Softwr

Software · head to head

Lumberyard vs Pico-8

Lumberyard logo

Lumberyard

Software

Build AAA games with a free, cross-platform 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 Lumberyard has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Lumberyard aws.amazon.com/lumberyard now redirects to the AWS homepage; Amazon Lumberyard is no longer offered as an AWS product; Pico-8 extremely limited display resolution of 128x128 pixels with 16-colour palette
  • They diverge on capability: Lumberyard covers CryEngine foundation, Pico-8 covers Pixel art editor.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Lumberyard and Pico-8 differ
AttributeLumberyardPico-8
Starting priceFree$14.99/one-time
Pricing modelfreeone-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, Playstation, Xbox, LinuxWindows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi
Founded20062005

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 Lumberyard

  • CryEngine foundation
  • Flowgraph editor
  • Advanced graphics
  • Physics simulation
  • AWS GameLift integration
  • Multiplayer support
  • VR capabilities
  • AWS services

Only in Pico-8

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

Both cover

  • Lua scripting
  • Local deployment
  • Windows support

What people use each for

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

Lumberyard

  • Building 3D games with an AWS-integrated enginenot Pico-8
  • Cloud-connected multiplayer game backendsnot Pico-8
  • Twitch integration for streamed gameplay featuresnot Pico-8

Pico-8

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

Where each one falls short

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

Lumberyard

  • aws.amazon.com/lumberyard now redirects to the AWS homepage; Amazon Lumberyard is no longer offered as an AWS product
  • The engine's successor is the Open 3D Engine, governed by the Open 3D Foundation rather than AWS, so migration means moving to a differently governed project
  • No Lumberyard-branded documentation, download or support commitment remains at the original AWS product URL

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

Lumberyard

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full engine source
    • AWS integration
    • Lua scripting

Pico-8

$14.99/one-time

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Lumberyard if

  • You need cryengine foundation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Playstation, Xbox, Linux.
  • You also want flowgraph editor.
Lumberyard 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 Lumberyard or Pico-8 better?
Neither clearly leads. Lumberyard 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, Lumberyard or Pico-8?
Lumberyard has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Lumberyard and $14.99/one-time for Pico-8.
Does Lumberyard or Pico-8 run on more platforms?
Lumberyard runs on Windows, Playstation, Xbox, Linux. Pico-8 runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi.
Can I use Lumberyard for free?
Yes. Lumberyard has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Pico-8 starts at $14.99/one-time.
What is Lumberyard best used for?
Lumberyard is most often used for building 3d games with an aws-integrated engine, cloud-connected multiplayer game backends, twitch integration for streamed gameplay features. Of those, building 3d games with an aws-integrated engine and cloud-connected multiplayer game backends are not what Pico-8 is typically brought in for.
What can Lumberyard do that Pico-8 cannot?
Lumberyard covers CryEngine foundation, Flowgraph editor, Advanced graphics, Physics simulation. Pico-8 covers Pixel art editor, Music composer, Built-in palette, Sprite system. Both handle Lua scripting, Local deployment, Windows support.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Lumberyard

More on Pico-8

Keep looking

Other head to heads