Pygame is a set of Python modules that builds on the Simple DirectMedia Layer library, intended to be used for small-scale video game development. The modules are cross-platform and can make use of many different backends, including OpenGL and DirectX. Originally written by Pete Shinners in 2001 after the demise of pySDL, Pygame has been developed and maintained by its software community since 2004 and is available under the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL). The newest version is 1.9.1, which was released on August 6, 2009.

The existence of Pygame is contingent on the idea that computationally expensive game functions (mostly the graphics) can be abstracted from the core game design, allowing games to be programmed in a high-level language such as Python. Noble as the goal may be, however, very few good video games have been made with Pygame and Python alone, as the speed required for more than a rudimentary engine usually necessitates a lower-level language such as C.

Notable games made with Pygame:
