The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds came out for the Nintendo 3DS in 2013 and, being modeled after A Link to the Past (SNES 1991), it easily became one of my favorite games in the series. Not only was the 3D effect seamlessly incorporated into the gameplay, but the art style heightened this feature and drew you even more into this version of Hyrule.
I had the chance to visit my Dad a few weeks ago and had left a set of chalk there from when we made art last Summer. I knew I wanted to utilize his driveway once again, so I thought that Link’s sprite as a wall painting would be a perfect fit! Below is the result.
Thanks for stopping by to check out my art! Did you play A Link Between Worlds? What’s your favorite Zelda game? Let me know in a reply! Also, if you enjoy my content, consider following my page or subscribing via e-mail to have my posts delivered directly to you!
World Honey Bee Day is August 20th! Last Fall, we dealt with a major wasp infestation on our patio and basically had to wait until Winter before we could even attempt to do anything about it. So far, we’re in the clear!
More recently, one of my friends just got into beekeeping, and she has been sending me constant updates of her journey with the hive. This lead to us having a conversation about bees we’ve seen in video games, and thus, a new blog post was born!
Without further ado, please enjoy the Top Ten Bees in video games!
10. Bee Enemy Back to the Future (NES, 1989)
“Of course when Biff and his crew grab him or the bees start to attack you will find yourself losing precious seconds.” – BttF NES Manual
Remember that one part in the first Back to the Future film where Marty can’t seem to shake an annoying buzzy intruder? Me neither. But, the 1989 video game counterpart, clearly taking place in an alternate reality, wanted to make sure that you never forgot it.
This pesky bee enemy will forever remain on your screen until it utterly destroys you or you smash it with a bowling ball (as one does). For such a fantastic film series, it’s amazing how badly they were able to ruin the game. Great Scott!
9. Another Bee Enemy Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (NES, 1988)
“A legend is an old man with a cane known for what he used to do. I’m still doing it.” – Miles Davis
The bee of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is special in that it is the only enemy in the entire game (when playing as Jekyll) that is able to be defeated by your cane. What does it net you? Nothing.
Perhaps this game is a giant lesson in restraint. Even when everyone in the world is shooting at you with slingshots or trying to blow you up with bombs, hitting people is wrong. Defending yourself from stings, however, is perfectly okay with me.
8. The Hudson Bee Adventure Island (NES, 1987)
Sweet bee, G.
Oh, man! You’ve run out of lives and been sent all the way back to that dreaded title screen. Surely, there will be an option to continue from where you left off. But, wait. You didn’t collect the hidden bee item first? THEN START OVER!
From the Adventure Island NES manual.
I love that even after you find the item, there’s still technically no option to continue on the title screen. You have to dive into ye olde instruction manual to learn the proper controller command to carry on with your adventure.
In a game as hard as Adventure Island, the Hudson Bee is essential. I’ve never seen any other game do something like this!
7. Hornet “Costume” Little Nemo: The Dream Master (NES, 1990)
“I can’t stop going once I’ve started. It stings!”
Of all the creatures that Nemo can “become” in Little Nemo: The Dream Master, the hornet is by far the best. Though, the process is a little sketchy…
After feeding a helpless hornet three pieces of candy, the insect will become drowsy and fall asleep. This is Nemo’s chance to strike. Without hesitation, he leaps toward his prey and uses a strange mystical power to MERGE himself with the incapacitated creature. A cloud of smoke appears.
While the transformation may seem instantaneous to us, time slows down for our “hero.” Little by little, the insides of the creature melt away leaving just a hollow shell of the once-living animal. Now inside, Nemo stretches the skin around his body to fit perfectly with his form. The nerves of the dead merge with the nerves of the living so Nemo can control his new physique as if it were his own. His wings flap. His stinger stings. The cloud of smoke clears. Nemo is now the hornet.
At least, that’s how I like to imagine it…
6. Hornet Man Mega Man 9 (Wii, 2008)
Hornet Man was almost the first female robot master and would have been named Honey Woman.
When Capcom revealed that a retro-styled Mega Man 9 was coming to the Wii shop almost 12 years after the release of Mega Man 8, I was hyped. Amongst a colorful array of new robot masters stands Hornet Man, a bee-themed baddie who launches aggressive anthophila from his honey-comb chest.
A fun fact about this guy is that he was actually a robot suggestion for Mega Man 2 way back in 1988. It only took them 20 years to finally get him in a game!
5. Golden Bee The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES, 1991)
I’ve got the golden tick…er….bee!
Also known as the “good” bee, this sparkling little fellow can become a helpful ally if caught. He lives, of all places, in an Ice Cave in the southeast corner of the map and can be freed from his fairy statue prison by smashing into it with the Pegasus Boots.
Once released from a bottle, the golden bee will go on a rage-induced tirade against any of Link’s enemies, showing them no mercy. Octoroks, tektites, and leevers, too – no one is safe.
For bosses, however, only Mothula is vulnerable to G. Bee’s attacks. Apparently, wax moths in real life can cause the destruction of bee colonies, so it’s no surprise that our golden friend would retaliate in this way. Bee aggressive – got to bee aggressive!
4. King Zing Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest (SNES, 1995)
We’ve had Godzilla vs Mecha Ghidorah, Gamera vs Gyaos, and Rodan vs Mothra, Kong vs the T-Rex. Now, feast your eyes on Zing vs Squawks!
While there’s no such thing as a “king bee” in the real world, King Zing defies the common laws of nature by claiming his royalty and guarding a Kremling-themed amusement park. His battle differs from his (supposed) spouse’s fight in the first game in that it’s one of the first in the series to be fought using an animal buddy. His appearance is also teased in an earlier level, Rambi Rumble (perhaps a nod to “Bumble B Rumble” in DKC 1), where he chases down the Kongs in their rhino form through a giant hive-like area. In the end, the Zing gets zonked.
This “Mistress of the Honey” is not the “Mistress of the Jiggies” because “that would have made your quest too easy!” Residing in her hive at the Isle o’ Hags, Honey B. can grant you some extra health in exchange for Honeycomb Pieces.
When the dynamic bear and bird duo meet her for the first time, Kazooie mistakes her for being a wasp. After being corrected by the bee and called out for her rudeness by Banjo, Kazooie then calls her “hornet girl.” Might we have a possible match for Mega Man 9‘s Hornet Man???
2. Capital B Yooka-Laylee and The Impossible Lair (Various, 2019)
I’m the Capital B, I don’t need no hype. The Capital B means I’m ’bout that life.
Making a return from his original appearance in Yooka-Laylee, Capital B is back once again to antagonize the chameleon and bat pair who were inspired by the characters from the previous entry. This time, the bee boss is making a mess of the Royal Stingdom by utilizing his newest “Hivemind” machine, and he has kidnapped the Royal Beetallion Guards. At the request of Queen Phoebee, Yooka and Laylee set out to recover the bees and take on the aforementioned “Impossible Lair” to defeat the destructive drone.
This game was originally titled Yooka-Laylee in Plan Bee but the name was ultimately scrapped after the developers thought that consumers might consider their work a “back-up plan.” I’d be more worried that consumers would think it’s some form of insect birth control.
Honorable mentions:
Spring Weekend (Windows, 1997)
From the Microsoft Entertainment Pack: The Puzzle Collection.
Buzz Bee Secret of Mana (SNES, 1993)
Donut County (Various, 2018)
The Charlotte Hornets NBA Jam (SNES/Sega Genesis, 1994)
1. Queen Bee Super Mario Galaxy (Wii, 2007)
And baby I’ll rule, I’ll rule, I’ll rule… let me live that fantasy.
An entire Honeyhive galaxy with Queen Bee presiding over it all, it’s no wonder that this buzzing baroness is number one! In the first mission alone, Mario must don a bee costume, scale a wall of honey, and then rid the Queen of her “terrible itchiness” by collecting five Star Chips that have gotten caught in her hair.
The Queen can also be found in a few other games. A similar task befalls our hero in Super Mario Galaxy 2. She makes her first playable appearance, calling herself Honey Queen, in Mario Kart 7. Lastly, she is a teacher of spirits in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate where players can learn the secret of her “Big-Bee Style” technique.
All hail the Queen Bee!
Thanks for stopping by to read my article! What do you think? Is Queen Bee deserving of the top spot? Can you think of any other bees in games? Let me know in a reply below. Also, be sure to FOLLOW or subscribe to my blog via e-mail so you can have content delivered directly to your inbox!
A few months ago, I ordered some 14×11″ sheets of plexiglass to use as replacements for any of my frames that accidentally fall off the wall – or if I happen to find a frame that’s missing its glass. The pack came in a set of ten, and I’ve only needed to use two so far. So, I started thinking about other ways I could use this material.
Suddenly, I recalled the image of Princess Peach as she is depicted on the stained glass window on the castle of Super Mario 64. I had to try it! Below are a few details on how I went about this project. I loved it so much that I decided to do another one featuring Banjo and Kazooie as they’re shown on the church window of the Mad Monster Mansion level. I hope you enjoy!
To start, I printed out a reversed image of Princess Peach and taped it to the back of my plexiglass (which has a thin, plastic film covering it). Then, I flipped the glass over and traced the image with a permanent marker.Flipping the glass again, I removed my template and the thin, plastic film. Now I had a simple guide for where to paint.When the project was done, I removed the thin, plastic film on the back that contained the permanent marker template. Then, I touched up any areas that needed attention. It looks great in the window – though, the white acrylic paint looks dark because of the shadow. I prefer to place it on a wall or somewhere with a white backing. I used the same approach for my Banjo Kazooie painting. I had to do some sleuthing to find this image and ended up cropping it from a Let’s Play on Youtube.I tended to use a lot of blotting with the brush to help fill in the color and give the painting some texture. For this one, I kept the permanent marker image on the back. I think it helps define the black outline so the characters can really pop. I’m so happy with the finished products!
Thanks for stopping by to check out my art! What was your favorite game from the N64 era? Leave me a reply and tell me about it! If you’re enjoying my work, consider giving me a follow or subscribe to my blog via e-mail to have content delivered directly to your inbox.
After a few months of trying my hand at crayon art, I decided to try something new. My girlfriend and were browsing the aisles of Hobby Lobby when my eyes suddenly spotted a colorful array of Nintendo characters. On the shelf in front of me was a bucket of Perler beads from which you could create sprites from one of my favorite games of all time, Super Mario Bros 3 (NES, 1990 USA).
“Small” Mario
I follow a few Instagram pages of people who make Perler art, and I was excited to have the opportunity to create some of my own. I bought the bucket and immediately set off to try it out.
A music block
The pail included everything I needed: colored beads, a pegboard, ironing paper, and a guidebook with templates for all the various sprites I can make. Just a short time later, I was dragging out my Dad’s iron and ironing board to finalize my first project. I admit, this was the most tedious part, but we had game shows on in the background to keep us entertained.
Fire Flower
Everything turned out great! If you’re looking for a fun craft activity to do at home for yourself or with the kids, I definitely recommend grabbing a Perler kit. I love what I’ve done so far, and I can’t wait to try some custom ones when I get enough beads!
Bullet Bill
Thanks for stopping by to read my post! Have you done any perler bead projects? Leave me a reply and share what you’ve done! Also, if you like my work, consider giving me a follow or subscribing to my blog via e-mail so you can stay up to date on my latest content.
If you’ve played the NES sequel Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (1987), then it’s very likely you’ve run across this guy. Calling himself “Error,” his Japanese name is the symbol for “Bagu.” In English, this means “a computer bug.” So, it’s very likely that the localization of Zelda II resulted in this translation error – which probably originated as an amusing little joke for the developers.
Do you remember Error?? Here’s a bit of pixel art I created for the character and a few of my steps along the way.
I knew if I nailed the black background, everything else would fall into place easily.I found exactly the right colors I needed for the floor, wall, and window.My only purple marker is a little darker than I’d like, but it does the trick – especially when applying a photo filter that brings out its hue. Very happy to add this to my art collection!
Thanks for stopping by to check out my art! Have you ever played this Zelda sequel? What’s your favorite Zelda game? Leave me a reply and tell me all about it! Also, be sure to FOLLOW or subscribe to my blog via e-mail so you never miss any of my latest posts.
As you may or may not know, music is a huge part of my life (erichagmannmusic.com gave it away, huh?), and I’ve been singing as early as elementary school. Now I’m a voice teacher at a college, I direct two vocal ensembles, and I continue to perform for the public whenever I get the chance – not to mention all the stuff I’ve done on my YouTube channel!
Naturally, the music of video games has been an important part of the journey. So, what better way to combine my two passions than by listing the Top Ten Vocalists in Games!? Can you think of any others? Who are some of your faves? Let me know in a reply. Enjoy!
10. K.K. Slider Animal Crossing (GameCube, 2001)
“Nothing shredded, nothing gained.”
The writer behind incredible hits like “K.K. Groove,” “K.K. Cruisin’,” and “K.K. Samba” is none other than K.K. Slider! Always equipped with his trusty guitar (likely a nylon 6-string classical guitar), K.K. has written over 80 original songs and knows dozens of “covers.” He later had a brief stint as D.J. K.K at Club LOL in Animal Crossing: New Leaf.
Fans of the series will also know his face well as he is the first character someone will see upon booting up a new game. What’s your favorite K.K. tune??
9. Gato Chrono Trigger (SNES, 1995)
I lost. You won. Here’s 15 points. Now wasn’t that fun!?
Needing to rack up some fast silver points at the Millenial Fair and don’t want to take any chances betting on a footrace? Gato is your guy! Found in the western corner of the event, Gato will challenge you to a battle which not only gives you access to quick rewards but also provides you with a general opportunity to test out the game’s battle mechanics (though, is it really okay that Crono and Marle are just casually carrying around a sword and a crossbow at a fair???).
Before the fight gets started, however, Gato pulls out a microphone and uses the power of song to draw you into the bout. The mechanical minstrel also graces you with a post-battle encore with specialized lyrics depending on whether you won or lost.
As a treat, a promotional anime short was created in 1996 and featured the song in all its glory. Check it out below!
8. Marin The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (Game Boy, 1993)
“Marin? She likes to go stare at the ocean all by herself… Why? Hey, I’m just a kid, don’t ask me!“
Marin just loves to sing. If you visit her near the center of Mabe Village on Koholint Island, she can be found performing “The Ballad of the Wind Fish.” This iconic piece of musical literature plays a key role in the plot of Link’s Awakening as it is needed to rouse a sleeping Wind Fish who is said to be able to return our protagonist back to his home of Hyrule. Once Link obtains the ocarina item (predating that ONE ocarina by five years!), Marin teaches him the song so he can host the ultimate jam session outside a giant Yoshi egg near the end of the game.
Music has always played an important role in the Zelda series, but I’d like to think it really got its start here on the small screen!
7. Yuna Final Fantasy X-2 (Playstation 2, 2003)
“Well, this is no time for stage fright.”
While dance has always been an important element of being a summoner, Yuna embraces the vocal side of the fine arts by…becoming a pop star?
During the opening sequence of Final Fantasy X-2, Yuna can be seen performing a hit song “Real Emotion” at a stadium in the port town of Luca. It’s later revealed that this is actually an imposter named Leblanc, a rival sphere hunter, who is trying to capitalize off of the young summoner’s fame. Meanwhile, the real Yuna infiltrates the concert alongside Rikku and newcomer Paine in order to recover her Garment Grid and put an end to her competitor’s slight case of identity theft.
So, I guess Yuna’s not a pop star after all. It’s a weird way to open a game, but Square pushed this opening hard to try to get people to buy into their sequel. Did it work? Well, I wasn’t convinced, and my only experience with this game was from briefly watching my roommate play it during college. But, apparently it sold around 4 million copies. So, J-Pop for the win!
6. PaRappa the Rapper (Playstation, 1996)
“Kick, Punch, Turn and Chop the door…”
You gotta believe! Considered a pioneer of rhythm games like Dance Dance Revolution,PaRappa the Rapper had us bustin’ out some phat rhymes as early as 1996. Gameplay involved pressing specific buttons at just the right moment to match the rhythm of the song. Of course, this technology wasn’t quite perfected at the time, so when I played PaRapper, I remember being completely frustrated that the beat didn’t match up exactly with my button presses. At this point in my life, I had a Bachelors degree in music and many, many years of performance experience under my belt, so I’m pretty sure it wasn’t me!
Why all the rapping? Well, this is one of the few rhythm games that actually had a plot to entice players to continue on with the adventure (unlike modern rhythm games where you simply select from a list of songs and then have at it). Our main man wants to win the love of friend Sunny Funny, and he uses his mastery of words to achieve this goal. In the first stage, to contend with Sunny’s other romantic interest, PaRappa raps his way through a kung-fu lesson so he can impress his lady. Several other stages revolve around getting his license, baking a cake, and…using the bathroom. You gotta believe that this wouldn’t work at all in real life.
5. Venus Earthbound (SNES, 1994)
“Ow!! You cute, sexy, thing, you! Baby, sing to me!” -Mr. Spoon
If you’re wanting to get into Magnet Hill to record some tunes for your Sound Stone, then you’re going to have to bring an autograph from singer sensation, Venus, to Mr. Spoon who is curator of an exhibit at the Dinosaur Museum in Fourside.
Venus is in town with the Blues Brothers-inspired “Runaway Five,” and their latest gig is at the Topolla Theater. For $30, you can see them perform “Venus Live!” as it’s titled on the official Earthbound soundtrack, a sultry jazz-waltz that gives off some major Jessica Rabbit vibes. She doesn’t even miss a beat when Mr. Spoon tries to storm the stage and have his way with her before he gets carried off by bodyguards. Once the performance has wrapped, she’ll be waiting in her dressing room to sign an old banana peel for you so you can go back to saving the world.
4. Mayor Pauline Super Mario Odyssey (Switch, 2017)
“Go, Mario! Jump, Man!”
Once a damsel held captive by the original Donkey Kong (Cranky!!!), Pauline is now the illustrious mayor of New Donk City. After Mario takes care of a few minor power issues, Pauline tasks him with finding four musicians hidden throughout the city so she can perform for the kingdom’s festival.
Truly, this moment of Super Mario Odyssey was a highlight for me and may have been my favorite moment from the game. As Pauline takes to the stage to sing her heart out on “Jump Up, Super Star!”, Mario has to navigate his way through a series of 2D platforming type areas, and he even faces off against an arcade version of DK who is back to slinging barrels at the former carpenter.
“Jump Up, Super Star” was promoted extensively at Nintendo’s 2017 E3 announcement of the game. The song played constantly throughout the event, and they decked out their area to look like a scene right out of the game. It would be almost five years before I finally got to play Mario Odyssey, and the hype for me remained consistent during that time. What a surprise it was when we learned that Pauline was the voice behind the music!
3. Celes Chere Final Fantasy 6 (SNES, 1994)
“W… Wait! I’m a GENERAL, not some opera floozy!”
Need an airship? You’re in luck! It just so happens that the world’s only airship owner has got a thing for the leading lady at the Opera House, and he’s planning to break every rule pertaining to audience etiquette by kidnapping her during the middle of the performance! It ALSO just so happens that your fellow party member, Celes Chere, looks just like this leading lady. I smell a heist in the works!!
This crazy set of events leads to one of the most iconic scenes in video game history (and an early appreciation of opera for those who may have never even touched the genre). As Celes, you have to physically complete a scene of the performance where she stands upon a castle top singing about her lost love who is away at war. To be successful, you have to fill in the next lines of lyrics when prompted, “dance” with an on-stage character, and then throw a bouquet of roses off of a balcony. For being an 18 year old ex-general, Celes sure has some happenin’ (MIDI) singing chops!
2. Great Mighty Poo Conker’s Bad Fur Day (N64, 2001)
“Mi mi mi mi miiiiiiiii!”
Speaking of opera… The Great Mighty Poo (not to be confused with the regular normal Poo of Earthbound) appeared on my Blarch article way back in 2020, and with a voice like his, he definitely deserves a spot here!
The GMP first lures you to his lair in Poo Mountain by enticing you, with his incredibly booming voice, to bring a helpless sweet corn to his inner rectum…I mean sanctum. Upon reaching him, you are immediately greeted with a tragic scene where he uses the poor sweet corn as a new tooth. Then, the singing begins…
“I am the Great Mighty Poo, and I’m going to throw my sh*t at you.” Hey, he gave away his battle strategy right away! To defeat the steaming pile, you must use man’s greatest tool: toilet paper. After each round, GMP gets angrier and angrier, and he has a new set of lyrics to let you know how he’s feeling. Once he’s had enough, he parodies the Wicked Witch of the West by exclaiming “I’m flushing! I’m flushing!” He goes on to say “Oh, what a world, what a world” before being drained to the depths below.
It’s never enough to describe it in words, so click below to see it for yourself!
Warning: NSFW
Honorable Mentions:
Jigglypuff Pokémon (first appearance Game Boy, 1996)
Papa’s gonna buy you a mockingbird.
Elena McCowen Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde (NES, 1988)
Best feature of the game: being able to pay this woman to shut up.
Bards Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Various, 2011)
Do you have a minute to talk about the Fall of Dagon?
You Rock Band (Various, 2007)
“You! The show is You!”
1.GlaDos Portal (Various, 2007)
“This is a triumph.”
Nothing brings me more joy than hearing “Still Alive” at the end of the first Portal game. The tongue-in-cheek lyrics were cleverly crafted by the song’s composer, Jonathon Coulton, who was a huge fan of the Half Life series.
In a game that likes to toy with the player’s emotions and expectations, this song perfectly wraps up everything you’ve experienced since your final battle with GlaDos and even offers a twist that all the work you’ve done was essentially for nothing. Portal 2 confirmed.
It’s well known now that GlaDos was voiced by Ellen McLain who was a trained operatic soprano. Her ability to bring to life the flat emotion and cynical nature of the character exceeds all expectations. Combined with a few effects to make her sound more like a computer, her performance is flawless. The song became so iconic that it was also a playable track in some of the Rock Band games, and it was featured during a live performance at the 2009 Press Start – Symphony of Games concert in Japan.
Thanks for stopping by to read my article! Can you think of any other singers in video games? Let me know about them in a reply below. Also, be sure to FOLLOW or subscribe to my blog via e-mail so you can have content delivered directly to your inbox!
Rush first appeared as Mega Man’s faithful canine companion in Mega Man 3 for the original Nintendo Entertainment System in 1990 (JP). His primary function was to help Mega Man reach high ledges by turning into a coil that would add some spring to the blue bomber’s jump. Later upgrades in the same game would allow Rush to turn into a jet that could freely move around the skies and a submarine that was great for underwater exploration (though it was barely needed).
In future Mega Man games, Rush added a few more abilities to his roster. In Mega Man 6, he could physically fuse with the main character which would allow them to either punch through thick blocks or hover with a jet pack. Mega Man 7 included a search function for Rush where the dog would teleport into an area and (hopefully) find helpful items that could recharge your life or weapon energy. Finally, in Mega Man 8, Rush was able to transform into a motorcycle that would allow our super fighting robot to speed through stages.
I grew up with Mega Man 3 and have loved Rush since day one. Below is a bit of pixel art of the dynamic dog. Can you guess what stage he is in? Leave me a response, and I’ll let you know if you’re right!
Thanks for stopping by to check out my art! What’s your favorite version of Rush? In what game did you first meet him? Leave me a reply below and share your experience! Are you enjoying my content? Consider following my blog or subscribing to it via e-mail!
Gargoyle’s Quest came out for the original Game Boy in 1990, and it was one of the first games I ever owned for the system (the others being Tetris, Kirby’s Dream Land, and Lock ‘n’ Chase). With a story that lasts over three hours, I found it to be one of the most challenging experiences of my childhood, and it took me awhile before I finally understood how to be successful.
The gameplay consisted of two different play styles: 1) an overhead view where the character traverses the world and its various villages akin to Dragon Warrior or Final Fantasy and 2) a 2D action platformer where the character navigates traditional stages and sometimes fights a boss at the end. It also featured a very lengthy password system which meant my Game Boy case was constantly filled with little pieces of paper with various numbers and letters scribbled onto them.
Dying often meant that you’d be sent back to the nearest town where you obtained a password, so it was a long trek to get back to where you were before. I had to learn a great deal of patience. What kept me going, though, was a healthy dose of powerups that would allow your character to fly longer, shoot stronger projectiles, or gain more health. I found myself slowly pushing forward in hopes that I would get a slight edge over the game’s next obstacle. Eventually, I persevered and it ended up being one of the first games I ever beat on the system.
To honor the experience, I finished up some pixel art of Firebrand, the game’s main character. I did it in the style of the original Game Boy which had a tint of green to it. Even the original box art depicted him as green, though later versions of the game would change him to red to match how he looked in Ghosts ‘n Goblins. Did I mention that this guy was originally an enemy in Ghosts ‘n Goblins?? We need more spinoff games like this where enemies take the helm! Enjoy!
Once I got my pixel template, I filled in the black outlines where they were needed.It took me awhile to decide on which shades of green to use. I found it particularly difficult to discern exactly how many colors were being used on the original Game Boy screen. I eventually gave in and settled on two for the body.I ended up using two more shades of green: a dark for the block and a light for the background. The light one really helped get my character to pop. I love it!
Thanks for stopping by to check out my art! Did you ever play any of the Gargoyle’s Quest games? What do you remember about them? Leave me a reply below! Also, be sure to FOLLOW or subscribe to my blog via e-mail so you can have content delivered directly to your inbox!
Pokémon Blue & Red came out in the US in 1998, and I received the Blue version for Christmas from my Aunt and Uncle a few years after that. I was surprised to get a gift from them, and truthfully, Pokémon wasn’t really on my radar at the time. Nonetheless, I dove head first into the game and soon was trying my very best to catch them all.
I have fond memories of attempting to bike all the way home from school using no hands so I could play Pokémon on the go. I made it all the way to Champion’s Road but never ended up finishing the game. To this day, I haven’t played a Pokémon game since, but I still appreciate the series. And, I love seeing all the unique characters that have been created after all this time.
Below is my pixel art of what I think is one of the most iconic moments in the game: meeting Professor Oak alongside your rival and choosing your first Pokémon!
My graph paper is 42×32 squares so I use an editing app to crop my template to match those dimensions exactly.My black marker was key in this project to outline all the shapes. Then, I could just fill in the gray around it.I didn’t have exactly the right shades of gray to match the template perfectly, so I used a photo filter to lighten it up. The actual version still looks pretty cool, though! Above is the final outcome with my slight edits – just like on the Game Boy Micro!
Thanksfor stopping by to check out my art!Which version of Pokémon is your favorite?Did you play this one? Who did you choose as a starter? Let me know about it in a reply below. Also, be sure to FOLLOW or subscribe to my blog via e-mail to have content delivered directly to your inbox!
Duck Hunt was one of the launch games with the original Nintendo Entertainment System back in 1985 in the US. What made this game particularly special is that it came with the NES Zapper, a handheld light gun that you used to play shooting games on your television. For those of us who grew up with the game, there’s nothing quite as memorable as missing your target and being completely berated by the “Duck Hunt Dog” who would laugh at you for being such a failure.
I just needed to capture this moment in my own art, so I got out my markers and graph paper to create the Duck Hunt Dog for myself. Check it out below!
After finding my template (seen above), I measured out my project to fit on my graph paper. Then I colored in the grass.I wanted to get the black and dark red outline filled in so I could see the full scope of the character. The “terra cotta” color gave the dog his body.Some blue for the sky and we’re all done! I seriously love it.
Thanksfor stopping by to check out my art! Do you remember playing Duck Hunt? Tell me about your experience in a reply below. Also, be sure to follow or subscribe to myvia e-mail to have content delivered directly to you inbox!
Eric Hagmann Music 