4 classic PC games that prove just how well pixel art can age

Pixel graphics have been a mainstay in video games for years, first as a limitation of the hardware, but later revitalized by indie games as a chosen art-style. As the 3D art-style of some classic games continues to age poorly, classic PC games have continued to look great, thanks to strong pixel work and distinct art-styles. There are tons of retro and older games to choose from, but we've narrowed it down to four PC games that have held up, thanks to their incredible artwork. While different people draw different lines about what is and isn't retro in gaming, we've gone ahead and drawn the line at these games being at least 10 years old. After all, if a game still looks great 10 years after release, the art team must have done something right. We've aloso tried to focus on games that either debuted on PC, or released on PC the same time as other platforms, limiting some iconic pixel artwork, like the early Final Fantasy games.

4 Papers, Please

A dystopian nightmare

Papers, Please holds a special place in indie game history as one of the examples of a true breakout hit. This simple game has you running the border checkpoint in a fictional fascist country, where you are supposed to deny entry to anyone without the right papers. Of course, you don't always have to follow the rules, and you have your own family to take care of what you need to consider, making for a deeply nuanced and gray narrative. All of this story is told through a static UI screen, which uses pixel art to display all the documents, along with the person you are processing. At the time of release, I wouldn't have considered it a gorgeous pixel art game, but looking at it again over a decade later, its clear that the distinct art direction and minimal graphics was a great choice, as Papers, Please still has a distinct look all these years later.

Platform:

• Steam

3 RollerCoaster Tycoon

Immediately recognizable

RollerCoaster Tycoon has fantastic pixel art. After all, it's almost instantly recognizable once you see it. The sprawling green patches of grass, the deep blue water, and the sharp colors of individual rollercoasters make for a gorgeous look. While you aren't likely to be tricked into thinking it's a modern take on pixel art, RollerCoaster Tycoon benefits from a distinct late-90s feel to its amusement parks. That particular period of time feels more suited to colorful amusement parks, as opposed to the sleek and boring feel of modern corporations. The pixel art also benefits from being distinct enough that it's easily readable, even two decades past its original release. There's a reason newer amusement park tycoon games have never managed to capture the magic of RollerCoaster Tycoon, and it's retro look.

2 Shovel Knight

A modern classic with perfect pixels

It's been over a decade since Shovel Knight was released (yes really) and Yacht Club Games' modern take on retro 2D platformers still looks incredibly gorgeous. The 8-Bit-inspired style manages to still feel like a game that could have been released on a classic console, while still using modern techniques to create an incredible look. Even in the years since it released, there are few pixel games that have managed to capture both the retro look and a wholly unique style in the way Shovel Knight did. The backgrounds are something in particular that always amazes me, looking like full-on paintings behind the actual level. Shovel Knight's lasting legacy likely has more to do with the incredible gameplay and multiple post-launch updates, but the gorgeous pixel art probably helped too.

1 Backyard Baseball

An iconic sports title

Backyard Baseball might not be the first game that comes to mind, but this late' 90s classic does feature some incredibly distinct and recognizeable art. The arcade-style baseball sim features a roster of different backyard sports heroes, including the GOAT Pablo Sanchez, all with unique appearances, leaning into a Saturday morning cartoon look that has withstood the test of time. Even two decades later, Backyard Baseball not only holds up as a fun baseball game that doesn't feel overly simulated like MLB The Show does, while still rocking some solid pixel work. That artwork becomes especially important during games, when you can see the jagged edges of the character models since they are so zoomed out. It might feel like it could only be made in 1997, but the Backyard Baseball look is going to remain iconic for years to come.

Platforms:

• Steam
• Nintendo Switch

PC had incredible pixel work, even if it didn't need to

PC games don't always offer the same level of incredible pixel work as consoles from the 80s and 90s did, in part due to the more powerful hardware enabling other art-styles as well. Even so, there are plenty of iconic-looking pixel art games from that same time period, or from the early 2010s, when indies took the art-style and revitalized it for modern gamers.