P1Xel Editor

Indexed pixel-art editor for Game Boy Color development

Built with Zig on the Borowik Engine by Krzysztof Krystian Jankowski. Designed for compact retro game workflows: 8×8 indexed images, separate palette editing, maps from tile IDs, and direct export to GBC / RGBDS.

Download

Native shareware builds — fully functional editor. Same tools, same export. The only difference from the full version is a 5-second startup delay.

Linux x86_64

Native build for 64-bit Linux desktops. Steam Deck compatible (Desktop Mode).

⬇ Download Linux shareware

p1xel-editor-shareware-linux-x86_64

Windows x86_64

Recommended build for modern 64-bit Windows PCs.

⬇ Download Windows 64 shareware

p1xel-editor-shareware-windows-x86_64.exe

Also available: Windows 32-bit shareware build for older systems.

Features

Tile editor	8×8 pixel, fill, and line tools for background tiles.
Sprite editor	8×8 transparent sprites with colour-index `0` as transparent and abstract per-sprite flag bits.
Font editor	Edit the built-in exported glyph set — also 8×8 indexed images.
Libraries	Separate tile, sprite, and font libraries. Quick `3×3` slots for fast access while editing maps.
Indexed colour	Each pixel stores `0..3`; each image references one palette `0..7`. Changing a palette colour updates every pixel using it.
Palette banks	Three dedicated palette/map banks for biome or level-set workflows. Two map slots per bank.
Map editor	Tile stamping, fill, random-row, `PATH9`/`LAKE9` autotiling, sprite placement, per-cell palette & flip attributes, selection copy/paste, zoom, pan, grid guides.
GBC LCD simulation	Toggle to preview art closer to real GBC screen colours.
RGBDS export	Binary data blobs + generated assembly include. Ready-to-build preview ROM included.
Four project slots	`F1`–`F4`, stored as `art_data-f1.p1x` through `art_data-f4.p1x`.

Support the Author

P1Xel Editor is made by Krzysztof Krystian Jankowski — krzysztofjankowski.com.

The shareware build is fully functional — same editor, same tools, same export. The only difference: a 5-second startup delay screen before you can edit.

Buying the full version removes that delay — the editor jumps straight to your project on every launch. No splash, no wait. Just pixels.

Buy full version — $5 on itch.io krzysztofjankowski.com

Screenshots

Tile Editor + Library

P1Xel tile editor — **Tile Editor** — 8×8 indexed drawing, palette picking, quick slots, flags, pixel copy/paste, and palette bank colour editing.

P1Xel tile library — **Tile Library** — Full tile bank: add, duplicate, delete, page, select, and assign into visible quick slots.

Sprite Editor + Library

Font Editor + Library

P1Xel font editor — **Font Editor** — Edits the fixed exported glyph set. Export writes `font.p1xb` with glyph tiles, attributes, and palette data.

P1Xel font library — **Font Library** — Direct access to all glyphs in the exported font set.

Map Editor

Map Slots (3 banks × 2 slots each)

GBC LCD Colour Simulation

GBC simulation off — raw editor colours — Raw editor RGB

GBC simulation on — softer LCD-like colours — GBC screen simulation

The simulation is a preview aid. Project files store normal RGB palette values; exports convert to GBC-compatible colour words.

Indexed Editing Model

Every tile, sprite, and font glyph stores pixel indices — not raw RGB.

Pixel value:      2
Image palette:    palette 4
Displayed colour: active palette bank, palette 4, colour slot 2

Changing a palette colour updates every visible pixel referencing that slot. Reuse the same art across biomes — just swap the palette bank.

Map Banks & Slots

Map bank	Map slots	Palette bank	Typical use
1	1–2	1	First biome / area / level set.
2	1–2	2	Second biome / area / level set.
3	1–2	3	Third biome / area / level set.

Map Editor Tools

STAMP	Paint the selected background tile.
FILL	Flood-fill connected cells.
PATH9	9-piece path/terrain autotile from active `3×3` quick-slots.
LAKE9	Inverted 9-piece lake/water autotile set.
RND	Random paint from a selected quick-slot row.
SPR	Place or update sprite instances.
REM	Remove sprite instances.
SEL	Select rectangular regions for copy/paste.

Game Boy Color Export

Press EXPORT from the map editor. The editor writes:

engine_export.p1xb	Binary blob: sprite palettes, compact OBJ tiles, per-level palettes, 2bpp BG tiles, compressed maps, attribute maps, logic maps, sprite placements.
font.p1xb	Font binary: glyph IDs, 2bpp glyph tiles, glyph palette attributes, font palette data.
SRC/p1xel_export.inc	RGBDS assembly include with constants, offsets, labels, descriptors, and `INCBIN` blocks.

Included GBC preview project: EXAMPLE-GBC-PROJECT/ is a tiny RGBDS Game Boy Color ROM that displays exported maps and sprites. Build it with zig build after export.

Project Limits

Image size	8×8 pixels
Colours per palette	4
Palettes per bank	8
Palette banks	3
Map banks	3
Map slots per bank	2
Map size	32×32 tiles
Max images per bank	128
Image banks	Tiles, Sprites, Font
Project slots	art_data-f1.p1x … art_data-f4.p1x
Window	1280×800 fullscreen

Building from Source

Requirements: Zig, X11 & ALSA dev libs (Linux). rgbasm/rgblink/rgbfix for the GBC preview project.

git clone https://github.com/w84death/p1xel-editor.git
cd p1xel-editor

zig build
zig build run

# Release builds
zig build release-linux
zig build release-windows

Workflow Tips

Start in TILES — draw reusable background tiles.
Arrange useful tiles into 3×3 quick-slot banks for map editing.
Switch palette banks to build dedicated colour sets per biome.
Use SPRITES for transparent object/actor/pickup art.
Use FONT to edit the exported glyph set.
Open MAP EDITOR, choose a bank + slot.
Stamp, fill, autotile background cells; place sprite instances.
Toggle GBC colour simulation to check palette readability.
Press EXPORT — refreshes all binaries and the RGBDS include.
Build EXAMPLE-GBC-PROJECT/ to preview in a GBC ROM.

Shipped: Tomblands DX

P1Xel Editor graphics power a real Game Boy Color game — Tomblands DX by P1X Studio. These maps were exported directly from the editor using the RGBDS pipeline.

Tomblands DX map exported from P1Xel Editor — Biome 1, Slot 1 — **Map B1S1** — Tropical World, exported tiles + sprites

Tomblands DX alternate palette map — Biome 1, Slot 1 variant — **Map B1S1 (variant)** — alternate palette theme

Buy Tomblands DX ROM — on itch.io