It breaks instanly
Hmm... I don't know why that is. If the first thing you see is bold text, including "USING TEMPORARY DISK" in red, you're doing the right thing. All you have to do is hit the 'ESC' button on your keyboard to enter Edit mode. From here you can type a Program in LUA, draw Sprites, edit Map data, and even create basic Sound Effects and Music. Following a tutorial, it's really easy to get something set up in minutes!
LUA-based PICO-8 is targeted at older developers, and those who wish to get a taste of programming a retro machine. That said, it may not be the environment for everyone. If you want to program games quickly without much effort, PICO-8 has a lot of power for that; but also, the more you put in, the more you get out. Take for instance, some of PICO-8's better titles; Celeste, UFO, Praxis Fighter X; All of these games are amazing, but not without intimate knowledge of the code and normal programming structures. That said, PICO-8 is also a great place for people looking to learn about programming.
If you can't afford PICO-8, or otherwise can't get the link to work, I would recommend looking into LOVE 2D. If you can get enough support, it can do as much and more than the PICO-8. Also, Nerdy Teachers, a respectable member of the community, sometimes gives out PICO-8's in raffles. check out his stuff, but don't pester him too much.
TLDR: You know how to use PICO-8, right? It's a black screen: you have to press 'escape' on your keyboard to start making a game.
If you hang around the community long enough, you might gain a PICO-8 in a give away; just look out for it.
