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# Build a Retro-Style Game with PICO-8

- [Made in Slatesource](https://slatesource.com/u/kairenner/build-a-retro-style-game-with-pico-8-908)
- By [KaiRenner](https://slatesource.com/u/KaiRenner)
- Entertainment & Media
- Created on Mar 21, 2026

> PICO-8's constraints are not limitations. They are the design brief.
>
> — KaiRenner · 26th of April 2026

## Making a Retro-Style Game with PICO-8

Making a retro-style game with PICO-8 fantasy console. Covers Lua scripting basics, using the built-in sprite and map editors, composing chiptune music with the tracker, and publishing to itch.io or the PICO-8 BBS.

**128** x 128 px

**16** Colors

Setup and First Script

Purchase PICO-8 from Lexaloffle. Launch and type EDIT to enter the code editor. Write a simple \_update and \_draw loop. Print something to the screen. Run with CTRL-R. The constraint of a single file encourages focus.

Sprite and Map Editors

Open the sprite editor with CTRL-G. Draw 8x8 pixel sprites using the 16-color palette. Assign sprites to map tiles in the map editor. Use mget and mset in code to read and manipulate the map at runtime.

Publishing the Game

Export to a PNG cartridge with EXPORT cartname.p8.png. Upload to the PICO-8 BBS for community visibility. Export to HTML with EXPORT cartname.html and upload to itch.io as a web playable.

Release Checklist

0%

Game completes without errors from start to end

Sprite sheet complete and consistent

Music and sound effects added

Title screen with controls displayed

Cartridge exported as PNG

HTML export tested in browser

The PICO-8 token limit (8192 tokens) is the primary constraint you will hit in larger projects. Optimize code by using single-letter variable names, combining functions, and removing debug code before publishing.