Learn PICO8-LUA with Real Code Examples

count = 0

function updateUI()
    cls()
    print("Button Count: "..count, 10, 10, 7)
end

function buttonPress()
    count = count + 1
    updateUI()
end

-- Simulate actions
updateUI()
buttonPress()
buttonPress()

Counts button presses and displays the current count on the screen.

isDark = false

function updateUI()
    cls(isDark and 0 or 7)
    print("Theme: "..(isDark and "Dark" or "Light"), 10, 10, 7)
end

function toggleTheme()
    isDark = not isDark
    updateUI()
end

-- Simulate actions
updateUI()
toggleTheme()
toggleTheme()

Toggles the background color between dark and light themes.

score = 0

function updateUI()
    cls()
    print("Score: "..score, 10, 10, 7)
end

function increment()
    score = score + 10
    updateUI()
end

function decrement()
    score = score - 5
    updateUI()
end

function reset()
    score = 0
    updateUI()
end

-- Simulate actions
updateUI()
increment()
decrement()
reset()

Tracks a player score with increment, decrement, and reset functions.

time = 0

function updateUI()
    cls()
    print("Time: "..time.." sec", 10, 10, 7)
end

function tick()
    time = time + 1
    updateUI()
end

-- Simulate actions
updateUI()
tick()
tick()
tick()

Counts seconds and displays the elapsed time.

health = 100

function updateUI()
    cls()
    print("Health: "..health, 10, 10, 7)
end

function damage(amount)
    health = health - amount
    updateUI()
end

function heal(amount)
    health = health + amount
    updateUI()
end

-- Simulate actions
updateUI()
damage(20)
heal(10)

Displays a health value and updates it with damage and healing.

level = 1

function updateUI()
    cls()
    print("Level: "..level, 10, 10, 7)
end

function nextLevel()
    level = level + 1
    updateUI()
end

function resetLevel()
    level = 1
    updateUI()
end

-- Simulate actions
updateUI()
nextLevel()
nextLevel()
resetLevel()

Tracks the current game level with increment and reset.

coins = 0

function updateUI()
    cls()
    print("Coins: "..coins, 10, 10, 7)
end

function collectCoin()
    coins = coins + 1
    updateUI()
end

function loseCoin()
    coins = coins - 1
    updateUI()
end

-- Simulate actions
updateUI()
collectCoin()
collectCoin()
loseCoin()

Counts collected coins in a game.

powerTime = 10

function updateUI()
    cls()
    print("Power-Up Time: "..powerTime, 10, 10, 7)
end

function tick()
    powerTime = powerTime - 1
    updateUI()
end

function resetPower()
    powerTime = 10
    updateUI()
end

-- Simulate actions
updateUI()
tick()
tick()
resetPower()

Counts down power-up duration and resets.

ammo = 10

function updateUI()
    cls()
    print("Ammo: "..ammo, 10, 10, 7)
end

function shoot()
    ammo = ammo - 1
    updateUI()
end

function reload()
    ammo = 10
    updateUI()
end

-- Simulate actions
updateUI()
shoot()
shoot()
reload()

Tracks ammo usage with reload and shoot actions.

stars = 0

function updateUI()
    cls()
    print("Stars: "..stars, 10, 10, 7)
end

function collectStar()
    stars = stars + 1
    updateUI()
end

function loseStar()
    stars = stars - 1
    updateUI()
end

-- Simulate actions
updateUI()
collectStar()
collectStar()
loseStar()

Counts collected stars and shows progress.