History Main / NewWorkRecycledGraphics

* This was a hallmark of the pre-3D ''VideoGame/CapcomVsWhatever'' games. ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom'' reused ''VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha'' and ''Darkstalkers'' sprites for the Capcom side, and ''VideoGame/XMenChildrenOfTheAtom'' and ''VideoGame/MarvelSuperHeroes'' sprites the Marvel side, with only a select few characters (usually those who hadn't appeared in prior fighting games) getting new ones. ''[[VideoGame/SNKVsCapcom Capcom vs. SNK]]'' fared better, since they had to redraw all the Creator/{{SNK}} fighters anyway, and also threw in a few new sprites for Capcom characters like Ryu, Chun-Li, M. Bison, Maki and Yun. Unfortunately, this, coupled with the increasingly advanced hardware the games were being played on, made the early-to-mid '90s sprite recycling look ''even more'' blatant by comparison.

* On a more general level, this was a hallmark of all the pre-3D ''VideoGame/CapcomVsWhatever'' games. The ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom'' games reused ''VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha'' and ''Darkstalkers'' sprites for most of the fighters on the Capcom side, and ''VideoGame/XMenChildrenOfTheAtom'' and ''VideoGame/MarvelSuperHeroes'' for most of the ones on the Marvel side, with brand new character models only accounting for a small portion of the overall cast. The two ''[[VideoGame/SNKVsCapcom Capcom vs. SNK]]'' games fared better in this regard, since all of the Creator/{{SNK}} characters had to be redrawn to fit the anime-inspired art style Capcom used in its fighting games anyway. Capcom also created brand new sprites for a few of the characters on their side too, such as Ryu, Chun-Li, M. Bison, and Yun. Unfortunately, this, coupled with the increasingly advanced hardware the games were being played on, had the unintentional effect of making the early-to-mid '90s sprite recycling look ''even more'' blatant by comparison.

* On a more general level, this was a hallmark of all the pre-3D ''VideoGame/CapcomVsWhatever'' games. The ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom'' games reused ''VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha'' and ''Darkstalkers'' sprites for most of the fighters on the Capcom side, and ''VideoGame/XMenChildrenOfTheAtom'' and ''VideoGame/MarvelSuperHeroes'' for most of the ones on the Marvel side, with brand new character models only accounting for a small portion of the overall cast. The two ''[[VideoGame/SNKVsCapcom Capcom vs. SNK]]'' games fared better in this regard, since all of the Creator/{{SNK}} characters had to be redrawn to fit the anime-inspired art style Capcom used in its fighting games anyway. Capcom also created brand new sprites for a few of the characters on their side too, such as Ryu, Chun-Li, M. Bison, and Yun. Unfortunately, this had the unintentional effect of making the recycled sprites from the early-to-mid '90s look ''even worse'' by comparison.

%%* ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsOE'' reuses a lot of stuff from [[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsGC GC]], [[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsNEO NEO]] and [[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsZ Z2]].
%%** Additionally, a good chunk of ''[[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsV Super Robot Wars V's]]'' cast list is recycled from ''[[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsZ Super Robot Wars Z.]]''

** The UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube titles ''VideoGame/PokemonColosseum'' and ''VideoGame/PokemonXDGaleOfDarkness'' use slightly updated models and animations from the Nintendo 64 ''VideoGame/PokemonStadium'' games for any Pokémon that wasn't introduced in ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire''.

* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'': A number of assets are reused from ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening''. Most of the returning Skills use the exact same icons, the resistance HQ at the start of ''Birthright'' Chapter 14 is the barracks from ''Awakening'' (complete with an ''Awakening''-style Armor Knight shield lying next to the crates), and some classes that wield axes use the animations of the ''Awakening'' Fighter and its promotions.

* ''VideoGame/{{Kirby}}'' games occasionally have this — ''VideoGame/KirbySqueakSquad'' shares lots of graphics with ''VideoGame/KirbyAndTheAmazingMirror'', which shares lots of graphics with ''[[VideoGame/KirbysAdventure Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land]]'' for example.

* ''VideoGame/DarkStalkers'': Morrigan's sprite never changes ever since her first appearance while everyone else's has. Not only that, her crossover fighting game appearances even has her using the same sprites (with new bits attached depending on the game), which makes her look like a sore thumb compared to the others. This is only averted in her Namco crossovers (NamcoXCapcom, ProjectXZone) and 3D appearances (''VideoGame/TatsunokoVsCapcom'', ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3'').

** The Nintendo Gamecube titles ''VideoGame/PokemonColosseum'' and ''VideoGame/PokemonXDGaleOfDarkness'' use slightly updated models and animations from the Nintendo 64 ''VideoGame/PokemonStadium'' games for any Pokémon that wasn't introduced in ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire''.

** ''Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire'' uses the exact same models as ''VideoGame/PokemonXAndY'' for all of the Pokemon. ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'' uses ''those'' models for all older Pokemon prior to this game.
* ''Videogame/MegaManClassic'' uses the same kind of sprites in each of the 8 bit games. The Wily Capsule also sees little to no modification. Some of the Robot Master bosses also have designs based from previous ones, notably the "Guts Man clones".

* ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot3Warped'' uses the same engine from ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot2CortexStrikesBack'' so a lot of models and sprites are recycled from the latter. According to designers from the series, NaughtyDog also allowed later developers to use assets from their games for authenticity purposes (this is especially noticeable with the Eurocom developed ''VideoGame/CrashBash'').

* ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsOE'' reuses a lot of stuff from [[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsGC GC]], [[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsNEO NEO]] and [[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsZ Z2]].
** Additionally, a good chunk of ''[[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsV Super Robot Wars V's]]'' cast list is recycled from ''[[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsZ Super Robot Wars Z.]]''

** ''Link's Crossbow Training'' from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess''

Let's face it, making graphics is expensive and time consuming. A lot of studios just don't have the budget to completely remodel entire landscapes, inventories, and characters for every work they make, especially if it's part of a larger series. If you aren't moving to a new system or game engine, sometimes it just makes sense to build the new world as an expansion of the old. Done well, this can help establish continuity between instalments, and allow the developer to provide larger worlds to explore on a smaller budget.

While this is most easily noticeable in VideoGames (especially {{Mission Pack Sequel}}s), the rise of 3D modelling is beginning to cause other media to adopt it as 3D modelling becomes more ubiquitous. For entire shots of film being recycled see StockFootage. See also RecycledSet, and PropRecycling. Compare RecycledScript.

** The Nintendo Gamecube titles ''VideoGame/PokemonColosseum'' and ''VideoGame/PokemonXDGaleOfDarkness'' use slightly updated models and animations from the Nintendo 64 ''VideoGame/PokemonStadium'' games for any Pokémon that wasn't introduced in ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire''.

** Another ''Kirby'' example would be ''[[VideoGame/KirbyPlanetRobobot Planet Robobot]]'', which uses the same engine and mechanics as in ''[[VideoGame/KirbyTripleDeluxe Triple Deluxe]]''. Additionally, they were also on the UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS.

* ''VideoGame/{{Condemned}}: Criminal Origins'' re-used many assets from ''VideoGame/FirstEncounterAssaultRecon'', also by Monolith and released the same year.
* DarkStalkers: Morrigan's sprite never changes ever since her first appearance while everyone else's has. Not only that, her crossover fighting game appearances even has her using the same sprites (with new bits attached depending on the game), which makes her look like a sore thumb compared to the others. This is only averted in her Namco crossovers (NamcoXCapcom, ProjectXZone) and 3D appearances (TatsunokoVsCapcom, MarvelVsCapcom3).

** ''Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire'' uses the exact same models as ''VideoGame/PokemonXAndY'' for all of the Pokemon. ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'' uses ''those'' models for all older Pokemon prior to this game

** ''Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire'' uses the exact same models as ''VideoGame/PokemonXAndY'' for all of the Pokemon.

* ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsOE'' reuses a lot of stuff from [[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsGC GC]], [[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarNEO NEO]] and [[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsZ Z2]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Kirby}}'' games occasionally have this — ''VideoGame/KirbySqueakSquad'' shares lots of graphics with ''VideoGame/KirbyAndTheAmazingMirror'', which shares lots of graphics with ''VideoGame/KirbyNightmareInDreamLand'' for example.
** Another ''Kirby'' example would be ''[[VideoGame/KirbyPlanetRobobot Planet Robobot]]'', which uses the same engine and mechanics as in ''[[VideoGame/KirbyTripleDeluxe Triple Deluxe]]''. Additionally, they were also on the Nintendo 3DS.

* ''VideoGame/{{Kirby}}'' games occasionally have this — ''VideoGame/KirbySuperStar Ultra'' shares lots of graphics with ''VideoGame/KirbyAndTheAmazingMirror'', for example.

** In the Forsaken Gods expansion to the third game, this is taken to absolutely egregious levels due to the unrealistic time constraints put on the developers (who, on top of that, were completely different people than the creators of the base game). The addon is set strictly in the (largely unchanged) middle part of the world map from the base game while throwing out the other two parts of the continent, effectively giving us mostly the same content as the base game, except with the two thirds of it removed and only with some changes to the [=NPCs=] who inhabit the world, plus a few new items and some updates to the cities.

* Averted with ''VideoGame/{{Starcraft}}'': while in development, the game used [[http://www.codeofhonor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Starcraft-orcs-in-space.png much the same graphics and interface]] as WarcraftII, but the developers started again from scratch when they saw a tech demo of a much higher-quality RTS, leading to Starcraft's iconic look. [[MotivationalLie They later learned that the demo wasn't a game at all, but a premade video the booth guys were pretending to play.]]

* {{Creator/Stern}} made ''VideoGame/CliffHanger'' (the laserdisk game) by reusing footage from ''Anime/TheCastleOfCagliostro'' and ''Anime/TheMysteryOfMamo''.

While this is most easily noticeable in VideoGames, the rise of 3D modelling is beginning to cause other media to adopt it as 3D modelling becomes more ubiquitous. For entire shots of film being recycled see StockFootage. See also RecycledSet, and PropRecycling. Compare RecycledScript.

Let\'s face it, making graphics is expensive and time consuming. A lot of studios just don\'t have the budget to completely remodel entire landscapes, inventories, and characters for every work they make, especially if it\'s part of a larger series. If you aren\'t moving to a new system or game engine, sometimes it just makes sense to build the new world as an expansion of the old. Done well, this can help establish continuity between instalments, and allow the developer to provide larger worlds to explore on a smaller budget.

* \'\'VideoGame/TalesOfXillia2\'\' reuses almost the entire map from \'\'VideoGame/TalesOfXillia\'\' as they are set in the same world not long after one another, though the sequel adds in many new areas, mostly in Elympios, the land you only visit briefly at the end of the first game.
* \'\'VideoGame/FinalFantasyX2\'\' takes place about a year after \'\'VideoGame/FinalFantasyX\'\' ended. While the maps are largely the same, the new ability to climb allows access to previously inaccessible areas.
* Creator/SpiderwebSoftware is still recycling old sprites interspersed with new ones in their games that they have used since the 90\'s to create a large number of diverse worlds from the biotech flavour of the \'\'Videogame/{{Geneforge}}\'\' series, to the underground adventures of \'\'Videogame/{{Exile}}\'\' and \'\'VideoGame/{{Avernum}}\'\'. It\'s largely dropped objects like meat and clothing that end up being reused.
* The first three \'\'VideoGame/SpyroTheDragon\'\' are all built on the same engine and with the same general graphics, and thus certain models (notably character models) are recycled between them.
* \'\'VideoGame/{{Gothic}}\'\' series:

* Some \'\'Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda\'\' games do this.
** \'\'VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOracleGames\'\' not only share assets but reuse some from the UpdatedRerelease of \'\'VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening\'\'.
** \'\'VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask\'\' reuses much of the assets from \'\'VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime\'\'.
** \'\'Link\'s Crossbow Training\'\' from \'\'VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess\'\'
* \'\'Franchise/SuperMarioBros\'\':
** \'\'VideoGame/SuperMarioBrosTheLostLevels\'\' used mostly the same assets from \'\'VideoGame/SuperMarioBros1\'\'.
** The first three \'\'VideoGame/MarioParty\'\' games used some assets from \'\'VideoGame/SuperMario64\'\'.
* \'\'VideoGame/{{Fallout}}\'\' series:
** The first two games use the same engine and graphics, with 90% of the sequel\'s content recycling the graphics from the first game.
** \'\'VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas\'\' recycles a lot of props, models and textures from [[Creator/BethesdaSoftworks Bethesda\'s]] \'\'VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}\'\', which in turn recycles a few of its props from \'\'VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion\'\'.
* \'\'VideoGame/FarCry3\'\' and \'\'VideoGame/FarCry3BloodDragon\'\': the latter recycles the graphics engine and many assets of the former, colors them in neon, and then adds a DenserAndWackier plot.
* \'\'VideoGame/{{Kirby}}\'\' games occasionally have this — \'\'VideoGame/KirbySuperStar Ultra\'\' shares lots of graphics with \'\'VideoGame/KirbyAndTheAmazingMirror\'\', for example.
* \'\'VideoGame/{{Condemned}}: Criminal Origins\'\' re-used many assets from \'\'VideoGame/FirstEncounterAssaultRecon\'\', also by Monolith and released the same year.
* DarkStalkers: Morrigan\'s sprite never changes ever since her first appearance while everyone else\'s has. Not only that, her crossover fighting game appearances even has her using the same sprites (with new bits attached depending on the game), which makes her look like a sore thumb compared to the others. This is only averted in her Namco crossovers (NamcoXCapcom, ProjectXZone) and 3D appearances (TatsunokoVsCapcom, MarvelVsCapcom3).
* \'\'Franchise/{{Pokemon}}\'\'
** The Nintendo Gamecube titles \'\'VideoGame/PokemonColosseum\'\' and \'\'VideoGame/PokemonXDGaleOfDarkness\'\' use slightly updated models and animations from the Nintendo 64 \'\'VideoGame/PokemonStadium\'\' games for any Pokémon that wasn\'t introduced in \'\'VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire\'\'.
** \'\'VideoGame/PokemonBlack2AndWhite2\'\' reuses the majority of the overworld, animations, and sprites from \'\'VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite\'\', as they\'re sequels that take place in the same region.
** \'\'Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire\'\' uses the exact same models as \'\'VideoGame/PokemonXAndY\'\' for all of the Pokemon.
* \'\'Videogame/MegaManClassic\'\' uses the same kind of sprites in each of the 8 bit games. The Wily Capsule also sees little to no modification. Some of the Robot Master bosses also have designs based from previous ones, notably the \"Guts Man clones\".
* Averted with \'\'VideoGame/{{Starcraft}}\'\': while in development, the game used [[http://www.codeofhonor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Starcraft-orcs-in-space.png much the same graphics and interface]] as WarcraftII, but the developers started again from scratch when they saw a tech demo of a much higher-quality RTS, leading to Starcraft\'s iconic look. [[MotivationalLie They later learned that the demo wasn\'t a game at all, but a premade video the booth guys were pretending to play.]]
* \'\'VideoGame/RecettearAnItemShopsTale\'\' shares graphics with VideoGame/{{Chantelise}}, from the same developer.

** \'\'VideoGame/SonicAndKnuckles\'\' is a MissionPackSequel to \'\'VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog3\'\', utilising characters and stages that weren\'t programmed in time for the latter\'s release. Their near identical aesthetics and mechanics allows the game\'s cartridge to use a \"lock on feature\" that combines the two games together near seamlessly.
** Much similarly, \'\'VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2\'\' is built off of the first game\'s engine, meaning odd graphics and aesthetics are identical or at least very similar to the latter par the odd tweak. \'\'Sonic 2\'\' is also compatible with \'\'Sonic And Knuckles\'\'\' lock on feature, which allows you to play as Knuckles using his sprite from the latter game.
* \'\'VideoGame/CrashBandicoot3Warped\'\' uses the same engine from \'\'VideoGame/CrashBandicoot2CortexStrikesBack\'\' so a lot of models and sprites are recycled from the latter. According to designers from the series, NaughtyDog also allowed later developers to use assets from their games for authenticity purposes (this is especially noticeable with the Eurocom developed \'\'VideoGame/CrashBash\'\').
* {{Creator/Stern}} made \'\'VideoGame/CliffHanger\'\' (the laserdisk game) by reusing footage from \'\'Anime/TheCastleOfCagliostro\'\' and \'\'Anime/TheMysteryOfMamo\'\'.