I discovered a secret 'fantasy console' packed with the best games you've never heard of – and it lets you make your own

Pico-8 games
(Image credit: Pico-8)

If I told you that one of the most influential indie games of the past decade started life in a make-believe console with a 128 x 128 resolution and a 16-colour palette, you might raise an eyebrow. But that’s exactly what happened with Celeste, a twitchy little, brutally difficult platformer born inside a 'fantasy console' called PICO-8 but found fame on the best game consoles, like PS4 and Nintendo Switch.

Since then, the minimalist dev tool PICO-8 has become a hidden haven for some of the most inventive, charming, and unexpectedly powerful games you’ve probably never played. I discovered it by accident when searching for new retro games, and I'm glad I did. It's the kind of platform that makes me rethink what retro games are – nothing here is 'old' – but each one embodies the spirit of the age of Atari, ZX Spectrum, and NES. (For actual golden oldies, read my guide to the best retro game consoles.)

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Ian Dean
Editor, Digital Arts & 3D

Ian Dean is Editor, Digital Arts & 3D at Creative Bloq, and the former editor of many leading magazines. These titles included ImagineFX, 3D World and video game titles Play and Official PlayStation Magazine. Ian launched Xbox magazine X360 and edited PlayStation World. For Creative Bloq, Ian combines his experiences to bring the latest news on digital art, VFX and video games and tech, and in his spare time he doodles in Procreate, ArtRage, and Rebelle while finding time to play Xbox and PS5.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.