The why, not the what: GDC Vault.
For interface patterns outside games, our UI pattern and component galleries guide covers the web and mobile side.
FAQ
Is Game UI Database free?
Yes, browsing and searching are free. It holds 1,988 games and 79,206 screens as of November 2026.
What is the best alternative to Game UI Database?
Interface In Game, the closest match: screenshots of shipped games, organized by interface type, genre and platform. It is smaller, with 405 games.
Where can I find sci-fi HUD references?
HUDS+GUIS collects fictional interfaces from film, TV and games, tagged by element such as cockpit, holographic or targeting.
Can I search Game UI Database by colour?
Yes. Enter a hex code to find screens that use that colour, or search the text inside screenshots.