PICO-8
PICO-8 is a virtual machine and game engine created by Lexaloffle Games. It is a fantasy video game console that mimics the limited graphical and sound capabilities of 8-bit systems of the 1980s to encourage creativity and ingenuity in producing games without being overwhelmed with the many possibilities of modern tools and machines. Such limitations also give PICO-8 games a particular look and feel.
Screenshot A PICO-8 game being played. | |
| Developer(s) | Lexaloffle Games |
|---|---|
| Initial release | April 2015 |
| Stable release | 0.2.5g
/ 6 February 2023 |
| Operating system | Windows, Mac OS, Linux |
| Platform | PC, Raspberry Pi, HTML5 (player only) |
| Included with | PocketCHIP |
| Available in | English, Japanese |
| Type | Virtual machine, game engine |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | lexaloffle |
Coding on the PICO-8 is accomplished through a Lua-based environment, in which users can create music, sound effects, sprites, maps, and games.
Users are able to export their games as HTML5 web games or upload their creations to Lexaloffle's official BBS where other users are able to play the games in a web browser, and view the source code. PICO-8 games can also be exported as executable programs, which will run on Windows, macOS, or Linux.
Notable games released for the system include the original version of Celeste, which was created in four days as part of a game jam.