Review: PixelMaker (Wii U eshop)

Sometimes when I play games, I like to relax. Saving the world is exhausting so it’s nice to have a little R&R once in a while. Since I’m a fan of art and drawing, games like PixelMaker are perfect for me when I need some downtime. Developed by Nostatic Software, PixelMaker is specifically designed for those who enjoy creating Pixel art.

Customizable color pallet.

‘Pixel Party’ – I kind of just threw a bunch of characters that I like into this one. It was my first drawing after downloading the game. Lots going on here.

Even though there are a few similar art apps out there, I’ve really enjoyed my time with PixelMaker. It’s the little tweaks and add ons that make me prefer using this instead of the other few that I’ve tried. The overall gameplay is similar to an art application that you would typically find on a PC. There are different color pallets, editing tools, different pixel sizes, you can zoom in and out as well as copy and paste specific sections of your drawing. There is also an undo button that does not limit the amount of times you can undo, which was great. It’s very simple and easy to get the hang of.

adding finishing touches and editing on the Gamepad.

My love of DBZ inspired this piece. its a little busy but I wanted to include as many fighters as possible. This one took the longest to make.

There are also a few extra tools that allow you to really get into detail and customize your pixelated creations. Being able to crop your piece down during or after completion is a nice touch. That way if your canvas is too big or you need it to be a specific size you can change it. I should add that you can only go down to a smaller size and after you’ve cropped the canvas you can’t undo it, so keep that in mind.  You can also add a number of layers to each piece. This allows you to focus on foreground and background separately. Each layer is a like a different page. For example, you should create a background first then add a second layer to create your foreground. This makes it easier to go back later and edit the scene without effecting the rest of the piece. The color pallet is very customizable as well. Letting you add and edit colors as you draw, you can also save a color pallet and upload it to use in different drawings. Which saves a lot of time.

One more thing I preferred about PixelMaker was the simple background music that was present. This is a small touch but most of the art apps I’ve played are completely silent. So I enjoyed having a little music to listen to while drawing. As far as negatives go I really don’t have much to say, but the one problem I do have is kind of a big deal. I would love to be able to save and share the art I create in the program. Sadly as of right now, Miiverse is the only way to accomplish that. Which sucks, because the pictures are so small its not even worth saving on my computer. So if you’re listening people at Nostatic Software, Please add a feature so we can share our pictures and maybe save them on SD cards if possible. That would be awesome.

Zoomed in

‘Wrong Turn’ – Seems like Jeff has found himself surrounded by mysterious aquatic creatures he’s never encountered before.

If you’re a creative person or have always wanted to try pixel art, PixelMaker is definitely something you will want to look into. Out of all the program’s I’ve worked with personally, this one is my favorite so far and one I will be coming back to it again and again. There are tons of creative possibilities and tools to help your artwork come out just right. Check it out on the Wii U eshop for the very low price of $2.99.

My tribute to Pixel Maker