Finding fresh bloxels character ideas is often the biggest hurdle when you're itching to build a new level. You've got your board out, your colors are sorted, but staring at that empty 13x13 grid can feel a bit intimidating. Since you're working with such a limited amount of space, every single pixel (or block) counts. You can't really do high-definition realism here, but that's actually the fun part. It forces you to get creative with silhouettes and color palettes.
If you're stuck in a creative rut, don't worry. I've put together a bunch of concepts that work perfectly within the Bloxels constraints, ranging from classic tropes to some weirder, more abstract stuff.
Classic Heroes with a Fun Twist
We've all seen the standard knight or the generic space marine. They're fine, but they can get a little boring. To make your character stand out, try adding one specific "gimmick" to their design.
The Cardboard Knight
Instead of shiny silver armor, use different shades of brown and tan to create a knight wearing cardboard boxes. Give them a wooden sword (light brown) and maybe a "helmet" that's just a box with eye holes cut out. It's a great way to make a hero feel more like a kid playing in their backyard, which fits the whole Bloxels vibe perfectly.
The "Glitch" Protagonist
This is a fun one for people who like bright, neon colors. Instead of a solid body, use a mix of purples, cyans, and bright greens in a scattered pattern. The idea is to make the character look like they don't belong in the game world—like a piece of broken code. When they move, the "glitchy" look makes the animation feel much more dynamic than a standard walking sprite.
Food-Based Characters
For some reason, food characters just work in 2D platformers. They're instantly recognizable, even at a low resolution, because their shapes and colors are so distinct.
Sir Sizzle (The Walking Bacon)
Think about it: a strip of bacon is basically a rectangle, which is the easiest shape to build in Bloxels. Use dark reds and creamy whites for the stripes. Give him tiny black eyes near the top. When he jumps, you can animate him "flopping" or curling up. It's simple, hilarious, and looks great on screen.
The Grumpy Taco
A taco is a perfect shape for the 13x13 grid. Use yellow for the shell, green for lettuce, and red for salsa. If you put the eyes right in the middle of the "filling," you get a character that has a lot of personality without needing a complex body structure. Plus, you can make his "attack" animation involve splashing salsa on enemies.
The Caffeine Wizard
Instead of a robe, this character is a giant coffee mug. Use white for the porcelain and dark brown for the coffee at the top. His "hat" could be the steam rising from the mug. It's a quirky take on the magic-user archetype that's a lot more memorable than a guy in a pointy blue hat.
Animals and Creatures
Animals are a staple for bloxels character ideas, but the trick is to simplify them. You can't get every whisker, so you have to focus on the ears, the tail, or the overall shape.
The Business Cat
Take a standard cat silhouette—pointed ears are the key here—and give it a white "shirt" and a tiny red tie. It's a classic internet-era character that looks great in pixel art. Use high-contrast colors so the tie really pops against the fur.
The Hover-Bot Corgi
Who says dogs have to walk? If you're struggling with making a four-legged walk cycle (which can be tricky on a small grid), give your dog a little jetpack or a hovering platform. It saves you from having to animate complex leg movements while making the character look way cooler.
The Mushroom Spirit
Mushrooms are a gift to pixel artists. The wide cap gives you plenty of room to add spots or patterns, and the "stump" acts as the body. Use a bright red for the cap and white for the spots to make it look like a classic forest sprite. You can even make the cap "squish" down when the character lands a jump.
Object-Head Characters
If you're having trouble designing a face that doesn't look cluttered, just replace the whole head with an object. This is a huge trend in indie games because it's stylish and easy to draw.
TV Head
This is probably the most popular object-head design. Give your character a boxy grey head with a glowing blue or green screen. The best part? You can "animate" the screen to show different icons—a heart for health, an exclamation point when they see an enemy, or just static when they take damage.
Toaster Man
Similar to the TV head, but his "head" is a toaster. When he jumps, maybe a piece of toast pops out of the top. It's a small detail, but those little touches are what make people remember your game. Use metallic greys and maybe some orange for the heating coils inside.
Designing for the 13x13 Grid
When you're coming up with bloxels character ideas, you have to remember the technical limits. A 13x13 grid is tiny. If you try to add too much detail, it just looks like a messy pile of blocks.
Focus on the Silhouette Before you add color, look at the black-and-white shape of your character. Can you tell what it is just by the outline? If the silhouette is clear, the character will be easy to track during fast gameplay.
Use High Contrast Don't use three different shades of dark blue right next to each other. On a phone or tablet screen, they'll just blend together. If you have a dark blue body, use a bright yellow or white for the eyes or accessories. This makes the character "pop" against the background of your levels.
The "Rule of Two" for Animation You don't need a 10-frame animation for a Bloxels character to look good. Often, just two frames for a walk cycle—one with legs together and one with legs apart—is enough to convey motion. Simplicity is your friend here. If you try to do too much, the character might look like they're vibrating rather than walking.
Elements and Abstract Ideas
Sometimes, the best characters aren't "things" at all, but forces of nature or abstract shapes.
The Living Flame
Use a palette of reds, oranges, and yellows. Instead of a solid head, make the top of the character jagged and uneven. When you animate the "idle" stance, just shift the orange and yellow blocks around to make it look like the fire is flickering. It's an easy way to make a character feel "alive" without needing a traditional body.
The Shadow Cube
If you want something mysterious, go with a solid black cube that has two glowing white eyes. It sounds simple—and it is—but it looks incredibly striking against a colorful background. You can add "trail" blocks behind it to make it look like it's moving faster than it actually is.
Putting It All Together
At the end of the day, the best bloxels character ideas come from just messing around with the blocks and seeing what shapes appear. Sometimes you start trying to build a dog and end up with a weird-looking alien that looks way better than the dog ever would have.
Don't be afraid to experiment with "clashing" colors or weird proportions. Since Bloxels is all about the joy of creation, there's no wrong way to design a hero. Whether it's a piece of toast with a sword or a glitchy robot from the future, as long as it's fun to move around the screen, you've nailed it.
The most important thing is to just start placing blocks. You can always hit the undo button, but you can't fix a blank grid. Grab your colors, pick one of these themes, and see where it takes you!