The 8-Bit over saturation

The 3rd Wario Brother

The 3rd Wario Brother

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Okay so i love me some indie games but i have a grievence with a certain trend. That of course being the whole 8-Bit fiasco going on. Now you see, I love the NES, I love the Master System. So obviously i like 8-Bit and i do. Now riddle me this, Why do so many indie games go with the 8-Bit style of graphics? Because they like the NES you say. No its because they people are friggin lazy. If you want to make a long lasting money making series as an indie developer make your games good. That takes hours and you shouldn't slap a bunch of pixels together and call it a day. Now let me elaborate, Like i said earlier i like the 8-Bit style so what's the frazzle? Well you see when said style is done right it is DONE RIGHT, you get me? For example Shovel Knight looks just like an NES game with a wider colour pallete and a better proceser. (Lord save me from the rabbid fanboys) However Do not look like Undertale. Hear me out i love me some undertale and the battle sequences look great but the over world looks like it was made on MS Paint. Moral of the story is if you want to go retro be like Metal Slug or Shantae, Not like friggin' Mc Pixel.
 
The 3rd Wario Brother said:
Moral of the story is if you want to go retro be like Metal Slug or Shantae, Not like friggin' Mc Pixel.
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Would actually love to see people utilize the Metal Slug style for retro games. It's my favorite SNK series it's so fun, having sprites in that style could fit not just run and gun games but also platformers as well even puzzle games in that style would look nice.
 
The faux 8-bit style is primarily popular because that style of graphic is feasible for an one/two person team with limited budget . That doesn't execuse lacking artistry, or games that bill themselves as Nostalgic Love Letters® while barely ressembling the games they're supposed to immitate (LOL Mercenary Kings), but blaming people for being "lazy" is a bit crude and ignoring the humoungous effort that goes in game development.

for reference, Cyber Shadow is an upcoming exploration platformer with very nice late-NES action platformers style sprites

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(The sprites were actually made for another game called "Steel Assault", but the developer of that game decided to completely overhaul the visual style when the kickstarter got overfunded. imo the old style looked much better...)
 
Glowsquid said:
The faux 8-bit style is primarily popular because that style of graphic is feasible for an one/two person team with limited budget . That doesn't execuse lacking artistry, or games that bill themselves as Nostalgic Love Letters® while barely ressembling the games they're supposed to immitate (LOL Mercenary Kings), but blaming people for being "lazy" is a bit crude and ignoring the humoungous effort that goes in game development.

for reference, Cyber Shadow is an upcoming exploration platformer with very nice late-NES action platformers style sprites

Ch4N9DoU4AAJeSE.jpg

ClQEFSxWIAA9hiZ.jpg


(The sprites were actually made for another game called "Steel Assault", but the developer of that game decided to completely overhaul the visual style when the kickstarter got overfunded. imo the old style looked much better...)
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You do bring up a good point, Though some great things in the past such a dust an elysian tale, Not 8-Bit but cheaply made by one person and one of the greatest indie games. Totally right about mercernary kings though
 
Metal said:
Would actually love to see people utilize the Metal Slug style for retro games. It's my favorite SNK series it's so fun, having sprites in that style could fit not just run and gun games but also platformers as well even puzzle games in that style would look nice.
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Same. For the 90's the sprite animation is incredibly fluid and lively.
 
It's not really so much of a lazy attempt at making a game IMO, just that it's an easy cash grab. Nostalgia sells to a lot of older gamers, especially those who don't really go onto gaming forums or really invest in gaming being older.

MM9 is the prime example of this. I think it took some work getting it out, what makes it cheap is it uses some of the same music from MM2 and it not only makes MM2 fanboys go ape shit, it makes the demographic I mentioned above as well.

Most low profile indie games that use the style though may or may not be lazily made, it just depends on resources, plot, etc. invested into the title.
 
Kerberos said:
It's not really so much of a lazy attempt at making a game IMO, just that it's an easy cash grab. Nostalgia sells to a lot of older gamers, especially those who don't really go onto gaming forums or really invest in gaming being older.

MM9 is the prime example of this. I think it took some work getting it out, what makes it cheap is it uses some of the same music from MM2 and it not only makes MM2 fanboys go ape shit, it makes the demographic I mentioned above as well.

Most low profile indie games that use the style though may or may not be lazily made, it just depends on resources, plot, etc. invested into the title.
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Yes that is very true nostalgia does sell but only when actually done right. Mega Man 9 of course did it right and those kind of games are fine, The ones i have a problem with are games with terrible pixel art that say they are 8-Bit but look nothing of the sort IE Mc Pixel or Mercernary Kings
 
The 3rd Wario Brother said:
Yes that is very true nostalgia does sell but only when actually done right. Mega Man 9 of course did it right and those kind of games are fine, The ones i have a problem with are games with terrible pixel art that say they are 8-Bit but look nothing of the sort IE Mc Pixel or Mercernary Kings
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I see where you're getting at now.

I actually prefer 10 over 9 IMO because it doesn't depend on MM2 as much but I agree completely with what you said otherwise. I personally don't like the ones that show up in Google Play ads.
 
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