This pixel artist is imagining Studio Ghibli films as cozy GBA games

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Kiki's Delivery Service game, when??

Kiki's Delivery Service
(Image credit: Studio Ghibli)

An artist is creating a series of illustrations that imagine what some of Studio Ghibli's films would look like as adorable pixel games. 

Pixel artist and Twitter user Cloud Trumpets recently shared their latest creation, which sees the Ghibli film Kiki's Delivery Service turn into a charming GBA-like game. Although just illustrations right now, and sadly not a fully-fledged game, it's heartwarming to see what could be if Ghibli ever did decide to branch out into games based on its already established IP - Ni No Kuni doesn't count.

The artwork features a start menu for the hypothetical game, alongside what looks like a baking mini-game, and a dialogue option exchange between trainee witch Kiki and aviation enthusiast friend Tombo. The illustrations are also filled with tiny references to the 1989 animated flick, including Kiki's radio, her feline best friend Jiji, and Osono's bakery from the film. 

Kiki's Delivery Service isn't the only film to receive this treatment from the pixel artist. Earlier this year, similar concepts were also designed for fellow Ghibli film Arrietty (aka 'The Secret World of Arrietty'). Like the Kiki's Delivery Service artwork, this set of illustrations features a game menu, a dialogue exchange with Arrietty, an original character designed by the artist, and a boss fight that sees the little Borrower going up against a cat. 

We can't get enough of these endearing creations and desperately wish they were real. Theoretical games aside though, Cloud Trumpets has also made a short pixel animation based on the Ghibli film Howl's Moving Castle, which is just as magical as the other illustrations in this story. 

Although these Ghibli games aren't real, there's still a tonne of adorable titles just like this - take a look at our new indie games list to find out what they are.  

Hope Bellingham
Hope Bellingham
News Writer

After studying Film Studies and Creative Writing at university, I was lucky enough to land a job as an intern at Player Two PR where I helped to release a number of indie titles. I then got even luckier when I became a Trainee News Writer at GamesRadar+ before being promoted to a fully-fledged News Writer after a year and a half of training.  My expertise lies in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, cozy indies, and The Last of Us, but especially in the Kingdom Hearts series. I'm also known to write about the odd Korean drama for the Entertainment team every now and then.