Sprite Analysis | Pokémon: Top-Down RPG Pixel Art

Let’s look at some top-down pixel art construction from one of the most iconic GameBoy RPGs there is - Pokémon! In this Sprite Analysis, we’ll cover GameBoy sizing, colour, and a few insights on translating objects into small scale pixel art!
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Check out my art here:
/ brandonjamesgreer
/ bjgpixel
► Online Shop: BJGpixel.redbubble.com
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I commissioned music in this video from these fantastic artists:
BJG title animation theme music by Failpositive:
failpositive.bandcamp.com/
/ failpositive
Additional background music by mcguy215:
fiverr.com/mcguy215
/ mcguy215
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Portions of the materials used are trademarks and/or copyrighted works of Game Freak and Nintendo. All rights reserved by Game Freak and Nintendo. This material is not official and is not endorsed by Game Freak or Nintendo.

[@blackattack1840]

I appreciate gen 1's graphics more than ever now. This is a really strong 'stop and smell the flowers' kinda moment

[@capsey_]

Yeah. And the most mind-blowing fact is that they had a limited palette not only with that 4 colors but also if you want to have transparency you should have replaced one of the colors with this transparent color due to memory limit! Fun fact: Because of that, a lot of developers of this age separated sprites of the characters to achieve more colors by putting different color to different parts of the sprite (for example on pants you replace brighter tone to transparent, but in face you replace middle tone to be able to have brighter tone instead of darker)

[@Booskop.]

" Let's get going and see if we can understand *the power that's inside* this style" I see what you did there 😏 Nice video man!

[@BJGpixel]

Haha thanks, couldn't help myself! :D

[@-ism8153]

2:22 "the very best Gameboy green"

[@pinkajou656]

POKÉMON GOTTA CATCH EM ALLLLLL

[@mxsteri0]

oooh lolll

[@chrisvennbowman3784]

Please please PLEASE make an analysis of Earthbound and Mother 3’s tiles! This is great!

[@BJGpixel]

Thank you! That'd be a fun one to analyze; that game's got a unique perspective and style :D

[@dosmaen5312]

Would love to see this too!

[@chuckolator1859]

I agree, I'd also LOVE this!

[@DavidZMediaisAwesome]

need this

[@minkyway86]

Please.

[@tor5494]

Was looking around for Aseprite tutorials. Found this masterpiece.

[@JamesR624]

6:21 I love how with all these limitations, they managed an IBM PC, an Apple Macintosh, and a server computer.

[@CKTDanny]

Gotta pixel 'em all!!! I love the idea of this sprite analysis series. Can't wait to see what other games you have in mind, coming up! :D

[@BJGpixel]

Thanks buddy! Studying game art is one of the things that helped me learn pixel art, and making this series is partly why I wanted to start the channel! :D

[@CKTDanny]

@@BJGpixel Haha, that is awesome!! So glad you decided to do this KZbin thing :)

[@sahiru7973]

The amount of Poke-puns in this video is phenomenal.

[@yokaipinata1416]

My favorite ❤ "...and you don't _hurt yourself in confusion_ trying to figure out the perspective of everything from scratch each time"

[@rylandines]

"Palette Town" @ 7:05 lmao

[@harshagolla9688]

I just found this channel and I gotta say I LOVE IT! I was desperately searching for some good pixel art channels since more than an year and I finally found one where you go into detail and give practical tips instead of just saying some basics and moving on.

[@Michael-The-Composer]

7:25 "palette town" I love the little jokes you snuck into the video

[@jaredjohnston1259]

Amazing as always. I really love that you put the color pallets in so there's no guesswork. Great job describing the simplification with the super Nintendo and computer!

[@BJGpixel]

Thanks! Glad you liked the simplification thing; I kinda want to do a vid of just turning household objects into small-scale pixel art 😅

[@jaredjohnston1259]

@@BJGpixel HOLY CRAP THAT WOULD BE AWESOME! I'd love to see that. Also, I really liked the video about pixel art apps. I wish we had something with the power of Aseprite/Photoshop for iPad.

[@BJGpixel]

@@jaredjohnston1259 yeah it'd be neat to see them port one of those over to the iPad! I've never explored using a tablet for pixel art, have you tried any of the tablet apps?

[@jaredjohnston1259]

@@BJGpixel Yes. the best one I've tried is Pixaki. It doesn't have any transform/rotate tools. I've seen some people port Aseprite to the ipad and I heard they were making an ipad version but I haven't seen a release of it yet. The current Pixaki definitely leaves me wanting.

[@BJGpixel]

@@jaredjohnston1259 Ah cool, Pixaki is the one I've heard most often for tablet work (and Pixel Studio to a lesser extent); although for being a $25 app I didn't realize it had limited transform/rotate...Yeah hopefully Aseprite makes its way to the iPad at some point!

[@TheZander47]

Just found your channel today, I've been working on my own pixel art game with a friend. It's my first time making pixel art, and it's a very enjoyable challenge! Your videos are so well made and informative, I'm taking lots of notes from you! Thank you and keep up the hard work!

[@Reallythinkaboutyourself]

This is the best gameboy pixel art breakdown/tutorial. Perfectly presented. Amazing work!

[@nemimoo487]

This video was so EXTREMELY helpful!! I'm looking at really simple game design and have always wanted something that gave me that good old Pokemon feeling, and you just summed up EVERY question I had for getting started RIGHT here! Thank you so much! Good luck to everyone in their pixelart journey :D

[@Ozeki_Negima]

This video is full of puns that would make Treehouse smile. Oh, and it' s also a really incredible analysis of pixel art. Great job!

[@tejonBiker]

The first time I end red pokemon take me around 40 hours (that say the game), I switched off the game boy and think: "wow I think I never spent 40 hours in a game, how they fit a very long game in a game boy cartdrige?", after reviewing the game I found some answers, today I can say this games are pure engineering.

[@dicknijmegen]

Your comment feels so meta. You managed to get a complex message across using very restricted English skills. Pure engineering :)

[@tejonBiker]

@@dicknijmegen Thanks, you do what you can with what you have

[@TheForeverRanger]

The gen 2 games are truly programming marvels. Thinking about how much stuff they got into those tiny carts is amazing. Granted they had a programming genius in Satoru Iwata compress them down so that they could get Kanto into it but still.

[@annaferns1840]

@@TheForeverRanger you're right and you should say it. 16 gyms, 200+ pokemon + shinies, not to mention all the nifty stuff like egg breeding and the day and night system with the internal clock, and even battle animations in Crystal, and that game takes up only around 10 megabytes of cartridge space. It's awesome.

[@ImusNoxa]

Your breakdown videos are so great. They really make me feel like I can go out there and do this thing too. The encouraging tone really helps your presentation

[@davidwoek3041]

I love your videos, thank you so much for making them. I really love the pallets you choose and the remarks you make about existing & personal artwork! :D

[@iPlorre]

Love this analysis type of video! You're really good at showing and explaining!

[@ogarga666]

I didn't know you, I'm binge watching your entire channel, it's amazing! Thanks and congrats!

[@kony5021]

Great breakdown! I just began learning pixel art but those simple tricks helped me make my objects much better. Please make it a series!

[@OtherRath]

Real masterpiece analysis, friend.

[@SammySamkough]

First video I’ve seen from your channel and I have to say, incredible. Short, sweet and precise analysis, flew by for me. Definitely gonna stay tuned for more!

[@AirWavexX]

3:50 You: air conditiong unit Me, an intelectual: diglett laying on his side

[@starchildluke]

Can't unsee!

[@tymime]

Jigglypuff seen from above

[@QuartzOfficial]

@@tymime *daroach seen from above flashbacks*

[@ash7324]

All pixel art KZbin channels have such dynamic and fun video formats, the production value and attention to detail is superb. I guess it goes with having the eye for pixel art.

[@NitroNovaMusic]

Really solid breakdown, especially in conveyance of the individual pixel details that people do in tons of pixel art.

[@BJGpixel]

Thank you! Glad to hear you enjoyed that bit, it's a concept I'd like to cover more in future vids :)

[@michel1994matta]

Amazing analysis video dude! I'm learning so much from this channel!

[@8bitbonfire61]

Thanks for this. I've always been intimidated by tilesets and this made it seem much more manageable. Keep 'em coming!

[@BJGpixel]

Thanks! I feel the same way, and it was fun to study how it all fits together - I want to try making something within these parameters now!

[@rodrigoe3104]

Man... as an amateur pixelartist I'll classify this as "amazing content". Subscribed!

[@JamesRansom]

Great analysis. Thanks for creating this. Beautiful.

[@themelonsoup]

This kind of style is my favorite in pixel art. I love how the lower resolution plus the limited pallet forces us to get so creative.

[@MrFoxInc]

Great video. I only ever come back to pixel art so often, but this really fired up my love for this simple style. Definitely subscribed, excited for more!!

[@Diamonddrake]

I appreciate the production quality. Great video!

[@donatellobruno]

I found the exact channel content I was looking for! Love you bruv.

[@djlclopez128]

Your videos are so educational for aspiring game developers. Thank you for all the wonderful information! 👍

[@rcookie5128]

5:47 SUPER-EFFECTIVE indeed!

[@CammieRacing]

A fantastic video - what could easily be a boring topic, you made very fun, very interesting with incredible production values. The presentation was spot on with cute animations and you've made a very niche interest accessible and more fun to a wider audience.

[@randomcitizen5319]

Yesterday I bought Aseprite to learn pixel art, and today I discover your channel with the perfect analysis I was looking for. Thank you, I learnt so much !

[@BJGpixel]

Wow great timing! That's awesome, and welcome to the world of pixel art! :D

[@thesmokinggnome]

I can tell you're very passionate about what you do! Your videos are superb.

[@codywinter4818]

Only 8x8 pixel tiles. Thats hardcore yo. Imagine designing this when it was new and being tasked with making a coherent picture out of that little space before the style had been explored a ton and when there wasn't internet tutorials for everything. Gen1 was not my first Pokemon so the graphics always kind of bothered me to be honest but this is making me appreciate how incredible it honestly is to be able to make such recognizable objects out of such little information and build it into a world.

[@TheGugustar]

Very good video content and format! It looks very clean!

[@bartderuyck]

Just discovered your channel. What an amazing analysis! I think pixel art forces the artist to be creative because there are so many constraints. And when you look at the results here, it's just fantastic what you can achieve. Especially with the Game Boy's limited color palette. In terms of Game Boy pixel art, I would love a breakdown of A Link to the Past. I think it features some of the most stunning pixel art on the original Game Boy. From the dungeon design all the way to to the bitmap font. In any case, thanks for the analysis!

[@javierpacheco4566]

I keep learning watching your videos over and over again. I hope I can show you one day what I am cooking up in the pixel kitchen. Lol Thanks for the vids.

[@BJGpixel]

That's great, glad it's helpful! Haha would love to take a look when you've got something, best of luck!

[@Michafrar]

I friggin love this

[@missingno4191]

This was an amazing breakdown. Was very helpful

[@kealanfleming6008]

Liked and subbed, such a great analysis of what probably is my main influence for my love of pixel art! Really clean and easy to enjoy vid, keep it up!

[@afterarrival8169]

Thanks so much, these videos are my gateway to pixelart.

[@TinisaPlus]

7:10 I love to see them together to compare them, the character's design is so cute. I've always wanted to see all 151 original pokémon with they own individual minicharacter sprite, like those

[@prollybee]

thank you for this video i loved these games so much and it's so nice to examine it

[@Jotom87]

Man alive! I just got gb studio to work, you are a god send!

[@gabrielus123gabby]

Great video! I love when people appreciate old game art :3

[@swifttt]

5:48 "...and makes super effective use of that area." I see what you did there. ;)

[@F_Du_Sea]

?

[@swifttt]

​@@F_Du_Sea man idfk what was i cooking 3 years ago 😭

[@daysant7990]

random fact: in the original game for the gameboy, in red's bedroom there is a SNES but in the firered edition, its a NES

[@puffcap_]

Really great analysis of some really great historical pixel work

[@Brodyody]

really well produced, nice job

[@isaiahbustos2919]

"you teach me and I teach you" wowzers. What a dope play on words.

[@Shaolinjake08]

Wonderfully done video! Can't wait to open Aesprite and get to work. Thank you!

[@104ist]

Amazing visuals, glad this was recommended! subscribed 🎮

[@NikOutchcunis]

Really loved this video, I learned a lot! Keep up the great work

[@nadioo]

you deserve way more subs, excellent video!

[@piercedliquidnipples]

So cool! Thanks for making this video

[@ok-tchau]

wow, this channel is a gem! I'm so glad I found it. It will help me a lot. Thanks

[@zoesylvester8539]

I'm a programmer that has been branching into pixel art lately. I am still quite novice but even in a short time my sprites have gotten a lot better. I really like this channel, it came up on my recommendations. This kind of in-depth analysis of the nitty gritty of pixel art is immensely useful to help me design my own sprites. I have a long way to go but one thing I love about pixel art is that, once you understand the fundamentals of how to abstract detail, you can throw up lots of sprites relatively quickly! I like making prototypes of my games fairly rapidly, so pixel art is a great fit for me.

[@mrspiral13]

Hey there Brandon. Just found your channel and insta-subscribed. I'm starting to learn pixel art and this was great insight. Great video editing and narration as well. Keep it up!

[@Dollily]

Amazing video! Very helpful 💜

[@muizzsiddique]

The algorithm brought me here. I'm gonna check out your other videos too!

[@terrawest9500]

Your Videos are so awesome. Thanks for helping me with Pixelart designs

[@smokessliquidpepper2544]

I really like the part with your method to create new objects "in-style".

[@AmodeusR]

Really awesome video! I'm not that fan of the old Gameboy graphics, since I never had a childhood with it, but this breakdown is really great and an opportunity to put in practice some unique skills! Plus, I really liked the palette and how it's shown in the video xD

[@Lemonz-418]

I learned quite a bit from this. Thank you for sharing with us!

[@AlfredReinoldBaudisch]

I have recently started doing this kind of Sprite Analysis exercise and study with Secret of Mana (SNES) and it is helping me greatly, but the complexity of colors from that game sometimes leave me super confused. This video gave me a lot of additional ideas, thank you.

[@cesardoga]

This videos are so cute I love them, its a great reference!

[@logana4260]

Thanks this helped me with my rpg/adventure game

[@SmaomaoKoara]

Omg, I learned so much. Great video

[@ThiagoDragon0]

Fantastic video, so entertaining!

[@GoodBloodGames]

This is reeeeally interesting!

[@bonxd]

New pixel artist here, thanks for these videos. I am learning too much from you. Amazing.

[@Arriety0504]

Very informative tutorial; i have started pixel art with procreate and thanks to your vids which has greatly helped me understand the process of pixel art! Keep it up great job

[@BJGpixel]

Happy to hear that! Thanks for watching and best of luck with your pixel art! :D

[@Kyle07]

those new sprites are awesome! :)

[@arieyorsson3191]

Amazing video, really entertaining analysis, I learned a lot, thank you so much!

[@BJGpixel]

Thanks! Hold up though, genuinely curious about "please get a good mic" - this sounds totally fine and clear to me. Maybe I need a better voice 😅

[@E23lad]

I could have watched a 1-hour long video of this! So good 😍👌

[@swig_gigolo]

The sprite of the old man showing glasses nose mustache and beard is so good

[@Artemisth]

I've been creating a sprite set for a little GB studio game I've been working on, and this video has been a huge help! I don't know why I forgot about Pokemon when looking for references...

[@FarizDrawing]

Good job 👍 I like this sprite analysis video makes me want to learning how to make pixel art 😁

[@elDon47]

Outstanding content, Brandon. You could be explaining how to fry an egg and still have all our attention and amusement. Thanks!

[@revolvency]

Amazing breakdown

[@TheCinemaphobic]

That's a really nice custom palette.

[@TheMonsterClubCorporation]

This is SO good!

[@ryashock]

Your videos are a great resource! :)

[@fullpolish]

omg such gold content, you had me subscribed 4 minutes in

[@maxalmonte14]

I didn't want this video to ever end.

[@anndynegative]

Rad video! The pixel art is something that I love looking at, but never considered WHY I liked it

[@abhishek79]

Holy smokes the quality of this video and the quality use of the 'pokemon references' pleases me beyond anything !

[@Irisredandgreen]

I just wanted to thank you for making such beautiful and educational pixel art content :D I've been wanting to improve my pixel art ever since I started making designs of my own for my cross-stitch hobby (which is basically old school pixel art). So thanks for being such a good resource for newbies like me :D Also, your art is beautiful and I hope you make more of these analyses types of videos - maybe look at a modern game that uses pixel art next? Like Stardew Valley or Undertale?

[@BJGpixel]

Hey thanks so much, I'm glad to hear they're helpful for cross-stitch as well! I love seeing pixel art brought into an IRL for like that; I should do a vide one day where I attempt that lol :D I'm admittedly a little behind on modern pixel art games but I'd definitely like to explore some of them for an analysis vid!

[@Irisredandgreen]

​@@BJGpixel​ Yeah, that would be so fun! You could try to cross stitch your logo or a small design so it wouldn't take long, for example :D

[@BJGpixel]

@@Irisredandgreen yeah doing the logo is a great idea! Would be nice to have up on the wall :D

[@hellfiremissle4907]

That Pokecenter tile might also be just one but rotated software wise.... some maschines like the nes allowed for tiles to be rotated... to save memory...

[@BJGpixel]

Ah that makes so much sense, nice observation! :D

[@KaioSteter]

Amazing, congrats by the work done in this video, I'll use the pallet color suggestion in new super ultimate injector for 3ds...

[@mau557]

Holy shit dude. You just blew my mind with your simple explanations. Thanks for the effort to educate no artistic people like me.

[@elianewinter2638]

This is marvelous -thank you! If you were ever to cover another game boy game‘s pixel style, i‘d recommend to tackle on the Zelda Oracle games/the original Link‘s Awakening.

[@2013hondafit]

Loved this video so much I made my own pixel “pokemon” room because of it. I would really love to see a similar analysis for the original ruby and sapphire pokemon games 😊

[@s3rg10_92]

PART 2 OF THIS PLEASE!