Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Scratch VS Pyxel

Compare Scratch VS Pyxel and see what are their differences

Scratch logo Scratch

Scratch is the programming language & online community where young people create stories, games, & animations.

Pyxel logo Pyxel

Retro game engine for Python inspired by fantasy consoles.
  • Scratch Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-17
  • Pyxel Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-17

Scratch features and specs

  • Engaging Interface
    Scratch offers a visually appealing and user-friendly interface that makes it accessible for kids and beginners to learn programming concepts.
  • Community Support
    The platform has a large and active community where users can share projects, get feedback, and collaborate with others, fostering a sense of community and support.
  • Educational Value
    Scratch is designed with a strong pedagogical foundation, helping users to develop problem-solving skills, logical thinking, and creativity.
  • Drag-and-Drop Programming
    The block-based coding in Scratch eliminates syntax errors and simplifies the process of learning programming logic, making it ideal for beginners.
  • Free to Use
    Scratch is completely free to use, which makes it accessible to a wide audience without any financial barriers.
  • Portable
    Being web-based, Scratch can be accessed from any device with an internet connection, providing ease of access and flexibility.

Possible disadvantages of Scratch

  • Limited Advanced Capabilities
    Scratch is mainly designed for beginners and might not offer the depth or complexities needed for more advanced programming projects.
  • Performance Issues
    Larger projects can sometimes become slow or unresponsive, particularly on less powerful devices.
  • Simplified Programming
    The drag-and-drop nature of Scratch, while educational, might limit exposure to the syntax and intricacies of written programming languages.
  • Internet Dependency
    Scratch primarily requires an internet connection, which could be a limitation in areas with poor connectivity.
  • Age Focus
    The platform is highly targeted towards younger audiences, which might not be appealing or suitable for older learners or adults seeking beginner resources.
  • Privacy Concerns
    As with any online community, there are potential privacy and security risks, especially for younger users, which require careful monitoring and guidance.

Pyxel features and specs

  • Simple API
    Pyxel offers an uncomplicated and straightforward API, which makes it easy for beginners to start creating games without getting bogged down by complex configurations and setups.
  • Cross-Platform
    Pyxel is designed to be cross-platform, functioning seamlessly on Windows, macOS, and Linux, allowing developers to create and distribute games across multiple platforms with ease.
  • Lightweight
    With a focus on minimalism, Pyxel is lightweight which ensures that it runs efficiently on most hardware, making it suitable for projects where resource consumption is a concern.
  • Pixel Art Focus
    The library is tailored for creating pixel art games, offering features and tools that specifically cater to the needs of pixel art creation and manipulation.
  • No Installation Required
    As a self-contained application, Pyxel doesn't require installation, allowing developers to quickly run it directly after download and start working on their game projects without additional setup steps.

Possible disadvantages of Pyxel

  • Limited Advanced Features
    Pyxel's simplicity can be a downside for experienced developers looking for advanced game development features or functionalities, as it lacks the depth found in more complex game engines.
  • 2D Only
    As a library focused on 2D pixel art games, Pyxel does not support 3D game development, limiting developers who are interested in creating anything beyond the 2D space.
  • Performance Limitations
    Because of its lightweight nature and simplicity, Pyxel might struggle with performance when developing resource-intensive games compared to more robust game engines.
  • Limited Community and Resources
    Pyxel has a smaller user base and community compared to larger game engines, which results in fewer resources, tutorials, and third-party tools available for learning and problem-solving.

Analysis of Scratch

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Scratch is generally considered good for its intended purpose. It serves as an excellent introduction to programming for young learners and is praised for its simplicity, ease of use, and educational value.

Why this product is good

  • Scratch is a visual programming language designed primarily for children and beginners to learn the basics of coding and computational thinking. It promotes creativity, logic, and problem-solving skills in a user-friendly environment. Scratch provides a platform for users to create interactive stories, games, and animations, which can be shared within an active online community, fostering collaboration and feedback.

Recommended for

  • Children aged 8-16 who are interested in learning programming
  • Educators and parents seeking to introduce coding concepts
  • Beginners in programming who prefer a visual approach
  • Anyone looking to explore digital creativity through interactive media

Scratch videos

Scratch 3.0 Review: My Thoughts About Scratch 3.0

More videos:

  • Review - Numark PT01 Scratch Review
  • Review - Meguiar's scratch X 2.0 review

Pyxel videos

Aseprite vs Pyxel Edit - Pixel Art Animation & Tile Tool Comparison

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Scratch and Pyxel)
Kids Education
100 100%
0% 0
Game Engine
73 73%
27% 27
Game Development
84 84%
16% 16
Programming
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Scratch and Pyxel

Scratch Reviews

  1. Pratham shah
    ยท nothing at none ยท
    TOO GOOD

    It is just awesome. you can make so many things WITHOUT A TEAM! If you are starting then this is an awesome place to start at.

    ๐Ÿ Competitors: Python, Java, Code.org
    ๐Ÿ‘ Pros:    Good UI|Remix|Works perfectly|100% free|Many, many languages

Top 15 educational software to streamline the learning process
Scratch lets students create interactive stories, games, and animations. The coding projects allow students to experiment and express their ideas, developing 21st-century skills like computational thinking and creativity. Scratch introduces students to programming, STEM and digital literacy in a fun way.
16 Scratch Alternatives
It can even permit anyone to access its junior program through which kids can learn how to make any app by taking their focus on the study related to programming. Scratch also comes with facilitating users with the permission to mix all the programming blocks so that they can create multiple characters for singing, jumping, dancing, moving, and more.
Coding Websites That Help Kids Learn Programming In A Fun Way in 2023
Scratch, created by MIT students, teaches coding by allowing students to create tales, games, and animations using programming blocks. There is a vibrant online community as well as a step-by-step tutorial to assist those who are just getting started. Students can also use an offline editor to revise their work. ScratchJr, a simplified version of the software, is targeted at...
20 Best Scratch Alternatives 2023
Unlike Scratch, Snap targets not only kids but also high school and college students. The platform provides a solution for serious computer science study, while Scratch focuses on just the basics.

Pyxel Reviews

We have no reviews of Pyxel yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Scratch seems to be a lot more popular than Pyxel. While we know about 572 links to Scratch, we've tracked only 28 mentions of Pyxel. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Scratch mentions (572)

  • Ask HN: Are there any good educational computers for children that aren't toys?
    All kids have the instinct to learn, but it's not a set-and-forget dynamic where you can just leave them with a computer/gadget. Their interests and curiousity feed off of those around them. Having access to "true play" and playmates are critical [1]. For example, you can introduce them to Scratch [2], make a small game together, and let them propose new games to make. Get their friends involved too. But's not... - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago
  • Hackathon "Web Thiruvizha"
    The second event is about to create game from (https://scratch.mit.edu/). As a team we created a game called "Windows Destroyer", the theme of the game is to destroy the Windows icon by the small rocket. If any any is reading this blog you try the game in the given link. (https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1205853657) "GOOD DAY WITH NEW FRIENDS". - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • Designing your own node-based visual programming language
    Though the first approach is usually simpler to make, it has one big flawโ€”subpar performance. Despite the seemingly perfect linked graph situation, using an automata prevents compilers (including JIT compilers for scripting languages) to optimize your code. For example, they can't optimize a for-if-else structure to be as fast as possible if those for, if, and actual commands with possible value getters are... - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • TikTok Is Harming Children at an Industrial Scale
    I anticipate my kid needing to live in a word with capitalism, it doesn't ncessarily mean that they need a Mastercard at 4 years old. Same with many other things: condoms, keys to a car, access to alcohol. There is a time for everything, and at the age of 4, a young human probably has not yet maxxed out on analog stimuli opportunities. I learned YouTube when it came out in 2006 and I was 21. I've got 19 years of... - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago
  • How I Got Started in IT: My Journey to Becoming an Apprentice Support Engineer ๐Ÿš€
    I've always been fascinated by the technology. I spent many hors playing video games and the first dive into the world of development was when I had to code a game on Scratch. The excercise looked pretty easy: Create a Tamagotchi-like game. Let me tell you - It wasn't easy at all for someone of a young age! There were many things that I needed to pay attention to: Things I have never heard of before! - Source: dev.to / 11 months ago
View more

Pyxel mentions (28)

  • A (not so) small library for terminal based game development
    If pygamelib interests you, you might also be interested in Pyxel: https://github.com/kitao/pyxel. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • This Week In Python
    Pyxel โ€“ A retro game engine for Python โ€“ by @kitao. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Show HN: Driftmania โ€“ an open source PICO-8 racing game
    Nice work, gives me very Micro Machines vibes for the NES. The only thing I don't like about PICO-8 is that its completely closed source. An open source alternative that seems very promising is Pyxel. It has similar retro / pixel art limitations, a built-in sprite editor, music tracker, etc. https://github.com/kitao/pyxel. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • is python good for making games?
    There's also game engines which are fun to use in python, like pyxel. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Web App Generation Feature Added to Pyxel, a Retro Game Engine for Python
    A function to automatically generate an application launch URL has been added to Pyxel, a retro game engine for Python (https://github.com/kitao/pyxel please add your star to this repository!). Source: over 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Scratch and Pyxel, you can also consider the following products

Code.org - Code.org is a non-profit whose goal is to expose all students to computer programming.

PICO-8 - Lua-based fantasy console for making and playing tiny, computer games and programs.

Godot Engine - Feature-packed 2D and 3D open source game engine.

TIC-80 - TIC-80 is a fantasy computer where you can make, play and share tiny games.

GDevelop - GDevelop is an open-source game making software designed to be used by everyone.

WASM-4 - Build retro games using WebAssembly for a fantasy console