Where would the world of game development be without artists? When you think about the most popular games, you’ll notice that there is a wide range of amazing characters that we have grown to love. These all come with their own specific art styles.
In fact, the way a game looks can have a huge impact on the feel of the game. There are many different game options on the LeoVegas site, showing the huge variety in the art styles, and this is how a lot of modern slots set themselves apart from the competition. Some games have a more realistic style and look to them, while other games focus on a more retro or blocky style.
In this guide, we’re looking at how the different art movements have made their impact on game design, and the way in which the art world is intertwined with gaming.
Retro games
We’ve had several eras in artwork and gaming, even in the last 30 years or so. There are often games that hark back to a bygone time when they were developed. A lot of us can remember early “top-down” games – even the first ever Grand Theft Auto was designed in this way.
We also remember the early graphics that were available on some of the 8-bit systems on the market, and some developers still make games that follow this style. A game called Undertale by developer Toby Fox enjoyed great success, even though it was released in 2015. Fox made the whole game himself and embraced pixel art as the style.
Stylized games
There is no denying that some of the more beautiful and impressive games out there are stylized games. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom both run on Switch and use a cel-shaded style that looks amazing, even though it isn’t particularly realistic.
These are just a couple of examples of games that really stay true to an artistic style. Cel shading may have been used most extensively in games, but there are examples of other types of art that use this method and have even been displayed at exhibitions.
This is just one example of styling, and there are plenty of others that have been informed by the world of contemporary art and worked their way into games.
Cartoon games
Sometimes it is the cartoon-based characters that get a lot of attention and love. Think of the way people adore characters from the Mario universe, such as Yoshi and Toad, for their cuteness. A new game called Trash Goblin seeks to take this one step further, challenging the stereotypes we might have when we think of a goblin.
Some games have combined the styles of cartoon and retro – for example, if you ever played Cuphead, you will have experienced a design that looks like it should come from a cartoon in the 1930s. There’s even a book called The Art of Cuphead, which states: ‘each page of this curated collection of artwork is designed to capture the vintage look and feel of the 1930’s.’
With a lot of games doing the same thing in terms of their graphics, it’s a relief when somebody does something a little different.
Realistic games
Sometimes the realistic artwork style helps to add to the illusion of a game. For example, a game that involves space travel might be harder to believe if the graphics and artwork is not up to standard. Games such as No Man’s Sky have bridged this gap. As Lifehacker explains: ‘No Man’s Sky imagines space as a vibrant place filled with lush alien worlds. Each planet you explore pops with color, and many hide imaginative wildlife to document or eye-catching alien structures to explore.’
The same realism is demanded for a number of other game types, such as sports simulators. People expect the game to look as true to life as it can. When they are playing as their favorite sports stars and trying to imagine they are playing in the stadiums of pro sports teams, they want it to be as realistic as possible.
Conclusion
Art movements and game design are now intrinsically linked in many ways. Players will notice that most games have a distinctly different look as game artists have developed their own styles and movements, much like portrait and landscape artists have throughout history. Game design gives a new platform for interesting design ideas to thrive and enhance the experience.
