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PICO-8
by PICO-8
What PICO-8 is
PICO-8 is a fantasy console for creating, sharing and playing compact games and other computer programs. Its built-in workspace brings together code, music, sound, sprite and map editors, and its cartridges are written in P8 Lua. The listed specifications include 256 8×8 sprites, a 128×32 tile map and a CPU rated at 4M VM instructions per second. Finished cartridges can be saved as PNG files, opened in a web cart player or exported as standalone HTML5, Windows, Mac and Linux apps. The SPLORE browser lets users search and favourite cartridges in an online collection. PICO-8 is available for Linux, macOS, Windows and the web, and users can also work with external editors through .p8 text files and plain-text .lua files. The paid PICO-8 plan is $14.99 a month and lists a 32k cartridge size, 128×128 display and 16 colours. Its browser-based Education Edition is free, includes editing tools and needs no account, but requires a keyboard and omits exporters and the cartridge browser. Each copy includes a site-wide license for one educational organisation. Purchases include future updates and email help from the maker.
Who it suits
PICO-8 suits people who want a compact environment for making and sharing small games, with tools for code, graphics, sound and maps in one console. Its Education Edition and organisation-wide school license also suit educators, workshops and public libraries.
What it does well
- Built-in tools cover code, music, sound, sprites and maps.
- Cartridges can be shared as PNG files or through a web player.
- Exports include standalone HTML5, Windows, Mac and Linux apps.
- SPLORE supports searching and favouriting online cartridges.
- Each copy includes a site-wide license for one educational organisation.
What to know first
- The free Education Edition has no exporters or cartridge browser.
- The Education Edition requires a keyboard.
- The paid PICO-8 plan costs $14.99 a month.
Limits
The free browser-based Education Edition requires a keyboard and does not include exporters or the cartridge browser. The PICO-8 plan is $14.99 a month and lists a 32k cartridge size, 128×128 display and 16 colours.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| PICO-8 Education Edition | Free to use in a web browser; page does not state a billing frequency. · Requires a keyboard · No exporters or cartridge browser | Free |
| PICO-8 | One-time purchase; page does not state billing frequency. · 32k cartridge size · 128×128 display · 16 colours · 4-channel sound | $14.99, paid once |
As lexaloffle.com lists them, read 7 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Visit the PICO-8 website.
- Choose the PICO-8 plan or the browser-based Education Edition.
- For the Education Edition, use a keyboard; no account is required.
- Use the built-in editing tools to create a cartridge in P8 Lua.
- Save a cartridge as a PNG, share it through the web cart player, or export it as a standalone app.
Verdict
Choose PICO-8 for a small game-making environment that combines code, art, sound and map tools with cartridge sharing and exports. Educators can use the free browser-based Education Edition, while projects that need exporters or the cartridge browser require another edition.
Questions
How much does PICO-8 cost?
The PICO-8 plan costs $14.99 a month. A free browser-based Education Edition is also available.
What does the Education Edition include?
It includes editing tools and can be used without an account. It requires a keyboard and omits exporters and the cartridge browser.
Which platforms does PICO-8 support?
PICO-8 is available on Linux, macOS, Windows and the web.
Can educators use PICO-8 at school?
Each copy includes a site-wide license for an educational organisation, covering its machines. Registered educators can also buy take-home license keys in blocks of 10 or more at $3 per license.
What can I do with a finished cartridge?
You can save it as a PNG, share it through a web cart player, or export it as a standalone HTML5, Windows, Mac or Linux app.
Facts from PICO-8's own pages
- Built-in tools
- The console includes tools for editing code, music, sound, sprites and maps. · lexaloffle.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Cartridge sharing
- Cartridges can be saved as .png files, shared through a web cart player, or exported as standalone HTML5, Windows, Mac and Linux apps. · lexaloffle.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Community and learning resources
- The maker lists forums, community channels, a user manual, tutorials and a community wiki as resources. · lexaloffle.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Education Edition limits
- The browser-based Education Edition includes editing tools but omits exporters and the cartridge browser, and it does not require an account. · lexaloffle.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Education licensing
- Each copy includes a site-wide license for schools, workshops, public libraries and similar educational spaces, covering any number of machines belonging to one educational organisation. · lexaloffle.com, 7 Oct 2026
- External editors
- The FAQ says users can use an external editor with .p8 text files and include plain-text .lua files in cartridges. · lexaloffle.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 2002 · lexaloffle.com, 28 Sept 2026
- Free plan
- Yes · lexaloffle.com, 21 Sept 2026
- Headquarters
- Tokyo, Japan · lexaloffle.com, 28 Sept 2026
- Maker and location
- Lexaloffle says it is the home of computer games and fantasy consoles made by Joseph White and is located at Pico Pico Cafe in Kichijoji, Tokyo. · lexaloffle.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Programming language
- PICO-8 cartridges use P8 Lua. · lexaloffle.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- PICO-8 is a fantasy console for making, sharing and playing tiny games and other computer programs. · lexaloffle.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Security and compliance
- The educator page describes the installation files as DRM-free; the maker pages opened provide no security certification or compliance claim. · lexaloffle.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Specifications
- The listed specifications include 256 8×8 sprites, a 128×32 tile map and a 4M VM instructions-per-second CPU. · lexaloffle.com, 7 Oct 2026
- SPLORE
- The built-in SPLORE browser lets users search and favourite cartridges in the online collection. · lexaloffle.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Support and updates
- The purchase page says buyers receive access to all future updates and can email the maker for help. · lexaloffle.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Take-home licenses
- Registered educators can buy take-home license keys in blocks of 10 or more at $3 per license; each key can be redeemed once and includes DRM-free downloads and updates. · lexaloffle.com, 7 Oct 2026
Where PICO-8 stands on Freedom251
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