GitHub - CharmingBlaze/moonbasic: moonBASIC — modern BASIC for 2D/3D games. Download IDE + runtime + docs. No Go required.

moonBASIC
A modern BASIC for games — readable scripts, real compiler, real engine.

Download latest · Begin here · Read the Book · Examples

moonBASIC is a game programming language with a compiler, bytecode VM, and full runtime in one stack. Write .mb files. Open a window. Draw 2D or 3D. Bounce things with Box2D or Jolt. Ship a zip.

You do not need Go, GCC, CMake, or this repo’s engine guts to make games. Download a release. Extract. Hit F5.

This repository is the official download + docs hub for Windows, Linux, and macOS (Apple Silicon).
Engine source for contributors: moonbasic-compiler.

Get it in 30 seconds

1. Download (Windows first)

Grab the IDE bundle from Releases → latest (currently v1.3.3):

Platform	File
Windows x64	`moonbasic-v1.3.3-ide-windows-amd64.zip`
Linux x64	`moonbasic-v1.3.3-ide-linux-amd64.tar.gz`
macOS Apple Silicon	`moonbasic-v1.3.3-ide-macos-arm64.tar.gz`

Short names like moonbasic-v1.3.3-windows-amd64.zip are the same complete package. Details: RELEASES.md.

2. Extract & launch

OS	Start
Windows	Extract → run `START-IDE.bat`
macOS	Extract → run `START-IDE.command`
Linux	Extract → `chmod +x START-IDE.sh` → `./START-IDE.sh`

Keep every file from the archive together (on Windows that includes any lib*.dll next to moonrun.exe).

3. Run something

Open samples/hello.mb → press F5.

Shortcut	Action
F5	Run (`moonrun`)
Ctrl+Shift+C	Check syntax
Ctrl+Shift+B	Compile to `.mbc`
Alt+H	Help at cursor

What's in the download

Every OS package is a complete user kit:

Piece	What it does
`moonbasic-ide`	Desktop editor + built-in docs
`moonbasic`	Compiler, `--check`, LSP
`moonrun`	Game runtime (window, graphics, physics, audio)
`docs/`	Full documentation offline
`samples/`	Starter scripts

Same latest release also includes:

Download	For
`moonbasic-*-vscode.vsix`	VS Code / Cursor syntax + LSP
`moonBASIC-The-Book.zip`	The Book — Markdown + Word + PDF
`moonBASIC-The-Book.docx` / `.pdf`	Word or PDF alone

Latest = the complete kit. IDE + compiler + moonrun + docs + samples + The Book.
Day-to-day play = moonrun game.mb. Plain moonbasic game.mb only writes bytecode — it does not open a window.

Taste of the language

No # / $ / % suffixes. Plain names. Namespace.Method APIs. Handles that chain.

APP.OPEN(960, 540, "Hello moonBASIC")
APP.SETFPS(60)

WHILE NOT (INPUT.KEYDOWN(KEY_ESCAPE) OR APP.SHOULDCLOSE())
    RENDER.CLEAR(20, 24, 40)
    DRAW.TEXT("I made a window.", 40, 40, 22, 255, 255, 255, 255)
    RENDER.FRAME()
WEND

APP.CLOSE()

Spin a cube, play Pong, hop like a tiny Mario — all in examples/:

Try this	Path
Game loop	`examples/guides/game_loop.mb`
Pong	`examples/pong/`
Spinning cube	`examples/spin_cube/`
Third-person hop	`examples/mario64/modern_blitz_hop.mb`

moonbasic new MyGame
cd MyGame
moonrun main.mb

Learn without drowning

Path	What you get
The Book	Funny full guide — also Word / PDF
BEGIN_HERE.md	Install + why the game loop looks like that
FIRST_HOUR.md	Friendly first hour
GETTING_STARTED.md	IDE, shipping, VS Code debug
LANGUAGE.md	Syntax & language rules
systems/GUIDES.md	Topic guides (loop, sprites, physics, …)
COMMANDS.md · reference/	Command index & API pages
RELEASES.md	What each release asset is

What the engine can do

Area	Stack
Window / graphics / audio	Raylib (via the full runtime)
2D physics	Box2D
3D physics & character controller	Jolt
Multiplayer	ENet (where enabled)
Workflow	Same `.mb` path on Windows & Linux

Write 2D or 3D in one language. Prefer modern CAMERA.CREATE / ENTITY.SETPOS / handle methods; Easy Mode Blitz-style names still exist if you’re porting old muscle memory.

Terminal workflow

moonbasic and moonrun live next to the IDE. Optional: run ADD-TO-PATH.

moonrun --version
moonbasic --check main.mb
moonrun main.mb
moonbasic main.mb          # writes main.mbc
moonbasic install-vscode   # from a full-runtime / IDE extract

VS Code / Cursor: install moonbasic-*-vscode.vsix from Releases (Extensions → Install from VSIX), or use the all-in-one IDE.

Ship a game to friends

Keep the same release tag you tested with.
Zip moonrun + your .mb / .mbc + assets/ (or tell players to install the same full runtime).
Give them a one-line launcher: moonrun main.mb.

More: GETTING_STARTED.md — Ship your game.

Contributing / building from source

This hub is downloads + docs + examples. It is not the engine build tree.

Want	Go
Play / learn	Stay here — Releases
Hack the compiler / runtime / IDE	moonbasic-compiler

License

MIT — see LICENSE.

Download · The Book · Engine source