Awesome Playdate

A list of awesome resources for game development on Panic's Playdate console.

⚠️   Links may include spoilers

Contents

• Game Development
  • Programming Frameworks & Languages
  • Development Concepts
  • Graphics
  • Fonts
• Open Source Playdate Games & Example Code
• Playdate Games & Dev Blogs
• Social
  • Discussion groups
  • Accounts to follow

Game Development

Programming Frameworks & Languages

Pulp + Pulpscript

A "no-code alternative to the full SDK", Pulp provides a "click-and-place" game editor right in your browser.

• Pulp
• The Official Pulp Forum

Articles on Pulp + Pulpscript

• Panic unveils Pulp - Gamasutra
• Playdate Pulp - playdate.wiki
• Playdate Pulp - Gamedeveloper.com

Lua

• Learn X in Y minutes, Where X=Lua - A succinct Lua cheatsheet for developers with experience in other languages like Python.

Playdate SDK

Panic publishes two versions of their SDK: a high-level API for Lua, similar to LÖVE, and a lower-level C library for applications with higher performance needs.

Official

• Playdate SDK Lua Documentation
• Playdate SDK C Documentation
• Develop for Playdate

Unofficial

• Install Playdate SDK with Package Managers
• Playdate SDK Docker Image
• Playdate API and build tools in Rust

Playdate SDK Previews

• Playdate Programming LIVE - 50 minute long programming demo that shows some of the SDK and simulator.
• Playdate Unboxing + Project Setup
• Early Playdate SDK release notes
• Code sample in /r/PlaydateConsole

Lua Libraries

The following libraries are expected to work well-enough on the Playdate:

• AnimatedSprite - A lua-based library for animating sprites. Containing finite state machine, json configuration and plugNplay behaviour.
• deep - An "action-queue" library; helpful for things like z-indexing (although the Playdate already has z-index support in its draw ordering).
• GFXP - A library with a collection of dithering patterns for the Playdate. An online version of the editor can be seen here.
• Knife - A collection of useful micro-modules for Lua.
• Jumper - A pure Lua pathfinding library for grid-based games.
• lua-star - A* pathfinding in pure Lua.
• middleclass - A simple OOP library for Lua that introduces inheritance, operator overloads, static variables, and mixin support.
• Noble Engine - Noble Engine is a Lua-based game engine library built on top of the Playdate SDK that offers a variety of helpful features.
  • Documentation
  • Presentation from the creator
• profile.lua - Performance profiling for Lua applications.
• rxi/classic - A tiny class module for Lua. Attempts to stay simple and provide decent performance by avoiding unnecessary over-abstraction.
• rxi/json.lua - A lightweight JSON library for Lua.
• rxi/lume - A collection of functions for Lua, geared towards game development.
• rxi/shash - A simple, lightweight spatial hash for Lua.
• rxi/tick - A small Lua module that simplifies the calling of functions at a set interval or after a delay.
• tiny-ecs - An entity component system in pure Lua.
• vector.lua - An alternative 2D vector library for Lua.
• bump.lua - A 2D colission detection library.
• philanc/plc - Pure Lua Crypto. Crpytographic functions and utilities implemented in pure Lua.

LOVE

The Lua-based LÖVE framework offers a similar API to the Playdate Lua SDK, useful for prototyping before the public release of the Playdate SDK.

See love2d-community/awesome-love2d for additional resources.

• Sheepolution's "How to LÖVE" tutorial - An oft-recommended intro to game development in Lua. Most concepts should be transferable to Playdate
• love-playdate-emulation - A basic template for previewing games built with LÖVE in a Playdate-like environment.

C

• Playdate Game Development in C - Alberto Benavent Ramón's Bachelor's Thesis in Multimedia Engineering, explores the hardware and software of the Playdate
• Taxman Engine - A 2D, platform-independent game engine designed for the Playdate. Online demo here.

Low-level Hardware Documentation & Datasheets

This information was gleaned from a developer preview unit and screenshots.

• Playdate Reverse Engineering - Unofficial documentation covering the Playdate's file formats, USB serial commands, and server API.
• CPU: ST STM32F746
  • MCU Reference Manual
  • CPU Programming Manual
  • SPI Documentation
  • DMA Documentation
• Audio: Cirrus 42L52CNZ
• eMMC: Kioxia THGBMDG5D1LBAIT 4GB
• SPI Flash: Winbond W25Q32JVS 4MB
• DRAM: Winbond W967D6HBGX7I 16MB
• LCD Module: Sharp LS027B7DH01A
  • LCD Screen Programming Guide

Experimental & Other

These projects represent experiments with the Playdate. Use at your own risk.

• Crankstart - An experimental Rust crate to write games for the Playdate in Rust.
• playdate-rs - Unofficial Rust binding for Playdate C API.
• playdate-nim - Nim bindings with extra features for the Playdate SDK.
• VSCode-PlaydateTemplate - VSCode autocompletion with the Playdate simulator. Windows only.
• VSCode-PlaydateTemplateForLinux - VSCode autocompletion with the Playdate simulator. Linux based system only.
• playdate-vscode-build-macos - VSCode one click build and simple starter template. macOS only.
• mini3d-plus - 3D engine based on the mini3d library provided in the SDK examples.
• pd-usb - JavaScript librarty for interacting with a Playdate connected over USB.
• playbit: Build cross-platform Playdate games, create build scripts, and utilize preprocessor macros!
• GitHub Action: get-playdate-sdk Installs the Playdate SDK in your GitHub Actions Workflows

Development & Graphics tools

• Tiled - 2D map editor
• Thrshold - Figma plugin to apply a threshold effect filter
• LDtk - A modern 2D level editor with a strong focus on user-friendliness
• PlaydateLDtkImporter - Load tilemaps created with LDtk in playdate games

Development Concepts

Game Programming Patterns

• Game Programming Patterns (book) - The Web version is free.

Graphics & Art

• Ditherpunk - An article about monochrome image dithering.
• Stabilized dithering using sphere mapping - A dithering implementation used in Return of the Obra Dinn.
• Playdate Art: Scale - Important notes on designing sprites, fonts, and tiles for the Playdate.

Physics

• Video Game Physics Part I: An Introduction to Rigid Body Dynamics - Core physics material for game developers.

Procedural Generation

• Making Martian Faces - Notes about generating characters for Mars after Midnight.
• Procedural Content Generation Wiki

Graphics

• DrawDate - 1-bit, browser-based sprite editor. GitHub Source.
• Memory Icons - Open Source 1bit icon set
• Pixen - Pixel art editor for Mac and iPad, with recent optimizations for Playdate graphics creation.

Fonts

• Playdate Arcade Fonts - Collection of classic arcade fonts for the Playdate.
• PDFontTool - Converts TrueType Font, OpenType Font to Playdate Font.

Open Source Playdate Games & Example Code

• Artsy Gallery
• Factory Farming
• Game of Life - An implementation of Conway's Game of Life meant to provide a template for games to be built in Love2d and ported to Playdate.
• Gimme Friction Baby - Lua/Playdate port of a classic casual Flash game.
• Klondike Solitaire for Playdate (GitHub Repo)
• Mini3D+ – Enhanced 3D engine for the Panic Playdate.
• Oops You Started An Intergalactic War
  • GitHub Repo
• Panels – Build interactive comics for the Playdate console.
• PickPackPup
• Playdate Anticipation Jam Submissions (Unofficial. - Nov. 2020) - A first "pre-Playdate" 1-bit game jam with Playdate-inspired submissions.
• Playlate – A template for Playdate to explore Playdate SDK and build your games faster.
• Playnote Studio - An unofficial Flipnote Studio animation player for the Playdate.
• Six Card Golf - A love2d card game meant to be ported to Playdate.
• Sketch, Share, Solve – Sketch, Share, Solve is a nonogram game for the Playdate.
• Panels – Build interactive comics for the Playdate console.
• Mini3D+ – Enhanced 3D engine for the Panic Playdate.
• BrickCrusher 2000 - Brickbreaker Clone for Playdate

Tutorials & How-Tos

Playdate SDK

• How to Make a Simple Playdate Game - How to make a simple Space Invaders-inspired game (Lua)
• Unlicensed Paddle Game - How to build a Pong clone (Lua)

Pulp

• Pulp Pong - How to recreate the all-time classic Pong

Playdate Games & Dev Blogs

• Crankin's Time Travel Adventure (Official site)
  • Demo Video
  • Demo Video 2
• Daily Driver (Dev Blog)
  • Patreon
• HYPER METEOR (Official site)
  • Twitter
  • Vertex Pop Blog
• Mars after Midnight (Devlog)
• Poly's Roly Rumble (Patreon)
  • Discord
  • YouTube Channel
• Pullfrog 2-Bits (Devlog)
• Silverball Tactics (Official site)
  • YouTube Channel
  • Instagram
• Widget Satchel II: Return of Sprocket (Official site)

Social

Discussion groups

• Unofficial Playdate Discord
• /r/PlaydateConsole/ - A Playdate subreddit. Panic employees comment here occasionally.

Accounts to follow

Official Playdate accounts

• @panic - Official Panic Twitter.
• @playdate - Official Playdate Twitter.
• @playdateAlerts - Official Playdate news.
• @[email protected] - Official Panic Mastodon.
• @[email protected] - Official Playdate Mastodon.

Game Dev Accounts

Playdate & Panic

• @gregmaletic - Project lead on Playdate at Panic.
• @mrgan - Designer at Panic. Contributes to Discord server.
• @shauninman - Playdate Developer & Designer at Panic. Developing The Ratcheteer.
• /u/dave__h - Playdate Developer, contributes to /r/PlaydateConsole and the unofficial Discord.
• /u/gregmaletic - Project lead on Playdate at Panic, contributes to /r/PlaydateConsole.
• /u/sardinebrunch - Playdate Developer at Panic, contributes to /r/PlaydateConsole.
• @[email protected] - Playdate Developer at Panic.

Third-party Devs

• @amanogames - Developing Pullfrog 2-Bits.
• @andreintg - Developing Date of Life.
• @aronegal - Developing Omaze.
• @bfod - Developing Zipper.
• @castpixel + @Nelsormensch - Developing Forrest Byrnes: Up In Smoke.
• @ChuhaiLabs - Developing Whitewater Wipeout.
• @cmakcmak - Developing Saturday Edition.
• @dadakogames - Developing Questy Chess.
• @davemakes - Developing Executive Golf DX and other Playdate games.
• @davemakes - Developing Robot Fishing.
• @dmierau - Developing Playmaker.
• @Dovuro - Misc. Jam games, including a version of Chess, and a port of Bubble Factory.
• @dukope - Developing Mars after Midnight.
• @DuncanFyfe - Developing Demon Quest 85.
• @frankjonen - Developing Silverball Tactics.
• @GerudoGibbs - Developing Spellcorked.
• @gingerbeardman - Developing Daily Driver.
• @helvetica - Developing Snak.
• @kataStatik - Developing Direct Drive.
• @matthew_ej - Developing Oxy Con Brio.
• @mayli - Developing Boogie Loops.
• @michaelfrei10 - Developing Getting There.
• @mobeenfikree - Developing HYPER METEOR.
• @NicMagnier - Developing Pick Pack Pup.
• @noblerobot - Developing Widget Satchel II: Return of Sprocket.
• @Radstronomical - Developing Casual Birder.
• @RNGParty - Developing Poly's Roly Rumble.
• @Rokashi - Developing Faraway Fairway.
• @SamanthaZero - Developing Echoic Memory.
• @serenityforge - Developing Flipper Lifter.
• @SweetBabyInc - Developing Lost Your Marbles, Recommendation Dog and Reel Steal.
• @tpmcosoftworks - Developing Battleship Godios.
• @uvulaLLC - Developing Crankin's Time Travel Adventure.
• @veubeke - Developing Down the Oubliette.

Contributing

Contributions welcome! Read the contribution guidelines

Footnotes

Official Links

• Official Playdate Site
• Playdate Developers Site
• Playdate Store
• Panic Official Site
• Panic Podcasts
• Panic Blog
• Teenage Engineering
• Playdate Media Kit & FAQ
• Panic Mastodon Instance

News, Background, and Fluff

Panic & TE Announcements

• 2021-07-29: Panic Podcast Episode 6: The Story of Playdate
• 2021-06-08: Say Hello to Playdate! (Panic)
• 2021-06-08: Playdate Update - 6/8/2021 (Panic)
• 2020-09-22: Make Games for Playdate (Panic)
• 2019-12-01: December 2019 Update
• 2019-06-01: Small Wonder: Edge Magazine's Playdate Cover Story
• 2019-05-31: "The Talk Show" - Interview with Cabel Sasser, Steven Frank, and Greg Maletic about Playdate
• Teenage Engineering: Introducing Playdate