# PICO-8 the retro fantasy console **URL:** \ **Category:** Video Games\ **Created:** [December 18, 2021, 1:04pm UTC](https://www.retrogameboards.com/t/pico-8-the-retro-fantasy-console/2542 "2021-12-18T13:04:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![matt](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/www.retrogameboards.com/matt/32/13124_2.png) [@matt](https://www.retrogameboards.com/u/matt)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 1:04pm UTC](https://www.retrogameboards.com/t/pico-8-the-retro-fantasy-console/2542/1 "2021-12-18T13:04:29Z")
> PICO-8 (or ピコ-8 in Japanese) 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. The goal of this is to spur one’s creativity and ingenuity in producing games, and avoid being overwhelmed with the many possibilities of modern tools and machines. Such a design also allows PICO-8 games to have a familiar look and feel. > > Notable games released for the system include the original version of _[Celeste](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celeste_(video_game))_ > **[PICO-8 Fantasy Console](https://www.lexaloffle.com/pico-8.php)** > > PICO-8 is a fantasy console for making, sharing and playing tiny games and other computer programs. - Paid: to create or play games in pico-8 app - Free: to play games in browser ## Specifications | **Display** | | 128x128 16 colours | | --- | --- | --- | | **Cartridge Size** | | 32k | | **Sound** | | 4 channel chip blerps | | **Code** | | Lua | | **Sprites** | | 256 8x8 sprites | | **Map** | | 128x32 cels | | | | | The harsh limitations of PICO-8 are carefully chosen to be fun to work with, to encourage small but expressive designs, and to give cartridges made with PICO-8 their own particular look and feel. [![](https://www.lexaloffle.com/gfx/p8_tracker.gif)](https://www.lexaloffle.com/gfx/p8_tracker.gif) ## Creative Tools PICO-8 has tools for editing **code** , **music** , **sound** , **sprites** , **maps** built right into the console. Create a whole game or program in one sitting without needing to leave the cosy development environment! [![](https://www.lexaloffle.com/gfx/jelpi.p8.png)](https://www.lexaloffle.com/gfx/jelpi.p8.png) ## Shareable Cartridges PICO-8 cartridges can be saved in a special .png format and sent directly to other users, shared with anyone via a web cart player, or exported to stand-alone HTML5, Windows, Mac and Linux apps. Any cartridge can be opened again in PICO-8, letting you peek inside to modify or study the code, graphics and sound. [![](https://www.lexaloffle.com/gfx/p8_splore.gif)](https://www.lexaloffle.com/gfx/p8_splore.gif) ## Explore the Cartverse PICO-8 comes with a built-in cartridge browser called SPLORE, for searching and favouriting carts from the online collection. [![](https://www.lexaloffle.com/gfx/bbs_cube.gif)](https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?cat=7) ## Community Resources PICO-8 has a friendly community of users collaborating, sharing knowledge and creating tools, snippets and tutorials. Check out what people are up to on the [forums](https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?cat=7), [twitter](https://twitter.com/search?q=%23pico8&src=typd), and [other places](https://www.lexaloffle.com/pico-8.php?page=resources#community). [![](https://www.lexaloffle.com/gfx/pi_tv_1.jpg) ](https://www.lexaloffle.com/gfx/pi_tv_1.jpg) ## Just Add Hardware PICO-8 is tiny to download, easy to install, and will run on almost anything! To use PICO-8, you’ll need either Windows, a Mac, Linux (i386 / amd64), or a Raspbery Pi (pictured) with ~700MHz CPU. Turn your old unused netbooks or microcomputers into PICO-8s! ---
**Author:** ![matt](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/www.retrogameboards.com/matt/32/13124_2.png) [@matt](https://www.retrogameboards.com/u/matt)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 1:08pm UTC](https://www.retrogameboards.com/t/pico-8-the-retro-fantasy-console/2542/2 "2021-12-18T13:08:55Z")
I just got a GAMEFORCE CHI - one of the cheap Chinese handhelds powered by the Rockchip RK3326. It can run RetroArch well for everything up to PS1, but the main reason for me buying it is to play PICO-8 games. They can also be played in your browser, or the pico-8 apps, but it’s much nicer to have a physical handheld device to play them. Feels like a lost GBA era console. Here are some favourites: - [Alfonzo's Bowling Challenge](https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=34959) [![](https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/thumbs/pico8_abc-0.png)](https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=34959) ---
**Author:** ![retroman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/www.retrogameboards.com/retroman/32/25205_2.png) [@retroman](https://www.retrogameboards.com/u/retroman)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2021, 1:06am UTC](https://www.retrogameboards.com/t/pico-8-the-retro-fantasy-console/2542/3 "2021-12-19T01:06:14Z")
I used to create games in Game Maker, but I haven’t done that in ages. Lately I’m getting the urge to make games again, though, and PICO-8 might just be the tool that could reinvigorate my creativity. It’s such a charming concept. ---
**Author:** ![matt](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/www.retrogameboards.com/matt/32/13124_2.png) [@matt](https://www.retrogameboards.com/u/matt)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2021, 1:12am UTC](https://www.retrogameboards.com/t/pico-8-the-retro-fantasy-console/2542/4 "2021-12-19T01:12:18Z")
Jump in! ---
**Author:** ![matt](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/www.retrogameboards.com/matt/32/13124_2.png) [@matt](https://www.retrogameboards.com/u/matt)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2021, 1:13am UTC](https://www.retrogameboards.com/t/pico-8-the-retro-fantasy-console/2542/5 "2021-12-19T01:13:05Z")
Another great one pakpok [https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=35326](https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=35326) ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/retrogameboards/original/3X/f/8/f88a3d88e026e9184aebd9b057e1c45edc56e4a7.png) ---
**Author:** ![retroman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/www.retrogameboards.com/retroman/32/25205_2.png) [@retroman](https://www.retrogameboards.com/u/retroman)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2021, 1:28am UTC](https://www.retrogameboards.com/t/pico-8-the-retro-fantasy-console/2542/6 "2021-12-19T01:28:47Z")
Oh my, this game is brilliant! ---
**Author:** ![D.Lo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/www.retrogameboards.com/d.lo/32/4116_2.png) [@D.Lo](https://www.retrogameboards.com/u/D.Lo)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2021, 4:41am UTC](https://www.retrogameboards.com/t/pico-8-the-retro-fantasy-console/2542/7 "2021-12-19T04:41:58Z")
Celeste got me interested in it, was hoping someone would make the actual console at some point. Like, standalone and branded. ---
**Author:** ![petpolitics](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/www.retrogameboards.com/petpolitics/32/7604_2.png) [@petpolitics](https://www.retrogameboards.com/u/petpolitics)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2021, 5:20am UTC](https://www.retrogameboards.com/t/pico-8-the-retro-fantasy-console/2542/8 "2021-12-19T05:20:48Z")
I made a few games for this in the past year or so. I love the limitations and the ease of publishing games. My most fully featured game is a port of an old 68k Mac shareware game called “Siege of Darkwood”: [Siege of Darkwood](https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=39157) My most recent project was a meat boy style platformer (just to see if I could) called “Rab Bab”: [Rab Bab](https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=40832) And early on I did a game jam where you make something based off a random game name generator (hosted by Tom Hall from id fame): [striking\_thunder](https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=38135) Currently I’m designing (on paper) how a game based on Fantasy Hockey might work. At this stage it’s probably going to have too much scope to fit in a pico8 game but I’ll still probably give it a crack. ---
**Author:** ![petpolitics](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/www.retrogameboards.com/petpolitics/32/7604_2.png) [@petpolitics](https://www.retrogameboards.com/u/petpolitics)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2021, 7:19am UTC](https://www.retrogameboards.com/t/pico-8-the-retro-fantasy-console/2542/9 "2021-12-19T07:19:44Z")
The discord is very active and helpful too: [PICO-8](https://discord.gg/xDPSwGRWXA) ---
**Author:** ![Yakumo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/www.retrogameboards.com/yakumo/32/1538_2.png) [@Yakumo](https://www.retrogameboards.com/u/Yakumo)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2021, 11:09pm UTC](https://www.retrogameboards.com/t/pico-8-the-retro-fantasy-console/2542/10 "2021-12-19T23:09:29Z")
Oh, so this is Pico 8. The RG-351MP I recently reviewed had a Pico 8 section. I wondered what that was about. Looks like something I’d enjoy messing about with. ---
**Author:** ![matt](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/www.retrogameboards.com/matt/32/13124_2.png) [@matt](https://www.retrogameboards.com/u/matt)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2021, 11:20pm UTC](https://www.retrogameboards.com/t/pico-8-the-retro-fantasy-console/2542/11 "2021-12-19T23:20:03Z")
Tons of great games. ---
**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/www.retrogameboards.com/codinghorror/32/16647_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://www.retrogameboards.com/u/codinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2021, 8:48pm UTC](https://www.retrogameboards.com/t/pico-8-the-retro-fantasy-console/2542/12 "2021-12-26T20:48:41Z")
Yeah the pico8 is awesome. Can you post pics of your device @matt I am curious what hardware offers the best handheld pico8 experience per dollar? ---
**Author:** ![matt](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/www.retrogameboards.com/matt/32/13124_2.png) [@matt](https://www.retrogameboards.com/u/matt)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2021, 10:31pm UTC](https://www.retrogameboards.com/t/pico-8-the-retro-fantasy-console/2542/13 "2021-12-26T22:31:39Z")
I bought this one for: - built in wifi (for pico8 SPLORE downloader) - 640x480 screen (good for most retro platforms) - twin analog sticks (for PlayStation emulation) Pico8 doesn’t fit exactly vertically at 480p, but it’s scaled using supersampling (up to way bigger and down to 480p) so looks very good. I’ve also been playing PS1 and DOS games on it. No problems. Hardware is decent but obviously not Nintendo levels of quality control or ergonomics. There’s a spreadsheet of all these Chinese handhelds with all their specs that should help you pick your poison. [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1irg60f9qsZOkhp0cwOU7Cy4rJQeyusEUzTNQzhoTYTU](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1irg60f9qsZOkhp0cwOU7Cy4rJQeyusEUzTNQzhoTYTU) GameForce Chi running Poom (pico8 doom equivalent) ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/retrogameboards/original/3X/c/f/cfe5d976e0fed576a99b9aa0e452be60943baace.jpeg) ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/retrogameboards/original/3X/e/5/e5457d248f1d4338f675dc05bae6969967f9d190.jpeg)