Build a Retro-Style Game with PICO-8Entertainment & Media
Last update 2 mo. agoCreated on the 21st of March 2026
PICO-8 Lua API Cheatsheet
Common PICO-8 Lua functions and patterns for quick reference during development.
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btn(b) returns true if button b is held
PICO-8 uses a 0-indexed button layout: 0 left, 1 right, 2 up, 3 down, 4 z/c (action 1), 5 x/v (action 2). Keep your _update function under a clear budget and move heavy logic to helper functions.