The best pixel art games (part 2)

4 days ago, by Enzo

With their vibrant colors and retro charm, pixel art games continue to surprise us and push the boundaries of their style. Whether they take us on epic adventures, into frantic battles, or into worlds where creativity reigns supreme, these titles have more than enough to appeal to both nostalgic gamers and newcomers alike. Here’s our second selection of hidden gems that prove pixels still have a bright future ahead of them.

Graveyard Keeper transforms the management of a medieval cemetery into an adventure that’s as macabre as it is charming. With crafting, farming, exploration, and some dubious experiments on corpses on top, this offbeat sim offers a particularly original alternative to traditional management games. WorldBox, for its part, features pixel art depictions of miniature worlds that players can create, modify, and destroy at their whims, watch civilizations evolve, trigger catastrophes, or observe kingdoms clashing.

Vampire Survivors hardly needs an introduction, but we’ll give it one anyway. With its retro sprites and hordes of enemies that gradually invade the screen, the game fully embraces its minimalist aesthetic. The goal? Survive as long as possible, get more and more upgrades, and unleash devastating weapon combos in chaos that’s as addictive as it is exhilarating.

In a similar vein, Megabonk is part of the wave of survival games featuring hordes of enemies, wild upgrades, and gameplay where the action ramps up quickly. For those who prefer a darker proposal, Blasphemous II combines challenging combat with particularly engaging interconnected exploration.

Now it’s time for the must-plays. Even though Minecraft features pixelated 3D rather than pixel art in the strict sense, it has made its mark on video game history through its exploration and building system. Its distant cousin Terraria is just as compelling, with its 2D environments, whimsical creatures, and countless building possibilities.

Whether they focus on action, exploration, strategy, or simply the joy of creation, these games prove once again that pixel art is much more than just a nod to the consoles of yesteryear. And while graphic trends are constantly evolving, the charm of these worlds made of tiny pixels shows no signs of fading anytime soon. It’s enough to make you want to jump back into a game… or discover a new one!