pixelsproject

[pixelsproject]

『Pixel to Plastic』 Super Mario World LEGO Set

“The pixelated nature of LEGO tiles lends itself perfectly to capturing the 2D sprites from the classic games, and we designed the moving functions to replicate Mario and Yoshi’s animation cycle in the game.” [Carl Merriam & Daire McCabe, designers]

[pixelsproject]

『TEPPEN』 4th Anniversary Mega Man Style Sprites

Some of these sprites were originally created for Capcom's 30th Anniversary. Amaterasu & Morrigan's sprite appears to untouched, while Chun Li's has been slightly edited to include a blue aura around her feet and gold trim on her hair buns. The changes to Dante, Rathalos and Ryu's sprites are more noticable since they're based on their TEPPEN designs. X's design is consistent, but his sprite has been altered to change his posture.

[pixelsproject]

『Marvel vs. Capcom 2∶ New Age of Heroes』 Recolored Rogue

In their video game adaptations, Capcom's developers based the X-Men's appearance on the then-contemporary designs of the 90's. As such, Rogue looked like this when she first appeared in a Capcom produced fighting game, X-Men vs. Street Fighter.

But for one reason or another, Rogue's sprites from X-Men vs. Street Fighter were recolored for her appearance in Marvel vs. Capcom 2. (Interestingly, it appears that they never originally intended to change her design for MvC2.)

To my knowledge, no one at Capcom has ever stated why this change was made, but I have one theory. When Rogue first joined the X-Men, she wore a costume where the primary colors were green and white/silver. It's also worth noting that all of Rogue's MvC2 sprites and palettes use a smaller amount colors, since her jacket is no longer colored differently from the rest of her attire.

One of those alternate palettes is quite similar to her original appearance XvSF, but the shades of green and yellow are slightly bolder and her jacket is no longer a khaki brown.

[pixelsproject]

『The King of Fighters AFK』 Sprite Similarities

Late last year, SNK released another King of Fighters mobile game. And while I don't have much interest in gacha gaming, this most title caught my attention due to it's peculiar sprite work.

If you played any of the SNK developed fighting games for the Neo Geo Pocket Color, than you'll instantly recognize the visual similarities they share with this new title.

Most of the characters in KOF AFK appear to use edited sprites from those old NGPC games, but reanimated in somewhat unpleasant manner. Instead of being one solid element, the character sprites appear to be chopped up and then reassembled, so to be animated in a new manner.

While I'm being a bit harsh on KOF AFK's visuals, I am happy to see the NGPC style make such an unexpected return in late 2024. Furthermore, it looks like we'll be seeing some characters rendered in this style for the first time ever.

---

SOURCE↴ SNK Gals Fighters & SNK vs. Capcom∶ Match of the Millenium sprites uploaded by Grim @ Sprite Database

[pixelsproject]

『Capcom Creation∶ Moving Hearts Across the Globe』 Pixel Pieces

In the past decade or so, Capcom has been holding a number of art exhibitions throughout Japan. Like other recent events, Capcom Creation∶ Moving Hearts Across the Globe has some interesting pixel art pieces.

Above, you can see the the concept art used to design various sprite elements in the 1984 arcade platformer, SonSon. Similar design documents for games like Street Fighter II & Mega Man are also on display at this exhibition.

This exhibition also has some interactive elements, one of them being Pixel Lab. This instructional program challenges users to quickly recreate classic Mega Man sprites.

Additionally, attendees can piece together newer sprites of characters like Chun-Li, Phoenix Wright and Arthur. In recent years, this style of sprites has been used for similar promotions.

And whats more, Pixel Lab features new sprites of Final Fight's Haggar and Darkstalker's Morrigan in that same style.

---

SOURCES↴ Capcom design documents (denfaminicogamer.jp) Capcom Creation∶ Moving Hears Across the Globe (2025) Morrigan Pixel Lab photograph (gamer.ne.jp)

[pixelsproject]

『LOGiN』 #4 (2/15/91)

This issue of LOGiN featured a two page ad for the X6000 version of Prince of Persia. In the spread, you can see sprites of the protagonist leaping into a X68000 desktop.

[pixelsproject]

『Pencil to Pixel』 Ninja Gaiden

Early in his career, Masato Kato created the concept art that was the basis for Ninja Gaiden's 8-bit cinematics.

[pixelsproject]

『Rockman Classics Collection』 Pixel Promo Video

[pixelsproject]

『Earthbound』 Concept Pixel Art

[ SOURCE→ xcancel.com/jugdreamer ]

[pixelsproject]

『IRL Pixels』 Pixel Fragmentation Woodwork by Han Hsu Tung

[ SOURCE→ thisiscolossal.com ]

[pixelsproject]

Top: in a 1995 developer interview for Yoshi's Island, Shigeru Miyamoto mentioned that during development, Baby Mario would transform into a full-grown Mario when collecting the Super Star. In the finished version, he transforms into "Powerful Mario", a form of Baby Mario with a cape, instead.

Bottom: internal files which surfaced in 2020 revealed the actual unused graphics of the full-grown Mario form that Miyamoto was talking about in the interview.

Main Blog | Patreon | Twitter | Bluesky | Source: shmuplations, sprites

[pixelsproject]

「単眼的風景:La Marseillaise(ラ・マルセイエーズ)」/A monocular landscape：La Marseillaise(2014)

[pixelsproject]

『IRL Pixels』 Super Mario Sprite Structures in Shibuya

[ SOURCE→ xcancel.com/entorastic ]

[pixelsproject]

『Pixel to Plastic』 Pokémon x Super Mario∶ 8-Bit Scramble

In 2019, the Pokémon Center Shibuya and Nintendo Tokyo stores opened across from one another inside a Shibuya shopping mall. The same year, these two retail locations produced a collaboration titled Pokemon x Super Mario∶ 8-Bit Scramble.

The merchandise sold at the Pokémon Center Shibuya recreated the iconic pixel art from Super Mario Bros. with mosaic of Pokemon sprites. Conversely, Nintendo Tokyo sold a recreation of Pokemon sprites with a tapestry of Super Mario Bros. sprites.

[pixelsproject]

『Dragon Ball Z∶ Super Butōden』 Unused Pixel Portraits

GCGX.games discovered these unused sprites of Android 17, Android 19, Semi-Perfect Cell, Kame Sennin, base form Gohan & base form Trunks. While none of these characters were playable in the final release, alternate versions of Cell, Gohan and Trunks were included.

[pixelsproject]

『The Scramble Vice』 Developer's Blog Pixel Posts

The Scramble Vice is an upcoming 2D action game being developed by ESQUADRA, inc and Studio PICO. It's Steam page has developer's blog that regularly posts these sorts of pixel art promotional pieces. (Fair warning, some of the featured artwork is a little risqué.)

[pixelsproject]

『Wolverine』 Unused Punisher & Spider-Man Sprites

"Some unused sprites from NES Wolverine. IIRC we were going to add some cameo guest appearances in the game, but I don't think we could get permission for them. Here they are...a few years late."

Kevin Edwards, Lead Programmer