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O3DE vs Pico-8

O3DE logo

O3DE

Software

Open 3D Engine - Professional game 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 O3DE has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: O3DE minimum hardware is a quad-core 2.5 GHz x86 CPU with SSE 4.1, 16 GB RAM and a DirectX 12 or Vulkan GPU with 2 GB VRAM and Shader Model 6.2; Pico-8 extremely limited display resolution of 128x128 pixels with 16-colour palette
  • They diverge on capability: O3DE covers 3D graphics rendering, Pico-8 covers Pixel art editor.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which O3DE and Pico-8 actually diverge.

Attributes where O3DE and Pico-8 differ
AttributeO3DEPico-8
Starting priceFree$14.99/one-time
Pricing modelfreeone-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Playstation, XboxWindows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi
Founded20212005

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 O3DE

  • 3D graphics rendering
  • Modular architecture
  • Physics engine
  • Audio system
  • Animation tools
  • Particle effects
  • Material system
  • Lighting 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
  • Macos support
  • Linux support

What people use each for

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

O3DE

  • Building 3D games and simulations on an open source Apache-licensed enginenot Pico-8
  • Robotics and industrial simulation using O3DE Gemsnot Pico-8
  • Projects that need full engine source access with no royaltynot Pico-8

Pico-8

  • Retro-style indie game developmentnot O3DE
  • Educational game programmingnot O3DE
  • Game jam participationnot O3DE
  • Pixel art game creation with strict creative constraintsnot O3DE

Where each one falls short

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

O3DE

  • Minimum hardware is a quad-core 2.5 GHz x86 CPU with SSE 4.1, 16 GB RAM and a DirectX 12 or Vulkan GPU with 2 GB VRAM and Shader Model 6.2
  • Raytracing features require Shader Model 6.3
  • Disk space required is 40 GB using the prebuilt installer and 100 GB or more when building from source
  • Building the engine from source needs 2 GB of RAM per build thread on top of normal system requirements
  • On Windows the editor requires Windows 10 version 20H2 or later plus Visual Studio 2019 16.11.x, 2022 17.3.x or 2026 18.0.x with the Game development with C++ workload
  • The only primary Linux distribution for the editor is Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, and Ubuntu on 64-bit ARMv8 is experimental
  • Linux builds need CMake 3.30.0 or later, which is newer than the 3.22 shipped by default with Ubuntu 22.04
  • Wayland support is experimental, requires building from source, and is limited to the Game Launcher with no editor support until O3DE moves to Qt6
  • Linux requires a long list of additional apt library packages to be installed before building

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

O3DE

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full engine
    • Modular architecture
    • Cross-platform

Pico-8

$14.99/one-time

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

Which should you pick?

Choose O3DE if

  • You need 3d graphics rendering.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Playstation, Xbox.
  • You also want modular architecture.
O3DE 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 O3DE or Pico-8 better?
Neither clearly leads. O3DE 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, O3DE or Pico-8?
O3DE has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for O3DE and $14.99/one-time for Pico-8.
Does O3DE or Pico-8 run on more platforms?
O3DE runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Playstation, Xbox. Pico-8 runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi.
Can I use O3DE for free?
Yes. O3DE has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Pico-8 starts at $14.99/one-time.
What is O3DE best used for?
O3DE is most often used for building 3d games and simulations on an open source apache-licensed engine, robotics and industrial simulation using o3de gems, projects that need full engine source access with no royalty. Of those, building 3d games and simulations on an open source apache-licensed engine and robotics and industrial simulation using o3de gems are not what Pico-8 is typically brought in for.
What can O3DE do that Pico-8 cannot?
O3DE covers 3D graphics rendering, Modular architecture, Physics engine, Audio system. Pico-8 covers Pixel art editor, Music composer, Lua scripting, Built-in palette. Both handle Local deployment, Windows support, Macos support, Linux support.
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