Why Are Cartoon Art Styles So Popular in the Video Game Industry?
The BandurArt team loves exploring different art styles in video games as a part of our job or just a hobby. One of the favorite art directions we like to follow and use in our projects is the cartoon art style. Such games as Fortnite, Cuphead, and Hollow Knight inspire us and other developers to explore this art style and develop awesome indie games with vivid cartoon graphics. That is why we decided to dedicate our guide to the most famous cartoon art styles, related techniques, and outstanding examples.
What Is a Game Art Style?
A game art style describes the art direction and visual aspects of any video game, such as how characters, environments, and textures look. It’s about having a common visual direction that helps to express the overall mood and theme of the game.
The goal of the BandurArt team and fellow game developers is to create a style that matches well with gameplay while also providing an integrated experience for those who play it. When art and mechanics fit, players get easily immersed and may spend hours without noticing it. Yet, if the picked art style doesn’t match the main mechanics or storytelling in a game it could result in an experience that feels disconnected—where visuals constantly are opposed to the gameplay dynamics.
The Evolution of Cartoon Art Styles in Video Games
Cartoon aesthetic art styles in video games have evolved from very schematic and simple during the early days of gaming to stunning graphics and vivid visuals. Simple cartoon art styles were shaped by the limitations of hardware in the late 1980s and 1990s. The old video games had to follow many technical limitations because they were restricted by the hardware capabilities.
Basic pixel-based art was used in early Nintendo games like Donkey Kong and Pac-Man because 8-bit systems could only handle this type of graphic. These simple art styles, however, managed to pave the path for more complicated art styles and detailed visuals.
With the advancement of technology, cartoon art styles also progressed. The 16-bit period displayed more detailed sprites and deeper colors. Popular cartoon-like games such as The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and EarthBound popularized this art style showing its complicated and beautiful designs.
During the era of 32-bit and 64-bit consoles, this direction for games kept on developing. Examples like Crash Bandicoot and Banjo-Kazooie were more daring than the first Nintendo games because they used dynamic graphics and detailed character designs.
As high-definition graphics turned to be a massive technology, different cartoon art styles also advanced. Current games such as Cuphead and Hollow Knight combine old cartoon art styles with new methods by using hand-drawn animations in 3D worlds created with PC software. These games demonstrate that nowadays cartoon art can have a nostalgic yet modern feel.
Key milestones in cartoon art style evolution:
- 1980s – Early pixel art in games like Donkey Kong and Pac-Man;
- 1990s – The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and EarthBound show deeper colors and more intricate sprites;
- The early 2000s – Advanced 3D models and dynamic designs in Crash Bandicoot and Banjo-Kazooie;
- 2010s-Present – Blending classic techniques with HD graphics in Cuphead and Hollow Knight;
It is easy to trace the progress if you look closely at all these games and their unique cartoon art styles. The BandurArt team uses these games for inspiration, we love these games and that is why many of us pursued the career of 3D/2D artists.
Basic Cartoon Art Styles for Games in 2D and 3D
Surely, when it comes to the development of a video game project with unique art styles and cartoon visuals, you need to choose between 2D and 3D formats.
1) 3D Art Styles
Realism
This type tries to copy life in its true form. The characters and surroundings are made to look like real life, with textures that show depth and lighting effects that match reality. For instance, games such as Red Dead Redemption 2 and Crysis 2 fall under this art style category.
Fantasy Realism
It merges real-life visuals with imaginative features. Normally, this is used to decorate worlds that seem genuine but contain elements of fantasy or science fiction. For instance, Elden Ring and Skyrim are good representations of this art style.
Low Poly
This style heavily uses basic geometric forms with less elaboration. Commonly, it is characterized by strong color and contrast elements. You can recognize it due to its high efficiency and unique look. Games such as Borderlands and Okami are great low-poly examples.
Hand-Painted
This design makes use of textures resembling hand-drawn art for characters and surroundings. The emphasis is on detailed art direction and “depth” through painted textures rather than complicated geometry. Hades and Hollow Knight are good examples of this cartoon art style.
Cartoon-Focused
This type uses overstated features and lively hues to make a fun, visually entertaining experience. Frequently, it’s a combination of low poly and hand-painted styles. Games such as Overwatch or Minecraft display this style.
2) 2D Art Styles
Pixel Art
This cartoon simple art style intentionally looks basic. Pixel art uses small square elements known as pixels to create an image. It brings to mind the appearance of old video games and offers a vintage style. Examples of pixel art are found in games like Undertale or Noita.
Vector Images
Due to the mathematic calculations, vector images look smooth and able to be scaled without losing quality. This type of picture is best for clean and clear graphics as in games such as SteamWorld Heist.
Realism
Similar to 3D realism, this cartoon art style attempts to reflect the photorealistic visuals in a 2D format with detailed textures and lighting effects. It’s frequently used for making a pleasing visual encounter.
Cel Shading
This technique and art style in cartoon video games provide a remarkable visual where each object has strong borders and intense contrast shading. This art style heavily imitates hand-drawn movements. Popular games such as Jet Set Radio Future and Pokémon X & Y use this interesting style.
Different Art Styles in Cartoon-Like Games
Cartoon art styles can differ greatly in video games – from primitive pixel art and creative low-poly to stunning Ghibli-like visuals. Let’s appreciate some of the best cartoon art styles.
Cartoon Simple Art Styles
In simple cartoon art styles, the main features are clean and clear lines combined with a minimalistic method. These types of styles concentrate on making the visuals easy to draw and animate nicely. They are suitable for old-fashioned as well as recent games.
Games with such styles: “Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why’d You steal Our Garbage?!” and “Cuphead”. Adventure Time uses a simple but expressive design that’s like the TV show while Cuphead has the aesthetics from the 1930s cartoons. These games focus on smooth and flowing animations along with bold yet basic shapes. They offer truly unique cartoon art styles to try.
Cute Cartoon Art Styles
Charming cartoon art styles are characterized by a quality of being cute and playful. They typically use round forms, lively colors, and amusing characters to create an inviting atmosphere that is pleasing to the eyes.
Examples of cartoon cute art styles: Animal Crossing and the Kirby series. Animal Crossing’s villagers have this style, where their cuteness can be seen in their appearances and actions. The village settings also contribute to the charm of this game with its warm environment. Kirby, too, follows this style. It has soft and nice characters along with lively and friendly worlds. The focus is more on making an attractive and welcoming experience.
Cartoon Network Art Styles
The Powerpuff Girls are known for their unique art style, with strong lines and exaggerated expressions that give it a vivid, comic book-like look. Video games made with such a style have simple but expressive graphics. They effectively capture the charm and funniness shown by these characters on screen.
Also, Ben 10 games make use of the program’s special art style. The show has a distinct look that combines smooth character illustrations with lively visuals focused on action. The designs are simple and neat, showing the adventurous and lively nature of this show. Games frequently highlight vibrant, bright graphics with strong contrast that attract followers of the series.
Old Cartoon Art Styles
Cartoon art styles from the past, full of nostalgia, have had an impact on today’s games in different manners. DuckTales is a famous model demonstrating this effect – it has a design style influenced by early Disney animations. The game’s pixel art imitates the attractiveness of its original TV series through vivid shades and straightforward yet unforgettable character illustrations.
Battletoads is a different classic game that shows its unique art style with big character designs and vivid, moving backgrounds. The visual look of the game is like 90s animation, having a mix of over-the-top action and particularly funny aesthetics. Games nowadays frequently get ideas from these older styles to make players feel nostalgic and show respect for gaming’s long past.
Unique Cartoon Art Styles
Cartoon art styles that are unique can be noticed because they have their own original and special qualities. These kinds of styles usually go beyond the usual cartoon design, using unusual parts and artistic methods to create an imaginative experience.
Games with such cartoon art styles: Guilty Gear and Hollow Knight. In Guilty Gear, we see this in the game’s anime-like graphics and intense, intricate character designs. Hollow Knight gives a softer, gothic touch to the cartoon style. It mixes deep and moody visuals with gentle hand-drawn animations.
Each cartoon art style brings something special to the table, offering a range of visual experiences from simple and charming to making the game more beautiful. Understanding these styles can help you make informed decisions in your game design.
Also, you can check the following Reddit thread with examples of stunning 2D and 3D different styles of cartoon art.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are cartoon art styles in video games?
Cartoon art styles in video games are visual designs that use bright, over-the-top, and often playful elements to make a unique look that resembles an animated cartoon series. The art styles in cartoon-like video games can be from plain, neat lines to complex hand-drawn animations that affect the way characters are designed, the game’s vibe, and how players interact with the cartoonish environment. You can check this video where game artists explain the major elements of all cartoon art styles.
How do cartoon art styles affect the character design?
Cartoon character art styles have a big say on character design because they influence how we see and understand these characters. When features of the video game character are exaggerated, it can show intense feelings or personality issues. On the other hand, simple and minimalistic designs might give off a sense of ease and the cute nature of the game characters. The style chosen can affect how players relate with characters while playing games which makes for an even better gaming experience overall.
What are some examples of old cartoon art styles in modern games?
Games today have their own special cartoon art style. For example, the Cuphead game is similar visually to 1930s cartoons. Also, it is famous for its smooth animations and old-school visuals. On the other hand, the popular 2D-metroidvania Hollow Knight mixes dark, gothic graphics with delicate hand-drawn animations. You won’t forget these games due to their distinctive visuals.
How does eye design invest in the appreciation of cartoon art styles?
Designing eyes for in-game characters is important because they show emotions and reveal the traits of personality. Big eyes that are full of expression make characters easier to relate with and be compassionate about, while heavily stylized eyes can create curiosity or be a match for the character’s special features. Good cartoon eye art styles help players connect more deeply to their characters.
How to choose the right cartoon art styles for your video game?
To tackle this issue, you should concentrate on the way every style matches with the game’s general vision. Think about how well each style blends in with the mechanics of the game, the story and who is it made for. Selecting correctly will improve the main experience of the game and help make it all together as one interesting product that won’t be easy to forget.
Conclusion
Picking one of the cool cartoon art styles for a future gaming project can become a real challenge even for an experienced 2D or 3D artist. The BandurArt team hopes to deliver the greatest guides for aspiring developers who strive to find their path to a successful gamedev career. We are here to support and guide you. Also, we offer our services to professional and amateur teams who want to create awesome games with distinctive art visuals. Our expert game artists can do this! Feel free to contact and follow us at any time!
