View source for Sprite (computer graphics)

{{Short description|2D bitmap displayed on top of a larger scene}}
{{Short description|2D bitmap displayed on top of a larger scene}}
{{for|the technique of combining images into a single bitmap|Texture atlas}}
{{for|the process of drawing sprites|Pixel art}}
{{other uses|Sprite (disambiguation)}}[[File:Broforce boss sprites 2 (cropped).jpg|thumb|Tank and rocket sprites from ''[[Broforce]]'']]
{{VG Graphics}}

In [[computer graphics]], a '''sprite''' is a [[Plane (mathematics)|two-dimensional]] [[bitmap]] that is integrated into a larger scene, most often in a 2D [[video game]]. Originally, the term ''sprite'' referred to fixed-sized objects composited together, by hardware, with a background.<ref name=dadgum/> Use of the term has since become more general.

Systems with hardware sprites include [[arcade video game]]s of the 1970s and 1980s; [[game consoles]] including as the [[Atari VCS]] (1977), [[ColecoVision]] (1982), [[Nintendo Entertainment System|Famicom]] (1983), [[Sega Genesis|Genesis/Mega Drive]] (1988); and [[home computers]] such as the [[TI-99/4]] (1979), [[Atari 8-bit computers]] (1979), [[Commodore 64]] (1982), [[MSX]] (1983), [[Amiga]] (1985), and [[X68000]] (1987). Hardware varies in the number of sprites supported, the size and colors of each sprite, and special effects such as scaling or reporting pixel-precise overlap.

Hardware composition of sprites occurs as each [[scan line]] is prepared for the video output device, such as a [[cathode-ray tube]], without involvement of the main [[Central processing unit|CPU]] and without the need for a full-screen [[frame buffer]].<ref name="dadgum"/> Sprites can be positioned or altered by setting attributes used during the hardware composition process. The number of sprites which can be displayed per scan line is often lower than the total number of sprites a system supports. For example, the Texas Instruments [[TMS9918]] chip supports 32 sprites, but only four can appear on the same scan line.

The CPUs in modern computers, video game consoles, and mobile devices are fast enough that bitmaps can be drawn into a frame buffer without special hardware assistance. Beyond that, [[GPU]]s can render vast numbers of scaled, rotated, [[anti-aliased]], partially translucent, very high resolution images in parallel with the CPU.

== Etymology ==
According to Karl Guttag, one of two engineers for the 1979 [[TMS9918|Texas Instruments TMS9918]] video display processor, this use of the word ''sprite'' came from David Ackley, a manager at TI.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Guttag |first1=KArl |title=First, Be Useful (Home computers and Pico Projectors) |url=https://kguttag.com/2011/12/06/first-be-useful-home-computers-and-pico-projectors/ |website=KGOnTech |date=December 6, 2011}}</ref> It was also used by [[Danny Hillis]] at Texas Instruments in the late 1970s.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Johnstone |first1=Bob |title=Never Mind the Laptops: Kids, Computers, and the Transformation of Learning |date=2003 |isbn=978-0595288427 |page=108 |publisher=iUniverse |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UsWRDjcuao8C&q=daniel+hillis+sprites&pg=PA108}}</ref> The term was derived from the fact that sprites "float" on top of the background image without overwriting it, much like a ghost or [[Sprite (folklore)|mythological sprite]].

Some hardware manufacturers used different terms, especially before ''sprite'' became common:

'''Player/Missile Graphics''' was a term used by [[Atari, Inc.]] for hardware sprites in the [[Atari 8-bit computers]] (1979) and [[Atari 5200]] console (1982).<ref name=dere>{{cite web|title=De Re Atari|url=http://www.atariarchives.org/dere/chapt04.php|date=1981|access-date=2017-08-10|archive-date=2017-07-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731041803/http://www.atariarchives.org/dere/chapt04.php|url-status=live}}</ref> The term reflects the use for both characters ("players") and smaller associated objects ("missiles") that share the same color. The earlier [[Atari 2600|Atari Video Computer System]] and some Atari arcade games used ''player'', ''missile'', and ''ball''.

'''Stamp''' was used in some arcade hardware in the early 1980s, including ''[[Ms. Pac-Man]]''.<ref name=golson/>

<span id="MOB">'''Movable Object Block''', or '''MOB'''</span>, was used in [[MOS Technology]]'s graphics chip literature. [[Commodore International|Commodore]], the main user of MOS chips and the owner of MOS for most of the chip maker's lifetime, instead used the term ''sprite'' for the Commodore 64.

'''OBJ'''s (short for ''objects'') is used in the developer manuals for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]], [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super NES]], and [[Game Boy]]. The region of [[Video random-access memory|video RAM]] used to store sprite attributes and coordinates is called '''OAM''' (Object Attribute Memory). This also applies to the [[Game Boy Advance]] and [[Nintendo DS]].

==History==
===Arcade video games===
The use of sprites originated with [[arcade video game]]s. [[Nolan Bushnell]] came up with the original concept when he developed the first arcade video game, ''[[Computer Space]]'' (1971). Technical limitations made it difficult to adapt the [[early mainframe game]] ''[[Spacewar!]]'' (1962), which performed an entire [[Refresh rate|screen refresh]] for every little movement, so he came up with a solution to the problem: controlling each individual game element with a dedicated [[transistor]]. The [[rockets]] were essentially hardwired [[bitmaps]] that moved around the screen independently of the background, an important innovation for producing screen images more efficiently and providing the basis for sprite graphics.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Swalwell |first1=Melanie |last2=Wilson |first2=Jason |title=The Pleasures of Computer Gaming: Essays on Cultural History, Theory and Aesthetics |date=12 May 2015 |publisher=[[McFarland & Company]] |isbn=978-0-7864-5120-3 |pages=109–10 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BbW_DUV-pP4C&pg=PA110 |access-date=16 May 2021 |archive-date=16 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516025657/https://books.google.com/books?id=BbW_DUV-pP4C&pg=PA110 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The earliest video games to represent [[player characters]] as human player sprites were arcade [[sports video games]], beginning with [[Taito]]'s ''[[TV Basketball]]'',<ref>{{cite book |last1=Colby |first1=Richard |last2=Johnson |first2=Matthew S. S. |last3=Colby |first3=Rebekah Shultz |title=The Ethics of Playing, Researching, and Teaching Games in the Writing Classroom |date=27 January 2021 |publisher=[[Springer Nature]] |isbn=978-3-030-63311-0 |page=130 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vZoXEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA130 |access-date=3 May 2021 |archive-date=3 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503195104/https://books.google.com/books?id=vZoXEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA130 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>[http://allincolorforaquarter.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/video-game-firsts.html Video Game Firsts] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171105041440/http://allincolorforaquarter.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/video-game-firsts.html |date=2017-11-05 }}, The Golden Age Arcade Historian (November 22, 2013)</ref><ref>[http://flyers.arcade-museum.com/?page=wide-flyer&db=videodb&id=4036&image=2 ''Basketball'' Flyer] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140708201534/http://flyers.arcade-museum.com/?page=wide-flyer&db=videodb&id=4036&image=2 |date=2014-07-08 }} (1974), Arcade Flyer Museum</ref> released in April 1974 and licensed to [[Midway Manufacturing]] for release in North America.<ref name="Akagi">{{cite book |last1=Akagi |first1=Masumi |title=アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971-2005) |trans-title=Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition (1971-2005) |date=13 October 2006 |publisher=Amusement News Agency |lang=ja |location=Japan |isbn=978-4990251215 |pages=40-1, 51, 129 |url=https://archive.org/details/ArcadeGameList1971-2005/page/n41/mode/2up}}</ref> Designed by [[Tomohiro Nishikado]], he wanted to move beyond simple ''[[Pong]]''-style rectangles to character graphics, by rearranging the rectangle shapes into objects that look like [[basketball]] players and [[basketball hoop]]s.<ref name="Smith">{{cite book |last1=Smith |first1=Alexander |title=They Create Worlds: The Story of the People and Companies That Shaped the Video Game Industry, Vol. I: 1971-1982 |date=19 November 2019 |publisher=[[CRC Press]] |isbn=978-0-429-75261-2 |pages=191–95 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Cxy_DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT191 |access-date=16 May 2021 |archive-date=2 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502064515/https://books.google.com/books?id=Cxy_DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT191 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Nikkei">{{cite news |title=スペースインベーダー・今明かす開発秘話――開発者・西角友宏氏、タイトー・和田洋一社長対談 |trans-title=Space Invader, Development Secret Story Revealed Now―Interview With Developer Tomohiro Nishikado, Taito President Yoichi Wada |url=http://trendy.nikkeibp.co.jp/article/special/20080318/1008218/ |access-date=3 May 2021 |work=[[The Nikkei]] |date=March 21, 2008 |lang=ja |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080323064622/http://trendy.nikkeibp.co.jp/article/special/20080318/1008218/ |archive-date=March 23, 2008}}
*{{cite web |title=Space Invaders – 30th Anniversary Developer Interview |url=http://shmuplations.com/spaceinvaders/ |website=Shmuplations}}</ref> [[Ramtek (company)|Ramtek]] released another sports video game in October 1974, ''Baseball'',<ref name="Akagi"/> which similarly displayed human-like characters.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Thorpe |first1=Nick |title=The 70s: The Genesis of an Industry |magazine=[[Retro Gamer]] |date=March 2014 |issue=127 |pages=24–7 |url=https://archive.org/details/retro_gamer/RetroGamer_127/page/26/mode/2up}}</ref>

The [[Namco Galaxian]] [[arcade system board]], for the 1979 arcade game ''[[Galaxian]]'', displays animated, multi-colored sprites over a scrolling background.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YVTNBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA59|title=The Golden Age of Video Games: The Birth of a Multibillion Dollar Industry|first=Roberto|last=Dillon|date=19 April 2016|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=9781439873243|via=Google Books}}</ref> It became the basis for [[Nintendo]]'s ''[[Radar Scope]]'' and ''[[Donkey Kong (arcade game)|Donkey Kong]]'' arcade hardware and [[home console]]s such as the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120505103737/http://www.glitterberri.com/developer-interviews/how-the-famicom-was-born/making-the-famicom-a-reality/ Making the Famicom a Reality], ''Nikkei Electronics'' (September 12, 1994)</ref> According to Steve Golson from [[General Computer Corporation]], the term "stamp" was used instead of "sprite" at the time.<ref name=golson>{{cite AV media |people=Steve Golson |year=2016 |title=Classic Game Postmortem: 'Ms. Pac-Man' |medium=Conference |language=en |url=http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1023366/Classic-Game-Postmortem-Ms-Pac |access-date=2017-01-26 |time=20:30 |publisher=[[Game Developers Conference]] |quote=[…] 6 moving characters, what you would call today "sprites" we called them "stamps" back then, […].}}</ref>

===Home systems===
[[Signetics]] devised the first chips capable of generating sprite graphics (referred to as ''objects'' by Signetics) for home systems. The Signetics 2636 video processors were first used in the 1978 [[1292 Advanced Programmable Video System]] and later in the 1979 [[Elektor TV Games Computer]].

The [[Atari VCS]], released in 1977, has a hardware sprite implementation where five graphical objects can be moved independently of the game playfield.  The term ''sprite'' was not in use at the time. The VCS's sprites are called ''movable objects'' in the programming manual, further identified as two ''players'', two ''missiles'', and one ''ball''.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Wright|first1=Steve|title=Stella Programmer's Guide|url=http://atarihq.com/danb/files/stella.pdf|date=December 3, 1979|access-date=April 14, 2016|archive-date=March 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160327103553/http://atarihq.com/danb/files/stella.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> These each consist of a single row of pixels that are displayed on a [[scan line]].  To produce a two-dimensional shape, the sprite's single-row bitmap is altered by software from one scan line to the next.

The 1979 [[Atari 8-bit computers|Atari 400 and 800]] home computers have similar, but more elaborate, circuitry capable of moving eight single-color objects per scan line: four 8-bit wide ''players'' and four 2-bit wide ''missiles''. Each is the full height of the display&mdash;a long, thin strip. [[Direct memory access|DMA]] from a table in memory automatically sets the graphics pattern registers for each scan line. Hardware registers control the horizontal position of each player and missile. Vertical motion is achieved by moving the bitmap data within a player or missile's strip. The feature was called ''player/missile graphics'' by Atari.

[[Texas Instruments]] developed the [[Texas Instruments TMS9918|TMS9918]] chip with sprite support for its 1979 TI-99/4 home computer. An updated version is used in the 1981 [[TI-99/4A]].

===In 2.5D and 3D games===

Sprites remained popular with the rise of [[2.5D]] games (those which recreate a 3D game space from a 2D map) in the early 1990s. A technique called [[billboarding]] allows 2.5D games to keep onscreen sprites rotated toward the player view at all times. Some 2.5D games, such as [[Doom (1993 video game)|1993's ''Doom'']], allow the same entity to be represented by different sprites depending on its rotation relative to the viewer, furthering the illusion of 3D.

Fully 3D games usually present world objects as [[3D modeling|3D models]], but sprites are supported in some 3D [[game engine]]s, such as [[GoldSrc]], where they may be billboarded or locked to fixed orientations.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://the303.org/tutorials/gold_sprite.htm |title=GoldSrc Sprite Tutorial  |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=the303.org |publisher= |access-date=September 26, 2024}}</ref> Sprites remain useful for small details, [[Particle system|particle effects]], and other applications where the lack of a third dimension is not a major detriment.

==Systems with hardware sprites==
These are base hardware specs and do not include additional programming techniques, such as using [[raster interrupt]]s to repurpose sprites mid-frame.
{{clear}}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"
|+
! System !! Sprite hardware !! Introduced!! Sprites on screen !! Sprites per scan line !! Max. [[texel (graphics)|texels]] on line !! [[texture mapping|Texture]] width !! Texture height !! Colors !! Zoom !! [[Rotation]] !! [[Collision detection]] !! <small>[[Transparency (graphic)|Transparency]]</small> !! Source
|-
| [[Amstrad CPC|Amstrad Plus]] || [[ASIC]] || 1990 || 16 || 16  || ? || 16 || 16 || 15 || {{partial|2, 4× vertical, 2, 4× horizontal}} || {{no}} || {{no}} || [[Chroma key|Color key]] ||<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Plus |title=Plus - CPCWiki |publisher=Cpcwiki.eu |access-date=2009-11-29 |archive-date=2011-07-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720154941/http://cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Plus |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Atari 2600]] || [[Television Interface Adaptor|TIA]] || 1977 || 5 || 5 || 19  || 1, 8 || 262 || 1 || {{partial|2, 4, 8× horizontal}} ||{{partial|Horizontal mirroring}} ||{{yes}} || Color key ||<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.atariarchives.org/dev/tia/description.php |title=Television Interface Adaptor |publisher=AtariArchives.com |access-date=2011-02-06 |archive-date=2010-08-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100825163151/http://www.atariarchives.org/dev/tia/description.php |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Atari 8-bit computers]] || [[CTIA and GTIA|GTIA]]/[[ANTIC]] || 1979 || 8 || 8 || 40 || 2, 8 || 128, 256 || 1 || {{partial|2× vertical, 2, 4× horizontal}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} || Color key ||<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.atarihq.com/5200/5200faq/04_02.html |title=Atari 5200 FAQ - Hardware Overview |publisher=AtariHQ.com |access-date=2011-02-06 |archive-date=2011-05-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514110844/http://www.atarihq.com/5200/5200faq/04_02.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Commodore 64]] || [[MOS Technology VIC-II|VIC-II]] || 1982 || 8 || 8 || 96, 192 || 12, 24 || 21 || 1, 3 || {{partial|2× integer}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} || Color key ||<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.minet.uni-jena.de/~andreasg/c64/vic_artikel/vic_article_1.htm |title=The MOS 6567/6569 video controller (VIC-II) and its application in the Commodore 64 |access-date=2006-01-08 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060830024142/http://www.minet.uni-jena.de/~andreasg/c64/vic_artikel/vic_article_1.htm |archive-date=August 30, 2006 }}</ref>
|-
| [[Amiga Original Chip Set|Amiga (OCS)]] || [[Original Amiga chipset#Denise|Denise]] || 1985 ||  8, can be reused  horizontally per 4 pixel increments || Arbitrary, 8 unique || Arbitrary || 16 || Arbitrary || 3, 15 || {{partial|Vertical by display}} list || {{no}} || {{yes}} || Color key ||<ref>{{cite web |url=http://amigadev.elowar.com/read/ADCD_2.1/Hardware_Manual_guide/node00AE.html |date=1989 |title=Amiga Hardware Reference Manual 4: sprite hardware |access-date=2017-05-23 |archive-date=2017-08-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814170220/http://amigadev.elowar.com/read/ADCD_2.1/Hardware_Manual_guide/node00AE.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Amiga Advanced Graphics Architecture|Amiga (AGA)]] || [[Lisa (computer chip)|Lisa]] || 1992 || 8, can be reused  horizontally per 2 pixel increments || Arbitrary, 8 unique || Arbitrary || 16, 32, 64 || Arbitrary || 3, 15 || {{partial|Vertical by display list}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} || Color key ||
|-
| [[ColecoVision]] || [[TMS9918|TMS9918A]]||1983||32||4||64|| 8, 16||8, 16||1|| {{partial|2× integer}} ||{{no}}||{{partial}}|| Color key ||
|-
| [[TI-99/4A|TI-99/4 & 4A]] || [[TMS9918]]||1979||32||4||64|| 8, 16||8, 16||1|| {{partial|2× integer}} ||{{no}}||{{partial}}|| Color key ||
|-
| Gameduino || || 2011 || 256 || 96 || 1,536 || 16 || 16 || 255 || {{no}} || {{yes}} ||{{yes}} || Color key ||<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gameduino.com/ |title=Gameduino Specifications |publisher=excamera.com |access-date=2011-06-13 |archive-date=2021-12-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211213052910/https://excamera.com/sphinx/gameduino3/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Intellivision]] || STIC AY-3-8900 || 1979 || 8 || 8 || 64 || 8 || 8,16 || 1 || {{partial|2, 4, 8× vertical, 2× horizontal}} || {{partial|Horizontal and vertical mirroring}} || {{yes}} || Color key || <ref>{{cite web|url=http://wiki.intellivision.us/index.php?title=STIC|title=STIC - Intellivision Wiki|website=wiki.intellivision.us|access-date=15 March 2018|archive-date=9 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180709215702/http://wiki.intellivision.us/index.php?title=STIC|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[MSX]] ||[[TMS9918|TMS9918A]]||1983||32||4||64|| 8, 16||8, 16||1|| {{partial|2× integer}} ||{{no}}||{{partial}}|| Color key ||<ref>{{cite book |url=http://emu-docs.org/VDP%20TMS9918/Datasheets/TMS9918.pdf |title=TEXAS INSTRUMENTS 9900: TMS9918A/TMS9928AITMS9929A Video Display Processors |access-date=2011-07-05 |archive-date=2017-08-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814231446/https://emu-docs.org/VDP%20TMS9918/Datasheets/TMS9918.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
| [[MSX#MSX2|MSX2]] || [[Yamaha V9938]] || 1986 || 32 || 8 || 128 || 8, 16 || 8,16 || 1, 3, 7, 15 per line || {{partial|2× integer}} || {{no}} || {{partial}} || Color key ||
|-
| [[MSX#MSX2.2B|MSX2+]] / [[MSX#MSX_turboR|MSX turbo R]] || [[Yamaha V9958]] || 1988 || 32 || 8 || 128 || 8,16 || 8,16 || 1, 3, 7, 15 per line || {{partial|2× integer}} || {{no}} || {{partial}} || Color key ||
|-
| [[Namco Pac-Man]]<br />(arcade) || TTL || 1980 || 6 || 6 || 96 || 16 || 16 || 3 || {{no}} || {{partial|Horizontal and vertical mirroring}} || {{no}} || Color key || <ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DqePfdz_x6gC&pg=PA68|title=Racing the Beam: The Atari Video Computer System|first1=Nick|last1=Montfort|first2=Ian|last2=Bogost|date=9 January 2009|publisher=MIT Press|isbn=9780262261524|via=Google Books}}</ref>
|-
| [[TurboGrafx-16]] || HuC6270A || 1987 || 64 || 16 || 256 || 16, 32 || 16, 32, 64 || 15 || {{no}} || {{partial|Horizontal and vertical mirroring}} || {{yes}} || Color key || <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chibiakumas.com/6502/platform4.php#LessonP33|title=Learn Multi platform 6502 Assembly Programming... For Monsters! Platform Specific Series|access-date=2021-12-04|archive-date=2021-12-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211204193150/https://www.chibiakumas.com/6502/platform4.php#LessonP33|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[Namco Galaxian]]<br />(arcade) || TTL|| 1979 || 7 || 7 || 112 || 16 || 16 || 3 || {{no}} || {{partial|Horizontal and vertical mirroring}} || {{no}} || Color key || <ref>{{cite web |title=Galaxian-derived video hardware |url=https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/video/galaxian.cpp |website=[[GitHub]] |publisher=[[MAME]] |access-date=October 23, 2018 |archive-date=November 30, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171130235821/https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/video/galaxian.cpp |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Galaxian-derived hardware |url=https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/drivers/galaxian.cpp |website=[[GitHub]] |publisher=[[MAME]] |access-date=October 23, 2018 |archive-date=September 5, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180905051639/https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/drivers/galaxian.cpp |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Galaxian hardware family |url=https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/includes/galaxian.h |website=[[GitHub]] |publisher=[[MAME]] |access-date=October 23, 2018 |archive-date=February 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224150309/https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/includes/galaxian.h |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Nintendo]] [[Donkey Kong (arcade game)|Donkey Kong]], [[Radar Scope]]<br />(arcade) || || 1979 || 128 || 16 || 256 || 16 || 16 || 3 || {{partial|Integer}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} || Color key || <ref>Nathan Altice (2015), [https://books.google.com/books?id=GVDpCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA53 ''I Am Error: The Nintendo Family Computer / Entertainment System Platform'', pages 53 & 69] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161112194623/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=GVDpCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA53 |date=2016-11-12 }}, [[MIT Press]]</ref>
|-
| [[Nintendo DS#Technical specifications|Nintendo DS]] || Integrated PPU || 2004 || 128 || 128 || 1,210 || 8, 16, 32, 64 || 8, 16, 32, 64 || 65,536 || {{yes|[[Affine transformation|Affine]]}} || {{yes|[[Affine transformation|Affine]]}} || {{no}} || Color key, blending ||<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nocash.emubase.de/gbatek.htm#dstechnicaldata |title=Specifications |publisher=Nocash.emubase.de |access-date=2009-11-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090621131721/http://nocash.emubase.de/gbatek.htm#dstechnicaldata |archive-date=2009-06-21 }}</ref>
|-
| [[Nintendo Entertainment System technical specifications|NES/Famicom]] || [[Ricoh]] [[Picture Processing Unit|RP2C0x PPU]] || 1983 || 64 || 8 || 64 || 8 || 8, 16 || 3 || {{no}} || {{partial|Horizontal and vertical mirroring}} || {{partial}} || Color key ||<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nesdev.parodius.com/NESDoc.pdf |title=Microsoft Word - NESDoc.doc |access-date=2009-11-29 |archive-date=2011-09-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930163140/http://nesdev.parodius.com/NESDoc.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Game Boy]] || Integrated PPU || 1989 || 40 || 10 || 80 || 8 || 8, 16 || 3 || {{no}} || {{partial|Horizontal and vertical mirroring}} || {{No}} || Color key ||<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.at-mix.de/gameboy.htm |title=GameBoy - Spielkonsolen Online Lexikon |publisher=At-mix.de |date=2004-06-22 |access-date=2009-11-29 |archive-date=2010-05-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100506132321/http://www.at-mix.de/gameboy.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Game Boy Advance]] || Integrated PPU || 2001 || 128 || 128 || 1210 || 8, 16, 32, 64 || 8, 16, 32, 64 || 15, 255|| {{yes|[[Affine transformation|Affine]]}} || {{yes|[[Affine transformation|Affine]]}} || {{no}} || Color key, blending ||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nocash.emubase.de/gbatek.htm |title=Specifications |publisher=Nocash.emubase.de |access-date=2009-11-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090621131721/http://nocash.emubase.de/gbatek.htm |archive-date=2009-06-21 }}</ref>
|-
| [[Master System]],<br />[[Game Gear]] || YM2602B VDP<br />(TMS9918-derived) || 1985 || 64 || 8 || 128 || 8, 16 || 8, 16 || 15 || {{partial|2× integer, 2× vertical}} || {{partial|Background tile mirroring}} || {{yes}} || Color key || <ref>{{cite web|url=http://cgfm2.emuviews.com/txt/msvdp.txt |title=Sega Master System VDP documentation |author=Charles MacDonald |access-date=2011-07-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140318183214/http://cgfm2.emuviews.com/txt/msvdp.txt |archive-date=2014-03-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.smspower.org/uploads/Development/richard.txt |format=TXT |title=Sega Master System Technical Information |website=Smspower.org |access-date=2016-11-28 |archive-date=2019-06-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190624130810/http://www.smspower.org/uploads/Development/richard.txt |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Sega Genesis|Genesis / Mega Drive]] || YM7101 VDP<br />(SMS VDP-derived) || 1988 || 80 || 20 || 320 || 8, 16, 24, 32 || 8, 16, 24, 32 || 15 || {{no}} || {{Partial|Horizontal and vertical mirroring}} || {{Yes}} || Color key || <ref>{{cite web |url=http://fly.hiwaay.net/~jfrohwei/sega/genesis.html |title=Sega Programming FAQ October 18, 1995, Sixth Edition - Final |access-date=2015-12-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050122094914/http://fly.hiwaay.net/~jfrohwei/sega/genesis.html |archive-date=January 22, 2005 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Staff |first=Polygon |url=http://www.polygon.com/features/2015/2/3/7952705/sega-genesis-masami-ishikawa |title=How Sega built the Genesis |publisher=Polygon |date=2015-02-03 |access-date=2016-11-28 |archive-date=2015-11-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151103090922/http://www.polygon.com/features/2015/2/3/7952705/sega-genesis-masami-ishikawa |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Sega OutRun]] (arcade) || || 1986 || 128 || 128 || 1600 || 8 to 512 || 8 to 256 || 15 || {{yes|[[Anisotropic]]}} || {{partial|Horizontal and vertical mirroring}} || {{yes}} || Alpha || <ref>{{cite web |url=http://system16.com/hardware.php?id=697 |title=Sega Out Run Hardware (Sega) |publisher=System 16 |date=2016-03-31 |access-date=2016-11-28 |archive-date=2016-11-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161128203655/http://system16.com/hardware.php?id=697 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/drivers/segaorun.c|archive-url=https://archive.today/20141121130850/https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/drivers/segaorun.c|url-status=dead|title=mame/segaorun.c at master · mamedev/mame · GitHub|date=21 November 2014|archive-date=21 November 2014|website=github.com|access-date=15 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://emustatus.rainemu.com/games/outrun.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010227042525/http://emustatus.rainemu.com/games/outrun.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2001-02-27  |title=Out Run |date=2001-02-27 |access-date=2016-11-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web 
 |url=http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=697 
 |title=Out Run Hardware (Sega) 
 |publisher=System 16 
 |access-date=2009-11-29 
 |archive-date=2016-11-28 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161128203655/http://system16.com/hardware.php?id=697 
 |url-status=live 
 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.coinop.org/kb_dl.aspx/KB/faqs/faq-sega%20outrun.html |title=Version 0.3 - 7th February 1998 |website=Coinop.org |access-date=2016-11-28 |archive-date=2016-05-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514060702/http://www.coinop.org/kb_dl.aspx/KB/faqs/faq-sega%20outrun.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://imame4all.googlecode.com/svn-history/r146/Reloaded/trunk/src/mame/video/segaic16.c 
 |title=Sega 16-bit common hardware
 |access-date=2016-02-09 
 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160125144902/http://imame4all.googlecode.com/svn-history/r146/Reloaded/trunk/src/mame/video/segaic16.c 
 |archive-date=2016-01-25 
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://cgfm2.emuviews.com/txt/loftech.txt|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140318183606/http://cgfm2.emuviews.com/txt/loftech.txt |url-status=dead |archive-date=2014-03-18  |format=TXT |title=Sega "X-Board" hardware notes |access-date=2016-11-28}}</ref>
|-
| [[X68000]] || Cynthia jr. (original), Cynthia (later models) || 1987 || 128 || 32 || 512 || 16 || 16 || 15 || {{partial|2× integer}} || {{partial|Horizontal and vertical mirroring}} || {{partial}} || Color key || <ref>{{cite web |url=http://museum.ipsj.or.jp/en/computer/personal/0038.html |title=X68000-Computer Museum |website=Museum.ipsj.or.jp |access-date=2016-11-28 |archive-date=2014-10-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141002234300/http://museum.ipsj.or.jp/en/computer/personal/0038.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mess/video/x68k.c|archive-url=https://archive.today/20141121130816/https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mess/video/x68k.c|url-status=dead|title=mame/x68k.c at master · mamedev/mame · GitHub|date=21 November 2014|archive-date=21 November 2014|website=github.com|access-date=15 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Yoshida|first=Koichi|url=http://www2.tky.3web.ne.jp/~yosshin/my_works/postmortem.html|title=超連射68K 開発後記|website=Yosshin's web page|date=12 September 2001|access-date=2016-11-28|lang=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190512090239/http://www2.tky.3web.ne.jp/~yosshin/my_works/postmortem.html|archive-date=12 May 2019|url-status=live}} ([http://shmuplations.com/chorensha68k/ Translation] by Shmuplations. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190702153846/http://shmuplations.com/chorensha68k/|date=2019-07-02}}).</ref>
|-
| [[Neo Geo (console)#Display|Neo Geo]] || LSPC2-A2 || 1990 || 384 || 96 || 1536 || 16 || 16 to 512 || 15 || {{partial|Sprite shrinking}} || {{partial|Horizontal and vertical mirroring}} || {{partial}} || Color key || <ref>{{cite web |url=http://furrtek.free.fr/noclass/neogeo/mvstech.txt |format=TXT |title=Neo-Geo MVS Hardware Notes |website=Furrtek.free.fr |access-date=2016-11-28 |archive-date=2018-09-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916101030/http://furrtek.free.fr/noclass/neogeo/mvstech.txt |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://furrtek.free.fr/noclass/neogeo/NeoGeoPM.pdf |title=Neo-Geo Programming Manual |website=Furrtek.free.fr |access-date=2016-11-28 |archive-date=2016-12-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161206012848/http://furrtek.free.fr/noclass/neogeo/NeoGeoPM.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.neo-geo.com/wiki/index.php?title=Neo-Geo_Big_List_of_Debug_Dipswitches |title=Big List of Debug Dipswitches |publisher=Neo-Geo |date=2014-07-09 |access-date=2016-11-28 |archive-date=2016-11-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161128134201/http://www.neo-geo.com/wiki/index.php?title=Neo-Geo_Big_List_of_Debug_Dipswitches |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System technical specifications|Super NES / Super Famicom]] || S-PPU1, S-PPU2 || 1990 || 128 || 34 || 256|| 8, 16, 32, 64 || 8, 16, 32, 64 || 15 ||{{No}} ||{{partial|Horizontal and vertical mirroring}} || {{No}} || Color key, averaging || <ref>{{cite web|title= snes sprite engine design guide|date=30 March 2021 |url=https://megacatstudios.com/blogs/retro-development/snes-sprite-engine-design-guidelines|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211204193150/https://megacatstudios.com/blogs/retro-development/snes-sprite-engine-design-guidelines |archive-date=2021-12-04 }}</ref>
|- class="sortbottom"
! System !! Sprite hardware !! Introduced !! Sprites on screen !! Sprites on line !! Max. [[texel (graphics)|texels]] on line !! [[texture mapping|Texture]] width !! Texture height !! Colors !! Hardware zoom !! [[Rotation]] !! [[Collision detection]] !! <small>[[Transparency (graphic)|Transparency]]</small> !! Source
|}

== See also ==
* [[2.5D]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name=dadgum>{{cite web |last1=Hague |first1=James |title=Why Do Dedicated Game Consoles Exist? |url=https://prog21.dadgum.com/181.html |website=Programming in the 21st Century |access-date=2019-09-02 |archive-date=2018-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180423173142/http://prog21.dadgum.com/181.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sprite (Computer Graphics)}}
[[Category:Computer graphics]]
[[Category:Video game design]]
[[Category:Video game development]]