The Video Game Art Style That Divides EVERY Gamer

The Phenomenon That Is Minecraft

There’s just something about the humble, jumbled, jagged visuals of a pixel art game that takes players back to a simpler time. This style has an appeal that’s tough to explain, but it lures in some gamers as surely as it turns away others.

While Minecraft’s distinctive style is not pixel art, it was one of this generation of gamers’ first experiences of a title that looked deliberately primitive and ‘retro,’ yet struck a chord in an age of rapid graphical advancement in video games.

For those who still play regularly, it’s a little odd to think that Minecraft has existed since July 2009 (its earliest playable form before the full release over two years later), but there it is. It’s never been a title to dazzle players with its visual prowess, but that’s the whole point: its chunky, blocky style is iconic and charming, while ensuring that the player’s imagination is at the forefront.

Mojang Studios’ hottest property has gone on to be ported to almost every system imaginable, rising to become the biggest-selling game in history. Needless to say, then, it’s proven more than a little influential for other game creators in the years since. In October 2020, Minecraft Steve (as well as Alex, Enderman a few other alternate costumes) was released as a DLC fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate!

Despite all of this, it’s easy to see how non-players could be entirely unimpressed by Minecraft at first glance. Markus “Notch” Persson put it together in Java and its incredibly simple visuals shine through.

The key to Minecraft’s popularity, and that of its retro-inspired blocky graphical approach, is that gameplay is key. Those who have spent hundreds of hours with Minecraft can attest to this. Perhaps, even in the midst of all the talk of the new consoles’ ray tracing capabilities and just how incredible Demon’s Souls PS5 looks, visuals really aren’t everything.