Great Competition , Pixel art was more or less essential throughout the ’80s due to the low-powered hardware of the time, but saw a rapid decline with the introduction of 3D-capable home consoles like the Sony PlayStation and Nintendo 64. But in the second half of the last decade, pixel art started coming back in the shape of retro revivals like Contra 4 and Mega Man 9, games that felt like they’d been made 15 or 20 years earlier. The Nintendo DS was a particularly good canvas for pixel art, and the concurrent rise of download services on home consoles proved another great fit for 2D games. That’s something that’s only likely to continue with the ease of indie publishing on newer consoles and mobile platforms; games with lower budgets naturally suit simpler graphics , my vote is for @chr7is