Picotage: A Retro Game Tribute to Sabotage

I’ve always had a soft spot for classic arcade games, and one that stuck with me from my childhood was “Sabotage” on the Apple II. I played it on a school computer in the early 1980s, and the simple yet addictive gameplay left a lasting impression. So I decided to recreate that experience with my own twist - enter Picotage!

What is Picotage?

Picotage is a retro-style action game where you defend your base against waves of helicopters dropping paratroopers. The goal is simple: survive as long as you can. Shoot the helicopters before they drop soldiers, take out the parachutes mid-air, or eliminate the soldiers before they land and start firing at your base.

You can play Picotage right now in your browser - no downloads required.

Built with Pico-8

I built Picotage using Pico-8, a “fantasy console” that intentionally limits you to a 128x128 pixel display, 16 colors, and a small amount of code and memory. These constraints force you to focus on gameplay mechanics rather than flashy graphics, which is exactly the spirit of those early arcade games.

If you’ve ever wanted to learn game development, I highly recommend giving Pico-8 a try. The limitations actually make it easier to finish projects, and there’s a wonderful community sharing cartridges and tutorials.

Gameplay Tips

The game starts easy but ramps up quickly. Here are some strategies:

• Prioritize helicopters - taking them out before they drop soldiers is the most efficient approach
• Watch for red soldiers - they have shields and are harder to kill. If they land, they’ll protect troops behind them
• Gray soldiers are sneaky - they land very close to your base, making them nearly impossible to hit once grounded
• Save your powerups - you earn one every 5 levels. They heal your base and give you devastating firepower for a short burst

A little-known trick: if you point straight up and fire, your bullets will eventually come back down and scatter near your base. This can take out soldiers that are otherwise impossible to hit!

Play Now

Ready to defend your base? Head over to the Picotage page and see how long you can survive. Anything past level 30 is impressive - let me know your high score!