Softwr

Software · head to head

Construct 3 vs Pico-8

Construct 3 logo

Construct 3

Software

Create games without coding. Powered by the Scirra engine.

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Pico-8 logo

Pico-8

Software

A fantasy console for making, sharing and playing tiny games

From
$14.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Construct 3 has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Construct 3 the free version caps projects at 50 events, or 25 when used without an account; Pico-8 extremely limited display resolution of 128x128 pixels with 16-colour palette
  • They diverge on capability: Construct 3 covers Visual event system, Pico-8 covers Pixel art editor.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Construct 3 and Pico-8 actually diverge.

Attributes where Construct 3 and Pico-8 differ
AttributeConstruct 3Pico-8
Starting priceFree$14.99/one-time
Pricing modelfreemiumone-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, WebWindows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi
Founded20072005

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Construct 3

  • Visual event system
  • Drag-and-drop editor
  • Physics engine
  • Sprite editor
  • Particle effects
  • Sound effects
  • Web-based
  • HTML5 support

Only in Pico-8

  • Pixel art editor
  • Music composer
  • Lua scripting
  • Built-in palette
  • Sprite system
  • Map editor
  • Code editor
  • Game cartridges

Both cover

  • GitHub
  • Local deployment
  • Web deployment
  • Windows support
  • Macos support
  • Linux support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Construct 3

  • Building 2D browser games without writing codenot Pico-8
  • Publishing HTML5 games to the web, desktop and mobile stores from one projectnot Pico-8

Pico-8

  • Retro-style indie game developmentnot Construct 3
  • Educational game programmingnot Construct 3
  • Game jam participationnot Construct 3
  • Pixel art game creation with strict creative constraintsnot Construct 3

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Construct 3

  • The free version caps projects at 50 events, or 25 when used without an account
  • Free projects are limited to 2 layers, 2 special effects, 1 timeline animation of up to 5 seconds and 1 web font
  • The free version can only publish to HTML5 and the Construct Arcade, so desktop, Android, iOS and Facebook Instant Games all need a paid plan
  • Licences are per seat and annual, at $129.99 for Personal, $168.99 for Startup Business and $468.99 for Business

Pico-8

  • Extremely limited display resolution of 128x128 pixels with 16-colour palette
  • Cart size capped at 32 kilobytes
  • Only 256 sprites of 8x8 pixels available
  • Map limited to 128x32 tiles
  • Monophonic sound synthesis with 4-channel chip synthesis only
  • Lua programming language exclusively; no other language support

Pricing, plan by plan

Construct 3

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Web-based editor
    • HTML5 export
    • Asset library
  • Personal$99/year
    • All Free features
    • Offline editor
    • Advanced export

Pico-8

$14.99/one-time

No published plan breakdown. See the Pico-8 review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Construct 3 if

  • You need visual event system.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want drag-and-drop editor.
Construct 3 review

Choose Pico-8 if

  • You need pixel art editor.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi.
  • You also want music composer.
Pico-8 review

Questions people ask

Is Construct 3 or Pico-8 better?
Neither clearly leads. Construct 3 starts at Free and Pico-8 at $14.99/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Construct 3 or Pico-8?
Construct 3 has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Construct 3 and $14.99/one-time for Pico-8.
Does Construct 3 or Pico-8 run on more platforms?
Construct 3 runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web. Pico-8 runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi.
Can I use Construct 3 for free?
Yes. Construct 3 has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Pico-8 starts at $14.99/one-time.
What is Construct 3 best used for?
Construct 3 is most often used for building 2d browser games without writing code, publishing html5 games to the web, desktop and mobile stores from one project. Of those, building 2d browser games without writing code and publishing html5 games to the web, desktop and mobile stores from one project are not what Pico-8 is typically brought in for.
What can Construct 3 do that Pico-8 cannot?
Construct 3 covers Visual event system, Drag-and-drop editor, Physics engine, Sprite editor. Pico-8 covers Pixel art editor, Music composer, Lua scripting, Built-in palette. Both handle GitHub, Local deployment, Web deployment, Windows support.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Construct 3

More on Pico-8

Keep looking

Other head to heads