No matter how advanced computer design and software became, there was always a place for pixel art in the graphic style of 8-bit video games. When talking about 8-bit games, it is always mentioned how pixel art became inevitable and that most graphics from the past were created with 8-bit pixel art. However, no one made an 8-bit game because they felt that the visuals did not match the way it was played.
The use of an 8-bit graphics style in modern games has gained momentum in recent years. From Space Invaders to Super Mario, 8-bit pixel art was dominant in the games of yesteryear. With 8 Bit and Pixel Art Games on the rise, it is worth taking a deeper look at Pixel Art and 8 Bit Graphic styles and the impact that they are likely to have on the future of the game industry.
One of the main reasons why players around the world love modern 8-bit games such as Super Mario Bros. and Shovel Knight is because they evoke childhood nostalgia. Throwback video games from a bygone era are the reason these games are called retro games. Retro games with 8-bit graphics are very popular and game developers are trying to fight against the nostalgia of the players.
Roots of past art forms still find their place in the development of images and video games. 8-bit art began when 8-bit graphics were integrated into computer platforms and screens. Here are some games that include pixel art styles to check if you are a fan of aesthetics and if they will satisfy your nostalgia.
With the upcoming release of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X in November, which will make graphics standard on home consoles, pixelated games have cult status. Pixel art has proven time and again that a good-looking game is not necessary to convey a message, story, atmosphere or emotion. Modern pixel art games can make players nostalgic for their style and expand pixel art in new ways.
Castlevania (1987) is one of many games that defined the 8-bit style that nostalgic-looking developers and games love. Today, developers can decide whether or not to make their games look like 8-bit games, but for the NES developers who created Metroid (1987) Castlevania more of a necessity game than a stylistic choice. Titles like the Stardew Valley farm simulator are often described as A8-bit retroa because they look 8-bit but not the soul.
There have been 22 games made for the system, including one based on the 1995 film Waterworld and Mario's Tennis. The video game consoles of the 1990s had some of the biggest gaming releases of all time, all of which had a retro ranking. While the consoles of the 1980s were impressive, the consoles of this decade were by far the most popular.
The Japanese video game market has grown rapidly since the opening of the video game console market in 1983. Japan had a very small console market with only 300,000 consoles sold in 1983 compared to the millions in the United States. A number of Japanese manufacturers tried to compete on the Japanese market with their own consoles.
The third generation of consoles started when two Japanese companies, Sega and Nintendo, decided to enter the Japanese video game market. The Famicom, the western counterpart of Nintendo Entertainment System dominated the North American game market thanks to its restrictive licensing agreements with developers. This marked a shift in the dominance of home video games both in the United States and Japan to the point where the computer game world described the Nintendo craze as a non-event and virtually all previous work of American video game designers were done in Japan.
Atari was a leading player in the video game industry in the 1970s and 1980s. Atari is best known for developing arcade games, computers and video game consoles.
In the last six decades, gambling has changed in many ways, and one company has observed the changes only marginally. In 8-bit nostalgia, Geico and Gecko look back on the golden age of gaming from 1979 until the video game crash of 1983. There have been significant advances in portable video game consoles and Sega gaming equipment, as well as relevant handheld systems.
Nintendo's Game Boy Color was one of the most revolutionary and significant handheld systems in the history of video games. Playing video games on a console in your hand was something that was never fully realized until the release of the original Game Boy.
This trend was so popular in the gambling world that many game developers turned to the production of high-quality pokies. For example, you can still find and play various retro slot machines and casino games for free or for real money on computers and portable devices. The 8-bit graphics and design were also used to develop themes for casino games.
Point and click adventure games are experiencing a small renaissance, thanks in part to the rise of the indie developers, but platformers, Metroidvania games, and a host of other genres once were considered dead. Adventure playmakers like Maniac Mansion and Monkey Island have developed a new game called Thimbleweed Park, a point-and-click adventure with retro 8-bit graphics that raised $626,250 on Kickstarter. Many people who love 8-bit games today are not only alive but also identify with this time because it was interesting and charming.
Coinciding with the new special exhibition Game Masters the Franklin Institute has released The Adventures of Benjamin Franklin, a newly developed retro 8-bit game in which Ben Franklin collects lightning bolts, scales Independence Hall, and more. The title contains elements of Bruce Lee's game of death, which is one of the earliest beating up games on the NES, and can be summed as "saving girlfriends from being hit by humans," which is more than an accurate description. The game was designed by the digital team of the Institute Gamemaker Studio 2 itself.
The Super Mario - Trilogy for the NES ushered in a new wave of interest in games after the 1983 market crash and securing Nintendo's position as a powerful player in the video game industry - a role which it has retained to this day. In the sequel, the developers brought Coin-Op and Co-op gameplay to the NES and brought friends together in an 8-bit brawl against villains.
Pixel art has become a beloved aesthetic. Many modern indie game developers use it as well, even though vector graphics are arguably easier to create.