Fan Pokemon project shows original art styles with Arceus-style gameplay

Longtime Pokemon fans may be familiar with the retro style of Ken Sugimori (the illustrator who created the art for the original Pokemon game). Sugimori’s style is less vibrant and bold than that of the early games. It’s more polished. It has its charm, however, and it is still fondly remembered to this day. Fans still treasure the original Pikachu, despite its small stature. But what if we revisited that pen and marker artstyle for a modern Pokemon title? Fans have solved that mystery, and the result is stunning.

A fan account posted images showing what a Sugimori inspired Pokemon game might look like. The bio in Japanese explains that the fan account is creating Pokemon fan art from another time. It’s a way to see characters and creatures from the original games through a new perspective, or bring the potential of an old title to life with modern upgrades. They are creating lost titles using space-time distortion. It’s an enjoyable way to discover a beloved and long-lasting franchise.

It’s definitely fascinating to imagine what a game like Pokemon Legends: Arceus might look like if it was done through this super nostalgic lens. Red is surrounded by gentle and muted colors, while the adorable creatures are just too cute. It’s worth watching the clip for the 3D chubby PIkachu alone, although there’s plenty of other recognizable ‘mons on the loose.

The account also shares a look at other fascinating alternate realities, like a Sword and Shield-era take on Pokemon Stadium. Characters like Grookey’s evolution Thwackey look very different filtered through N64-era graphics.

With such a large backlog across many systems and generations it is no surprise that gamers enjoy mixing and matching different styles across the years. While many of us have left the region of Kanto long behind, a video like this gives a big hit of nostalgia — and fans are already clamoring to see what an official take on this concept might look like.