Pixel Art Debate

Discussions center on the authenticity, aesthetics, and purpose of modern pixel art in games, debating whether it's a deliberate artistic choice, nostalgic style, or budget-driven limitation compared to retro pixel art.

📉 Falling 0.5x Gaming
2,691
Comments
19
Years Active
5
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#8118
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

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Keywords

LoseThos e.g AI DOS EA NES wikipedia.org artstation.com youtube.com index.php art pixel games pixels style aesthetic 3d limitations 90s game

Sample Comments

jasondigitized Jan 22, 2026 View on HN

It's pixel art, just not the types of pixels most people want in pixel art.

rejschaap Dec 10, 2024 View on HN

Yeah, it's just not your grandmother's pixel art anymore

deltaonefour May 31, 2022 View on HN

Have you heard of pixel art? It's a form of art that appreciates the retro aesthetic. I don't think it's your thing. Your brain is to big for such simple minded behavior.

soup10 Jan 20, 2015 View on HN

Well he's not Michelangelo obviously, but low res pixel art is still art. Compare it to some of the clones or infinimer and it's clear that care went into the aesthetic.

KaoruAoiShiho Apr 14, 2022 View on HN

Can you do the same in a more realistic style? https://www.artstation.com/artwork/E1qPvI always thought the idea behind pixel art is to save on artist resources, but since the AI is doing it I think indie devs would rather do more something more advanced.

Beltalowda Jun 4, 2022 View on HN

Why are any of these things "bad"? Back in the day pixel art was constrained by technical limitations, but now you can use the same style but with less technical constraints, and include these sort of things. It's not "true" pixel art from 1990, but that doesn't make it "bad".

aw3c2 Sep 5, 2012 View on HN

It's art with big pixels (appeal to the gameboy-generation) on it.

spydum Jun 5, 2013 View on HN

Thought this was going to be pixel art using colored cells..

lmm Nov 24, 2015 View on HN

The artist created something for the limitations of the technology they were working with. It's unfair to look at it through a different technology, where careful effort will end up looking worse than someone who threw it in. E.g. good pixel art often looks worse when upscaled than sprites where the artist didn't pay any attention to the pixels.

JKCalhoun Sep 12, 2024 View on HN

There is something about black and white pixel art....