TIC-80 is a fantasy console platform and multi-language game engine that provides a virtual retro game development environment. It operates via a bytecode virtual machine that executes game logic within fixed memory and resolution constraints.
The project distinguishes itself by offering integrated asset editors for pixel art, tile maps, and a pattern-based chiptune audio workstation all within a single environment. It supports multi-language scripting, allowing developers to write logic in Lua, JavaScript, or Ruby, and provides a standalone game exporter to package projects into native executables for Windows, Linux, macOS, and Raspberry Pi.
The platform covers a broad range of capabilities, including 2D and textured triangle rendering, raw RAM access with bank-switched memory management, and comprehensive input processing for keyboards, mice, and gamepads. It also includes a virtual filesystem for project organization and a scanline interrupt system for creating raster effects.
