The story behind our retro gaming playground (and why we're so obsessed with pixels)
PicoPixl started as a wild idea: "What if I could use AI to recreate classic games that anyone could play right in their browser?" What began as a simple experiment in AI-assisted game development quickly snowballed into something much bigger!
Fast forward to today, and here we are - a growing collection of lovingly recreated arcade classics that you can play instantly without downloads, emulators, or any of that complicated stuff. And the best part? Every single game (and even this website!) was built using "vibe coding" with AI.
Why do I do this? Because classic games are awesome! They remind us of a simpler time when gameplay was king, when games had to be immediately fun because they couldn't rely on cutting-edge graphics. These games laid the foundation for everything we play today, and I think they deserve to be experienced by everyone, not just those willing to set up emulators or hunt down old hardware.
This is not the first version of the site! I built out almost an entire version of this site to test and prove out the concept, just to make sure it would work. I learned a few things, and this version is all the better for it!
Each game starts with me playing the original (for research purposes, obviously!) and thinking about what makes it special. Then, I team up with AI to bring it to life through what I call "vibe coding" - describing the essence of the game and letting AI help craft the implementation.
The magic happens when I describe the game's feel, mechanics, and quirks to my AI assistant, and together we create something that captures the spirit of the original. For some games, we stay super faithful to the originals, while for others we might add little quality-of-life improvements (like, you know, actually being able to save your progress).
All our games use plain HTML, CSS, and JavaScript - no fancy frameworks needed. This keeps them lightweight and fast-loading, even on slower connections. Plus, it makes them work on pretty much any modern device with a web browser! The AI helps with both code generation and creative problem-solving when we hit snags.
As I'm building the site with my AI partner, I'm also recording video commentary of much of the process. You can check out the videos on the PicoPixl YouTube channel. (don't forget to like and subscribe!)
Is PicoPixl free to use?
Absolutely! All games are 100% free to play. I do this for fun and to explore what's possible with AI-assisted game development. No ads, no paywalls, no nonsense.
Can I suggest games to add?
Please do! I'm always looking for ideas. Hop into our Discord or ping us on social media with your suggestions. Fair warning: I'm a sucker for obscure arcade games from the 80s, and the AI seems to have a soft spot for them too!
Do I need to install anything?
Nope! That's the whole point of PicoPixl - just open your browser and play. No downloads, no plugins, no app stores, no updates to install. The AI helps optimize everything to run directly in your browser.
Do the games work on mobile?
Sometimes. It really just depends on the game, and if it makes sense for touch input. Where possible, I try to make the games mobile friendly, along with the site as well.
What's with the name "PicoPixl"?
"Pico" means tiny, and "Pixl" is our quirky spelling of pixel. We're all about those tiny squares that made up the games we love! Also, all the good domain names were taken. The AI actually suggested several name options, but PicoPixl just had the right vibe.
I found a bug! What should I do?
First, try turning it into a feature! Just kidding - please let me know on Mastodon. With the help of AI, I can fix bugs pretty quickly, especially if they're game-breaking.
How exactly does AI help build these games?
I use AI for everything from generating the initial game code to designing graphics, tweaking game mechanics, and even writing the copy for this website! It's a collaborative process - I provide the vision and direction, and the AI helps bring it to life with code and creativity.
Enough reading - time for some AI-powered retro gaming action!
Play Some Games!