TAB 1:

function _init()

init_game()

end

offset=0

function _update()

if state == "play" then
-- gameplay logic
if player_dead then state = "gameover" end
elseif state == "gameover" then
if btnp(4) then
-- restart game
_init()
state = "play"
end
end

if game_state=="wave_start" then
spawn_timer -=1
if (spawn_timer<=1) spawn_wave()
elseif game_state=="playing" then
if (enemies_left <0) game_state="intermission"
end

if game_state=="intermission" then
wave +=1
spawn_timer=1
game_state="wave_start"
spawn_wave()
end

offset=(offset+1)%128

update_enemies()

p.x=mid(0,p.x,120)
p.y=mid(0,p.y,120)

if (collision_happened) p.state="dead"

if p.state=="alive" then
if btn(⬅️) then
p.x -=1.5
elseif btn(➡️) then
p.x +=1.5
elseif btn(⬆️) then
p.y -=1.5
elseif btn(⬇️) then
p.y +=1.5
end
end

if btnp(4) then
sfx(0)
-- add new bullet to list
add(bullets, {
x=p.x +2,
y=p.y -2,
speed=2
})
end

for b in all(bullets) do
b.y -= b.speed -- move up
if b.y < 0 then del(bullets, b) end -- remove
end

end

function _draw()
cls()

if wave==nil then wave="1" end
print("wave: ",10,10,8)

camera(cam_x,cam_y)

map(0,0,0,0,128,64)

map(0,0, -offset,0,16,10)

map(0,0,128 -offset, 0,20,16)

draw_enemies()

for e in all(enemies) do
spr(e.spr,e.x,e.y)
end

if p.state=="alive" then
spr(p.sprite,p.x,p.y)
else
print("game over",50,60,8)
spr(17,p.x,p.y)
end

for b in all(bullets) do
rectfill(b.x,b.y,b.x+1,b.y+2,10)
end

end

TAB TWO:

function update_enemies()

for e in all(enemies) do

e.y += 1 -- move down

e.y -= 1 -- move up?

if (p.x < e.x) e.x -=.80
if (p.x > e.x) e.x +=.80
if (p.y < e.y) e.y -=.80
if (p.y > e.y) e.y +=.80

if(e.hp <= 0) then del(enemies, e) end

-- remove if off screen
if e.y > 128 then del(enemies, e) end

-- simple collision with player bullets
for b in all(bullets) do
  if abs(e.x - b.x) < 4 and abs(e.y - b.y) < 4 then
  		sfx(3)
  		e.hp -=1
    del(bullets, b)
  end
end

end

for en in all(enemies) do
for oen in all(enemies) do
if (oen != en) then
local dx,dy=oen.x-en.x,oen.y-en.y
local d=30
if abs(dx)<d and abs(dy)<d then
local a=atan2(dx,dy)
en.x-=cos(a)0.7
en.y-=sin(a)0.7
end
end
end
end

for en in all(enemies) do
if check_collision(p, en) then
-- handle collision (e.g., game over, lose hp)
p.state=false
p.hp -=1
sfx(4)
game_state="over"
end
end

end

tab three:

function draw_enemies()

for e in all(enemies) do
spr(e.spr, e.x, e.y)
end

if game_state=="play_next_wave" then
if #enemies==0 then
wave_number +=1
spawn_wave()
end
end

end

tab four:

function init_game()

gamestate="play"

p={x=64,y=100, sprite=1, hp=10, state="alive"}

enemies={}

bullets={}

wave_number="1"
enemies_left=0
spawn_timer=5
game_state="wave_start"
game_over=false

end

tab five:

function check_collision(a,b)

return abs(a.x-b.x)<4 and abs(a.y-b.y)<4

end

tab six:

function spawn_wave()
for i=1, wave*1 do
add(enemies, {x=rnd(128), y=0, w=8, h=8, hp=5, spr=4})
enemies_left +=1
p.hp -=1
end
game_state="play_next_wave"
end

A small grid based Fluid Simulation within pico-8.

fluidsimulation

Cart File | Forum Post |

	More cartridges by Shiowary

More Cartridges [View All]

 

fluidsimulation

by Shiowary

Cart #fluidsimulation-0 | 2026-05-12 | Code ▽ | Embed ▽ | License: CC4-BY-NC-SA

2

function _init()
p={1,3,5,7}
p.x=64
p.y=64
p.sp=1
p.frame=0
p.timer=0
p.anim_speed=0.15

end

function _update()

local lx=px
local ly=py

if btn(⬅️) then
flip_sprite=true
p.x -=1
end

if btn(➡️) then
flip_sprite=false
p.x +=1
end

p.timer +=1
if p.timer > 6 then
p.timer=0
p.frame=(p.frame+1)%2
end

end

function _draw()
cls()
local current_sp=p.sp+(p.frame*2)
spr(current_sp,p.x,p.y,2,2,flip_sprite)
end

Hi everyone,

This is my first post here—a bit of a "love letter" to PICO-8 and Picotron.

First of all, I want to say a huge thank you to @zep. I truly admire both the console and the workstation; they are such a pleasure to work with. However, the most important component is the community. This group's friendliness, coziness, and openness fuel so much interest and creativity.

I am constantly amazed by what people achieve within such limited environments. There are countless examples of PICO-8 projects that "shouldn't" be possible, yet they thrive through sheer creative thinking. Inspired by all of you, I’ve finally found the courage to start contributing back with my own projects, tools, and games.

Teaching with PICO-8

For the past year, I’ve been teaching programming to kids at a weekend school using PICO-8 as our primary platform. We’ve leaned heavily on the incredible tutorials by @Krystman, @NerdyTeachers, @MBoffin, @2darray, @Gruber, and many many others.

[ Continue Reading.. ]

function _init()
state="start"
putbacks={}
setup_game()

p={}
p.x=64
p.y=64
p.sp=1
p.atk_sp=3
p.is_attacking=false
p.atk_timer=0
p.atk_duration=10
end

function _update()
--thinking/logic/math--
if state=="play" then
move_player()
elseif state=="start" then
if btnp(❎) then
state="play"
end
elseif state=="win" then
if btnp(❎) then
setup_game()
state="start"
animate_walk()
start_attack()
end
end
end

function _draw()
--visuals--
cls()
local s=p.sp
if (p.is_attacking) s=p.atk_sp

if state=="play" then
map()
aniplr()
pickups()
draw_ui()
elseif state=="start" then
print("press ❎ to start",30,60)
elseif state=="win" then
print("your journey has come to end. now rest.",30,60)
end
---print(py)
end

function setup_game()
--sets up stuff
px=63
py=63
pf=1--player frame
flp=false --player flip
goal=1 --how many articats
init_ui()

for t in all(putbacks) do
mget(t.x,t.y,33)
end

table={x=10,y=23},{x=2,y=3},{}

putbacks={}
end

--animation--

function aniplr()
--animate stuff
if pf>2.95 then
pf=1
else
pf+=.05
end

spr(pf,px,py,1,1,flp)
camera(px-63,py-63)

if btnp(❎) and not p.is_attacking then
p.is_attacking=true
p.atk_timer=3
end
end

--pickups--

function pickups()

local ptx=(px+4)/8
local pty=(py+4)/8

spover=mget(ptx,pty)

if spover==30 then
mset(ptx,pty,17)

add(putbacks,{ptx,pty})

points+=1
if points>=goal then
state="win"
end
end
end

--points/ui--

function init_ui()
points=0
end

function draw_ui()
print("treasure: "..points,10,10,7)
color(10)
end

--player movement--

function move_player()

local lx=px
local ly=py

if btn(⬅️) then
px-=1
flp=false
elseif btn(➡️) then
px+=1
flp=true
elseif btn(⬆️) then
py-=1
elseif btn(⬇️) then
py+=1
end

local ptx=(px+4)/8
local pty=(py+4)/8

--is the player over a tile
--that has flag 0?

if fget(mget(ptx,pty),0)==true then
px=lx
py=ly
end

if btnp(❎) and not p.is_attacking then
p.is_attacking=true
p.atk_timer=0
end

if p.is_attacking then
p.atk_timer +=.25
if p.atk_timer >=p.atk_duration then
p.is_attacking=false
end
else
if (btn(0)) p.x -=1
if (btn(1)) p.x +=1
end
end

--attack systems

function start_attack()

player = {
x = 64,
y = 64,
atking = false,
atk_timer = 0
}

if btnp(4) and not player.atking then
player.atking = true
player.atk_timer = 10 -- attack lasts for 10 frames
end

-- handle attack timer logic
if player.atking then
player.atk_timer -= 3
if player.atk_timer <= 0 then
player.atking = false
end
else
-- move code goes here so player stops during attack
update_movement()
end

end

Time Waster Maze

by JohnCilantro

Cart #timewaster-0 | 2026-05-06 | Code ▽ | Embed ▽ | No License

first game

arrow keys for movement

me

by MANHILL

Cart #me-0 | 2026-04-27 | Code ▽ | Embed ▽ | No License

me.

a tiny companion.

what

me. is a small creature that lives on your screen. it has four needs:
hunger, fun, energy, love. you press buttons. me. reacts.

it is a tamagotchi in shape, but not in spirit.

what me. actually is, is closer to a face that breathes. a body that
gets tired. eyes that look away when sad. eyes that find yours when
trust has built up over time. a mouth that quivers before something
real happens.

if you ignore me. for too long, me. will get hungry. then sad. then
desperate. then me. will die, and the death will be unlike anything
you have seen in a tamagotchi-shaped game.

controls

• up : feed

[ Continue Reading.. ]

I was wondering how I can add 3D projection to my game, it seems very complicated and I want to know if anyone can make me understand how it works and how to do it, thanks.

I love this little machine. It can do everything I want it to. The community is super supportive as well. I remember a time when I joined a game jam and said in the group chat I was using PICO-8. Somebody using Unreal said I was on easy mode and I was flabbergasted. Making a game is easy no matter the tools you use. Making a game with an adjective is the hard part. Maybe making a bad game is easy, but you get what I mean. Regardless, I love posting on here and hearing from people. Building little toys to play with, experiences to chew on, or making games with spunk, this thing can do it all for me.

Thank YOU for making PICO what it is. I appreciate your artistic choice and direction with what you make and/or consume on here. I do it for you. I love all you strangers. Viva La PICO!

With love,
The Wall (or Squee)

	[8x8]

[ Continue Reading.. ]

Hello

jennysfarmv2

by saderrs

Cart #jennysfarmv2-0 | 2026-04-19 | Code ▽ | Embed ▽ | No License

1

Jenny's farm is making good progress! She can now harvest her carrots. She has a place to sell them now but cannot actually sell anything yet. I'm mostly just posting here as a way to save my progress so my friends and family can see/play the game if they want.

Any games pinned on my profile is the ones I finished. Feel free to recommend some pico cartridges to complete alongside other things.

I found out about Voxatron many many years ago via the humble debut bundle they did however I had no idea they had spun it off into Pico-8 and now Picotron! What a hugely exciting discovery I just wish it wasn't Sunday!

Hope to start learning lots about this soon!!!

A simple wallpaper with a warp drive effect. Thought it was neat enough to upload.

Warp Drive Wallpaper

by aquova

Cart #aquova_warp-1 | 2026-04-10 | Embed ▽ | License: CC4-BY-NC-SA

yufefafiku

by yungjake

Cart #yufefafiku-0 | 2026-04-07 | Code ▽ | Embed ▽ | License: CC4-BY-NC-SA

to sell a painting, you want to get the numbers up on the painting in the color of the guy across from u, and get his health down. that means getting him to like ur painting. if the painting also has his little request (the symbol next 2 him) in it, he'll buy it

if your painting has enough of their color, you will defeat him and reach a rewards phase

to block the guy's attack, paint in the color of UR guy's shirt

defeating him is not always the same as selling the painting:
if u beat him but the painting doesnt have his request, u still get the reward phase, but it doesnt count as sold

3 have 3 tries to make him like ur painting on the 3rd round hill unleash a powerful attack. if u survive the attack you'll lose a random symbol from that canvas. this can be good or bad.

if your health hits 0, ur dead

when u submit a painting, the colors on it cash out:
the buyer's color becomes attack
your shirt color becomes defense

some rewards are:

rest heals u +50% of max

train adds 1 to ur max hp

power adds 1 power to selected tool

the other ones u have to learn

u have to upgrade ur tools to get good. try different effects. knowing how they work is how u win the game

u should upgrade ur canvas. when u sell a painting u get 1 per cell, so it starts at 12 and scales up

use money to reshow works that u didnt sell. the reshow price goes up 1 every time, so be careful. reshowing old paintings is how to avoid death, so plan for that

comment ur score and turns and what sucks and what is good

There is a common problem in the BBS formatter for BBcode, which prevents use of certain characters in tags, like the spacebar. You can use @{} to tag people as such, like me. I did it: @Nour Ramy

This is a well-known issue.
The reason this is unpatchable is that characters like the spacebar are terminators of these tag sequences.

Credit for this valuable information: @thePixelXb_