Forge YourRetro Dreams
A modern fantasy console for creating retro-style games with creative constraints that encourage finished projects while offering more capability than traditional 8-bit consoles.
PrivacyFirst
Your privacy matters. No email, phone number, or personal information required.
Play Anonymously
Browse and play games without creating an account. No registration required.
Keypair Authentication
To create and share carts, the system generates a cryptographic keypair. Download and securely store your key—that's your account access.
VisualFoundation
Display
- • 480×270 (16:9)
- • 64-color palettes
- • 60 FPS rendering
- • Pixel-perfect scaling
Graphics
- • 256 sprite slots
- • JSON-based sprites
- • 8-layer tilemaps
- • Parallax scrolling
DevelopmentExperience
Code
- • Lua 5.1 scripting
- • 16,384 token limit
- • Module system
- • Hot reload support
Assets
- • 64 KB cart limit
- • Sprite editor
- • Map editor
- • Sound editor
GameSystems
Physics
- • Box2D integration
- • Rigid body simulation
- • Collision detection
- • Sprite collision flags
Audio
- • 8 audio channels
- • Chip-tune synthesis
- • 5 waveforms
- • Sound effects & music
State Machine
- • Built-in state management
- • Lifecycle callbacks
- • State stacking
- • Shared context
Platforms &Multiplayer
Platforms
- • Windows, macOS, Linux
- • Web (WASM)
- • Android
- • Single-file executables
Multiplayer
- • WebRTC networking
- • Up to 6 players
- • Automatic state sync
- • Peer-to-peer support
The PerfectMiddle Ground
If new game developers should learn fantasy consoles before jumping into Unity or Unreal, then RetroForge is the perfect middle ground with professional features.
Fantasy Consoles
Start Here
- • Simple constraints
- • Retro aesthetic
- • Fast prototyping
RetroForge
Perfect Middle Ground
- • Module system
- • State machines
- • Built-in physics
- • Multiplayer ready
Unity/Unreal
End Goal
- • Unlimited complexity
- • Full 3D graphics
- • Professional pipelines
Native Module SupportBuilt for Structure
Why are we the perfect middle ground? RetroForge natively supports and enforces module development with built-in state machines, making it the ideal stepping stone to professional engines.
📦 Module System
Organize your code with rf.import()for clean, maintainable projects.
rf.import("menu_state.lua")
rf.import("playing_state.lua")
rf.import("game_over.lua")🎯 State Machines
Built-in state management with automatic lifecycle handling—just like professional engines.
function _INIT() -- Setup function _UPDATE(dt) -- Game loop function _DRAW() -- Rendering function _EXIT() -- Cleanup
Learn professional development patterns while staying focused on finishing games.
Early AlphaYour Feedback Matters
This project is a baby. I'm sure there's stuff I forgot, and no doubt you'll find bugs.
Please report issues, bugs, and feature requests on GitHub. Your feedback helps shape RetroForge!