FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

1) What is Crash BASIC, exactly?

The Game-Centric Evolution of BASIC Powered by a custom Rust game engine. Guided by human creativity. Brought to life by the spirit of curiosity and adventure.

You write code.
You press run.
Your game starts existing.

Fast.

It's a domain-specific language — built from the ground up for 2D games, not a general-purpose language with game features bolted on. The grammar knows what sprites, patterns, scenes, and behaviors are.

If you want the full thesis, read "Why BASIC?".

2) Do I need to be a "real programmer"?

No.

Curiosity is enough.

If you can read simple commands and adjust values, you can make things happen.

Every keyword supports F1 help with built-in documentation and examples, so clarity is never more than one keystroke away. Errors are in plain English and point at the line that broke.

3) What kinds of games can I make?

Crash BASIC is intentionally focused on 2D games.

That includes:

Arcade games
Platformers
Puzzle games
RPG-style projects
Side-scrollers
Visual novels
Creative experiments that grow into something larger

If it lives in 2D, it belongs here.

4) Where do I write Crash BASIC code?

In your browser.

The full IDE — Monaco editor, syntax highlighting, full debugger, F1-attached docs, integrated playback — runs entirely in your browser at develop.crashbasic.com. No download. No install. No account required to start.

If you prefer your own setup, there's a Visual Studio Code extension that gives you the same language support locally.

Your work is stored in your browser by default (using IndexedDB), but you can also sync to a local folder (Chrome) or push to GitHub for proper version control.

5) Can I share my game with other people?

Yes — and that's a major goal.

Crash BASIC Arcade exists so you can:

Build → Upload → Share → Discover

CrashPlayer is the universal runtime that makes it work on every platform we support! Want to make an executable? No problem! Install Rust and CrashPlayer itself can link and bundle your crashcart into a standalone app!

If you want your game to live on the web, you can publish your game to Arcade, where anyone can play it in their browser. Players can vote on what they like. Your game pages can also link out to commercial listings (itch.io, Steam, app stores) when you're ready to sell.

6) Is Crash BASIC beginner-friendly?

That's the goal.

The syntax is clean.
Feedback is immediate.
Errors are clear.
The environment doesn't get in your way.

It doesn't hide programming from you — but it also doesn't overwhelm you.

7) Where do I start if I'm confused?

Open the IDE. Type something. Press F5. See what happens.

If you hit an error or don't recognize a keyword, press F1 — the docs are right there in the editor.

If you're really stuck, join the Discord and ask. The community is small but friendly — and Crash-tan is in there too, ready to answer documentation questions in plain English.

8) Is Crash BASIC finished?

Crash BASIC is stable and shipping. It builds real games, on real platforms, today.

It's also still growing. New features ship regularly — patterns, behaviors, shaders, threading, sync primitives, build tooling. Releases happen every few weeks, with Crash-tan announcing each one personally.

A language is never "finished." But Crash BASIC is ready to use.

9) What platforms can I deploy to?

All of them. Or close to it.

Crash BASIC currently supports:

Windows
macOS
Linux
iOS
Android
Web (WebAssembly)

The same Rust-powered core runs everywhere through platform-specific CrashPlayer runtimes.

Console support is in progress. When it lands, your existing Crash BASIC games will run there too — same code, new platform.

The current build process is documented on the Crash BASIC Arcade devkit page. A streamlined GitHub Actions pipeline — including signed Mac and iOS builds without needing your own Mac — is coming soon. Code signing credentials remain your responsibility per platform.

10) Why should I join Crash BASIC Arcade?

Crash BASIC Arcade gives you:

A hosted runtime so anyone can play your games in a browser
A growing community of 2D-focused creators
Voting and discovery features
GitHub integration for version control and cloud builds
Access to the Discord server — where Crash-tan herself is a virtual personality you can talk to. She answers documentation questions in plain English, and she'll sing on voice channels if you ask nicely.

It's the easiest way to get your work in front of other people.

11) Who created Crash BASIC, and why?

Crash BASIC was created by Daniel Brame — sometimes referred to here as "Dr. Brane."

The goal was simple:

Collapse the distance between idea and working game.

After years of fighting with general-purpose engines, he built the tool he wished existed: a language that maps to how humans think, an engine optimized for the domain it's actually built for, and a feedback loop short enough to keep you in flow.

12) Does a programming language really need a mascot?

It doesn't need one.
But it has one, and the two are inseperable. It's not and understatement that neither will exist without the other. More info here...
https://www.crashbasic.com/the-story-so-far

Crash-tan represents curiosity, creative experimentation, and the spark that pushes projects forward.

She's the chaos.
The kind that turns ideas into motion.

13) So who is Crash-tan?

In the story, she's an android created to protect the Continuum Engine.

The "-tan" comes from Japanese pop culture — a cute, affectionate suffix often used for mascot characters.

In practice, she's the quiet nudge that says:

"We can build that."

And on Discord, she's a working virtual personality — answering questions, helping with docs, and occasionally singing if asked.
https://www.crashbasic.com/the-story-so-far

14) How does Crash BASIC make money?

Crash BASIC is free forever for tinkering.

You can build, share, and play games at no cost, on the Free tier. The free tier is real — not a trial.

Paid tiers unlock commercial distribution:

See updated pricing here: https://arcade.crashbasic.com/pricing

No runtime fees. No per-platform licenses. No surprises. Pricing is current as of today and may change in the future, but we don't have plans to anytime soon.

For console distribution, contact [email protected] — that requires a separate licensed developer agreement.

15) What makes Crash BASIC different from Unity, Godot, or GameMaker?

Three things, mainly.

It's domain-specific. The language itself knows what a 2D game is. You're not writing C# or GDScript and reaching for a thousand engine APIs — you're writing in a language whose grammar already understands sprites, patterns, scenes, and behaviors.

The runtime is built for one thing. Because Crash BASIC isn't trying to support every possible kind of program, the engine can be optimized for 2D games specifically. Your game runs well by default, not after weeks of profiling.

The feedback loop is short. Type. Run. See it work. No compile step, no build pipeline to wait for, no project rebuild. Plain-English errors point at the line that broke.

The full argument is here.

16) Is the source code available?

The Crash BASIC IDE, language, and engine are closed-source but free to use.

The CrashPlayer runtime ships with your games when you distribute them.

We may open-source pieces of the ecosystem in the future, but the core stays closed for now.

17) I have a question that isn't here.

Open the IDE and try something.
Or ask in the Discord — Crash-tan might already know the answer.
Or email [email protected].

Crash BASIC should do what it says.
If it doesn't — tell us. We want to know.