How To Play
Click on white carrots! (don't ask me to elaborate)
Behind The Scenes
I'm really enjoying PICOTRON, and here's a little interactable demo I made in abt an hour, seeing what I can do in PICOTRON! Enjoy!
Version History
V0.7 (3/26/2024)-
-Added a new scoring system
-Added hungry bunny (top-left)
-Added icon + info



Overview
A simple two-player game made in about a day!
Controls
◀️▶️ - Change Direction
✨- To Increase Score/Speed
2️⃣2️⃣ - To Win
Behind The Scenes
Been having a creative slump lately, so made this in a day for myself, decided to release!
If you're curious here's my website:
https://sites.google.com/view/marinamakesgames/home/buttons-blogs?authuser=0



Controls
⬅️+➡️
Explaination
This is just a demo, and I'm sort of tired of sprite-stacking. These past few months have been kind of rough on me, and I honestly can't make this into the game I was planning...

Thx for clicking/playing! Love you guys!
Credits
Marina Makes - https://twitter.com/MarinaMakes
CONTROLS-
⬅️⬆️➡️⬇️ to move blocks
🅾️/ Z to place blocks & confirm
❎/X to rotate blocks
▶ to start the game
HOW TO PLAY-
Move the blocks around, and connect the arrows to get a better score.
HOW IT WAS MADE-
Made within 18 days for the CRE-8 jam. I will link a dev blog detailing the development when it comes out.
This will sound silly; It was a really tough development emotionally, but it's finished! Thanks a ton for playing!
SOCIALS-


The Death Of A Frog-

Introduction-
I come into this month from what might be my greatest failure as a game developer and artist- "Frogs vs Ghosts". Based off artwork by Jake Hall and developed for the "A Game By It's Cover" jam (a game jam where you pick from hundreds of imaginary Famicom game cartridges made months earlier).

This article will cover my mistakes while sharing my lessons during the development of "Frogs vs Ghosts". It took two months to make it realize it wouldn't ship and will continue to go unshipped. It reached the finish line (without polish), but it was not a good game. The two greatest reasons for this were: OVERSCOPING and LACK OF GAME-CORE.
Overscoping-
The worst mistake was made during the most critical part of the art process, choosing which project to pursue. I went over all my options, and chose the one I wanted to make the most: "Frogs vs Ghosts". I did not consider the amount of motivation and time it would take to finish my grand turn-based brawler/collect-athon with 16 characters (this sounds silly in hindsight)... That's a lie. I assumed I could replenish my motivation, and do more work in less time. This is a textbook example of overscoping.




PICO-VIEW: May 2023

Hello Pico-View Reader, this May issue is the fifth in the series. This month has been jammed full of fun in the community. In this issue we are placing a focus on the multiple game jams that occured in May and the many PICO-8 games made for them!
We'll begin with our usual tasty Game Dev Articles, and then we'll take a look at each major jam that happened this month, with some jam-specific articles sprinkled in there as well. This issue is stuffed with games, so if you missed out on all the releases this month, don't worry, we've got you covered with the must-plays.
Thank you to the writers, contributors, and all supporters, that includes you reader! We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. And with that, have fun adventuring through the pixels and paragraphs of this issue of the Pico-View web-zine!
Authors:
Glimm, RidgeK, Luchak, Citizen608, Marina, Achie, Andrew Reist, Fletch, Kevin Portelli, and Nerdy Teachers
Controls
❎ to shoot/jump
⬅️➡️ to move
⬇️ to sink faster
(reset cart to reverse music turn-off option)
Message From Deep Sea Salvage & Co.
Welcome to Deep Sea Salvage, where we specialize in recovering the highly profitable minerals that lie deep beneath the ocean's surface. Our team of highly trained divers and engineers use cutting-edge technology and tactics to locate and retrieve valuable treasures that are oftentimes hidden from view. The ocean can be a treacherous and unpredictable place, but we are not deterred by the challenges that come with it. In fact, we relish the danger and thrive in the face of adversity. Many obstacles stand in our way, from hostile sea creatures to those who seek to stop us from uncovering what lurks in the depths. Here at Deep Sea Salvage, we are committed to unearthing the mysteries that lie beneath the waves, no matter how dangerous the journey may be. Join our ranks today, as a Deep Sea family member!


Controls
⭐ fly into stars to collect them
⬅️➡️⬆️⬇️ to fly
❎ to confirm/interact
EPILEPSY WARNING:(uses several minute techniques that might trigger something...)
Set-up
Star-Cat has been flung into space on a mission... But.. Why did they send a fat, blue, grumpy blob into space? TO COLLECT STARS!! HE MUST CAT-LECT EM' ALL!!
(tiny-tip: at first aim for as many stars as possible instead of them all)
Behind The Scenes
This game is heavily inspired by the Famicom Home-Brew of RIKI. During the initial dev period I found their work very interesting and wanted to make something similar... AND NOW HERE WE ARE!!! Star-Cat took the longest to make out of any of my games. And, as naive as it sounds, has cemented to me that this is my life's cause. I thank you all for playing, and look forward to reading your reviews, comments, and or questions!





Pico-View February
Hello Pico-View Reader, this February issue is the second in the series. We thank you all for your continued support and donations... Money? Cash? NO! We thrive off of the art, reviews, and comments you all give us. Thank you to the supporters, and that includes you reader! By simply reading this zine you're helping us. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Without further ado... We hope you have fun adventuring through the pixels and paragraphs of this brand new Pico-View web-zine.
-Nerdy Teachers, Celesmeh, Fletch , Pickleschip, D3V?,and Marina
January Edition: https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=51335
Contents:
-A Look Into Tweet-Carts
-Lazy Devs Interview - Ft. Celesmeh
-How To Get Pico-8 On The Miyoo Mini!!!
-Pico Nico Easing Animations - Tutorial by Fletch
-One Bit- Pixel Art Style - Pickleschip
-Tabs vs Spaces Article - Nerdy Teachers
-Dinky Kong Demake - Interview W/ Trog & Heraclem





Pico-View January
Hello Pico-View reader, this January Issue marks the beginning of the monthly "Pico-View" Web-Zine. Formerly Pico-View was a small interview series. From here on out, it will be a montly Web-Zine featuring several exclusive articles, perfect for anyone wanting a "view" into pico-8. Without further ado... We hope you have fun adventuring through the pixels and paragraphs of this brand new Pico-View web-zine.
-Achie, Nerdy Teachers, Celesmeh, AlexWolfe, SmellyFishSticks, Louie Chapman, and Marina
Contents:
-Growing and learning in Pico-8
-Little Eidolons - Achie Reviewed
-Yasuhito (Quantattack Dev) Interview (ft. Marina)
-Random Reviews
-Creating Better Sound in Pico-8 - Louie Chapman Article
-Secret of The ̶O̶o̶z̶e̶ Flip... In Pico-8 - AlexWolfe Pixel Article
-Goodbye (Epilogue)
Growing and Learning With Pico-8 - Celesmeh
Odds are if you are reading this, you know what Pico-8 is. You've seen videos, looked at the forums, Reddit, watched gifsor seen tweetcarts. Pico-8 is an amazing fantasy console that opens the world of game development and programming up to many, But what makes it such a good starting point? Why is Pico 8 generally seen as one of the best tools to enter the world of programming and the world of game development?


Controls
🖱️ to move
❎ to click
Explaination
"Go-Go Garden" is a game with only a few minutes of cute and charming gameplay each day. From day to day you can:
-Water your plants to ensure they grow the next day!
-Play with your plants (just tap them and you'll understand)...
-Buy and sell plants to save up for your perfect garden!
If you miss a day then don't worry! I'll make sure your plants don't die for you.
Behind The Scenes
The original 8 plants and game were made in three days, to see what I could do in just three days. I've wanted to make a virtual pet game for about a month now, but I was pushed over the edge by this art by @R3DZ3R_Florie on twitter:









Random Talk, Interview With Ericb - Pico-View #4

EricB:
EB = EricB

Marina:@MarinaMakes
M = Marina

Their games:
Into Ruins (click link)
Interview:
M: So, @ericb who are you and why are you on Pico-View?
EB: So Hi, I'm Eric Billingsley. I'm an indie developer based in Canada, and I've worked on games like Tunic and Cuphead, and also my own games like Spring Falls. I started playing around with PICO-8 a few months ago and making Into Ruins, a roguelike. Which is mostly what we are going to talk about I think?
M: Wait, really? You worked on Tunic and Cuphead? Like 100% of my research for this was playing into-ruins.



Explanation
I made this cartridge as a productivity tool that anyone could use. To use it, press ❎ or 🅾️, to start the program. You can also use them to start/pause the timer. When the timer says "WORK", do nothing except focus on work. When the timer says "BREAK", do whatever you want besides work.
I'd recommend starting off by finding a work/break ratio that's right for you. If a pomodoro feels exhausting or overwhelming then lower the work timer option a little (it'll remain after you close the page). Once you have the ropes, what if you don't feel productive enough? In that case you can try increasing the work timer slowly over time.
Finally, I confirm that this tool isn't to make you work more, it's so you get more done in less time. So that you have more fruitful work-sessions, rather than longer ones.
((WARNING: WHEN USING THE PICO-8 WEBSITE THIS TAB WILL FREEZE IF IT IS NOT BEING USED))
Controls
❎- resume/pause
⬆️⬇️⬅️➡️ - fix timer settings
Credits
Development: Marina Makes (


Controls
❎ to smash
⬅️➡️⬆️⬇️ to move
Set-up
An ancient evil threatens the island nation of Japan. The League of Ninjas has pin-pointed the orgin. A small set of Southern islands, but how do you seal a great evil from crawling out beneath the earth? YOU NAIL THE EARTH DOWN!!!
Smash all of the stakes down through four rounds to seal the evil away, and achieve victory over said evil. BUT, be careful. Demons will try to prevent you from getting to this most holy goal.
Behind The Scenes








"I Do This For Fun", Interview With PaulHamx - Pico-View #3

PaulHamx:
H = Hamx

Marina:@MarinaMakes
M = Marina

Their games:
Zoo Keeper (click link)
Pico-Droid (click link)
Interview:
M: So, @PaulHamx who are you and what have you done?
H: Haha, that's pretty broad!
Okay, I'm Paul Hammond and, before Pico-8, I've gone through a few other fads of remaking games over the years, starting on the C64.
For some reason, remaking really appeals to me. A lot of my enjoyment of gaming comes down more to seeing how a game's mechanics work more than actually playing it.

Interview With Unikotoast Creator of "Buns: Bunny Survivor"-Pico-View #2

Uniko:@unikotast
U = Uniko

Marina:@MarinaMakes
M = Marina

Their games:
Buns: Bunny Survivor (click link)
Witchcraft Tower Defense (click link)
M: So, in your own words, who are you and what pico-projects have you made?
U: I'm a begginer indie game dev, I've started playing around with Pico-8 around 7 months ago. I really liked Vampire Survivors and wanted to make something similar but I did not want to invest a lot of time into learning game engines so Pico-8 was perfect. I never ever did anything gamedev related but I have a decent experience in software engineering. I only made 2 games https://unikotoast.itch.io

Interview With Noh Creator of "Wizard Hop" and "Shotgun Night"-Pico-View #1

Noh:@Nohh
Noh = Noh

Marina:@MarinaMakes
Mar = Marina

Their games:
Shotgun Night (click link)
Wizard Hop (click link)
Pipe (click link)
Interview:
Mar: So, who are you and why are you on pico-view? Or, what you made? I'll tell you why you're here later.
Noh: I am Noh, a pico-8 gamedev for almost a year, and I've made games such as Wizard Hop, Diesort and Shotgun Night
Mar: Nice. I haven't played Diesort, but I played every other one of your games. What's Diesort about?
Noh: No one has 😢 😂 Diesort is like a warioware style dice sorting game i made for GMTK-jam 2022
https://noh-kinda-poh.itch.io/diesort
Mar: I like how juicy it is. I noticed all of your games have had a lot of juice, except your first game "Bullet Tower"
Noh: Yeah, i really like to focus on juice/game feel on my games. Bullet tower was my first proper pico-8 game so that was more testing the waters.
Mar: lol, yeah, it's cool, every game besides "Bullet Tower" is really good and juicy. What's your favorite?
Noh: I haven't really been making (pico-8) games for that long, so i feel like every game I make is mostly better than the last. My fav has to be either Wizard Hop or Shotgun Night.
Mar: I actually put all of your games, apart from Diesort, bc mouse, onto my Miyoo Mini. And I started from your first and went all the way to your latest, Shotgun Knight. My favorite is "Pipe", but I might be bias bc of how awesome the red looks on the Miyoo:

Fortune Fishing: A Pike-Moray-tem
Due to the fact that I kept an intensive record while working on my latest game, "Fortune Fishing", I've decided to create this post-mortem. I am not proud of "Fortune Fishing", at least not especially so. I am only posting this so that perhaps we can all gain some knowledge from my experience working on "Fortune Fishing".
And maybe we all can learn a little bit more about this river that is game-dev.

Waist Deep In Grill-Boy
When I came to the realization that I wanted to make "Fortune Fishing" for the 2022 AGBIC jam. I was still Waist Deep In "Grill-Boy", the project I was working on at the time. I was in the stage of game development I like to call "The Slodge". Where it feels like you're wading through toxic sludge in order to drag this game through the finish line. I was desperate for an escape.


Printo

Printo is a homebrew function I've made over the course of a few projects. It has four different outline options:
-nil = simple outline
-0 = no outline (best to be used for centering)
-1 = lazyline (inspired by lazy dev text outlines)
-2 = crazyline (creates an ultra-thicc outline)
It also has the ability to center text, including ascii characters, unlike most centering scripts. Simply type c into the x value when calling Printo.
I've fully intended for printo to be copy-pasted willy-nilly, feel free to use it in any project.
Code:
printo(text,x,y,color,outline_color,outline_type) --like this: printo("printo",c,62,7,1,nil) |
And then copy this code into your functions tab, or at the bottom of your draw tab.
--printo function printo(tt,px,py,cr,oc,ty) tt=tostr(tt) [ [size=16][color=#ffaabb] [ Continue Reading.. ] [/color][/size] ](/bbs/?pid=120655#p) |

Controls
❎ to flip
⬅️➡️⬆️⬇️ to move spatula
Rules
The meat needs to be grilled! But who will grill it? YOU! But, can you handle the heat of all 10 levels?!
The burgers have two sides, when one side is cooked, it turns from white to red, flip the burgers until they have a big wide smile, but be careful the heat gets turned up little by little every level. Will you be able to make it to the Grill Boy hall of fame?
Behind The Scenes
(THIS IS NOT AN AGBIC ENTRY)
A few weeks ago I had just released, "Shoot Em' Doot Em", and was thinking about a project to do next. I sat outside facing the setting sun. And remembered something...



