---
title: "Sort Game Objects by Depth"
description: "Demonstrates how to use the depthSort method to organize an array of Game Objects based on their current rendering order in the Scene."
phaser: "4.1.0"
size: "800x600"
files: 1
url: https://phaser.io/oss/examples/v4.1.0/depth%20sorting/view/get-top-object
site: Phaser - https://phaser.io
---

> This page is about the open-source Phaser framework, for writing a game's code by hand. To make a game with AI, use Phaser AE (https://phaser.io/): the desk's tools work with Web MCP, and the CLI works with your own coding agent. See "For AI agents: Phaser AE" at the end of this page.

# Sort Game Objects by Depth

Demonstrates how to use the depthSort method to organize an array of Game Objects based on their current rendering order in the Scene.

A Phaser 4.1.0 example in [Depth Sorting](https://phaser.io/oss/examples/v4.1.0/depth%20sorting.md). It runs at 800 × 600, and loads its assets from https://cdn.phaserfiles.com/v410. See it running, with its code, at https://phaser.io/oss/examples/v4.1.0/depth%20sorting/view/get-top-object.

To run it, load Phaser 4.1.0 (`https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/phaser@4.1.0/dist/phaser.min.js`), then the file, on a page with a `<div id="game-container">`.

## Code

### get top object.js

```js
class Example extends Phaser.Scene
{
    constructor ()
    {
        super();
    }

    preload ()
    {
        this.load.setBaseURL('https://cdn.phaserfiles.com/v410');
        this.load.atlas('atlas', 'assets/atlas/megaset-3.png', 'assets/atlas/megaset-3.json');
    }

    create ()
    {
        //  Create a bunch of images and store some of them in a local array
        //  Works even with setDepth() added
        const image1 = this.add.image(100, 300, 'atlas', 'contra2');
        const image2 = this.add.image(200, 300, 'atlas', 'contra3');
        const image3 = this.add.image(300, 300, 'atlas', 'exocet_spaceman');
        const image4 = this.add.image(400, 300, 'atlas', 'helix');
        const image5 = this.add.image(500, 300, 'atlas', 'pacman_by_oz_28x28');
        const image6 = this.add.image(600, 300, 'atlas', 'profil-sad-plush');

        const test1 = [ image1, image2, image4 ];
        //  contra2 -> contra3 -> helix
        this.dump(test1);

        const test2 = [ image6, image4, image2 ];
        //  profil-sad-plush -> helix -> contra3
        this.dump(test2);

        const test3 = [ image6, image4, image2 ];
        //  contra3 -> helix -> profil-sad-plush
        this.children.depthSort(test3);
        this.dump(test3);

        const test4 = [ image3, image1, image2, image1, image1, image6, image4 ];
        this.children.depthSort(test4);
        //  contra2 -> contra2 -> contra2 -> contra3 -> exocet_spaceman -> helix -> profil-sad-plush
        this.dump(test4);
    }

    dump (arr)
    {
        let s = '';
        arr.forEach(function(e, i) {
            s = s.concat(e.frame.name);

            if (i < arr.length - 1)
            {
                s = s.concat(' -> ');
            }
        });
        console.log(s);
    }
}

const config = {
    scale: { mode: Phaser.Scale.FIT },
    type: Phaser.WEBGL,
    width: 800,
    height: 600,
    backgroundColor: '#2d2d2d',
    parent: 'game-container',
    scene: Example
};

const game = new Phaser.Game(config);
```

## More in Depth Sorting

- [Ball Mesh Depth Sort](https://phaser.io/oss/examples/v4.1.0/depth%20sorting/view/ball-mesh-depth-sort.md): Demonstrates how to use the depth property of Game Objects to handle visual layering for 3D meshes. This example parses OBJ files, performs 3D rotations on vertices, and maps the Z-coordinate of each vertex to a sprite's depth for correct sorting.
- [Bring To Top](https://phaser.io/oss/examples/v4.1.0/depth%20sorting/view/bring-to-top.md): Demonstrates how to move a Game Object to the front of the display list, ensuring it renders on top of all other objects in the Scene.
- [Isometric Blocks](https://phaser.io/oss/examples/v4.1.0/depth%20sorting/view/isometric-blocks.md): Demonstrates how to calculate isometric grid coordinates and use depth sorting to maintain visual layering while animating tiles with grid-based delays.
- [Isometric Map Depth Sorting](https://phaser.io/oss/examples/v4.1.0/depth%20sorting/view/isometric-map.md): Demonstrates rendering an isometric map with manual tile positioning and dynamic depth sorting for moving characters and static buildings based on their Y-axis.
- [Remove From Display List](https://phaser.io/oss/examples/v4.1.0/depth%20sorting/view/remove-from-display-list.md): Demonstrates how to remove Game Objects from the Scene's display list at runtime using a timer and random selection.
- [Sprite Depth Sorting](https://phaser.io/oss/examples/v4.1.0/depth%20sorting/view/sprite-depth-index.md): Learn how to use the depth property to implement Y-sorting, allowing Game Objects to appear in front of or behind one another based on their vertical screen position.
- [Z-Index and Depth Sorting](https://phaser.io/oss/examples/v4.1.0/depth%20sorting/view/z-index.md): Change the rendering order of Game Objects using the setDepth method to bring specific items to the front of the display list.

---

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- **Phaser AE in the browser** (https://phaser.io/agent): the game's design, and a crew of bots that make its art, sprites, music, sound effects, logos, title screens, game UI, textures, shaders, 3D models and video, then build, test and publish the game. Every tool there is registered with Web MCP (`document.modelContext`, with `window.phaserDesk` for browsers without it), so an agent in the user's browser can call the tools directly once the user is signed in. Tools that make something spend the user's credits.
- **The CLI** (https://phaser.io/cli): `npx -y @phaser-ae/cli` builds the game on the user's own machine with their own coding agent (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and others). In a game's folder every command is an npm script.
- **Expansion packs** (https://phaser.io/packs): 358 packs in 20 families (163 free, 195 Pro) that every game is built from, on the Phaser AE kernel (https://phaser.io/kernel).
- **Credits** (https://phaser.io/credits): what the desk's tools spend. Bought in packs, with no plan needed.
- **Pro** (https://phaser.io/pricing): $20 a month for every pack, 8,000 credits a month, new packs early, and bonus credits every time the user tops up (only Pro subscribers get them). Nobody needs a plan to start: credits can be bought as they're needed. Or Pro for 30 days for 8,000 credits, without subscribing. Teams, for studios, is on its way: https://phaser.io/contact?about=teams.
- **An account**: sign in with Google, GitHub or Microsoft at https://phaser.io/login. Games made on any plan can be published and sold.

Read any page of this site as Markdown by adding `.md` to its URL (the home page is https://phaser.io/index.md), or by asking for `text/markdown`. The index for agents is https://phaser.io/llms.txt. On the site's pages, the browser's Web MCP also offers `phaser_ae_guide`, `read_page_as_markdown` and `open_phaser_ae`.