Pocket8, the native PICO-8 emulator we’ve discussed here and on the channel (below), has evolved from a promising fan project into an officially endorsed companion app for iOS, giving mobile players a proper way to experience the fantasy console’s sprawling library without fighting browser limitations.
PICO-8 creator Joseph White, better known as zep, has partnered with developer Jevon Lipsey to position Pocket8 as the official iOS solution for browsing and playing carts from the Lexaloffle BBS. The collaboration addresses a persistent pain point, where the web player’s audio lag and sluggish input made timing-dependent games nearly unplayable on mobile. Pocket8 replaces that frustrating experience with native 60fps performance, instant save states, and responsive touch controls that actually work for precision platformers like Celeste.
The app supports standard .p8 and compressed .p8.png cartridge formats, handles multicart games using LOAD() commands, and includes quality-of-life features like cart favoriting and renaming for better library management. Future updates will integrate BBS browsing directly into the app, letting players discover and launch games without juggling between Safari and the emulator.
PICO-8 on Android Handhelds
Android users have an alpha build available on GitHub, but the long-term plan splits differently. Lexaloffle is developing its own official Android app slated for late 2026, including handheld support for Splore browsing, and the upcoming PICO-8 0.3 login and highscores system that likely won’t make it into Pocket8’s iOS runtime. White clarified the distinction in a recent Reddit post, explaining that Android’s device diversity and relatively functional web player made a companion app less urgent than a full-featured official release.
For iOS users ready to ditch the browser-based workaround, Pocket8 is available as a sideloadable IPA from the GitHub releases page, and it’s the best way to play PICO-8 on iPhone right now.
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