Monkey X

Monkey X, short for Monkey X Programming Language, is a cross-platform programming language created by Blitz Research in 2004, primarily for game development. Monkey X allows developers to write code once and compile it to multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and web via HTML5. Official downloads, tools, and documentation are available at the Monkey X Official Site.

Monkey X exists to simplify cross-platform game development by providing a language and toolchain that abstracts platform-specific details. Its design philosophy emphasizes portability, rapid iteration, and ease of use, enabling developers to target multiple devices with a single codebase while maintaining performance and flexibility.

Monkey X: Variables and Functions

Variables are declared using Local or Global, and functions are defined with Function or Method.

' declare variables
Local playerName:String = "Alice"
Local score:Int = 0

' define a function
Function Greet(name:String)
Print "Hello, " + name
End Function

Greet(playerName)

This allows clear type declaration and modular code organization. Functions can be reused throughout the program and accept parameters to produce dynamic output.

Monkey X: Control Flow

Conditional and loop statements include If, ElseIf, Else, For, While, and Repeat.

If score >= 100 Then
    Print "Winner!"
Else
    Print "Keep Playing"
End If

For i = 1 To 5
Print "Level "; i
Next

These constructs provide structured control over program execution, enabling logic branching and iteration consistent with procedural programming patterns.

Monkey X: Arrays and Collections

Monkey X supports fixed arrays and dynamic lists for storing multiple values.

' fixed-size array
Local levels:Int[5] = [1,2,3,4,5]

' dynamic list
Local players:TList = New TList
players.Add("Alice")
players.Add("Bob")

For Local i:Int = 0 To levels.Ubound
Print "Level: "; levels[i]
Next

Arrays and lists enable organized data storage and iteration, essential for game state management and in-game logic.

Monkey X: Graphics and Modules

Monkey X provides built-in support for graphics, input handling, and sound through modular libraries.

' basic graphics setup
Graphics 800, 600, "Monkey X Window"
SetColor 255,0,0
DrawRect 50,50,100,100
Flip

These features simplify rendering, input, and multimedia management for games. Modules encourage code reuse and organization across large projects.

Monkey X is used primarily for cross-platform game development, rapid prototyping, and interactive multimedia applications. Its cross-platform compilation model and simple syntax make it suitable alongside languages like BlitzMax, FreeBASIC, and PureBasic.