History Main / PaletteSwap

* The ''VideoGame/{{Bomberman}}'' series generally gives the combatants their color based on their player slot (Player 1 is white, Player 2 is black, Player 3 is red, etc.) A notable variation of this is the FanGame ''VideoGame/PowerBomberman'', where the pallette swaps give a few characters such as [[Anime/BombermanJetters Hige Hige Combatant]] new outfits, and others like [[VideoGame/BombermanLand Land Bomberman]] change their design entirely.

** Both genders of [[Franchise/{{Splatoon}} Inkling]] each have three pallette swaps. The color chosen also affects the color of the ink that is shot out from the ''Splatoon'' themed [=ATVs=] when getting a boost.

** "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E1 The Return of Harmony, Part 1]]": The Keepers of the Grove of Truth are physically perfect copies of each other, their only differences being that one is dark red, one is orange-red, and one is green.

** While most of the WoodlandCritters associated with Fluttershy only appear in one palette and the songbirds have different models for each color scheme, some are given extra variety by means of recolors of the same base model. The most extreme case are the rabbits, which have white, light or dark gray, tan, brown, and black recolors, with the addition of a pair of antlers making jackalopes.

** The green dragon that appeared in the episode "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E24OwlsWellThatEndsWell Owl's Well That Ends Well]]" is a palette swap of the red dragon in "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E7Dragonshy Dragonshy]]". This dragon's character design was used once again multiple times in the episode "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E21DragonQuest Dragon Quest]]", colored green, white or black. In addition, the dragons flying in the actual migration all use one of to character models, identical save that one has a slender snout and a long spike on its head and the other has a heavy jaw, an underbite and two short horns, both recolored in a rainbow of hues.
** The buffalo (besides Chief Thunderhooves and Little Strongheart, who have important enough roles to get their own models) all use the same Flash model as each other, recolored to have either brown, russet or tan fur to make scenes with their tribe less visually monotonous.
** The band that performed on stage in the episode "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E4LunaEclipsed Luna Eclipsed]]" are actually palette swaps of the band from "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E26TheBestNightEver The Best Night Ever]]" but are wearing scarecrow costumes. Fiddly Faddle, the Octavia palette swap, also appears in "Apple Family Reunion".
** The individual bugs in the multicolored parasprite swarm all share the same character design.
** The various versions of Applejack and Rarity that Twilight makes during the titular "Magic Duel" look like pallete swaps of fillies and various other members of the apple family. This is because [[spoiler:they really are pallete swaps, as Twilight is not strong enough to actually cast those spells, so the Apple Family and Sweetie Belle disguised themselves with paint and hair dyes instead]]. Likewise, Fluttershy is painted in Rainbow Dash's colors for the duplication illusion.
** Moondancer, a friend first mentioned in the first episode of the series but who did not appear properly until the season 5 episode "Amending Fences", is partly a recolor of Twilight, emphasizing her role as a {{foil}}. When they're young, they're complete palette swaps aside from their Cutie Marks (and both are antisocial bookworms). At the time of the episode, Moondancer has acquired BigOlEyebrows, NerdGlasses, a sweater and a messier "I don't care what I look like" version of the hairstyle, though it's still a modification of the same one with a hair bobble. (And she's become even more antisocial whereas Twilight has learnt to appreciate friendship.) We also see that before Twilight's rejection traumatised her and she decided to isolate herself, she had the eyebrows and glasses but was still otherwise a palette swap. (This doesn't so much seem to have symbolic significance as to be a needed halfway point between the two other looks.)
* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheNewScoobyDooMovies'' reuses a character model of a villain from [[WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooWhereAreYou the original series]], and just recolors him white to make a 'new' villain.
* One episode of ''WesternAnimation/PAWPatrol'' features a one-off pup named Sylvia, who is a palette swap of Chase with blue fur and purple eyes rather than brown fur and orange eyes.

* ''VideoGame/ForzaMotorsport'' uses a bit of this with its cars; some manufacturers have what is essentially two cars that are exactly the same sold under different brands. The standard Acura NSX and Honda NSX are prime examples, being identical except for the badges, default colors, and which side the steering wheel is mounted on. Purpose built racing cars by the same manufacturer hit this as well, as many of them are based on the same car, with the same internals, but with the livery and maybe the default tuning setup (such as suspension height) changed; once the player adds his own livery, the difference between them is almost nonexistent. Some cars also have performance versions, which are generally the same thing but with slightly different bodywork and some more power (such as the standard Lamborghini Murciélago and the Murciélago LP640).

* If the player preorders the Zelda/Animal Crossing DLC for ''VideoGame/MarioKart8'' they get access to all the Yoshi ''and'' Shy Guy color variations.

** In the SNES version of ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry3DixieKongsDoubleTrouble'', there was a hidden code to give Kiddy and Dixie Kong different colored clothing. It didn't affect the game, but the alternate colors looked cooler than the regular colors.
** ''Donkey Kong Country 3'' also had Koindozers, which were similar to Klobbers from the second game, but were a palette swap of Koin (a Kremling that used a DK Coin as a shield). The rest of ''Donkey Kong Country'' follows suit with different coloured Kremlings and [[EverythingTryingToKillYou other mooks]], this gives away whether or not some are DemonicSpiders (the grey Klobbers that rob you of lives) or InvincibleMinorMinion[=s=] (Red Zingers and {{Nigh Invulnerab|ility}}le Green Zingers). Red Zingers could only be killed with [[GameBreaker Squitter]]'s webs (unreliable because Squitter is only in a few levels), while Green Zingers could be killed with barrels as well.

For a similar time-saving technique, see AmbidextrousSprite. See also ColourCodedForYourConvenience. Often associated with MovesetClone in fighting games. SeperateButIdentical is this trope for strategy games, which can also be Palette Swaps. For the level/world equivalent, see RemixedLevel and HardModeFiller.

For a similar time-saving technique, see AmbidextrousSprite. See also ColourCodedForYourConvenience. Often associated with MovesetClone in fighting games. For the level/world equivalent, see RemixedLevel and HardModeFiller.

* Andy's birthday guests in ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory'' are recolors of his model with the occasional baseball cap. Given how Pixar was struggling with humanoid models at the time, this was to be expected.

* In ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', when Elliot needs to become female ([[ItMakesSenseInContext to burn off magic energy]]), the easiest way not to look just like his OppositeSexClone Ellen is to change hair and eye color.
* The Underlings of Sburb in ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'' are all the same basic few monster species given countless different colours themed after grist types, and all bearing [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot some combination of the attributes of the players' prototypings]]. Given that it's an ersatz RPG in webcomic form, it's probably a homage to the palette-swapping practice in general.
** Also happens when you make SBURB {{Unwinnable}} by trying to play it with only one person. The [[LightIsGood Prospit]] carapaces will wear [[DarkIsNotEvil black]] and the [[DarkIsEvil Derse]] carapaces will wear [[LightIsNotGood white]]. But if that happens, [[NintendoHard you've got bigger problems]].
* As noted early on in ''Webcomic/ManlyGuysDoingManlyThings'', pallet swapping CommanderBadass ends up making him resemble the artist's father. She promptly [[http://thepunchlineismachismo.com/archives/comic/06282010 turned him into recurring character]] [[CanadaEh Canadian Guy]]. [[spoiler:The in-universe explanation is that Canadian Guy is an [[ArtificialHuman unsanctioned regional bootleg]] of the Commander.]]
* In ''WebComic/TheNonAdventuresOfWonderella'' the mirror-universe versions of Wonderella and Wonderita wear costumes with the colors reversed.

* The titular character of ''Webcomic/SheldonTheTinyDinosaur'' is a green dino. A [[https://sheldonthetinydinosaur.com/post/173274030237/theres-always-a-bootleg-storenvy-redbubble "bootleg"]] version of him exists, but it's coloured blue, and wears a peanut shell instead of an acorn cap.

* The first ''VideoGame/ClayFighter'' game handled this very oddly, with the color your character was being tied to what controller port you used to play the game (as Player 1, you would never face computers using their "default" palette; this was reversed if you were Player 2). Starting with the ''Tournament Edition'' update palette swap selection was handled more like it is in ''Street Fighter'', where you pick a color based on the button used to choose a character. There are also palette swap stages, where the second fights against Taffy, Tiny and Bonker as well as the N. Boss fight (who shares his stage with The Blob) having different palettes on their stages.

* ''VideoGame/{{Clayfighter}}'' also did this for the 'fight the character you're playing as' scenes.

*** [[VideoGame/{{Splatoon}} Inkling]] and [[VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses Byleth]] have palette swaps for the male and female avatars. The [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Pokémon Trainer]] got the same treatment when returning in this game. The Inklings are such {{Action Fashionista}}s that they aren't content with a mere Palette Swap, instead each variant color comes with its own outfit. It's also notable that Pikachu and Jigglypuff use different headgear for their Palette Swaps in all of the series. Same is applied to Pichu.

* Toy Biz did the same thing with their ''ComicBook/XMen: [[https://www.figurerealm.com/actionfigure?action=seriesitemlist&id=278&ssid=20 Mutant Armor]]'' and ''Franchise/SpiderMan: [[https://www.figurerealm.com/actionfigure?action=seriesitemlist&id=214&ssid=39 Techno Wars]]'' lines. If you're wondering why Spider-Man and the X-Men would need to wear suits of PoweredArmor despite already having superpowers, it's because the toys were actually unreleased ComicBook/IronMan figures from his [[WesternAnimation/IronMan cancelled TV show]]. So for instance, with only a new head sculpt and paint job, the Magnetic Iron Man figure became a "Battle Armor ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}" figure, Radiation Iron Man became "Radioactive Spider Armor Spider-Man," Living Laser (who was itself a retooled version of an unreleased U.S. Agent figure) became "Astral Plane ComicBook/ProfessorX," and so on.

*** If they're bad, [[http://wikimon.net/Soulmon Soulmon]] is worse. The only difference between him and [[http://wikimon.net/Bakemon Bakemon]] would be a [[NiceHat pointy sorcerer's hat.]]

* ''VideoGame/ThisStarryMidnightWeMake'': Some of the stars, since their names are just color swapped, for example, the Contrary Stars, which come in Blue, Red, Yellow, White and Black.

** However, the most popular examples of palette swaps in the series are Shiny Pokémon, an extremely rare variant from the Pokémon's normal colors. The colors themselves range from being only slightly lighter or slightly darker than the original, such as normal Gengar's purple to shiny Gengar's dark indigo, to very dramatic examples such as regular Eevee's brown to shiny Eevee's stark white, but due to the fact that they're incredibly rare (roughly a 1 in 8192 chance without modifications, 1 in 4096 from the sixth generation and onwards, and increased by repeating certain tasks enough,) they're highly prized by collectors. Even so, they're functionally no different then regularly colored Pokemon. Can also function as a MetalSlime if the shiny is one that gives tons of EXP when caught or killed, such as Audino or Chansey. As of the eighth generation, there are [[UpToEleven palette swaps OF the palette swaps]] in the form of Diamond Shinies, which emit square sparkles as opposed to the standard stars. Set overworld encounters, Max Raid Bosses, and Eggs have a 15/16 chance of being standard and 1/16 chance of being Diamond, while grass and spawned encounters are the inverse.

* ''Toys/GoGosCrazyBones'' figures came in different colors, usually about two to five in the reboot series depending on the set. The sets in the classic series, however, did not have any restrictions on what colors characters could come in, allowing them to be available in literally any color. In addition to all this, certain characters from the reboot series use the same mold as another character, for example Miro-K uses the same mold as Ayu from the Megatrip set, but the use of recycled molds is taken UpToEleven in the Evolution set, which consists of Gogos that use all of the molds from the previous set, Series 1.

* In ''VideoGame/PunchOut'', each of the boxers (except King Hippo) has a swapped counterpart with a different face:
** The arcade version has Glass Joe and Kid Quick, Piston Hurricane and Pizza Pasta, and Bald Bull and Mr. Sandman.
** The Arcade Super Punch Out actually had the first two of five fighters, Bear Hugger and Dragon Chan, have their own distinct palettes. Vodka Drunkenski and Super Macho Man share similar bodies. Great Tiger is Piston Hurricane with a turban and slightly longer mustache.
** The NES version has Glass Joe and Don Flamenco, Von Kaiser and Great Tiger, Bald Bull and Mr. Sandman (returning from the arcade game), VodkaDrunkenski / [[FrothyMugsOfWater Soda Popinski]] and Super Macho Man (returning from the arcade sequel ''Super Punch-Out''), and Piston Honda and Mike Tyson / [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute Mr. Dream]].

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'' is just about the only game that does not use palette swaps in copious quantities, and even that game has Ultima/Omega Weapon and Elnoyle/Elvoret as swaps. This was because the monsters leveled up with you. The other games had to make palette swaps from necessity.

** There's also Mu-12, who shares a similar sprite with Nu and Lambda, though she has a more different moveset utilizing {{Attack Drone}}s as opposed to sword-spamming the opponent.