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 Mini Micro.

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Alternatives list

  1. Drag[en]gine icon
     1 like

    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 (MIT)

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Windows
    • Haiku
     
  2. LunarEngine icon
     1 like

    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 (MIT)

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Windows
     
  3. WASM-4 icon
     5 likes

    WASM-4 is a low-level fantasy game console for building small games with WebAssembly. Game cartridges (ROMs) are small, self-contained .wasm files that can be built with any programming language that compiles to WebAssembly.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
     
  4. LowRes NX icon
     4 likes

    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
     
  5. Picotron icon
     1 like

    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

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Raspberry Pi
     
  6. BASIC8 icon
     3 likes

    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.

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Steam
     
  7. 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 (MIT)

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
     
  8. FUZE4 icon
     1 like

    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...

    12 FUZE4 alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Nintendo Switch
     
  9. MEG-4 icon
     1 like

    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.

    22 MEG-4 alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Self-Hosted
     
  10. LIKO-12 icon
     3 likes

    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
     
  11. VectorBoy icon
     2 likes

    VectorBoy is a fantasy console that can be used to play your own games written in the LUA scripting language. Unlike other systems of its kind, it doesn't use pixels to display graphics. Instead, the screen displays straight lines to form graphics of all kinds.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
     
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