Is there a definition for the polygonal art design found in games?

While every 3D game includes polygons, some games use polygonal art design.The overall shape of the characters and environments is often simplified with strong geometry.

Most colorful platform games of the 90's had a polygonal art / low poly approach mostly due to technical aspects.

Games such as Crash Bandicoot, Ape Escape and Grim Fandango come to mind.

I'm trying to find modern day games that use mainly polygonal art design.

I made a search on Google and couldn't find an exact definition or term for this.

Please enlighten me.

NOTE: The polygonal art I'm referring to is not the same as minimal or pixel art.

UPDATE, found this interested video on the subject.

Crash Bandicoot Title Screen

Crash Bandicoot Title Screen

Crash Bandicoot 3 Gameplay

Crash Bandicoot 3 Gameplay

Spyro Screenshot

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Polygonal Art found in graphic design

Polygonal Art found in graphic design


If there's a technical artistic term for the effect (which I doubt; certainly not in the same way there are "pointalist" or "impressionist" styles), I don't know it.

That said, in my professional experience I've heard the terms "low-poly," "low-fidelity" and simply "polygonal" (or "geometric") applied to describe the style. In some cases the technique can even border on a "painterly" approach.

That last screenshot you provided is certainly going in the painterly direction, although a tineye search for the source reveals references to it under the term "polygonal posters by J R Schmidt," for example in this article about polygonal artworks.

So I'd go with the term polygonal, as you originally referred to it.


In the design community, this type of work is largely referred to as Low Poly.

Here's an example from a graphic designer whom I follow.

Low Poly Mammoth