Best pixel games?

I've been playing MapleStory again (!) recently, it's reminding me how much I loved games in a pixel style back in the day. They just tend to look so good.

What do you guys think are good pixel games? I'd like to check some of them out. :'D Even if some of them aren't playable anymore (like some of the pixel style MMOs that have closed down) I'd still love to hear about it.

To the Moon, Finding Paradise and Imposter Factory have some of the best storytelling in games and - especially the latter two options - do incredible thinks visually with pixel graphics.

Crypt of the Necrodancer for sure!

If you mean Pixel art, there is a full plethora of games, I can suggest Blasphemous and Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove, these are the two Pixel Art games I was attached to for a while, and with the Final DLC for Blasphemous just around the corner, I'll probably get sucked right back into it haha

Older games like Final Fantasy 6, Chrono Trigger and the original Trials of Mana, the GBA and DS Castlevania games look pretty nice, as well. Hyperlight Drifter has a very interesting art style. Shovel Knight and Terraria looked pretty nice, as well.

As for something with quite a bit of character: look up the two Discworld games for the ScummVM. :D

The old Final Fantasy games were good and some of them were hard to beat. I also liked Super Mario World.

LoopHeroLoopHeroLoopHeroLoopHeroLoopHero

Very fun game. One Way Heroics too. Honestly it feels like more and more 8/16 bit styled games are sneaking their way into my favorites by the year, I imagine Deltarune'll be there when it comes out as well.

If you mean 2D animation in terms of pixel art, then a majority of 2D fighters I can recommend for their visuals alone like 3rd Strike Street Fighter 3, King of Fighters (especially XIII), Last Blade 2, Melty Blood, Guilty Gear X2, Garou: Mark of the Wolves.

If those are not your taste or you mean 2D pixel retro-like art there is also Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, Minecraft, Iconoclasts, Udongein X, Luna Nights, Metal Slug series, the 2D Castlevania games, Mega Man X 4-6, Mega Man 8, Blasphemous, Hotline Miami, and Cave Story.

Other 2D animated games that look gorgeous are Tomba (or Tombi for the PAL region), and Rayman on PS1.

Among Indie Games:

Hyper Light Drifter is great

If you like JRPGs, Chained Echoes, CrossCode and Star Renegadees are great looking.
The first two are really fun.

Moreover, Sea of Stars is a good looking upcoming JRPG.

Among non-indies:
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
Golden Sun GBA games

The Spectre said:

If you mean Pixel art, there is a full plethora of games, I can suggest Blasphemous and Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove, these are the two Pixel Art games I was attached to for a while, and with the Final DLC for Blasphemous just around the corner, I'll probably get sucked right back into it haha

Click to expand...

Ah it seems like I already posted here, but I second this! Blasphemous has outstanding pixel art, definitely recommend if you're into edgy, gritty tales.
Similiary Death's Gambit.

For those Monster Tamer fans, Coromon is an amazing pixel art game and I'm not big on pixel art games, but this game is an exception to the rule.

Megan said:

Older games like Final Fantasy 6, Chrono Trigger and the original Trials of Mana, the GBA and DS Castlevania games look pretty nice, as well. Hyperlight Drifter has a very interesting art style. Shovel Knight and Terraria looked pretty nice, as well.

As for something with quite a bit of character: look up the two Discworld games for the ScummVM. :D

Click to expand...

Yes, yes, yes! Someone other than me knows the GBA and DS Castlevania games exist! I think they look beautiful and I adore them so much.

Soaring Sid said:

Moreover, Sea of Stars is a good looking upcoming JRPG.

Among non-indies:
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
Golden Sun GBA games

Click to expand...

I jumped on this thread to mention I think Sea of Stars is the best looking pixel-based game I think I've ever played. I was constantly wowed by how good everything looked, and there were a couple points I said "Wow, this is gorgeous" and began to actually tear up?

I love the style of Minish Cap too! I always associate it with old Zelda flash games, but that's because it looked so nice and it was easy to take sprites from. It's a really nice look I think doesn't get enough attention!

Undertale! A friggin masterpiece :D

Crustan said:

Undertale! A friggin masterpiece :D

Click to expand...

Agreed. Such an amazing and iconic game despite only being 8 years old! Deltarune also seems to be knocking it out of the park; I find that it strikes the perfect balance of calling back to Undertale while still very much being its own thing. I can't wait for Chapter 3!