In celebration of April Fool’s Day, the Pokémon Go team is switching the game’s visuals to 8-bit graphics, which you can see for yourself starting today. In an announcement via the game’s official website, the team said that:
“Experience Pokemon Go like never before with cutting-edge-8 but graphics! Registering approximately twice the definition of 4K, the chunky squares of each pixel provide realistic detail and unbelievable definition.”
If you log in to the game today, you’ll notice how the team replaced all the 3D models of the creatures that are usually displayed in the Pokédex with 8-bit versions of the monsters. Keen-eyed fans would recognize that these new retro models were from the selection screens in Pokémon Sun.
Although not everything has been changed in Pokémon Go. Players can still expect to see the 3D models on the map and everywhere else. When the player selects a Pokémon in the PokéDex, the 3D model will also be visible rather than the April Fool’s 8-bit version.
The Pokémon Team did not announce on how long these 8-bit Pokémon sprites will grace our smartphones. However, the developers are 100% confident that players will like this change and are waiting for player feedback on this new feature. In the same announcement, The team announced that:
“We feel 100% confident in saying that you’ve never seen Pokémon like this in Pokémon GO! We’re looking forward to your feedback on this brand-new feature. Tell us your thoughts on our latest update with #PokemonGO, and be sure to include a picture of your favorite Pokémon!
