Cel-shaded art in video games has been around since the early 2000s. It's a non-realistic type of rendering that's used in movies and video games to give the appearance of a more cartoon, comic book-like texture. The art style is characterized by a 'flat' look and uses unique colors, lighting, and texture to stand out in the crowd of photo-realistic games that might not stand the test of time.
This style of art has a lot of value for its timelessness. A cel-shaded video game from decades ago can look better than photo-realistic games from the past year. Because it doesn't value extreme photorealism, it's easier for games that use cel-shading to establish a unique sense of style that can define franchises. For that reason, it's a popular art style among gamers, and here are some of the best titles that utilize it.
8 Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is an action RPG with animated sequences from industry masters Studio Ghibli. This highly anticipated game didn't disappoint, with the release earning an 86 on Metacritic thanks to its story, lovable characters, and dreamy animation style.
The game follows Oliver, a young boy searching for a way to resurrect his dead mother. There's a lot of focus on the character development of the protagonist, which is part of what gives the story such charm. It's available to play on the PlayStation 3, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
7 MadWorld
As MadWorld is available on the Nintendo Wii, there are many that won't have experienced this 2009 hack-and-slash. Those that do remember the game will remember it for stunning and unique visuals that hold up very well despite the console, largely due to the cel-shading.
The player controls Jack through multiple levels, representing the parts of Jefferson Island that have been converted into sets for the death match game 'DeathWatch'. It didn't do well commercially as a mature title for the Wii, but it's become somewhat of a cult classic.
6 The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker
While Wind Waker's distinct, cartoony art style was controversial during its initial GameCube release, it's now considered one of the best entries in The Legend of Zelda franchise. It differs considerably from the art style of previous Zelda games, but an HD remake on the Wii U breathed new life into the beloved game.
In Wind Waker, the player controls Link as he journeys to save his sister from the series antagonist Ganon. Link sails around Hyrule on a talking boat called King of Red Lions and controls wind with the titular Wind Waker to reach his destination.
5 Untitled Goose Game
In Untitled Goose Game, the player controls a terrible goose with the sole objective of making life worse for everyone in its wake. Deceptively innocent in appearance, this goose has only chaos on its mind and will stop at nothing to bother the inhabitants of the small, idyllic village the game is set in.
Untitled Goose Game was developed by indie studio House House in 2019, and quickly became a favorite of the gaming community. It's a short, sweet, and humorous game that utilizes a charming, cel-shaded art style.
4 Okami
Set in classical Japan, Okami has an incredibly unique art style that fits the story perfectly. The player controls Amaterasu, a white wolf based on the Japanese Goddess of the same name, as she journeys through a wood-cut, watercolor-style environment.
It's a game that takes a lot of inspiration from The Legend of Zelda series and is a mix of action, platform, and puzzle gaming genres. It uses a distinct gameplay gimmick called the 'Celestial Brush', a digital canvas that the player can draw on to solve a number of the game's puzzles, as well as aid in combat.
3 Pokemon Sun & Moon
Pokemon Sun & Moon introduced the world to the seventh generation of Pokemon in the region of Alola. As the second main series generation on the 3DS, the two Pokemon games innovated the franchise by introducing new mechanics that had never been seen before.
Instead of gym battles, players had to overcome Island Trials. While this game mechanic didn't stick, what did stick was the idea of regional forms. In Sun & Moon, Alolan versions of existing Pokemon such as Geodude, Muk, and Vulpix set a precedent for regional variants in every Pokemon game since.
2 Persona 5
Persona 5 is a beloved JRPG where the player controls a high-schooler, codename Joker. After accusations of assault, Joker transfers to a new high school, where he and a group of other students form a group called the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.
The Phantom Thieves utilize a supernatural power and enter a realm known as the Metaverse, a manifestation of humanity's subconscious desires. There, they battle Shadows with their Personas to steal the ill intent from the hearts of adults. With a distinct cel-shaded art style, Persona 5 is a game worth the hype that surrounds it, and a must-have for fans of the medium.
1 The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
Breath Of The Wild is one of the most beloved games in the Zelda franchise. Using cel-shaded art to create beautiful landscapes in an enormous open world, Breath Of The Wild follows Link as he awakens from a hundred-year slumber to a Hyrule ravaged by Ganon and his minions.
Link must build a life from the ground up in order to gain the strength to defeat Ganon, in particular by conquering the four Divine Beasts that have been taken over by Ganon's malice.