Why Do So Many Indie Games Use Pixel Art?

[@thecupcakehey1608]

One other thing contributing to the success of pixel art is being able to almost always avoid the “uncanny valley” when making characters (same goes with low poly) because the player can just imagine more detail to fill in the gaps

[@BananaBotanists]

Agreed

[@OandCoGames]

Yes! This is a great point. I wish I had included it in the video...

[@vinsplayer2634]

I think this is the reason why it's so much easier to make good-looking pixel art than good-looking 3D models or unpixelated art.

[@etherweb6796]

Filling in the gaps is important for games - a lot of older games are "subpar" by todays standards - but were entertaining because they engaged the imagination better.

[@Terron29]

spot on

[@evilrymon]

Something not mentioned here: Pixel art is even entering 3D proper, with games like ULTRAKILL using a fully 3D environment, but with pixelated textures on the enemies

[@OandCoGames]

Yeah, that's a great call out.

[@vinsplayer2634]

There's been games with 3D pixel-art for a long time, the earliest example that comes to my mind is Minecraft.

[@photonic083]

I'm gonna be honest. I tried out ultrakill's demo a few months ago. I had heard of the game quite a bit and wanted to play it to understand things, so I was really looking forward to it. I... didn't really enjoy it much. The style they are going for, which is using Lambert shading, an arguably outdated method, and low resolution textures, and a lot of things being really dark, didn't feel very well executed. Now I know what I said about "outdated". From the demo it seems like they are trying to make it look a bit like an N64 game, but they have too many polygons in the models for it to look like one. They also don't use billboards to the same extent N64 games do(or at least they didn't in the demo). So all of this is to say: I like the idea, but they didn't fully realize it, so I don't like the end product much visually. As for the gameplay, I can see how it'd be enjoyable for many with the complex movement, but it was in a weird spot for me. I'm not a complete stranger to complex controls, but I always just forgot to use like 40% of my abilities/moveset at any given time, or I couldn't use them properly. Overall I was kinda disappointed. Not in the game, but the fact that I didn't enjoy playing it. I wanted to. I had heard great things about the ost, too, but I can't really remember a single track from the demo. (Although to be fair it's been like 5 months) To end on a positive note: I liked the adaptive layering on the music, I am attentive to details like that. It's a detail that really stuck with me.

[@Zectifin]

thats just how PS1 textures work.

[@pixels_per_minute]

​@@ZectifinMost ps1 textures didn't start out as pixel art, though. They're just compressed images that end up looking pixelated.

[@ZacChien1]

I also think 2D physics are also just a lot easier to understand. That 3rd dimension uses much more complicated equations and algorithms.

[@OandCoGames]

Yeah for sure

[@spindash64]

The number 1 biggest issue with 3D vs 2D physics, imo, would have to be rotations: there's only 1 way to rotate an object in 2D, and the rotations are all "unique" until they loop, but it's possible in 3D to have 2 orientations that LOOK identical, but are stored as ENTIRELY different rotations on the computer, resulting some bizarre outputs

[@Virtualblueart]

This I also why there was a drought of good platformers when 3D became popular and why they came back full force later. It's not only harder to build but it's also harder to accurately judge distances. The 2D Mario games are more fun than the 3D ones for that reason in my opinion. Sure the 3D versions are very fun games, but camera problems and accidentally missing a block in 3D is just annoying.

[@nicooftheforest]

3:57 that's a really good point that I never really realized like, I can mentally draw the hitbox of a pixelated character, but if it's something like 3d, it's much harder. (especially because you can just round it to the grid for pixel art)

[@KanityOnePieceChill]

Answer: because it's pretty. Everyone's tastes are different but I am so happy there are a lot of gorgeous 2D pixel games coming out, as it's my favourite style!

[@niemand7811]

Prolly wrong. 2D graphics can have their unique style. But being made of pixels is not a style as such. Pixel art is bogus. The right term is pixel graphics. And most developers have no style and just use and copy blandly what others did before them.

[@costelinha1867]

To be fair the reason why Kaizo levels are more present in the Super Mario World style of Mario Maker, isn't just due to limitations or lack there off, the hack rom that LITERALLY STARTED THIS WHOLE GENRE: Super Mario Kaizo, was specifically a Super Mario World romhack, so no wonder people would gravitate more to this specific style when making kaizo levels.

[@benjaminmeusburger4254]

Super Mario world is for me simply the best version of all Marios when focusing on the Jump&Run aspect The controls feel tight

[@spacewhalemilk]

It's really fast to make. I am currently making a 2.5d side-scroller metroidvania, and I am the only 3d modeler on the team. Modeling, texturing and rigging a character takes waaaayy too long for most people, when you have to make dozens of them. But I'm a masochist.

[@PhonyLyzard]

Whats the game?

[@spacewhalemilk]

@@PhonyLyzard Too early to have a name, unfortunately.

[@PhonyLyzard]

@@spacewhalemilk Alright

[@alxdrksoul]

@@spacewhalemilk any channel to subscribe and keep an eye on your game and dvelopment journey?

[@spacewhalemilk]

@@alxdrksoul Nope, I and my colleagues are not good at making videos, sorry... And I am piss poor at speaking english. But again, it's very early in development.

[@MelodiCat753]

Pixel art doesn't require the precise hand control that other art-styles have. Yes, if you can draw a straight line freehand, you can create pixel art faster, but you can always fix the pixels after the fact, versus in other styles, you want your line art to be smooth. So someone can focus more on developing a good aesthetics/lighting sense and less time on the actual mechanics of drawing.

[@OandCoGames]

Very well said.

[@ThalesCardris]

I never agreed with that tbh. Pixel are is extremely hard and slow to animate, especially if it is a modern style of pixel art with diagonal movement, fluid animations and etc. Spine animations are way easier, but pixel art is just really consolidated as art style.

[@MelodiCat753]

@ThalesCardris I was more talking about sprites, but yeah animating it can be a lot harder, though I don't have experience animating pixel art as I've only done still sprites.

[@nicooftheforest]

the main reason that I started pixel art actually was because of that, and I'm happy that I did.

[@ThalesCardris]

@@MelodiCat753 gotcha! Yeah, once u have to animate it u will see my point hahahaha There is no "move that arm that way". U gotta draw every single frame. It takes ages for every single animation.

[@husklyman]

4:55 I think it's related to it being retro. Even I who wasn't born even when the n64 existed and my parents didn't play video games before I was born find interest in old games. It's cool to see what came before my favorite modern games. I think that the minimalism in pixel art games is mostly what makes them good, but also the retro style

[@spindash64]

The minimalism of pixel art, especially with an attempt to mimic old console limits, also helps to TEACH an aspiring developer art principles, by preventing them from just slapping a million colors on a canvas and calling it a day. By being limited in what colors they can use, how they can use them, and how small of details they can draw, they are forced to learn an artstyle that displays large amounts of information with relatively low signal "noise", allowing a game that just feels cleaner to follow

[@OandCoGames]

That's a great point.

[@sumnz]

Your game looks gorgeous! Wishlisting now

[@OandCoGames]

Awe shucks thanks!

[@Smabverse]

I've already seen so many vids like this, but what really stood out to me from this one was when you said that Pixel Art (and 8-bit Music) is an identity that is specifically associated with gaming and nothing else. I've never heard this important reason before even tho it's actually a really obvious one when you think about it, but ppl just don't think about it, so props for pointing it out 💪😎

[@OandCoGames]

Hey, that means a lot. Thank you!

[@Smabverse]

@@OandCoGames Np and ehhh YOUR GAME LOOKS 🔥🔥🔥

[@goodboi1725]

8-bit music alone has its own aesthetic that makes it so memorable. You can catch so much intensity with that genre, it’s just insane. Undertale’s “Finale” and Celeste’s “Confronting Myself” come to my mind because I love how they both capture the emotion of the climaxes they are associated with so well.

[@glenfoxh]

I been around long enough to know both is not true. I can collect a bunch of examples from the past that I can remember, but this few, should be good enough. kzbin.info/www/bejne/d5qrqoeAqKpmd7c As is, too many don't remember the past all too well. Or just know know enough of it to know what it was really like. Hell, I had some actual pixel porn art and animations on the old C64. And due to the C64s SID sound chip, for a time, it was widely used to make synth music. And not just for games. This is one of the largest collection of music made on the C64. But is too bad, much it all sounds the same. And I know from having one myself, there was a better verity then this. Again, not all from games. kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2q1kparnp6dgKs Some of it was from what's known of as Commodore 64 (C64) Crack/Intros. Many were quite cool to see and hear. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXfUc56Jf7SMhbM

[@Smabverse]

@@glenfoxh Bro what even is this comment 😭😭😭 I'm not even going to take time watching those vids u sent??? bro u good? Anyways don't act like ur pixel art p0rn existed before those pixel art games did? And ye u are probably the only one who associates pixel art with p0rn, so that's totally you 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@PhonyLyzard]

While I like Realistic graphics in videogames and think they can be genuinely beneficial for certain games, I still think that Pixel Art is a good and charming art style that I enjoy seeing. It is of course, just easier for indie devs to work with, but as someone born in the years after the N64 it's just cool seeing something that calls back to that era. It's kinda like getting a glimpse of "the before times," an era that you never lived through but constantly see people talk about and gets shown in popular media.

[@Sprinkiler]

As a fourteen year old I have valid nostalgia because my dad only let me play on the NES until I was eight

[@Troupples]

I always look forward to seeing these wonderful videos! You did a great job!

[@OandCoGames]

Thanks!

[@derelmo8576]

Man I would have appreciated it, if you had used the games names in the corners. So many great games I wanna check out

[@OandCoGames]

Let me know which ones you're curious about!

[@Beets_Creations]

Cool video essay on the subject! Nice work!

[@WicDrums]

Because it's beautiful and charming

[@OandCoGames]

Agreed

[@avena7506]

I am 18, I did not experience pixel art when it came from necessity, but Celeste in my favorite game of all time, due to it's simplicity, precision, and most of all it's unparalleled ability to just feel *clean*, I grew up playing SMM1 from the day it came out, my dream was to make levels for everyone to play, but instead I became engrossed in Kaizo and doing things that just looked cool and felt clean, moving on to a 3d plane just doesn't offer any of that, and I don't know if it ever will, in simplicity, we find complexity that will never exist outside that bubble, and for that I am forever grateful that video games have the history they do, for it has proven the enduring fact that constraints breed real innovation, and I feel that oozing from every pixelated game I play in a way that 3d could never provide, and doesn't have or need to. Thanks for this video, it means a lot to me, and I bet it does to many others.

[@OandCoGames]

Well said. I couldn't agree more.

[@vinsplayer2634]

Another reason is that pixel art can easily have a lot of color theory: contrast, palettes and important things being more saturated, and because of the simplicity and lack of detail it's easier to focus on the important things, which really helps fast-paced games. With the AAA style that tries to be as realistic as possible, it would be really hard to add color theory, and I feel like they don't usually even try to add that, because they prioritize realism over clarity for players and making it pleasant to look at. I think AAA games have their priorities really messed up, because they prioritize realism over processing power, space taken on disk, visual clarity and gameplay.

[@xxGreenRoblox]

Indie developers can have their games be able to run quite well on a potato computer like mine and the only times the game needs more than what the computer can provide is when doing tasks that are really hard to render and simulate like casting a nuke spell with glass cannon in noita AAA games are so bad with this that you'd need to delete every single thing on your computer including windows itself just to be able to install the game and even then you'd get like 3 fps

[@That1One-Guy]

I love pixel games that use particles and lighting shaders that interact with the actual game. Although my favorite art style for games is the hand drawn style used by cuphead and hollow knight.

[@OandCoGames]

Ooo yeah, Cuphead and Hollow Knight are awesome.

[@snowman3456]

Same

[@derple8524]

Danadara trials of fear does just what you're describing. The lighting shaders it uses really brings out the world and man that ost 'chefs kiss'

[@shivaprakash4717]

This is such a highquality video man good job!

[@1ucasvb]

Please always put the title of the game in the corner whenever you show examples, even if it's the same game multiple times.

[@Skeffles]

Fantastic video! I think we're in a golden age of pixel art, mostly because a lot of developers grew up with pixel art games and want to replicate those feelings. It may go away but will eventually cycle back because of people playing current day pixel art games. I definitely fall into this camp. I played a lot of games with pixel art on my game boy and PC when I was young and now I work on my own isometric pixel art for my games.

[@OandCoGames]

Well said

[@growin.up.gaming]

Another 10/10 video sir. As someone who truly loves indie games of all shapes and sizes, there is, and forever will be something so very special about pixel art. It can be simple like Stardew, or complex like Octopath, but no matter what, it's awesome.

[@OandCoGames]

Golly thanks for the continual words of encouragement! You're the best!

[@Ozzianman]

It looks crispy, takes up less storage space and less video memory is used. Quicker to produce and iterate on.

[@brenobarbosa3489]

Whenever I see a pixel art game I'm instantly more inclined to like it instead of ultra realistic 3d graphics, gta San Andreas was considered super real when it came out, if you pick an older game like chrono trigger for snes it still looks good to this day because it ages way better Keep up the good work amazing pixel artists!! Og Pokémon from gen 3-5 is where we at!

[@firesmoker]

your game looks amazing! good luck. wishlisted :)

[@OandCoGames]

Thank you kindly!

[@Dr.W.Krueger]

Low entry barrier(but hard to get right or stand out), very simple production 'pipeline', overall low project cost

[@oredaze]

Pixel art is beautiful. For me it is the sharpness. Blurry art gives off unskilled vibes and pixel art fundamentally avoids it.

[@OandCoGames]

Great point.

[@SteinGauslaaStrindhaug]

Ironically though, the art that modern "pixel art" is emulating was specifically designed for low resolution and fairly blurry CRT television screens. They were always slightly blurry and we did not really see individual pixels in those games. The crispy sharpness of those games was designed specifically to give an illusion of detail and looked more rounded on the original intended hardware, but it looks horrible when upscaled on a modern monitor. And the illusion of detail completely breaks when instead of slightly horisontally smeared fuzzy blobs you se a bunch of sharp squares.

[@oredaze]

@@SteinGauslaaStrindhaug Yes, I remember the CRT monitors. Back then I really didn't think about pixel art at all. Maybe it didn't make an impression because I didn't look at pixel art separate from games, or maybe it was because of the blurriness. I wouldn't know.

[@danhansson666]

I love pixel art games not for the nostalgia, but because I love the art style, and its easier to play for an oldie like me

[@sm5574]

Pixel art is also relatively cheap to buy almost everything you need in terms of assets. A bundle big enough to build an entire pro-looking game world will usually come in well under $100, whereas you can spend more than that on quality 3D models that won't even cover your first level.

[@gameworkerty]

Uh oh, you called Dave the Diver indie, prepare for blowback

[@jeromealday614]

100% bait for engagement lmao. No way a videogame essayist wouldn't know about THAT discourse.

[@t33h33studio]

Sometimes people mean to say not AAA, which I would say for sure its not.

[@OandCoGames]

lol true true, I'm aware of the discourse. It's certainly in a weird spot. AA maybe? Indie vibes, but with deep pockets and married to a AAA? Hard to pin down what Mintrocket really is...

[@mega_gamer93]

@@OandCoGames it is AAA, Dave the Diver is a game made by a internal studio of a large company with a large funding. Vibes are completely irrelevant to it

[@gameworkerty]

@@OandCoGames some big questions about whether "indie" is a set of aesthetic signifiers or if it is a process of industrial production!

[@RKIOrbMage]

Wasn't expecting Mario kaizo to be in this video, but I completely agree with what you said 👍 plus Mario world just looks better 😎

[@OandCoGames]

lol true true

[@schmecklez]

i feel the first part about pixelart being more precise was actually about 2D vs 3D rather than the premise. For example, in the Kaizo section, there are many other reasons why the majority of those levels may be in pixelart; could be due to nostalgia, personal preference, or just an adherence to "tradition" in the sense that kaizo is in the Super Mario World style. In the Celeste section, it didnt really illustrate why the pixelart specifically helps with precision. It seemed more about the merits of 2d vs 3d in platforming, and camera issues. With all that said tho I do agree pixelart does allow for more precise movement in games. I would say that its probably due to how easy it is to distinguish edges with pixelart. so you gain an understanding of primary detail (character vs environment) at the expense of tertiary details (small facial features, etc). Tho another thing i'd like to explore is how pixelart fairs in the 3d environment. Games like Valheim and Diaries of a Spaceport Janitor use pixelart, and how does that affect them.

[@alexandreancel6423]

If I may, I would say one more thing : pixel-art games "don't get old" from the graphics point of view. As an example, you can still look at screens from A Link to the Past and find it beautiful, but looking at the N64 version of Ocarina of Time, despite it being younger, will make you say "wow, that's an old-timer". To me, 3D graphics get old way faster than 2D.

[@OandCoGames]

Ooo that's a really good point.

[@alexandreancel6423]

@@OandCoGames Your video was way better, I just added this little point of view. :)

[@GraaD-87]

This. So much this. One of the greatest benefits of pixel-art style is aging better then most 3D games of past eras. The picture that was originally created in a given minimal frame-space, then just gets integer-scaled to any modern resolution while looking pixel-perfectly crisp even on an 8K display and beyond. Exactly the way it was intended to look by the author. No blurry textures, fonts or fx sprites. During the process of creation developers don't need to ask themselves "what resolution do we need to aim for our game to look good in 5 years?", but rather "what's the minimum resolution needed to fit just enough details for it to feel and look right?" so you just throw the scaling problem out of the window and always 100% know what size every sprite needs to be and how large it will look compared to everything else. UI? It will not become too small, or too blurry, or too pixelated if someone runs your 320x180 game in 7680x4320. It will still look the same: as perfect as you were able to make it art-wise.

[@thedude4063]

Hell, even in my 3D projects, I always love incorporating pixel art textures

[@TJ-hg6op]

Pixel art looks nice, easier to make, and gives a nice feel to the game. Not saying those high quality triple A graphics look bad, but often they look too real, and takes away the imagination involved in making a game.

[@overticked]

7:40 love that you included moonshire 😃

[@OandCoGames]

Moonshire's going to be awesome.

[@arian_ki9095]

Stick to one thumbnail😅 But that aside, great video. My favorite thing is that pixel art games are like books to me. And by that I mean how players can fill in the details themselves and use their imaginations

[@OandCoGames]

It's interesting you say that! We're using KZbin's new thumbnail testing feature...

[@guadanahockey7299]

Удачи Вам в разработке, спасибо за видео, привет из Петербурга!

[@OandCoGames]

Thank you!

[@TheNotSoGreat1]

A point for pixel art I've seen a lot of people talk about is the fact it leaves a lot more to the imagination. If you look at any indie game with a focus on smaller pixel art, you'll find a lot more variation in how characters and locations are drawn. Compared to hyperrealistic games that have every bump on the skin recreated, you just have a lot more creativity but, more importantly, you have to put in a lot more effort for each pixel. I'm just a much bigger fan of 2D art in general since you are able to admire it all at once One question I do wonder is why there is such a lack of regular art in video games. Some of my favourite looking games are Hollow Knight and Cuphead. I know that type of art takes a far larger amount of time but, in most cases, I enjoy how it looks more. With some pixel art like Dead Cells already getting close to no longer being pixel art I'm just curious on why more games don't try it

[@OandCoGames]

It's a fair question. I think a lot of games really do use non-pixel 2D art... but as a hot take - it seems they're more common for mobile games.

[@ianalan1813]

Could you tell me the name of the game in 0:10

[@OandCoGames]

Pepper Grinder

[@ianalan1813]

@@OandCoGames thank you very much

[@ecrosenow5194]

I will never get past how much I love Crosscode

[@venimx]

I have always said art style > graphics. Prime example is Valheim the graphics technically are awful but the atmosphere and art style are absolutely amazing.

[@babyl]

thought its gonna be a bad vid but it was great

[@Albert-Freeman]

I'm not a professional game dev, but I still like to make prototypes for fun here and there hoping for one to stick with me to make a complete game some day, while I just continue to learn. Personally, half the games I do are pixel art based because for me it's just fun to make, that's it.

[@costelinha1867]

Honestly undertale's pixel art is so amazing specifically BECAUSE of it's simplicity. (And also kinda validating cuz the mc character animations are very similar to the way I animated characters in a game jam.)

[@Le_Samourai]

You should have a custom subtitle thing that says the game on screen so people can look it up (that’s what Every Frame a Painting did)

[@OandCoGames]

Ah good idea

[@boccobadz]

There are lots of free pixel sprites, not so much when it comes to high quality 3d models (which requires rigging, animating, seperate skeletal meshes, etc).

[@OandCoGames]

Fair point

[@waydevanniekerk7886]

Without watching the video yet, i can already say as someone who wants to try game development is it just seems easier and simple to make compared to other styles

[@OandCoGames]

Agreed

[@sherekhangamedev]

My opinion on the topic is a bit of bias because I love pixel art, even in the N64/Saturn/PS era, I still gravitated towards 2D games. That said, pixel art as a medium is accessible in many layers and ways for player and devs. Simple makes it easy to shape and read to identify it. It's less difficult to apply the principles of animation, which is more accessible than in a 3D in cost/time ratio. Doable in 3D? Yes but at a price. It is easier to create an original visual identity, in 3D it is doable too, but still at a cost and most fall into an identity style that is very similar among 3D games, in particular the more realistic the game world is. Pixel Art have a charm, it's pop culture now days and many games (visually speaking) aged well with this medium. I think of it as, "pixel art is drawing, when 3D art is sculpting". Both are arts, but the medium is different in many layers.

[@HeyOcelot0606]

My main issue with this is that there are devs making 3D pixel art. I don't want 2D with hard stuff.

[@WiiFan-1300]

Pixel art is truly a work of art. I actually grew up with retro 8(-16 bit) games, up until I was like 6-7 when I got my first Wii. That changed everything lol.

[@steambot3000]

It always baffles me when people find pixel games disgusting. There is so much charm!

[@OandCoGames]

Agreed

[@MinesproWasTaken]

Another thing is that when using pixel art you don’t have to deal with things like shaders or lighting. Also you don’t have to deal with rigging models for animations or even making models

[@OandCoGames]

Yeah mostly true. There are still lighting concerns, but it's certainly a lot more streamlined.

[@foldupgames]

Great essay!

[@OandCoGames]

Thanks!

[@dry4smash946]

3:57 as someone whos also into kaizo and precision, thats not really the main point, due to 3d world not having important parts like shells and tracks and many other things that make delivering shells trivial, however though thats not rly the case with 3dw

[@YoungSinai]

Your game looks great! What engine are you using if you don’t mind me asking? Thanks

[@OandCoGames]

Game Maker Studio 2. Thanks!

[@francescocarbone8466]

Pixel art conserva il fascino dell'artigianato intimo e dà l'impressione che tutti possano cimentarsi nel realizzare qualcosa di soddisfacente e apprezzabile.

[@theaslam9758]

This will either age like milk or wine, only time will tell

[@OandCoGames]

lol "age like milk". Great phrase. Time will tell indeed.

[@Raw-broccoli-rabe]

Can’t wait for tethergeist!

[@fishyboythehappyboi]

I use pixel art for my private time when I want to make art I'm not that good but I'm learning bit by bit and I use it for when I want to chill or relax, also very base app🗿

[@HyruleHerb]

I'm surprised Rain World wasn't mentioned. That game has arguably the best looking pixel art in any game

[@OandCoGames]

Yeah, it was an oversight lol

[@imx_via]

Regarding Super Mario Maker 2, I don't think 3D World to Super Mario world is a fair comparison. Unlike New Super Mario Bros. U, which is also featured in Mario Maker and has 2.5D graphics, 3D World was never made with 2D gameplay in mind. It was effectively hacked into Mario Maker by Nindendo. Because of this 3D world has a much different (and more limited) set of level components to work with. New Super Mario Bros. U, on the other hand, does have similar physics and mechanics to Super Mario World in Mario Maker 2. With that in mind, New Super Mario Bros. U still lacks the precision that the pixel graphics of Super Mario World. While Mario does have more movement options in New Super Mario Bros. U, Super Mario World has throwable enemies, as well as the ability to throw items upward, allowing for more complex manuvers. Super Mario Bros Wonder, despite being 2.5D, is also very readable, and takes the best of New Super Mario Bros. U and Super Mario World's movesets. Because of this, I believe that if a Super Mario Bros Wonder gamestyle was added, it would also be very popular for Kaizo courses

[@penguinjuice7543]

I think pixel art isn't neccecarily easier than other mediums, but it's more approachable. You'll still need to learn advanced concepts to be able to make really good pixel art, but the basis is just placing blocks on a grid, it's literally just like playing Minecraft or terraria, vs a daunting blank canvas.

[@OandCoGames]

Well said

[@sarmsaklomlet5852]

Pixel art will never die! :D

[@mrgamingbro4033]

Pixel art can easily be manipulated, the fact that you can add changes to it with ease is very important, to add a moustache to a character, edit the sprites and add two squiggly lines to have it apear exactly the way you want it, mean while in 3D you gotta change a billion different things so textures don't get messed up and so the moustache has physics and so it doesn't clip and so it looks good in game.

[@Zaluuk]

6:51 No way the puzzle was that simple, I didn't even realize you could do that to get the red flower I tried to get it by jumping through the area and I think I nearly got it once but then gave up

[@OandCoGames]

lol yeah, it's a bit sneaky of us. You can collect red blossoms while returning to your ghost.

[@soupnoodles]

The real reason Pixel Art is here to stay is that its the simplest way to meaningfully demonstrate something. Just a few pixels in a computer screen. Click a couple squares to make a shape. Then you can add layers upon layers of effects to make it look cooler.

[@OandCoGames]

Tru tru

[@siggebagge9753]

Nice video! What's the game called at 7:20?

[@VimOneLove]

Sea of stars i believe

[@OandCoGames]

Yup Sea of Stars

[@adventurousash]

Not to mention learning 3D modeling and rigging is it's own beast. If you're already learning game design, sound design, and programming, it's a lot easier to learn pixel art than 3d modeling.

[@jamespaguip5913]

There are a lot of indie games who use 3D design for example: ultrakill, risk of rain 2, deep galactic, vermintide 2, sentry, velum, gunfire reborn and helldivers 2.

[@OandCoGames]

Yeah, 3D is certainly widely used as well.

[@mallowskycotl]

I have a cool idea for a video game (mainly story and game mechanics) but I know little to nothing about coding. Maybe some day... p.s. what's the game you show here 1:19 :0??

[@OandCoGames]

Arinn

[@blu_bob_studios]

I see so many people going on long winded explanations for why pixel art is so big and I’m just sitting here goin “ I just use pixel art bc my program was made for it “

[@OandCoGames]

lol fair enough

[@kemsat-n6h]

Always thought it was because it’s cheaper & easier. Seems easier to make pixel art animations than it would be to do 3D animations.

[@LuddyFish_]

My favourite thing about pixel art is how colour contrasts to each other. It's a lot easier to identify objects and the vibrant colours make it very pleasing on the eyes, but it also doesn't feel overwhelming. This is where some games like Splatoon, despite being a very beautiful and vibrant game, falls just short in the art department because of how much of a clusterfuck it is, which can make it disorientating to unfamiliar players.

[@OandCoGames]

True true. I love how your profile pic is a splatoon character btw lol

[@holleey]

pixel art has nothing to do with "better" or "worse", it is an art style that is timeless. there is something about deliberately placed pixels without tons of automatically applied anti-alias-effects and so on (that is what defines pixel art) that makes it pop like nothing else. developers may choose it because it seems more approachable, but just as well it is a valid choice because it may actually look the best for what you want to do. although high-quality pixel art can probably be just as time intensive as the entire 3D asset pipeline. not sure what 2D vs 3D has to do with pixel art though? I didn't really understand the entire bit about Celeste, because all the same things could've been said if Celeste was a 2D non-pixel-art game.

[@OandCoGames]

Fair enough. It was more a point about 2D physics to set up the next argument about how pixel art is better for precision within a 2D framework.

[@samidev4122]

Sir can You share any planning tips or tools like (Trello or Milanote) I am starting my first commercial title so that would be very good insight for newby like me

[@OandCoGames]

Honestly find a process that works for you and your team! I use Trello for my own tasks, discord for collaboration, and google drive for file management.

[@AlexMakesGames80]

I can tell you as a developer I use pixel art because I can't draw. I have a difficult time with scale so pixel art keeps me consistent which massively improves the quality of my 2d art

[@piotrek7633]

quick answer: easy to make,cheap to buy,easier to iterate over and hit the artistic style

[@OandCoGames]

well said.

[@adamfresko5731]

Got question, what resolution is your game rendered with?

[@OandCoGames]

640x360

[@FluffyTanooki]

What’s the game at 1:18 and where can I play it?

[@OandCoGames]

Arinn on Steam

[@Nikeshan]

what is the game at timestamp 2:45? It would be cool if you added the game titles in your videos

[@pikarai4682]

Ori and the Blind Forest

[@rikopiko5555]

I think the most visually stunning pixel art game i have seen is rain world

[@OandCoGames]

That one is truly impressive

[@Thornsawawa]

yes!!! im sad its not in the video

[@lost50]

How are you handling slope logic?

[@OandCoGames]

move_collide function

[@sasagawa-sama1949]

What is that platformer game he was playing called the one with the red/orange haired girl not celeste

[@OandCoGames]

TetherGeist

[@soulfire7860]

can you tell the names of the various game shown in this video? i am finding some of them look quite neat but i am unfamiliar with them.

[@OandCoGames]

Yeah! Honestly, best way to do that is probably to check all of the comments here asking...

[@chrisalex82]

Easier bassicly

[@ZoranRavic]

Pixel Art is simply the best if you are looking to make a 2D game. I'm even working on my own pixel art editor as an alternative to aseprite.

[@OandCoGames]

That's awesome!

[@AnotherDuck]

I disagree with most points. The comparison between the two Celeste games isn't about pixel art, but about 2D vs 3D. The former being pixel art has nothing to do with it. Pixel art is also not more precise. The Mario games, for instance, have subpixels, which you can't even see. The precision, as far as the player is concerned, ends at the pixel level. A game with vector graphics can be more precise than that. Clarity is about art style, not pixels. You can have messy pixel art and clear line art. I also personally see less of a point in pixel art the smaller the pixels are. Games like your game can just as easily be made with drawn art in the same style. Mark Brown made it clear when he converted MOM from pixel art. The style was more or less the same with no significant vibe difference. And it's a bit cleaner. When I make pixel art (not games, but other stuff), I strive to keep it to as few pixels as possible. If I can do the smallest necessary details at 16x16, I'm not making it 32x32.

[@Wimpiethe3]

Fully agree, 2D is easier than 3D. But 3D pix or drawing is both hard.

[@OandCoGames]

You should make a video about these points! I'd definitely check it out.

[@JonnyRobinson]

What game is this at 1:12 , it looks really cool?

[@OandCoGames]

Arco

[@Momo-zu2vc]

Could anyone tell me what the game in the backgeound at 1:13 is?

[@OandCoGames]

Arco

[@lux_max.]

Also while a realistic games may look good now. but in a few years it will look outdated Pixel art or any other stylized games will be timeless Look at old 2d games Sonic,Rayman Now look at some old "realistic games" Assassin's creed as an exemple it dosent look bad but certainly outdated

[@OandCoGames]

Great point.

[@MonitorLizardGaming]

I think the question we should be asking is why more games AREN'T using pixel art. It's just... good.

[@OandCoGames]

lol well said!

[@Shepherdboy16]

What was the game that showed up at 1:14 with the desert and lamas??

[@OandCoGames]

Arco

[@signalshift6676]

But it's not just games.. just look at the art of 1041uuu, like he has some city skylines and somehow I just start dreaming looking at those, like how it would be if I looked out of my window and just saw a skyline like this.. additionally somehow they always remind me of the game boy version of splinter cell

[@OandCoGames]

Great call out. 1041uuu is genius.

[@laughingvampire7555]

my theory is that it is the furthest away from realistic so it has the opposite effect to the uncanny valley, you clearly can se is fake but then your brain makes it feel real

[@ariostojunior7390]

Hey. amazing content! Have you heard about Bloodless? Its beautiful and innovative.

[@OandCoGames]

Looks like a stylish pixel game indeed.

[@ariostojunior7390]

@@OandCoGames its gorgeous

[@Bruh-el9js]

It looks good. It shows care and skill in the craft. It's an art style. Realistic graphs are a big part of the reason why the industry is shit.

[@OandCoGames]

lol it's that darn uncanny valley.