If you can identify the characters of these Laura Vidal game avatar portraits without having to look at their descriptions, you may just be as geeky as I am. But that was kind of Vidal’s goal, to rearrange the pixels that make up video game graphics and hopefully have viewers still retain the same connection they have with the likes of Mario, Luigi, Pacman, Cloud, Ryu, Yoshi, Sonic and others. The effect was successful and it makes audiences realize just how iconic the color schemes are that were used to make up each 8-bit hero.
Laura Vidal is a web developer and graphic designer currently based in Innsbruck, Austria. She crafted these posters, which she titled ‘Scrambled Videogame Characters,’ as an apartment warming gift for her friend David.
Jumbled Pixel Portraits
Laura Vidal Illustrates Game Characters Using Disorganized Squares
Trend Themes
1. Pixel Art Trend - There is a growing demand for pixel art designs in the gaming industry, which presents opportunities for designers and developers to create unique gaming experiences using pixel art.
2. Gamification Trend - The use of game elements and game design in non-gaming contexts is becoming increasingly popular and presents opportunities for businesses and organizations to engage with audiences in novel ways.
3. Nostalgia Trend - There is a rising nostalgia for 8-bit graphics and video game characters among adults who grew up with them, which presents opportunities for designers and marketers to appeal to this audience with retro-themed products and marketing campaigns.
Industry Implications
1. Gaming Industry - Developers and designers in the gaming industry can use pixel art designs to create unique gaming experiences that appeal to retro-gamers and create a sense of nostalgia.
2. Advertising Industry - Marketers can leverage the nostalgia for retro gaming to create marketing campaigns that appeal to adults who grew up with retro video games.
3. Education Industry - Gamification can be applied to education to make learning more engaging for students and help them retain information better by using game elements and design.