Content
# playdate-mcp
> MCP server for Playdate SDK development — gives AI agents the ability to build games, run the Playdate Simulator, execute Lua tests, and read project metadata.
No equivalent exists in the Playdate ecosystem. This is the first MCP server for Playdate.
## Tools
| Tool | Description |
|------|-------------|
| `build_game` | Compile a Playdate Lua project using `pdc` |
| `run_simulator` | Launch the Playdate Simulator with a `.pdx` bundle |
| `run_lua_tests` | Execute desktop Lua unit tests (no simulator required) |
| `get_build_errors` | Re-run build and return structured compiler errors |
| `read_pdxinfo` | Read and parse a `pdxinfo` metadata file |
## Requirements
- Node.js 18+
- [Playdate SDK](https://play.date/dev/) installed
- `PLAYDATE_SDK_PATH` environment variable set:
```bash
export PLAYDATE_SDK_PATH="${HOME}/Developer/PlaydateSDK"
```
## Installation
### VS Code (`.vscode/mcp.json`)
```json
{
"servers": {
"playdate": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@wintermuted/playdate-mcp"],
"env": {
"PLAYDATE_SDK_PATH": "/Users/Shared/Playdate SDK"
}
}
}
}
```
### Claude Desktop (`claude_desktop_config.json`)
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"playdate": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@wintermuted/playdate-mcp"],
"env": {
"PLAYDATE_SDK_PATH": "/Users/Shared/Playdate SDK"
}
}
}
}
```
## Development
```bash
npm install
npm run build
node dist/index.js # starts the stdio MCP server
```
Inspect with MCP Inspector:
```bash
npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector node dist/index.js
```
## License
MIT
## Related
- [playdate-skills](https://github.com/wintermuted/playdate-skills) — Static agent skills for Playdate SDK conventions
