PICO-8 Alternatives

PICO-8 is described as 'Lua based fantasy console for programming, sharing and playing tiny games and other computer programs. The app boots to a shell prompt with easy access to scores of game building tools' and is a game development tool in the development category. There are more than 25 alternatives to PICO-8 for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Linux, Mac, Web-based and Self-Hosted apps. The best PICO-8 alternative is Godot Engine, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like PICO-8 are LÖVE, TIC-80, Xogot and Pixel Vision 8.

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PICO-8 alternatives page was last updated

Alternatives list

  1. Drag[en]gine icon
     1 like
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    A free software game engine focusing on developing games faster, more modular and stable with true -1 day portability support.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Windows
    • Haiku
     
  2. LowRes NX icon
     4 likes
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    LowRes NX is a simulated retro game console which can be programmed in the classic BASIC language. Make your own retro games on a virtual game console. Create sprites, tile maps, sound and music with the included tools.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • iPhone
    • iPad
     
  3. LunarEngine icon
     1 like
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    LunarEngine (formerly Librebox) is an open-source game engine powered by Luau. It delivers a sandbox-style API and development model inspired by popular sandbox engines, so existing Luau code runs with minimal changes.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Windows
     
  4. BASIC8 icon
     3 likes
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    BASIC8 is an integrated Fantasy Computer. Create, share and play disks in a modern BASIC dialect. Use built-in tools like sprite, tile and map editor to develop games fast while having fun with retro aesthetics.

    25 BASIC8 alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Pay once
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Steam
     
    • BASIC8 is the most popular commercial alternative to PICO-8.

    • BASIC8 is Paid and ProprietaryPICO-8 is Freemium and Proprietary
  5. Picotron icon
     1 like
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    Picotron is a Fantasy Workstation: a self-contained creative environment built for imaginary hardware. Create cute Lua apps that can be run inside Picotron as windowed userland processes, shared as cartridge files, or exported to stand-alone HTML apps.

    Cost / License

    • Pay once
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Raspberry Pi
     
  6. FUZE4 icon
     1 like
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    FUZE4 Nintendo Switch is a coding application for Nintendo Switch. It has been designed and developed by a team of experienced gamers, programmers, artists and educators. The end result is a language ideally suited to coding games and apps for absolute beginners and seasoned...

    Cost / License

    • Pay once
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Nintendo Switch
     
  7. LIKO-12 icon
     3 likes
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    LIKO-12 is a fantasy console built with the LÖVE game engine. It's similar to PICO-8 but it's open-source and provides a different API and larger screen width.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Windows
     
  8. MEG-4 icon
     1 like
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    MEG-4 (pronouned as "MEGA", 'meg?) is a free and open-source, virtual fantasy game console. It's similar to PICO-8 and TIC-80, but simpler to use, more featureful, and much more performant.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Self-Hosted
     
  9. Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Develop your programming skills by quickly creating and modding retro arcade games with Blocks, JavaScript and Python in the online MakeCode editor, the offline app or your own local pxt-arcade server.

    32 Microsoft MakeCode Arcade alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
     
  10. Zany80 icon
     2 likes
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    ZANY80 is a fantasy console built around the Zilog Z80 processor (used in the classic Spectrum Z80 computer).

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
     
  11. Riko4 icon
     2 likes
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    Riko4 is a Fantasy Console intended as a tool for pixel art game development. Built with Lua and SDL2.

    22 Riko4 alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
     
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