Ni no Kuni, low-res pixel style!
After playing this game, how could I not draw its loveable cast of characters? Those moments when you see them all together in a scene is heartwarming, knowing what they’ve been through together. I guess a lot of RPGs can say that, but how many RPGs have a Welsh fairy as a main character, eh? Tidy, en’t it?
Oliver, Mr. Drippy, Esther, Swaine, Marcassin, Pea
Captain N: The Game Master, low-res pixel style!
This show is famous/infamous online, not least for its off-model character designs. The nature of its world being a massive crossover is what appeals to me about it. I prefer the comic version by Valiant though, that had Samus as a main character. This is a combined N Team with members from both the cartoon and comic.
Kevin Keene, Princess Lana, Duke, Game Boy, Simon Belmont, Megaman, Kid Icarus, Samus Aran
Super Luigi, low-res pixel style!
In Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, Luigi has his own adventure while Mario is busy. In the Waffle Kingdom, he seeks Princess Eclair using the Marvelous Compass. It’s a great little story told three different ways, with lots of humour in the discrepancies (for a fourth, check out the Marvelous Compass webcomic!). Of course he amasses his own little band of partners in the process, just as Mario does. This picture is an addendum my classic post of the adventure parties in the Paper Mario series.
Luigi, Blooey, Jerry, Torque, Hayzee, Screamy
The Lego Movie, low-res pixel style!
This movie was loads of fun, really well made. My wife and I have been enjoying the inevitable game version as well, which reminds you of what a nice cast of characters it has. As you progress you add members one by one, building up your band of buds. It’s a good feeling. Oh, so these are the “good guys”, not counting Bad Cop and Lord Business who do end up becoming friendly.
Emmett, Wyldstyle, Vitruvius, Batman, Unikitty, Benny, Metalbeard
Daria, low-res pixel style!
This classic show of my youth does have a video game based on it, which I have just reviewed. These are the characters that appear, and the major characters of the show itself; they seem to be based on their Season 4 designs in Daria’s Inferno, but no Tom to be seen.
Daria, Jane, Quinn, Helen, Jake, Trent, Brittany, Kevin, Jodie, Mack, Sandi, Tiffany, Stacy, Upchuck, Mr. O’Neill, Mr. DeMartino, Ms. Li, Ms. Barch
Novas Aventuras de Megaman, low-res pixel style!
This infamously bad Brazilian comic is possibly my favourite Megaman-related work after the Zero games. Besides being an interesting take on that series, its sheer craziness and wild inconsistency in art, tone, and pacing make it a fascinating train wreck. The attempts to shoehorn in Brazilian pandering, the first editor’s plans (stated in the comic itself) to derail the plot and have his own character take over, the fact that characters’ outfits will change from issue to issue… well, mainly Roll, hence my bonus picture of almost every costume she wears in chronological order. Not only does the comic get basic facts about the series plain wrong, but it amusingly takes inspiration from the Ruby Spears cartoon, before introducing both dark themes and goofy undermining of characters like X.
The whole comic revolves around Roll, which gives us a couple of atmospheric issues that focus on her past and her thoughts. This is my favourite Roll; smart, brave, taking initiative, overcoming hardship. It’s too bad this is undone by the editors and artists sexually objectifying her constantly. It’s also got complex motivations for the villains but unfortunately they’re never explained and I lost count of the number of plot threads or issues that are completely unaddressed by the time of the spectacular ruin of a non-ending, which introduces both aliens and voodoo magic. Basically, it’s “so bad it’s good” and I love it.
Roll, Megaman/Rocky, Karinka (the overtly communism-espousing Kalinka mysteriously non-aged after 30 years), Nástenka (Karinka’s robot bodyguard), Megaman X/Xizinho/Xis (this comic and nicknames), Slasher (it’s actually Bass, they just call him that), Protoman (I thought the bare skeletal arm he has in the early issues looked cool), Zero, Édouard/Maurice, Celina, Alan, and Otto (the human faction… one of them has the wrong name and hair for one issue), Princess (the would-be story hijacker), Dr. Willy/Willie/Wily (just inconsistency), one of “the Six” “Neo-Mavericks” (one of the villainous factions), Holzenbein (the plutocrat/voodoo practitioner, heads yet another faction)
More information: go here or here. These folks have translated the whole run into English.
Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals, low-res pixel style! FF5 is one of my favourites, so having a sequel in anime form is a fun novelty. Although the characters are a bit stock anime, this miniseries executes well on the blend of magic and technology that the series is known for, and includes some impressive imagery and setpieces. Prettz, Linaly, Mid, Valkus, Rouge
Hyrule Warriors Legends, low-res pixel style!
My original Hyrule Warriors pixel art was one of my very early ones. Since then I’ve refined my style and colour selection somewhat, so I’ve updated it and added the new characters for the 3DS version. I can’t wait for this game, very excited!
Link, Impa, Sheik, Lana, Zelda, Ganondorf, Darunia, Ruto, Agitha, Midna, Zant, Fi, Ghirahim, Cia, Volga, Wizzro, Twili Midna, Young Link, Tingle, Cucco, Toon Link, Tetra, King of Red Lions, Skull Kid, Linkle
Cave Story, low-res pixel style!
Here’s my quick tribute to the seminal indie game Cave Story. It’s just so impressive that a game of such fun and artistry was made by just one talented guy. To be honest though my introduction to these characters was through the 2D Team Fortress 2 demake “Gang Garrison 2”, in which they appear as secret characters.
Quote, Curly Brace
Killer Instinct 1, low-res pixel style!
I’ve just read the tie-in comics for this classic Rare game. They’re pretty darn cheesy but worth checking out… maybe…? Anyway it’s a cool cast, mostly designed by Kev Bayliss as I understand. I’m not a fighting game guy but certainly a Rare guy. Ultra pixels??
Jago, T.J. Combo, Spinal, Chief Thunder, Glacius, Fulgore, Cinder, Sabrewulf, B. Orchid, Riptor
Portal 2, low-res pixel style!
This game just oozes atmosphere. I find that few pixels are slightly unsuited to rounded objects, but I did my best. Bendy the odd silhouette represents the player in the user-created level portion of the game. I don’t really know what it is in the canon, but it’s a legitimate player character. Kind of.
GLaDOS (potato form), Chell, Wheatley, Atlas, P-Body, Bendy
My Omega Ruby Pokemon team, low-res pixel style!
I planned out my team in the last game to ensure I had a good spread of types, as well as a mon from each generation. It worked pretty well for me; in fact, I found the game quite easy so maybe too well?
Ninetales, Lanturn, Breloom, Glaceon, Archeops, Malamar
Mario Strikers Charged Football, low-res pixel style!
I was impressed by the look of this game, everyone with a new costume; armour chestplates, Bowser’s claws, Luigi wearing shorts. I wanted to try and capture that but the low-detail nature of my sprites don’t quite do it justice. Oh well, I’m posting it anyway! Here’s all the captains, followed by the sidekicks with Kritter as the goalie in the middle.
Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Wario, Waluigi, Donkey Kong, Diddy, Yoshi, Bowser, Bowser Jr., Petey Piranha, Koopa Troopa, Hammer Bro, Kritter, Dry Bones, Monty Mole, Shy Guy, Birdo, Toad, Boo
Mario Hoops 3 on 3/Mario Slam Basketball, low-res pixel style!
This game already has adorable pixel art, but here it is even more pixelly. Or less pixelly I guess, because there’s less overall pixels? Anyway I thought it had a pretty great roster. Some generic drone filler, but also Dixie Kong, and White and Black Mage (who are apparently Shiroma and Kuroma from the Chocobo games maybe?). I drew them grouped into kinda-appropriate teams of 3. I’ve done some of these characters before but for this one I tried to make the Mario Bros, Bowser, and Yoshi fit better into my humanoid template. I think it turned out pretty well!
Mario, Wario, Waluigi, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Donkey Kong, Diddy, Dixie, Bowser, Bowser Jr., Paratroopa, Yoshi, Birdo, Fly Guy, Boo, Moogle, Cactuar, Shiroma, Kuroma, Ninja
The Ubisoft guest characters of Academy of Champions, low-res pixel style!
I played this soccer game recently, and regrettably couldn’t get far enough to unlock these and experience the novelty of this low-key Ubisoft crossover myself. The back of the box has a shot with most of these bar Jade; this picture can be seen on a retrospective that one of the developers published, wherein they themselves seem to have forgotten she’s in the game. But thanks to BG&E fansite Beyond Good & Evil Myths I was able to find this shot, to see how she looks in the game (despite the name, her presence is not a myth). Mm, BG&E was great…
Rayman, Rabbid, Jade (Beyond Good & Evil), Thief (Prince of Persia 2008), Altair (Assassin’s Creed 1), Sam Fisher (Splinter Cell)
In The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild, Gorons are allowed to enter Gerudo Town, even though...
we’re the same
New pixel art: Donkey Kong and Friends!
My biggest pixel art ever, 100 Kongs and 213 of their best friends and enemies! This was a lot...
This year wasn’t the most productive thanks to Animal Crossing and a pandemic going one, but I still had fun doing what...
Hello, lovely Rayman fans! Turquoisephoenix here with some Edutainment...
If Sir Cochin caught you insulting her in a couple of hours you’d be facing a screaming mad knight on the tilt yard racing at you. But all her...
