pixelartmakerExplore the most popular pixel art color palettes used by indie developers and artists. Compare Pico-8, NES, Game Boy, DB32, Sweetie-16 and more — with usage notes.
Color palette choice shapes everything in pixel art — not just how it looks but how it feels, how long it takes to create, and how cohesive the final art style is. The counterintuitive truth: more colors makes pixel art harder, not easier. With unlimited colors every decision is contested. With 16, every decision is clear.
Why limited color palettes are a superpower
Limited palettes create automatic cohesion (every asset coordinates), speed up development (no time spent colour-picking), and create a distinctive style that stands out in feeds dominated by photo-real AAA art. Every classic pixel art platform was defined by its palette — and those palettes still drive the look of indie hits in 2026.
1. Pico-8 (16 colors, 2015) — best for beginners
Created by Lexaloffle for their fantasy console, Pico-8's 16-color palette has become the modern default for indie pixel art. Warm, saturated, designed to look great together at any combination. If you only learn one palette, learn Pico-8.
2. Game Boy (4 colors, 1989) — best for minimalism
Four shades of green-grey: #0F380F, #306230, #8BAC0F, #9BBC0F. Creating art within these four colors is a meditation in constraint. When you can only use four shades, you learn to use them with extraordinary intention.
3. NES (54 colors, 1983) — best for authentic retro
Nintendo's original palette contains a distinctive range of colors inseparable from childhood nostalgia for millions. Notable: no true black in the original hardware palette. Mario's blue overalls, Link's green tunic — all defined by these specific shades.
4. Sweetie-16 (16 colors, modern) — best modern palette
A modern indie palette designed to keep the charm of retro limitations with slightly more versatility. Dark backgrounds, rich midtones and bright accents make it ideal for game UI and character art.
5. DB32 / DawnBringer 32 (32 colors, modern) — best for full games
Considered the gold standard for indie pixel art. Enough colors for nuanced shading and varied environments, few enough to maintain cohesion. Used in countless indie titles and recommended by most working pixel artists.
6. Commodore 64 (16 colors, 1982) — best for retro character
One of the most recognisable palettes from the home computer era. The distinctive blue-purple hues of the C64's screen are still used by demo-scene artists today.
7. CGA (16 colors) — harsh but iconic
The original IBM PC palette. Brutal cyan-magenta combinations that scream early DOS gaming. Use it when you want unmistakable 1980s computer vibes.
8. Atari 2600 (128 colors) — historical interest
More colors than you'd expect, but with severe per-scanline constraints. Mostly historical, but interesting for projects that want the raw primitive feel of pre-NES home computing.
9. Zughy-32 (32 colors) — modern indie favourite
A balanced 32-color palette popular on Lospec. Smoother gradients than DB32, slightly warmer character. Great for cosy farming-game aesthetics.
10. Lospec 500 (500 colors) — for detailed work
A community curated 500-color palette for artists who want freedom without going full RGB. Useful for portrait pixel art and detailed illustrations.
11. Apollo (32 colors) — warm and earthy
AdamCYounis's 32-color palette, designed for natural-looking pixel art. Brilliant for landscapes, organic environments and storybook aesthetics.
12. ENDESGA-64 (64 colors) — for complex scenes
A 64-color palette by ENDESGA, widely used for ambitious indie game art. The biggest of the popular curated palettes — still cohesive, but with room for nuance.
How to choose your palette
- Making a game? DB32 or Sweetie-16.
- Learning pixel art? Pico-8.
- Going for authentic NES feel? NES palette.
- Minimalist challenge? Game Boy.
- Need lots of colors? Lospec 500 or ENDESGA-64.
Where to find more palettes
Lospec.com hosts thousands of community-made pixel art palettes — easily the best repository on the internet. Our Palette Generator supports importing any Lospec palette by URL, so once you find one you love, you can use it across every conversion you make.