Software · head to head
Flax Engine vs Pico-8
Pico-8
Software
A fantasy console for making, sharing and playing tiny games
- From
- $14.99/one-time
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Flax Engine has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Flax Engine flax charges a 4% royalty on game earnings above $250,000, assessed per calendar quarter; Pico-8 extremely limited display resolution of 128x128 pixels with 16-colour palette
- They diverge on capability: Flax Engine covers 3D graphics rendering, Pico-8 covers Pixel art editor.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Flax Engine and Pico-8 actually diverge.
| Attribute | Flax Engine | Pico-8 |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $14.99/one-time |
| Pricing model | free | one-time |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Windows, Linux, Playstation, Xbox | Windows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi |
| Founded | 2017 | 2005 |
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 Flax Engine
- 3D graphics rendering
- Visual editor
- C# scripting
- Physics engine
- Audio system
- Particle effects
- Skeletal animation
- Material system
Only in Pico-8
- Pixel art editor
- Music composer
- Lua scripting
- Built-in palette
- Sprite system
- Map editor
- Code editor
- Game cartridges
Both cover
- Local deployment
- Windows support
- Linux support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Flax Engine
- Building 3D games in C# and C++ with full engine source accessnot Pico-8
- Multi-platform deployment from one editornot Pico-8
- Prototyping with the bundled Flax Samples projectsnot Pico-8
Pico-8
- Retro-style indie game developmentnot Flax Engine
- Educational game programmingnot Flax Engine
- Game jam participationnot Flax Engine
- Pixel art game creation with strict creative constraintsnot Flax Engine
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Flax Engine
- Flax charges a 4% royalty on game earnings above $250,000, assessed per calendar quarter
- Free use is granted for non-commercial or educational usage; commercial releases fall under the royalty
- Users must accept the Flax Engine End-User License Agreement before using the engine or its tools, so it is not an OSI open source licence despite the source being on GitHub
- Non-game uses such as in-house tools or SaaS products need a custom licence negotiated with the vendor, and no rate card is published for per-seat or flat-fee options
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
Flax Engine
Free- FreeFree
- Full engine
- Visual editor
- C# scripting
Pico-8
$14.99/one-timeNo published plan breakdown. See the Pico-8 review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Flax Engine if
- You need 3d graphics rendering.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, Linux, Playstation, Xbox.
- You also want visual editor.
Choose Pico-8 if
- You need pixel art editor.
- You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi.
- You also want music composer.
Questions people ask
- Is Flax Engine or Pico-8 better?
- Neither clearly leads. Flax Engine 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, Flax Engine or Pico-8?
- Flax Engine has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Flax Engine and $14.99/one-time for Pico-8.
- Does Flax Engine or Pico-8 run on more platforms?
- Flax Engine runs on Windows, Linux, Playstation, Xbox. Pico-8 runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi.
- Can I use Flax Engine for free?
- Yes. Flax Engine has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Pico-8 starts at $14.99/one-time.
- What is Flax Engine best used for?
- Flax Engine is most often used for building 3d games in c# and c++ with full engine source access, multi-platform deployment from one editor, prototyping with the bundled flax samples projects. Of those, building 3d games in c# and c++ with full engine source access and multi-platform deployment from one editor are not what Pico-8 is typically brought in for.
- What can Flax Engine do that Pico-8 cannot?
- Flax Engine covers 3D graphics rendering, Visual editor, C# scripting, Physics engine. Pico-8 covers Pixel art editor, Music composer, Lua scripting, Built-in palette. Both handle Local deployment, Windows support, Linux support.
Related pages
More on Flax Engine
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