7 Best Pixel Art Upscalers to Preserve Every Pixel with Ease
Pixel art has a special place in the hearts of digital artists and gamers alike. The nostalgic and blocky charm of pixel art has brought back memories of classic games, inspiring creators to produce unique and visually striking visuals. However, when you resize or enhance the pixel art, things can go wrong, causing color distortion, blurriness, and lost details that can ruin your masterpiece.
This is where the Pixel art upscaler tools come in, which help you enlarge pixel-based or retro images without losing their style or sharpness. We've reviewed 7 of the most majestic Pixel art upscalers that help you make pixel art visuals look special.
Part 1. 7 Pixel Art Upscalers Worth Trying
1. The Best Pixel Art Upscale with HitPaw FotorPea
You're looking to upscale a Pixel art photo, but the thing is that you don't have any pixel art images, so you're supposed to rely on the HitPaw FotorPea to generate the AI pixel art images. The good thing here is that apart from helping you to generate pixel art photos, HitPaw FotorPea also provides a generative enhancement function in the image generation window to elevate the quality of the photos.
Supporting the batch enhancement, HitPaw FotorPea is capable of enhancing the quality of multiple pixel art images simultaneously. While processing the photos, HitPaw FotorPea doesn't affect the quality of the pictures either.
Features
- Allows you to explore the generative enhancement function to improve the Pixel art photos
- Works on Mac and Windows
- Simple user interface, making it simple for newcomers
- Offers the 9 AI models to upscale Pixel art images
- No image quality loss was detected while enhancing the pixel art photos
- Allows you to generate pixel photos in realistic image quality
- Helps you to remove the unwanted objects from the pixel art photos
How to upscale the pixel art photos?
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Visit the official webpage of HitPaw FotorPea and then install the software on your computer. Choose the AI generator and then hit the Text to Image icon.
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Input the text description of what type of pixel art images you're willing to generate. Apart from generating, you can click on the AI upscale icon to enhance the upcoming generated images of the Pixel art.
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After image generation is complete, preview the photos and, once satisfied with the quality of the images, click the Download button to export the photo to your computer.
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You can also enhance the images from another method, as all you need to do is select the AI enhancer and then import the photo you'd like to improve.
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Select the AI-enhancing model, and then don't waste any time pressing the Preview icon to apply all the selected AI models.
2. Upscale Pixel Art with Lospec
When it comes to finding a brilliant Pixel art upscaler, only a few tools can match the supremacy of Lospec.
It provides free tutorials on how to enhance pixel art images, and you can also explore the art scale function to enlarge the photos while keeping every pixel crisp, making it ideal for someone who loves precision and simplicity.
Pros
- Free and web-based
- Preserves hard edges and color palettes
- Ideal for beginners
Cons
- Limited upscale size options
- No AI enhancement
Price: Free
Available Platforms: Web
3. Pixel Art Upscaling with Pixelcut
Pixelcut is a creative AI platform designed for designers and content creators. Its AI Image Upscaler lets you enlarge pixel art, illustrations, or icons without blurring or softening the design.
Pros
- Smart AI enhancement for clean results
- Batch processing supported
- Mobile-friendly
Cons
- Subscription needed for HD export
- Slightly soft results on highly detailed pixel art
Price: Free plan available; Pro from $9.99/month
Available Platforms: Web, iOS, Android
4. Upscaling Pixel Art with DeepAI Image Upscaler
Despite opting for several upscaling pixel art tools, if you're still aiming for a prolific pixel art upscaler, watch out for the DeepAI Image Upscaler. This tool tends to sharpen and enlarge pixel graphics while preserving natural tones, making it an excellent choice for retro-style backgrounds or old-school icons.
Pros
- Fast AI processing
- Keeps contrast and tone balance
- Free to use
Cons
- Occasional artefacts in the detailed edges
- No manual adjustment
Price: Free
Available Platforms: Web
5. AI Pixel Art Upscaler with Waifu2x
Waifu2x is a timeless classic for enhancing pixel art or anime-style visuals. Pixel artists have been using Aifu2x for years, and with good reason, as it employs convolutional neural networks to reduce noise and enhance your images without damaging the pixel grid.
You can achieve smoother upscaling and cleaner lines with no setup required, thanks to its simplicity, speed, and dependability.
Pros
- Excellent for anime and pixel graphics
- Noise reduction option
- Fast online version
Cons
- Outdated interface
- Limited upscale ratio
Price: Free
Available Platforms: Web, Windows
6. AI Upscale Pixel Art with Artguru.ai
One of the most innovative AI systems available today for digital producers is Artguru.ai. It's excellent not just for creating art but also for precisely using AI to improve and refine already-existing pixel-style artwork. Its dual purpose of creation and improvement distinguishes it from many other applications; you can create pixel-inspired portraits and then upscale or refine them in the exact location.
Smart AI sharpening that preserves the original art style is used by the Artguru Upscaler. It prevents the "plastic" appearance that certain AI tools create while enhancing edges, contrast, and maintaining realistic color tones.
Pros
- AI sharpening for pixel-level detail
- User-friendly interface
- Also supports AI image generation
Cons
- Requires login for HD export
- May slightly alter color balance
Price: Free plan; Premium from $9/month
Available Platforms: Web
7. Upscale Pixel Art with Topaz Labs
If you want studio-caliber quality, Topaz Labs' Topaz Gigapixel AI is undoubtedly one of the most powerful upscaling options available today. Due to its exceptional clarity and texture, as well as its ability to increase image resolution by up to 600%, professionals in digital art, gaming, and design rely on it.
By employing deep learning algorithms that analyze millions of image samples, Topaz is able to foresee and reconstruct missing information rather than merely expanding pixels. The result? Even when enlarged for large posters or high-definition displays, your pixel art seems crisp, clear, and realistic.
Pros
- Professional-grade upscaling
- Excellent detail preservation
- Supports large images
Cons
- Paid software
- Requires installation and GPU resources
Price: One-time purchase of $99.99
Available Platforms: Windows, macOS
Final Words
Pixel art is all about precision, and with these 7 AI pixel art upscaler tools, you can enhance your retro visuals without losing their charm. Whether you want to sharpen sprites, refine portraits, or enlarge entire game scenes, these tools will help you keep every pixel perfect.
You can take dual assistance from HitPaw FotorPea, as it not only makes it possible to generate the AI pixel art photos, but also enhances the generated AI pixel art images with the newly introduced generative enhancement function.
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