ABCDEFGH
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SPRITECHARACTER NAMEPLAYABLEGAMEFIRST RELEASEDSYSTEM OF ORIGINGENDERNOTES
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A note about intention:

I started this to document the state of race representation in games when pixelart and 2D were the norm in AAA games and conclusions can more or less safely be drawn from this sample. (The conclusions being that not nearly enough brown and Black POC were being represented ). It took a massive amount of research and sprite gathering. Most of these sprites are from The Spriters Resource, a few from http://scrollboss.illmosis.net . About 30% I ripped myself.

I’ll happily accept newer and indie game sprites, but the era I'm interested in recording​ is gone. A few black female queer characters in 2016+ PC or android games aren't representative of the state of race in gaming today, in the way these pixelart sprites were in their time period (plus they're still super rare).
Pixelart was hugely relevant for mobile phone JME games, the lynx, PlayStation 1, Gameboy, the PC Engine, the Sega Genesis, the ZX spectrum, C64, Amiga, Atari,DOS,early PC gaming etc. The sprites are sorted by the release date of the games they appeared in, but you can sort them by any tab by right clicking -> sort

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CONTENT WARNING: a bunch of racist depictions.

Notice how few female characters there are. Notice that out of the very few female characters, most are sexually objectified and/or scantily clad.
Akuma (Gouki) doesn’t make the list because his dark skin is a product of being manly/demon-y, plus he’s sometimes gray. He has no Black self-identity as far as I know.
Black men in this sample seem to have made it into pixelated sprites because of their sports prowess, or as token black characters in team rosters. Note that the black character is usually p2.

Feel free to challenge these claims, and also add more characters. Remember to use a 1:1 resolution so the pixel craft shows.

Maintained by:
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@castpixel
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#REF!Basketball player1Basketball1979Atari 800Mpossibly the first black VG character unless "Heavyweight Champ" (1976) counts. The sprites of Heavyweight Champ aren't very readable so we're unsure.
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#REF!Julius Erving1One on One: Dr. J vs Larry Bird1983Apple I, Amiga, Atari, C64, Dos, etcM
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#REF!Sindbad1Sindbad Mystery1983Arcade/ SaturnMSindBad = Sinbad, therefore an arab. Probably
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#REF!Daley Thompson1Daley Thompson's Decathlon1984C64/ Amstrad CPC/ ZX SpectrumMalso wtf ZX spectrum white sprite
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#REF!Joe1Quartet1986Arcade/ Master SystemM
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#REF!enemiesRenegade1986ArcadeMthe US port of Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun, the precursor to Double Dragon. In the Japanese original none of the enemies were street thugs and none were black, they were high school bullies instead . There was also no damsel in distress, the hero was avenging his bullied male friend.
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#REF!AboboDouble Dragon1987Arcade, Genesis, NESMcaucasian in DD II, also caucasian AND green in DD for the NES
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#REF!Bald BullPunch-out1987ArcadeM
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#REF!Cyborg1Cyborg 1987C64M
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#REF!Great tigerMike Tyson's Punch-out1987NESM
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#REF!Michael F. Stoppe1Maniac Mansion1987Dos, Amiga, NES, C64, Atari ST, Apple IIMone of 7 playable characters
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#REF!Gal1Hissatsu Buraiken "Avenger"1987ArcadeFcapcom's "Avengers" (not Marvel). one of 6 sexualized and kidnapped damsels in distress that need to be saved by the manly heroes
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#REF!Mike TysonMike Tyson's Punch-out1987NESM
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#REF!Mr SandmanPunch-out1987ArcadeM
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#REF!Piston HurricanePunch-out1987ArcadeM
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#REF!BurnovDouble Dragon II1988ArcadeM
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#REF!EnemiesOperation Thunderbolt1988ArcadeMislamophobic "terrorist" stereotypes
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#REF!P2: Hardy Jones1Operation Thunderbolt1988ArcadeMplayable black man. The game is first-person, but he can be seen in the title
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#REF!Erica, Kinte, Chamkaur11989SNESM & FThe SNES version has a completely different roster of 6, only 2 of which are white
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#REF!Big Mamma, Karate Mamma1DJ Boy1989ArcadeFIn the Japanese version there's two fat black women stage bosses that exemplify both the Mammy and Blackface racist tropes (and therefore were recolored pink in the international version). Oh yeah and her fart attack was removed, I wonder why. The game has a few more black enemies that aren't as objectionable, including a female skater.
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#REF!P2: Jet1Toobin1988ArcadeM
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#REF!Michael Jordan1Jordan vs Bird1988Dos, Sega Genesis, C64 NESM
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#REF!P21Forgotten Worlds1988ArcadeMnameless but playable black super soldier. the white character is also nameless. Also playable in namco x capcom for the PS2
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#REF!Raymond BroadyChase H.Q.1988ArcadeMnot technically a sprite, he only appears in the intro and outro. he also appears in Crime City
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??1Tecmo World Wrestling1989NESM
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#REF!Bo Jackson1Tecmo Bowl1989NESM
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#REF!Jim1Square's Tom Sawyer1989NESMplayable and also infamous blackface hatecrime
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#REF!Michael Jackson1MJ's Moonwalker1989Arcade / GenesisMdifferent gameplay on the Genesis
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#REF!Raymond BroadyCrime City1989ArcadeM
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#REF!SlashFinal Fight1989ArcadeMbased on Slash from Guns N' Roses
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#REF!Axel Foley1Beverly Hills Cop1990MultipleMsuch a crap game.
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#REF!Bo Jackson1Bo Jackson's Hit and Run1990Game BoyM
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#REF!EnemiesGrowl (Runark)1990ArcadeM & Fthe female sprite has two palettes, one is blond and white, the other is this.
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#REF!Carla the Sword MasterMonkey Island1990Dos, Amiga, Sega CD, Mac OSF
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#REF!Voodoo LadyMonkey Island1990Dos, Amiga, Sega CD, Mac OSFbadass. regrettably falls squarely in the magical negro trope.
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#REF!Chief BellcolaStartopics1990NESM
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#REF!Maria, Jethro, Delora1Micro Machines Series1990NES, Gameboy, Dos, AmigaFstereotyped. As an aside, the asian characters are simpson-yellow...
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#REF!The Prince, Princess, Jafar and all human guards1Prince of Persia1990Apple II, Dos, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari STM
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#REF!Bullova1Combatribes1990ArcadeMthe sprites are from the SNES home conversion. still racially insensitive at best
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#REF!Salamander, WindwalkerM
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#REF!Winston Zeddemore1Ghostbusters II1990Game BoyM
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#REF!Adam Hunter1Streets of Rage 11991MultipleMkidnapped in SoR2
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#REF!P1: Blood1Vendetta (Crime Fighters 2)1991ArcadeM
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#REF!P4: Sledge1M
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#REF!Bo Jackson1Bo Jackson Baseball1991NES, PCM
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#REF!Dee Jay1SF II1991ArcadeM
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#REF!Dhalsim1Mstereotyped indian yogi
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#REF!Sagat1Mevil Thai guy. unplayable in SF 1
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#REF!Balrog (M.Bison)1Mfirst playable in SF II: Champion edition
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#REF!P4: Cormano Wild1Sunset Riders1991ArcadeMmexican, player 4 out of 4
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#REF!Chief Scalpem, "Indian" grunt, Paco LocoMextraordinarily racist
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#REF!Glen1Karate Blazers1991ArcadeM
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#REF!Kiçàh (Watziznehm) ,Kiwoàlàh (Hoodunnit), Mercikhi (Owzat), Iris, Baba O'RumAsterix1992ArcadeMAsterix is a famous (and gorgeously drawn) bande dessinée (french comic book) with lots of nationalism and racist depictions, even at its most benevolent. Kiçàh, Kiwoàlàh and Mercikhi are indian fakirs. Baba O'Rum is the infamously blackface pirate lookout on the pirate ship.Iris is an evil egyptian wizard.
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#REF!Ms Megawatt1Defenders of Dynatron City1992NESFThis is not an obvious one. She's voiced by Whoopi Goldberg in the animated TV pilot. She was an african american woman working for the Electric Company before she mutated into a superheroine with electric powers. Unfortunately the game isn't very good.
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#REF!P3B.Rap Boys1992ArcadeMthe sequel to 1989 DJ Boy. May be the first game to have a multi-track licensed rap soundtrack. Xenon 2 Megablast from 1989 had one song.
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#REF!EnemiesM
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#REF!Cull Horn1Fixeight1992ArcadeMWest African. 1 out of 8 playable characters
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#REF!Goldor1Arabian Fight1992ArcadeM
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#REF!P2: Major Mayhem1Total Carnage/ Smash TV1992ArcadeM
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P2: Mack1M.C. Kids1992NESMGame commissioned by McDonalds. would go on to star in Global Gladiators.
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#REF!P1: Mack1Global Gladiators1992GenesisMP1 of two! Sequel of M.C. Kids, another McDonald's commissioned game
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#REF!Roadblock1GI Joe1992ArcadeM
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#REF!Thudbutt, Pockets, Rufi-o1Hook1992ArcadeM3 out of the 4 playable characters! there's also a black "fat pirate" enemy. There's also a point and click adventure game of Hook
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#REF!Blake Stone1Solar Winds1992PCM
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#REF!Storm1X-Men1992ArcadeF
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#REF!Aladdin1Aladdin1993DOS, Genesis, Amiga, Game Boy, GBC, NESM
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#REF!Aladdin's human castAladdin1993DOS, Genesis, Amiga, Game Boy, GBC, NESMalso more camels and snakes than women in this game
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#REF!Jonathan Blade1Eternal Champions1993GenesisMnot Marvel's Blade. 1 out of 10 playable characters. Born in Syria, raised in Africa.
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#REF!Every NBA team1NBA showdown1993SNES/ GenesisM
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#REF!P3: Mustapha1Cadillacs & Dinosaurs1993ArcadeMone of 4 playable characters
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RazorCadillacs & Dinosaurs1993ArcadeM
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#REF!P5: Brad1Mystic Warriors1993ArcadeMone of 5 playable characters
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#REF!Soldiers1Cannon Fodder1993Amiga, DosM
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#REF!Abadede, RavenStreets of Rage 2 & 31994MultipleMpossibly Jack?
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#REF!Anakaris1Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors1994ArcadeMhe's an egyptian pharaoh underneath all the gauze
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#REF!Asha1Monster World IV1994GenesisFfemale dark skinned protagonist!
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#REF!NPCsMonster World IV1994GenesisM & Fthe genie is decidedly on the middle-eastern caricature side. As far as I can tell, everyone is supposed to be Arab, and they are consistently dark-skinned
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#REF!Bernard White1Outfoxies1994ArcadeM
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#REF!P4: Eddie "Skate" Hunters1Streets of Rage 2 & 31994MultipleMP4 out of 4
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#REF!Heavy D1King of Fighters Series / Metal Slug 41994Arcade/ Neo GeoMfirst appearance: KOF 94
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#REF!Lucky Glauber1King of Fighters Series1994Arcade/ Neo GeoMfirst appearance: KOF 94. Cameo on Metal Slug Defense for mobile
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#REF!Panther, Silverman, Phobos & Deimos, Knife Army (alt palette)The Ninja Warriors1994SNESM
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#REF!Storm1X-Men Children of the Atom1994ArcadeFAlso in all Marvel vs Capcom games. Her ending in Marvel vs Street Fighter also features Black Panther as an NPC
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#REF!Tula1Pirates of Dark Water1994Snes/ GenesisFsexualized female character (in the show as well). voiced by Jodi Benson aka Barbie aka The Little Mermaid. um..
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#REF!enemiesPirates of Dark Water1995Snes/ GenesisMum..
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#REF!Zack1Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers1994SNESMcomplete blackface
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#REF!Shaq, Voodoo, Rajah, Colonel, Kaori1Shaq-Fu1994SNES/ GenesisM & Fsprites from the GB, SNES and Genesis versions. Look at Voodoo ready to pierce Shaq's doll likeness <3
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#REF!Aisha1MM Power Rangers The Movie1995SNESF
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#REF!Birdie1SF Alpha1995ArcadeMwhite in Street Fighter 1. Also non-playable cameo in SF super Gem fighter. British punk rocker in all his incarnations.
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#REF!G. Done1Universal Warriors1995Arcade/ Neo GeoMone of 8 fighters
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#REF!Jimmy1Fantastic Journey1995AmigaMblack protagonist
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#REF!Joe BernardAlbion1996DosMdoesn't have a big part to play, he's an NPC. He is instrumental in getting the protagonist a very useful weapon early on in the game.
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#REF!Jynx1Pokemon Series1996GameboyM & Fnot a black character, not even human, but I include it as an example of blatant blackface. They changed its color from black to purple after Carole Boston Weatherford's criticism.
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#REF!Pocahontas1Pocahontas1996Sega Genesis/ Game BoyFcrap race politics in the story, but native american female lead in a game
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#REF!Big Mama1Shock Troopers1997ArcadeF1 out of 8 playable characters
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#REF!Southern Cross1M1 out of 8 playable characters
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#REF!Dudley1SF III: New Generation1997ArcadeMBritish