Pokémon Sword & Shield were pretty divisive titles. But one thing that stands out about the games is the massive amount of love they still get. While the majority of Pokémon fans are still pretty vocal when it comes to how the titles have, and continue to be handled, online artists continue to show their appreciation in some pretty unique ways. One of the most unique has to be pixel art.
The Pokémon has long since left the 8-bit generation behind, but that doesn’t mean fans have outgrown he look. While newer, more polished graphics are nice, there’s a certain nostalgic charm to seeing contemporary Pokémon in the old style. Here are 10 works of pixel art from Sword & Shield.
10 Galarian Zigzagoon - おゆざき＠お仕事募集中
Zigzagoon is no stranger to pixel art. The Gen III Pokémon has gone through some art changes over the years, but its Galarian counterpart is new to the scene. The new black and white color scheme isn’t the only thing that’s new. We also get a look at what the new evolution looks like in this style.
Zigzagoon and Linoone aren’t anything new, but seeing Obstagoon in this style is pretty cool. You can definitely picture it in the older games like this. Maybe Game Freak will release an official Sword & Shield pixel DLC down the road?
9 MC Sprite - Zender
This is a great looking piece of pixel art and looks more like a development resource than anything else. Gloria is one of the most popular protagonists fans have had in a while. From the start she was being meme’d and drawn by fans, so this entry was an inevitability.
With pretty much angle covered, this is pretty detailed. Seeing this only makes the desire for a Gen 8 pixel mod stronger by the second. If not official, we can expect some sort of fan project down the road.
8 Pixel Legendary - オニガシラ銀角
Zacian & Zamazenta are two solid looking legendaries, and while the two are a true duo, it’s the sword legendary that gets the pixel makeover in this one. Depicted in its Crowned Sword form, Zacian looks too natural in 8-bit.
The attention to detail by the artist is great here. The pose its pulling makes it seem like something you could actually expect to see in a wild encounter.
7 Starters In Their Element - MultiverseDraws
The new starters certainly don’t have any shortage of fans. While you may not all agree on which of the three is the best of the group, we can all say with certainty that this pixel art of the trio is amazing.
Though not as detailed as other pieces on this list, this work of pixel art is just too nice to look at. There’s a certain charm to it and the colors really manage to pop out with each one of them.
6 Marnie - おゆざき＠お仕事募集中
Marnie is one of the most popular characters in the new games. Though the other rivals were a little flat, Marnie managed to stand out and win over tons of fans. So getting some pixel art of her is pretty much a sure thing.
Kucky for us, this is another great piece of pixel art by the artist. We see Marnie joined by her partner Morpeko in this one, and we love the choice. Drawn in a slightly more cutesy art style here, Marnie and company look great.
5 Which One Will You Choose? - rachels_ham
How many fans would have loved to see this selection screen in the new games instead of the one we got? The nostalgia is strong with this one, as it really evokes memories of the earlier games and the choices fans made then.
The three starters look way more detailed here than in other pieces we’ve seen and the artist really took advantage and gave them a little more character in these. The only thing fans probably won’t agree on; which of the three is the best?
4 Galarian Pixels - hammerbros
One thing that’s so great about pixel art is just how versatile it is. As we’ve seen all through this list, plenty of artists have their own take, style and vision when it comes to reinterpreting these characters in pixel art.
While we’ve only seen a small sample size so far, we get way more variety in this next piece. What really stands out is how the artist was able to get their designs to feel like something actually featured in an old Pokémon game before. It’s great!
3 Old School Start Screen - MrNachtfried
If you’re an older fan of the series then this next piece is definitely bringing up some old memories. Though the earlier generation games weren’t perfect, they had their charms – and some of that is on full display here.
This is pretty much a what-if of what the games’ title screen would look like with the old school downgrade. It really suits it, though that’s probably to be expected. While we may never see these games in this style, it’s nice to see these talented artists put this out there.
2 Evolution Lines - voluntarytwitch
While we’ve already covered the starters a handful of times, nothing we’ve seen so far has shown us what their evolved forms might look like in sprite format. Well that’s what makes this next piece of pixel art so special.
Each evolution – along with the starters in their original form – looks amazing. It’s all very true to the series’ old style and vibe.
1 The Good Old Days - Sindorman
This is some of the best Sword & Shield pixel art you’ll see. The detail that went into making this is exactly why it stands out so much. It’s not just the art style, but the colors and vibe it gives off as well. This 100% looks like it would’ve been the start menu if the games were made for the second or third generations.
The color scheme is great, but the real standouts are Zacian & Zamazenta. They look so much more interesting this way. It really adds something that the current art style – while great – can’t capture in the same way.
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