Pixel games online on PC. The best games with pixel graphics
We all love modern and cool games, but sometimes we want to return to old traditions and play something wildly lamp, pixelated and at the same time very high quality. That is why today the top pixel games are presented here - the five best representatives of their genre, which are pleasing to the eye and impossible to tear yourself away from.
Papers, please. A game from indie developer Lucas Pope. You will play the role of a border guard in the fictional country of Astrotska, where refugees have begun to arrive - you will have to check documents, look for inconsistencies and decide whether to let a person through or not. A lot of moral choices, a problem with wages, and so on. They're even making a mini-series based on this game.
Papers, Please system requirements:
- System - not lower than Windows XP;
- Processor – Intel Pentium 4 1.8 Ghz / AMD Athlon XP 1700+;
- Video card - Nvidia GeForce 210 / ATI Radeon X600 Series with 256 MB of memory;
- Disk space - 1 gigabyte.
Pixel Piracy. A great game for those who dream of becoming a pirate! To succeed you will have to start from the bottom, get a ship, recruit a crew, teach them various things, buy rum and food, upgrade your skills and rob ships. However, you can also look for treasures on lost islands or complete tasks in cities.
Pixel Piracy system requirements:
- System - not lower than Windows XP;
- Processor – Intel Pentium 4 @ 1.6 GHz / AMD Athlon XP 1600+;
- Video card - nVidia GeForce FX 5500 / ATI Radeon 9500;
- RAM - 1 gigabyte;
FTL. But this project will already be of interest to space lovers. In the war between the federation and the rebels, you have to take the side of the federation, take control of a ship with several crew members and travel almost across the entire galaxy, solving various problems along the way. Every decision affects the ship and what happens around you, plus you need to place crew members in different compartments to make sure everything works properly.
Top pixel games
FTL System Requirements:
- System - not lower than Windows XP;
- Processor – Intel Pentium IV (2.0 GHz) / AMD Athlon XP 2200+;
- Video card - NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 / AMD Radeon 9200 / 128 Mb / DirectX 9;
- RAM - 1 gigabyte;
- Disk space - 175 megabytes.
Rogue Legacy. A true pixel hardcore RPG! You have to take control of a valiant warrior and clear the castle of evil spirits. In each room you will find enemies and various challenges, and the combat system is very simple and convenient. The trick is that every time you die, you continue to play as the daughter or son of the previous hero and each of them has their own advantages and disadvantages, and also part of your father’s fortune goes to you.
System Rogue requirements Legacy:
- System - not lower than Windows XP;
- Processor - 1.6 GHz;
- Video card – AMD X1950 Pro/Nvidia 7900 GT DirectX 256 MB VRAM;
- RAM - 1 gigabyte;
- Disk space - 400 megabytes.
Gods will be watching. In the game you will be presented with 6 different life situations with difficult choices on which a lot depends - each time you need to do certain actions with the characters sequentially, otherwise you will lose. The point is that even despite the relative linearity of the game there is something to surprise you - the gameplay is good, the plot is even better, plus you can’t help but enjoy the excellent humor.
System requirements Gods will be watching:
- System - not lower than Windows 7;
- Processor - Intel Core Duo;
- Video card - 512 megabytes;
- RAM – 2 gigabytes;
- Disk space - 200 megabytes.
So, at the moment, these are the best pixel games that force you not only to shoot and hack, but also to think carefully - in the end, the fun will be no less, believe me.
Once upon a time, a long time ago, the trees were large, the grass was greener, and all games were pixelated: due to technical limitations, the consoles of that time could not produce a three-dimensional image with many polygons and shaders and provide a comfortable frame rate. Years have passed, computers and game consoles“They’ve built up their muscles,” but among the projects that are striking in their beauty, there are still ugly, angular games with pixel graphics.
Why do pixels not lose their relevance in the era of expensive projects with photorealistic images? There are several reasons for this. Firstly, developing a game with pixel graphics on a PC is relatively inexpensive, and game developers have at their disposal many free or cheap engines with which they can quickly create a project in any genre, even without having perfect programming skills. Secondly, often developers, especially in the indie segment (i.e. independent games), trying to play on the feeling of nostalgia of gamers who saw the era of eight- and sixteen-bit consoles. Finally, thirdly, the proper use of pixel art can make a game a real visual masterpiece, even without the use of advanced graphics technologies.
The Last Night For many gamers, graphics are not the most important thing: they put the plot, the presence of interesting gameplay mechanics, emotions and impressions that the game can give in the foreground. Pixel projects are direct proof of this: they can impress even with a frankly primitive picture. The best example will become RPG Undertale - ugly, almost sketchy graphics did not become an obstacle to the game winning an audience, as a result of which it collected tens of thousands of positive reviews and sold 3 million copies on PC alone.
Undertale Another example is To the Moon: a pixel adventure game on the RPG Maker engine received recognition from gamers not for its beautiful 3D image, but for its high-quality script and vivid emotions evoked by the story it tells.
To the Moon However, there are also opposite examples - when retro styling does not benefit the fruits of the developers’ creativity. Many, in trying to create something unique, lose their sense of proportion, which is why the picture in their projects turns into a mess of pixels, in which it is difficult to make out what is happening. Take a look at a still from Mother Russia Bleeds: yes, the visual style is determined by the setting, but at the same time there is not the slightest desire to peer into the faded image.
Mother Russia Bleeds To summarize, I would like to note that pixel games are not always something primitive, put together in a couple of days on the knee of an indie developer. Here, as in the three-dimensional projects we are accustomed to, there are the best and the worst, masterpieces and failures. Therefore, even if you consider yourself an expert in the field of modern graphics technologies, you can easily operate with the concepts of “shader”, “tessellation”, “diffuse lighting”, do not rush to discount games with pixel images - perhaps they will be able to give you such an experience you couldn't get from even the most technologically advanced game.
Few pixels
Of course, to talk about pixel games and not give examples of the best representatives would be incorrect towards the reader. Therefore, we have put together a small list of projects that you should download first if you decide to join this artistic movement.
Shooters
Broforce
A dynamic action movie with heroes from popular action films of the 80-90s, cooperative playthrough and the opportunity to kick Satan himself on the horns.
Hotline Miami
Top-down shooter with an acidic picture, a surreal plot, extreme cruelty and furious battles with a fair amount of hardcore.
Enter the Gungeon
Platformers
Super Meat Boy
FEZ
A puzzle platformer with extremely interesting gameplay mechanics: here you can rotate the space left and right, thus opening new doors and passages. Accordingly, this mechanic is actively used in solving local puzzles.
Shovel Knight
The game is about a knight armed with a shovel who travels the world and uses his tool for other purposes - handing out blows to numerous enemies. And sometimes he digs up treasures.
Adventures
To the Moon
A touching story about doctors who travel through the memories of a dying man to fulfill his last wish. It brings tears to your eyes and makes you think about the meaning of life.
The Final Station
Gods Will Be Watching
A thriller where you constantly make difficult decisions and do terrible things - like torturing and killing hostages.
Quests
Papers, Please
There are two countries that have just ended a war, there is a checkpoint on the border, and you are an immigration inspector who decides who can enter the country and who goes back. Be careful: not all immigrants arrived with good intentions.
Thimbleweed Park
Crossing Souls
"Stranger Things" from the world of video games: a retro quest with a lot of references to the 80s, which tells the story of teenagers who unravel a government conspiracy.
RPG
Hyper Light Drifter
Undertale
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth
Sandboxes
Terraria
2D Minecraft in which you have to explore the world, build, craft, fight and, of course, dig. There is a co-op for four: in the company the adventures become even more interesting.
Starbound
A game from the creator of Terraria, with the same basic idea, with the same gameplay mechanics, but adjusted for a space setting, visiting uncharted planets and the ability to create your own personal starship.
Stardew Valley
Today on our website are the top 10 best pixel games for iPad. The best of the best, best of the best!
Everyone has a special attitude towards pixel games: they either love them or hate them. There are few indifferent people. I personally belong to the first category of people. It seems to me that the main thing in games is the fun of the gameplay, and how exactly the developer conveyed the process to us is a secondary matter.
I deliberately did not include in this top old games or their ports that came out in the 80s and 90s. There, pixels in graphics were a necessity. Quite on the list modern projects, in which the developer deliberately went for pixel graphics.
Punch Club
Manager of a modern street fighter. IN Punch Club the player needs to upgrade his ward from a simple loser to the coolest guy in the city. The game captivated me so much (a couple of dozen hours) that I literally forced myself to remove it from the tablet.
Minecraft
In such a top there is no escape from the great and terrible Minecraft. The indie game, released by Swedish programmer Markus Persson, has become almost a household name. IN Minecraft world consists of cubes. Players get unlimited freedom of action and build houses, mines, chicken coops, etc. from cubes.
One of the most popular paid games in history App Store.
Terraria
This is natural Minecraft in 2D. The player needs to dig, fight, craft new tools, etc. A huge number of recipes and enemies, several types of territories, rich gameplay. At the moment, Terraria is not a worse choice compared to Minecraft.
Majesty: Conquest of the North
Majesty is an indirect control strategy. What does it mean? And the fact that the player has to control the units indirectly. The most you can do is build warriors and assign a reward for destroying an enemy or enemy structure. And then you can only hope that your players will cope with the task.
Dungeon of Endless
A crazy mixture of several genres: bagel, tower defense, strategy and RPG. The game is underrated in my opinion. In terms of fascination, it will give odds to many more famous projects.
Goblin Sword
Almost perfect platformer. Made in an old-school way, but at the same time it is clear that modern developments were used (for example, pumping). A game that is impossible to find fault with.
VVVVVV
One of the most challenging games on iOS. You will have to die painfully and often. It is a continuous platformer that consists of multiple screens. The player’s task: pass the current screen without dying in order to jump over the next one and explore the huge labyrinth even more fully.
Horizon Chase
Arcade racing with many of the most sophisticated tracks. The gameplay is reminiscent of the famous Final Lap for Dendy. This may be the "least pixelated" game in this top 10, so to speak. Rather, there is some kind of pseudo-pixel quality here.
The game is currently distributed as a demo version with one in-app purchase full version inside the application.
Faster Than Light
If you can get through the training English and understand the local mechanics, you will see one of the best space-themed games in the App Store. In Faster Than Light the player controls spaceship, in which everything is not, thank God: fires, holes, lack of workers, etc. Survived? Wonderful! You won't actually survive. Wow-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha :)
Papers, please
An indie game that simulates the hectic activity of a customs officer.
Games that did not make it to the top, but could easily have been in it:
- Please, Don’t Touch Anything - a mystery game (if you liked Papers, please)
- Sword of Xolan is a very good platformer (if you liked Goblin Sword)
- Icebreaker: A Viking Voyage is a classic tablet puzzle game. Initially it was in the top 10, but then I remembered Majesty
- The Sandbox - an entertaining sandbox
- Junk Jack X is a Terraria-style sandbox, only with smoother graphics
- Super Tribes - perhaps, if it weren’t for the top 10, Super Tribes would have been the first to make the list. Civilization in miniature.
- Survivalcraft is the best clone on the Minecraft engine (or visually similar)
- Downwell - Looking at the graphics, you will never believe that this game is coming to PS 4 soon.
Do you like pixel games?
Games with pixel graphics can be viewed differently, some consider them primitive, others, on the contrary, consider them very funny and atmospheric.
We definitely fall into the second category, which is why we have prepared this list for you. Here are the top 10, only the best games with pixel art in a variety of genres.
1. Terraria - crafting, building and survival
Complete freedom of action, a huge amount of everything and a cozy lamp atmosphere - this is far from full list reasons why Terraria sold 12 million copies.
Video games Terraria
Get ready to die over and over again and monitor Wikipedia to understand how to use the dirt you find, but the emotions from killing the “last” boss are worth it.
- Steam page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/105600/
2. Starbound – space, colonization and tentacles
Starbound video games
There is everything here: futuristic ships made of glass and steel, cozy wooden houses, and ancient artifacts in deep multi-level caves.
- Steam page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/211820/
3. Streets of Rogue – blood, meat, banditry
“Streets of Rogue” is a crazy pixel roguelike set in a randomly generated gangster metropolis.
Video games Streets of Rogue
Plus driving music, complete destructibility, humor and constant updates - by the release in the summer of 2018, the amount of content is promised to almost double.
- Steam page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/512900/
4. The Binding of Isaac – religion, tears and monsters
« The Binding of Isaac" - a primitive picture, three months of development and more than 50 thousand positive reviews on Steam.
Video games The Binding of Isaac
Some may find the atmosphere strange and dark, but many consider the game to be the best roguelike of all time, and we partly agree with them.
- Steam page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/250900/
5. The Escapists 2 – prison, tundra and space
Video games The Escapists 2
Invent your own escape methods and get the hang of it as you continue escaping trains, planes and ships.
- Steam page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/641990/
6. Dungeon of the Endless – criminals, crystal, dungeon
“Dungeon of the Endless” is a mixture of roguelike and tower defense, excellent visuals and exceptional teamwork.
Video games Dungeon of the Endless
This is the case when you can build a defense for half an hour, and then open the door to a completely empty room, and next time hope for luck and lose absolutely everything.
- Steam page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/249050/
7. Broforce – explosions, America and bro
“Broforce” is a whirlwind action game about how Rambo, the Terminator and a couple of dozen other very cool heroes destroy crowds of enemies.
Broforce video games
Break through levels without really thinking about the meaning, and destroy everything you see using your favorite heroes, just like in the good old action movies.
- Steam page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/274190/
8. Hero Siege – farming, fantasy and dungeons
Tired of space and modern settings? Here's Hero Siege - another fast roguelike, this time in a fantasy world. Although there is a place for chainsaws.
Video games Hero Siege
Ancient demons, the awakening of Satan, the salvation of humanity - everything we love, with a high concentration of meat and hardcore.
- Steam page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/269210/
9. Realm of the Mad God – magic, action, free-to-play
Realm of the Mad God is a minimalist MMO with roguelike elements and a high concentration of action.
Video games Realm of the Mad God
The game lives up to its name - it's truly crazy, but so much fun!
- Steam page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/200210/
10. Tooth and Tail – mustache, paws, tail
The 2017 indie strategy game Tooth and Tail invites players to lead the beastly resistance and compete for the highest place in the food chain.
Video games Tooth and Tail
Not very popular, but original game with interesting visual style, reminiscent of the French resistance during World War II.
- Steam page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/286000/
These are not all the games with pixel graphics that I would like to talk about, and if you think that one of them simply must be on this list, do not forget to write about it in the comments.
(more attention is paid to survival) events in the game take place during a zombie apocalypse in Knox County, Kentucky, USA. You are sent to one of two small towns a few kilometers from each other, where you will need to find shelter, food, clothing and everything you need just to survive.
However, you won’t be able to survive here forever either (unless you are a coward who will expose minimal settings complexity), zombies will become more and more every day - first several dozen, then hundreds, and then perhaps hordes of as many as a thousand walking dead, but it won’t be easy to survive in such madness.
There is no plot as such, but the gameplay is quite pleasant and convenient, despite its great functionality, all amenities are always at hand. The picture is also made quite unusual, it’s like “old new”, where old pixel textures are superimposed on 3D objects, and this is pleasing to the eye, however, the game is already being actively prepared for a full 3D adaptation and many other updates... Well, there is also multiplayer.
We confidently give fourth position to the patriotic shooter called Broforce. Here you will have the opportunity to try yourself in the role of Chuck Norris, RoboCop, Schwarzenegger, Neo, Mad Max, Rambo and other cult heroes from the 90s.
Here you are given many levels around the world with different enemies, bosses and surface types. Unlock new heroes, combine their skills and strengthen your warriors on the battlefield. The toy is quite interesting, because there is a lot of all of the above, and you need to play at least 5 hours before you start to get bored with it.
Broforce can also be praised for its good picture. It's bright and inviting, with lots of unique textures. All the characters, despite their small sizes, are perfectly expressed and clearly distinguishable from each other, as is the relief, which is a little reminiscent of Terraria.
kingdom
The next place in the top was taken by quite. Welcome Kingdom and Kingdom: New Lands with applause.
In both parts you need to establish a powerful colony on a godforsaken island. Collect coins, hire beggars and together with them build an impregnable colony that will always be able to repel the siege of monsters. And monsters will be the only obstacle to your missions, but still quite serious. In the first days, two or three of them will run out of the portal, about twenty in a week, and then whole hundreds + trolls, bats, etc. If we compare the regular Kingdom and Kingdom: New Lands, the main difference between them is diversity, so in the second part there are more islands for colonies, more buildings and many other interesting ones, and the graphics have also been improved.
By the way, about the graphics. It is made, as in all other games from the top, stylishly and beautifully, so much so that there is absolutely nowhere to complain. This game also has incredibly cool gameplay, cool in its simplicity - just run around the map, collect coins and invest them in your business projects.
Undertale is not a game about which you can say something in a nutshell. This fascinating world, where you never know what to expect after your next visit. This game never ceases to amaze with its variability every time you replay it. That’s right, it’s possible to replay the game with a completely different development of events. But will you want it? After all, the atmosphere of the game is so powerful that you involuntarily become attached to the characters and begin to consider them your real friends, which as a result prevents you from making certain decisions about them.
Grapholovers have nothing to do here, since the game is designed in simple pseudo-pixel 2D. But cool graphics not needed here. Undertale is a magical story, the plot of which the player learns gradually, and some facts are revealed only upon repeated playthrough, which actually encourages you to return to this world again and again.
Not the least role is played by musical accompaniment, which gives the game even more atmosphere, makes battles fun, and certain moments and completely evokes a sea of sentiment. And the most interesting thing is that all the music, like the entire game, was written by only one person, the realization of which simply makes your jaw drop.
Due to its simplicity and genius, the game very quickly gained popularity around the world. A must-have for all lovers of a deep plot.
Well, we have finally reached the golden position in the top, which the first and second parts of Hotline Miami won through a fierce struggle.
The main feature of the game is its gameplay, it is incredible and it is thanks to it that we now even remember this toy. The game has several dozen levels on which there are enemies (who would have thought), both the enemies and your character can die even from an oblique, careless shot/blow, and your chances of winning are exactly the same as those of the enemy, and only reflexes are a little sharper, right? The game forces you to be incredibly sensitive and play throughout the entire level as if there were no more opportunities to win. And when you die, even for the 100,500th time, you will only become even more eager to play. Here you need to study every corner of the room, every enemy, every wall and every enemy movement, otherwise there is no way to win. Each of your losses will only raise your morale and motivate you to complete the level, and as for me, it’s not easy to bring such passion into video games.
The game also has a relatively good plot, from a certain point of view, even very cool, which will interest you more than once. And also good music, although very addictive, but still nice graphics and some other goodies make us give this toy an honorary award.