LunarBasic, a BASIC that compiles 2D games to native executables
I built LunarBasic because I wanted a modern recreation of BlitzBasic from back in the day. I wanted it to have good step debugging features, and I wanted it to compile down to a native binary with no external dependencies. I do know there's an open source BlitzBasic out there but I wanted something simpler and more concise. It does have a "pro" feature set, but for the foreseeable future, anyone joining up will have the pro version in perpetuity (eg I'm not trying to sell anything here). It's early (v0.8.0). Would love feedback on the language design and compiler output, especially from…
What it does
Make retro-style 2D games fast with LunarBasic, a simple BASIC language and IDE that compiles to native executables for Windows, macOS, and Linux Arm64.
Games built with LunarBasic run on Windows, macOS, and Linux Arm64 (with Linux x64 coming soon) and are distributed as standalone executables with no dependencies or runtimes. Executables are native, not interpreted, so they execute at the speed of a compiled language, while still maintaining the simplicity and ease of use that BASIC is known for. LunarBasic combines approachable BASIC syntax with the graphics, audio, input, and debugging tools needed to create complete retro-style games. Start with the first interactive program tutorial or browse the language reference . LunarBasic is still evolving. The current release is aimed at early adopters who want to explore the language, follow…from lunarbasic.com
In the maker’s words, at launch
I built LunarBasic because I wanted a modern recreation of BlitzBasic from back in the day. I wanted it to have good step debugging features, and I wanted it to compile down to a native binary with no external dependencies. I do know there's an open source BlitzBasic out there but I wanted something simpler and more concise. It does have a "pro" feature set, but for the foreseeable future, anyone joining up will have the pro version in perpetuity (eg I'm not trying to sell anything here). It's early (v0.8.0). Would love feedback on the language design and compiler output, especially from anyone who's used QB64, Blitz, or FreeBASIC. Currently runs on x64/arm64 Windows, arm64 macOS, and arm64 Linux (x64 linux coming soon once I get the toolchain together).
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