Pokemon Fan Reimagines Scarlet & Violet Starters As Game Boy Color Sprites

thegamer.com:

Pokemon has been around since '96, so its graphics have evolved significantly, going from 8-bit pixilated sprites to fully-fledged 3D models. But one fan has taken the newest set of starters and reimagined them in the classic art style, pulling them back 30 years to the '90s.

We can see the feline grass-type Sprigatito, the fiery crocodile Fuecoco, and the water duck Quaxly, all with that old 8-bit style and Game Boy Color palette. They feel right at home with Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur, all while retaining their more contemporary models' charm.

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That potent nostalgia has sparked something in the comments section with many longing for a return to the old 2D days of sprites and fuzzy textures, the old high pitch jingles: "I would do anything to have the games or just a new game be in this style again," DJ-Fein wrote. "I don't need the 3D graphics. I just want beautiful sprites and good mechanics, good story and progression, and great map design."

But they didn't stop with the starters—they also reimagined Pawmi, Smoli, and Lechonk, some already bubbling fan-favourites. And what's impressive is that older models only use two colours, not including white—for example, their take on Quaxly uses blue and yellow with white highlights. This simplification is tough to tackle when adapting modern designs, but The_Internet_Goblin has managed to pull it off. You can find more of their work on their DeviantArt and Reddit.

Their approach is a welcome change of pace considering that, immediately after the second trailer dropped, fans quickly jumped to create some raunchy art of the two new professors—who had Pokemon on their Dimitrescu 2022