A Blast from the Past
For every game programmer, having access to the development kit offered by their chosen platform is an invaluable resource. However, if the game you want to create is relatively simple, you might not need to work on actual hardware. PICO-8 is a tool presented as a virtual console, but at the same time it's a complete development environment where you can create and run your own games, as well as edit things like sprites and music.
Last week I played a bit of the original Sonic. Besides reminding me how bad I was at that game, I was also amazed by its size: 512 kilobytes. If we go a little further back into 8-bit territory, Super Mario Bros. takes up something like 40 kilobytes. Two of the best games ever seen, in less than a megabyte. Today, some creative minds can't work unless they have a Blu-ray at their disposal, but the indie wave continues to challenge that trend with classic graphics, excellent performance, and extreme “playability”. The best part is that you don't need such complex tools. Programming for the big consoles turns their development kits into a ball and chain attached to our ankles, but those who decide to look a little further will discover initiatives like PICO-8.
Meet PICO-8
The official site describes PICO-8 as a “fantasy console” where we can create and run different programs, whether games or specific applications. The maximum size of the virtual cartridge is 32 kilobytes, while the screen displays a maximum of 16 colors at 128 by 128 pixels. PICO-8's code is based on Lua, so it should be easy for those with some skill in that language. At the same time, PICO-8 offers tools to edit music and sound (four channels), maps, and sprites, without the need for additional modules. Once finished, cartridges are very easy to share on the web, and there's even an online player to play without downloading PICO-8. One of the games I came across was Thopter Escape, inspired by the Dune universe, and I must say it's an instant addiction.
Creativity Within Limits
It's important to understand that PICO-8's limitations aren't there to frustrate the programmer, but rather to stimulate creativity. How much material can you fit into 32 kilobytes? How would you combine it to create the most levels? What about the music? These are valid questions that every code enthusiast will have to answer on their own. The PICO-8 license is tied to that of the game Voxatron, which currently costs 20 dollars. Even though PICO-8 is still in development, a full game and a virtual console in the same package doesn't sound that bad...
Visit the official site to learn more about PICO-8.
