Playbook · Platformer / Arcade / Retro
Platformer / Arcade / Retro Steam capsule art: four directions from your own assets
Pixel art, 2D action, run-and-gun, arcade, metroidvania.
Make my platformer / arcade / retro sheet
First sheet free. Paste a Steam link on the home page instead.
The four directions every platformer / arcade / retro sheet gets
One panel each, in this order, so the four are built to disagree: commercial, atmospheric, poster, and one swing.
Direction 1
Character Action Key Art
Bright, bold, energetic hero pose with momentum.
- ·Main character large and mid-action
- ·Saturated confident palette
- ·Chunky readable logo
- ·Enemies or world as supporting cast, not clutter
Direction 2
Layered World Vista
The level as a place: parallax layers, depth, a destination.
- ·Character small, world large
- ·Parallax-style layered depth
- ·Title in sky or on a signpost
- ·Sense of adventure
Direction 3
Retro Box-Art Poster
Painted 90s cover energy, done well.
- ·Painterly illustrated hero and villain
- ·Bold framed title with a badge or ribbon
- ·Slight print texture
- ·Nostalgic but sharp and modern
Direction 4
Concept-Driven Angle
The wildcard.
- ·Pick ONE: extreme pixel close-up of the hero's eye, CRT screen frame, cartridge label layout, one-color minimal silhouette, the character mid-air over huge empty sky, arcade cabinet marquee
What the art director is told
The playbook below is the actual guidance the model receives for platformer / arcade / retro games, minus your brief and assets.
Compositions that work
- Hero jumping left, logo right
- Wide level cross-section
- Badge-framed poster
- Centered minimal silhouette
Lighting
- Flat bright daylight
- Neon arcade glow
- Sunset gradient
- Cast shadows for depth
Palettes, one per panel
- Arcade Pop: electric blue, hot pink, yellow, black
- Warm Retro: orange, cream, teal, brown
- Forest Run: greens, sky blue, red accent
- Night Neon: deep purple, cyan, magenta, black
Typography
- Chunky rounded display
- Pixel type only if the game is pixel art
- 80s/90s logo lockups with a badge
- Bold italic sans for speed
Typography to avoid
- Generic pixel font on non-pixel games
- Chrome
- Excessive outlines
- Tiny titles
Texture that helps
- Subtle print grain on poster concept
- Scanlines only for CRT concept
- Halftone
Texture that hurts
- Dark grunge
- Blur
- Noise on clean art
Never
- Muddy dark grading
- Clutter of enemies
- Generic mascot poses
- Low-contrast pastels for an action game
Your platformer / arcade / retro game, four ways, in about a minute.
Built from your own screenshots and logo. Sizes Steam actually uses. No key, no account for the first sheet.