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Plays `.p8` and `.p8.png` carts on macOS, Windows, Linux, and [in the browser](https://mnmlyw.github.io/pico-z/play/).\n\nBuilt with Zig, ziglua (Lua 5.2), and SDL3. Web version compiles to WASM (356KB, no Emscripten).\n\nTested with [Celeste Classic](https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=2145) and other community carts.\n\n![Demo](res/demo.gif)\n\n\u003e **Note:** PICO-Z is a player/emulator only — it does not include PICO-8's editor, splore, or game creation tools. To make games, get [PICO-8](https://www.lexaloffle.com/pico-8.php) from Lexaloffle.\n\n## Try It\n\n**[Play in Browser](https://mnmlyw.github.io/pico-z/play/)** — open any `.p8` or `.p8.png` cart directly in your browser. No install needed.\n\nTo get a cart to try, download [Celeste Classic](https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=2145) or browse the [PICO-8 BBS](https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?cat=7).\n\n## Build \u0026 Run\n\nRequires Zig 0.15+.\n\n```bash\nzig build                      # build native app\nzig build run -- \u003ccart\u003e        # build and run a .p8 or .p8.png cart\nzig build web                  # build WASM module to web/\n```\n\n## Features\n\n- **Cart loading** — `.p8` text format and `.p8.png` image format (PNG decoding, steganographic extraction, old and PXA decompression)\n- **Preprocessor** — transforms PICO-8 Lua syntax (short-if, `?` print shorthand, compound assignment incl. `^=`, `!=`, peek shortcuts, binary literals, bitwise ops) to standard Lua 5.2\n- **Graphics** — pset, line, rect, circ (incl. inverted fill), oval, spr, sspr, map, tline, print (with P8SCII control codes), pal, fillp, clip, camera\n- **Audio** — 4-channel waveform synthesis (8 waveforms + custom instruments), SFX effects (slide, vibrato, drop, fade, arpeggio), music pattern sequencing\n- **Input** — keyboard + gamepad via SDL3, btn/btnp with repeat, mouse via stat(32-35)\n- **Memory** — flat 65536-byte RAM matching PICO-8 layout (sprites, map, SFX, draw state, screen)\n- **Sandbox** — Lua stdlib restricted to match PICO-8 (no io, os, debug, require, etc.)\n- **Multi-cart** — `load()` to switch cartridges at runtime, `run()` to restart\n- **Quick Save/Load** — press **P** to save state, **L** to load; saves full game state (RAM, audio, Lua globals) — not available in standard PICO-8\n- **Cart Reload** — press **R** to reload the cart from disk without restarting the emulator\n- **Drag and drop** — drop `.p8` or `.p8.png` files onto the window to load\n\n## Downloads\n\n- **[Web Player](https://mnmlyw.github.io/pico-z/play/)** — runs in any modern browser\n- **Desktop** — pre-built binaries for macOS, Windows, and Linux on the [Releases](../../releases) page\n\n## Controls\n\n| Key | Action |\n|-----|--------|\n| Arrow keys | D-pad |\n| Z / C | O button |\n| X / V | X button |\n| P | Save state |\n| L | Load state |\n| R | Reload cart from disk |\n| ESC | Quit |\n\n## Credits\n\nPICO-Z is not affiliated with [Lexaloffle](https://www.lexaloffle.com/) or [PICO-8](https://www.lexaloffle.com/pico-8.php). PICO-8 is created by Joseph White.\n","project_url":"https://awesome.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/projects/github.com%2Fmnmlyw%2Fpico-z","html_url":"https://awesome.ecosyste.ms/projects/github.com%2Fmnmlyw%2Fpico-z","lists_url":"https://awesome.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/projects/github.com%2Fmnmlyw%2Fpico-z/lists"}