8-bit
Nintendo Entertainment System's
8-bit describes computing systems that process data in 8-bit chunks—enough to represent 256 values, including all standard keyboard characters.
The term evokes early home computers and video game consoles from the 1980s.
In graphics, 8-bit means a limited color palette that produces the blocky, pixelated aesthetic now associated with retro gaming: 8-bit graphics, 8-bit music.
Electronic sound-generating instrument
- melodyPleasing sequence of notes
- loopCurve closing on itself
- trackerOne who follows trails
- sequencerOrders signals chronologically
bleep · boop · waveform · pulse · sawtooth · triangle · noise · arpeggio
Smallest display unit
- spriteTiny magical creature
- platformerLeap-based video game
- joystickTilting lever for control
- cartridgeSealed container for supplies
console · controller · highscore · powerup · sidescroller · scrolling · lives · continues
Images built from visible squares
- spriteTiny magical creature
- ditherNervous inability to choose
- paletteSurface for mixing pigments
- scanlinesHorizontal display rows
CRT · low-res · blocky · jagged · mosaic · voxel · retro · vintage
Early home video console
- NES1980s home gaming system
- FamicomNintendo's Japanese home console
- Game BoyPortable gaming handheld
- Commodore 64Popular 1982 home computer
Consisting of two parts
- CPUMain computing chip
- ALUProcessor calculation component
- assemblyConstructing from components
- microprocessorCompact computing circuit
registers · logic gate · transistor · RAM · ROM · BASIC · hexadecimal · clock speed
Dot-consuming arcade icon
- Space InvadersClassic alien shooter arcade
- Donkey KongNintendo's barrel-hurling simian
- FroggerAmphibian traffic navigation game
- GalagaFixed-shooter arcade classic
Asteroids · Mario · Zelda · Metroid · Mega Man · Contra · Castlevania · Final Fantasy
synthesizer
Electronic sound-generating instrument
sequencer · bleep · boop · waveform · pulse · sawtooth · triangle · noise · arpeggio · bleeps
pixel
Smallest display unit
- spriteTiny magical creature
- platformerLeap-based video game
- joystickTilting lever for control
cartridge · console · controller · highscore · powerup · sidescroller · scrolling · lives · continues · boss
pixel art
Images built from visible squares
scanlines · CRT · low-res · blocky · jagged · mosaic · voxel · retro · vintage · throwback
Atari 2600
Early home video console
binary
Consisting of two parts
microprocessor · registers · logic gate · transistor · RAM · ROM · BASIC · hexadecimal · clock speed · kilobyte
Pac-Man
Dot-consuming arcade icon
- Space InvadersClassic alien shooter arcade
- Donkey KongNintendo's barrel-hurling simian
- FroggerAmphibian traffic navigation game
Galaga · Asteroids · Mario · Zelda · Metroid · Mega Man · Contra · Castlevania · Final Fantasy · Sonic
- NintendoNES, Mario, SNES, Donkey Kong, Metroid
- Retrovintage, retro, throwback, record players, old-school
- retro gamingretro gaming, NES, SNES, arcade games, cartridges
- retro computingApple II, ENIAC, IBM PC, Commodore, Atari
- visual stylespixel art, low poly, flat design, minimalist, photorealism
- pixelationpixelated, blocky, jagged, aliased, aliasing
8-bit64-bit
Computing width standard
32-bit · 24-bit · high-definition · 16-bit · HD
8-bitmodern
Of recent times
next-gen · state-of-the-art · cutting-edge · contemporary · advanced
8-bitphotorealistic
Resembling actual photographs
hyperrealistic · lifelike · cinematic · realistic · hi-fi