pixel-plugin
A Claude Code plugin for pixel art in Aseprite: sprites, animation, retro palettes, dithering and export for Unity, Godot and Phaser
- 413 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- MIT
Extended access
Why this level
- The plugin bundles ready pixel-mcp binaries for five OS and CPU combinations and runs them on your computer
- The server launches Aseprite and writes PNG, GIF and JSON files to paths you give
Install
- Works in
In your terminal, with SkillFoxx CLI
npx skillfoxx add plugins/pixel-pluginDetects the agents on your machine, shows the access level and pins the version.
Other ways to install
Access and checks
How we reviewExtended accessThe tool runs code or makes network calls and only reads external data.
- The plugin bundles ready pixel-mcp binaries for five OS and CPU combinations and runs them on your computer
- The server launches Aseprite and writes PNG, GIF and JSON files to paths you give
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
pixel-plugin lets Claude Code draw in Aseprite from a plain-language description. The plugin carries four skills (creation, animation, export and professional techniques), five commands and the pixel-mcp server with more than forty tools. Ready server binaries for macOS, Linux and Windows ship inside the plugin. A request such as "create a 64x64 Game Boy sprite" makes a canvas, and then the agent draws shapes, fills the background, adds animation frames, sets their timing and applies dithering (Floyd-Steinberg, Bayer). Palettes include NES, Game Boy, C64, CGA, SNES, PICO-8, Sweetie 16 and DawnBringer 16 and 32, plus generic 8 and 16 color sets and grayscale ramps. The agent applies shading and edge smoothing on request. Export goes to PNG, GIF, a spritesheet with four layouts (horizontal, vertical, grid and packed) and JSON metadata for Unity, Godot, Phaser, TexturePacker and Aseprite itself. Pixel-perfect scaling is available at 2x, 4x and 8x. The `/pixel-new`, `/pixel-palette`, `/pixel-export`, `/pixel-setup` and `/pixel-help` commands give a quick path for typical actions.
Who it is for. For indie game developers and artists who work in Aseprite and want to sketch sprites, tiles and animations in conversation with an agent and get engine-ready files right away.
Good fit when
- You need a 16x16, 32x32 or 64x64 sprite or tile in a retro palette such as NES or Game Boy
- You need a multi-frame animation such as a walk cycle with exact frame timing
- You need to reduce the color count or apply dithering to fit console limits
- You need a spritesheet with JSON metadata for Unity, Godot or Phaser
- You need a quick pixel art draft from a plain-language description
Not a fit when
- You have no Aseprite 1.3.0 or newer: the plugin drives the installed program and does not replace it
- You need a high-resolution raster illustration: the tools target pixel graphics with palettes
- You need vector formats or 3D graphics: PNG, GIF, spritesheet and JSON are supported
Example request
Create a 32x32 Game Boy palette sprite of a character with a round head, add a two-frame breathing animation and export a GIFLimitations
You need Aseprite 1.3.0 or newer installed and Claude Code. The program path is set once with `/pixel-setup`, which looks for Aseprite itself and accepts a path by hand, and settings live in `~/.config/pixel-mcp/config.json`. The plugin takes about 50 MB because of bundled binaries for macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon), Linux (x86-64 and ARM64) and Windows (x86-64).
The author lists known limits. Canvas size is capped at 65535 by 65535 pixels, indexed mode is limited to 256 colors, and frame duration runs from 1 to 65535 ms. On macOS path detection for a non-standard Aseprite install may fail. The Snap build on Linux runs in a sandbox and may be denied access, so a regular package is better. On Windows, paths with spaces in the settings file need escaping. The last commit in the repository dates from October 2025.
How to disable. Run `claude plugin uninstall pixel-plugin`, then optionally `claude plugin marketplace remove pixel-plugin`. The settings file `~/.config/pixel-mcp/config.json` stays on disk, so delete it by hand.
FAQ
How do I install pixel-plugin in Claude Code?
Add the marketplace with `claude plugin marketplace add willibrandon/pixel-plugin`, then run `claude plugin install pixel-plugin`. The first run needs setup: run `/pixel-setup` and the plugin finds the installed Aseprite.
Which retro palettes are included?
NES with 54 colors, Game Boy with 4, Game Boy grayscale, C64 with 16, CGA with 4, SNES with 256, PICO-8, Sweetie 16, DawnBringer 16 and 32, generic 8 and 16 color sets and grayscale in 4, 8 and 16 shades.
Which formats can I save in?
PNG, GIF with loop and timing control, a spritesheet with horizontal, vertical, grid and packed layouts, and JSON metadata for Unity, Godot, Phaser, TexturePacker and Aseprite. Scaling factors 2x, 4x and 8x are pixel-perfect.
What if the plugin cannot find Aseprite?
Run `/pixel-setup` and give the path by hand. On macOS that is `/Applications/Aseprite.app/Contents/MacOS/aseprite`, on Linux `/usr/bin/aseprite`, on Windows `C:\Program Files\Aseprite\Aseprite.exe`. Then check `~/.config/pixel-mcp/config.json`.
Do I need a separate MCP server?
No. The pixel-mcp server ships inside the plugin as a ready binary for your platform and the plugin starts it. The server's source lives in the author's separate repository.
Which commands does the plugin have?
Five: `/pixel-new [size] [palette]` creates a sprite, `/pixel-palette <action>` manages palettes, `/pixel-export <format> [file]` saves the result, `/pixel-setup [path]` configures the plugin and `/pixel-help [topic]` gives help.
Discussion
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Comparison with similar tools
Cards that share the main search query, and how they differ.
| Tool | Official | Authentication | Repository stars | Main difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| pixel-plugin (this card) | no | 413 | ||
| Aseprite AI Artist: pixel art through an agent | no | 617 | draws and animates in your open Aseprite window instead of a separate process | |
| Aseprite MCP Tools | no | not required | 899 | an MCP server with 123 Aseprite tools and previews, without skills or commands |
README in short
The description lists four capabilities: drawing from text, animation, advanced techniques and export for game engines. Three install routes follow, then first-time setup, command and palette tables and four end-to-end examples with results. A troubleshooting section, supported platforms and requirements close it.