Zany80 vs PICO-8

Struggling to choose between Zany80 and PICO-8? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Zany80 is a Development solution with tags like z80, emulator, cpm, vintage, opensource.

It boasts features such as Z80 CPU emulation, Emulation of common Z80 hardware like Z80 PIO, CTC, DMA, DARTs, CP/M 2.2 compatibility, Built-in terminal for interacting with CP/M, Debugger for inspecting Z80 code, Ability to load disk images and run programs, User-friendly graphical interface and pros including Accurate emulation of vintage Z80 hardware and software, Allows running old CP/M software, Open source and free, Easy to use graphical interface, Good documentation and community support.

On the other hand, PICO-8 is a Gaming Software product tagged with retro, fantasy, console, lua, tiny-games.

Its standout features include Retro 8-bit aesthetic, Built-in code editor, sprite editor and sound effects editor, 128x128 pixel screen resolution, Lua programming language support, Cartridge sharing format (.p8) to easily share games, Mouse, keyboard and gamepad controller support, Export games to stand-alone executables, and it shines with pros like Easy to learn and use, Active community support, Very affordable, Cross-platform support, Encourages creativity with limitations.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

Zany80

Zany80

Zany80 is an open-source Z80 emulator and CP/M environment. It allows running vintage Z80 software and provides a usable CP/M environment. Zany80 aims to be accurate and compatible while also being approachable for new users.

Categories:
z80 emulator cpm vintage opensource

Zany80 Features

  1. Z80 CPU emulation
  2. Emulation of common Z80 hardware like Z80 PIO, CTC, DMA, DARTs
  3. CP/M 2.2 compatibility
  4. Built-in terminal for interacting with CP/M
  5. Debugger for inspecting Z80 code
  6. Ability to load disk images and run programs
  7. User-friendly graphical interface

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Accurate emulation of vintage Z80 hardware and software

Allows running old CP/M software

Open source and free

Easy to use graphical interface

Good documentation and community support

Cons

Limited hardware emulation compared to some other Z80 emulators

Not all undocumented Z80 opcodes are supported

Can be resource intensive for older computers


PICO-8

PICO-8

PICO-8 is a fantasy console for making, sharing and playing tiny games and other computer programs. It feels like a regular console, but runs on Windows, Mac, Linux and inside browsers. Programs are written in Lua and share cartridges in .p8 format.

Categories:
retro fantasy console lua tiny-games

PICO-8 Features

  1. Retro 8-bit aesthetic
  2. Built-in code editor, sprite editor and sound effects editor
  3. 128x128 pixel screen resolution
  4. Lua programming language support
  5. Cartridge sharing format (.p8) to easily share games
  6. Mouse, keyboard and gamepad controller support
  7. Export games to stand-alone executables

Pricing

  • One-time Purchase

Pros

Easy to learn and use

Active community support

Very affordable

Cross-platform support

Encourages creativity with limitations

Cons

Limited resolution and color palette

No 3D support

Limited distribution options

Steep learning curve for total beginners