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Pygame
What Pygame is
Pygame is a free, open-source Python library for creating multimedia applications, including games, on top of SDL. It provides 2D graphics and animation tools for images, rectangles, and polygon shapes, plus playback and manipulation of WAV, MP3, and OGG sound. Developers can handle keyboard, mouse, and joystick input, and use collision detection and sprite management in game projects. Documented modules cover display, drawing, events, fonts, images, joystick, keyboard, mouse, mixer, sprites, and timing. Pygame runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android, with mobile export available. It requires Python and SDL, along with libraries used by particular modules; NumPy is required for surfarray. Installation is recommended through pip, with source compilation available when no wheel exists. Python 2 is unsupported, and some modules are unavailable on every platform. The project is licensed under GNU LGPL 2.1 and permits closed-source and commercial games.
Who it suits
Pygame suits Python developers building 2D games or other multimedia applications across desktop and Android platforms. It is also useful for developers who want documented modules, tutorials, examples, and an open-source license.
What it does well
- Free plan and open-source distribution
- 2D graphics, animation, sound, and input tools
- Collision detection and sprite management included
- Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android
- Commercial and closed-source games allowed
What to know first
- Requires Python and SDL dependencies
- Python 2 is no longer supported
- Some modules are unavailable on certain platforms
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Pygame | Free and open source library | Free |
As pygame.org lists them, read 11 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
Pygame provides a broad set of Python and SDL tools for 2D multimedia projects, with support for desktop systems and Android. Its dependency requirements and uneven module availability across platforms are important when planning installation.
Facts from Pygame's own pages
- 2D graphics
- Pygame provides tools for 2D graphics and animation, including images, rectangles, and polygon shapes. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Dependencies
- Pygame depends on Python and SDL; its modules also use libraries including SDL_ttf, SDL_mixer, and SDL_image, while NumPy is required for surfarray. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Documentation and support
- The project provides tutorials, reference documentation, examples, a bug tracker, and communication tools for getting in touch with the team. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Free plan
- Yes · github.com, 21 Sept 2026
- Game tools
- The library includes collision detection and sprite management features. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Input
- Pygame provides functions for handling keyboard, mouse, and joystick input. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Installation
- The installation guide recommends installing Pygame with pip and says it can compile from source if a wheel is unavailable for the platform. · pygame.org, 11 Oct 2026
- License
- Pygame is distributed under GNU LGPL version 2.1, and the project states that closed-source and commercial games are allowed. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Mobile export
- Yes · github.com, 21 Sept 2026
- Modules
- Its documented modules include display, drawing, events, fonts, images, joystick, keyboard, mouse, mixer, sprites, and timing. · pygame.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Notable limitation
- The documentation notes that some Pygame modules are not included on all platforms. · pygame.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Platform support
- The installation guide lists wheels for Linux and Windows x86 and x64, and Mac x64 and arm64; it also provides platform-specific instructions for Windows, Mac, and Unix distributions. · pygame.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Pygame is a Python library for making multimedia applications such as games, built on SDL. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Python requirement
- Pygame requires Python; the installation guide recommends using the latest Python version and says Python 2 is no longer supported. · pygame.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Scripting languages
- Python · github.com, 21 Sept 2026
- Sound
- Pygame supports playing and manipulating sound and music, including WAV, MP3, and OGG formats. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Source code model
- open_source · github.com, 21 Sept 2026
- Target platforms
- Windows,macOS,Linux,Android · github.com, 21 Sept 2026
Where Pygame stands on Freedom251
- Game Engine Software#34 of 92