Introducing Pirouette

Pirouette is an animated, explorable, generative art toy. So named for the dancing, twirling shapes the algorithm generates, I was inspired to make this after seeing a RISC assembly version that debuted recently.
https://youtu.be/VxGOBxy6oAY?feature=shared

A note from the creator of that implementation pointed me to a message board with a version running in Sinclair BASIC, whose author says he's not sure where he obtained the original algorithm. My hunt continues. Other ports to BBC BASIC, Owlet, and Processing (Java edition) are available at the board posting.
https://stardot.org.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?f=54&t=25833

The port

This Pico-8 implementation tries its best to present the beauty of the 20-line (!) original within the 16-color limits of our beloved fantasy console. I tried to match a 15-color (need black for background) palette from Pico-8's 32-color extended colors to the original 32-bit color gamut and was happy (and a little surprised) to see expected shapes and swirls emerging from the void.
(that said, I think there is room for further palette tweaking)

Beyond the port

This implementation introduces controls for exploring the universe.

Arrow keys will reposition the camera (do think of it as moving a camera, not moving the universe)
Hold X button (keyboard "X") to control space and time.
Hold O button (keyboard "Z") to control universe complexity and shift quantum phase.
X and O simultaneously to freeze/thaw the quantum state.
Open the pause menu to reset the known universe.