Game Dev Tools for Raspberry Pi
About
I made this site because it was so hard to find good game development tools that work well on a Raspberry Pi. Lots of searching would turn up tools here and there, scattered across the web, but not a good, single place to find lots of tools all at once. I hope this site can fill that hole.
There will always be new things to add, so feel free to contribute new tools using the link at the bottom of the site. I will review and add them as I can.
I hope these tools are of use to you in making games. I'd love to see what you create!
Best,
Dylan
Types of Links
archive Downloadable As-Is
These tools work as-is, with no special effort needed. Sometimes you need to run a
command to install them, and sometimes you can just download them to your computer. But
beyond that, there's really not much involved.
public Browser-Based
These tools are great because they just run in your browser and need nothing else.
build Some Assembly Required
These tools need extra technical knowledge to get them working. They might need to be
compiled especially for the Raspberry Pi, or they might need a special set of instructions
to get up and running. Either way, it's not quite plug-and-play.
Game Engines
archive PICO-8
PICO-8 is a fantasy console for making, sharing and playing tiny games and other computer programs. ($15)
public PICO-8 Education EditionPICO-8, but web-based and free. Has minor limitations compared to the purchased stand-alone version.
archive LÖVELÖVE is a framework you can use to make 2D games in Lua.
public TwineTwine is an open-source tool for telling interactive, nonlinear stories.
public BitsyBitsy is a little editor for little games or worlds.
archive pygamepygame is a free and open source python library for making games.
build GodotA fully featured game engine for both 2D and 3D games.
archive Minecraft - Pi EditionA version of Minecraft just for the Raspberry Pi to help you learn coding.
archive AppGameKitAppGameKit is an easy to learn game engine, ideal for Beginners, Hobbyists & Indie developers.
archive DragonRuby Game ToolkitDragonRuby GTK is a beginner friendly (yet professional grade) cross-platform game engine. ($40)
archive GDevelopAn open-source, cross-platform game creator designed to be used by everyone - no programming skills required.
Art Tools
public Piskel
Piskel is a free online editor for animated sprites & pixel art.
public GoyaA pixel-art editor built on ClojureScript and Om.
archive InkscapeA professional vector graphics editor.
public Lospec Palette ListThe Lospec Palette List is a database of palettes for pixel art.
archive Tiled Map editorYour free, easy to use and flexible level editor.
build AsepriteAseprite is a pixel-art tool to create 2D animations, sprites, and any kind of graphics for games.
Art Assets
archive Kenney Assets
Free game assets, no strings attached.
archive Open Game ArtA repository of free art for developers to use.
archive Google FontsAn extenisve catalog of free, open source fonts.
Music/Audio
archive Audacity
Audacity is an easy-to-use, multi-track audio editor.
public BeepBoxBeepBox is an online tool for sketching and sharing chiptune melodies.
public Chrome Music LabAn online tool for making songs in your browser.
public FreesoundFreesound is a collaborative database of Creative Commons Licensed sounds.
public BfxrAn online tool for making sound effects in your browser.
Coding
archive Visual Studio Code
Code editing. Redefined. Free. Built on open source.
archive GeanyGeany is a text editor with basic features of an integrated development environment.
Publishers
public itch.io
An open marketplace for independent digital creators with a focus on independent video games.
public Game JoltA hosting service for freeware and commercial video games with social functions.
Books
import_contacts Python, PyGame, and Raspberry Pi Game Development
Learn to use Python and PyGame to create fast-paced video games, including games that use the GPIO pins.