The VG Resource

Full Version: How Can I Tell If My Kirby Advance-Styled Sprites Are Using A Valid Palette?
You're currently viewing a stripped down version of our content. View the full version with proper formatting.
I'm interested in making sprites in the Kirby Advance style (i.e. the two GBA Kirby games and Squeak Squad). However, my main problem is that I don't know which colors I can use in each set of sprites - in other words, the available color palettes for sprites. Were I to find out what these palettes were, I:


  1. Would have a limited amount of colors to choose from, allowing me to a.) avoid being spoiled for choice, and b.) help me achieve that crisp GBA color balance™
  2. Could theoretically put these sprites back into the game and have them work without having to restructure how the game handles sprite colors

So, I wished to know - does anyone know what the sprite (not background) color palettes are for any of the three Kirby games mentioned above? Failing that, does anyone know what the pool of colors available for sprites is?
Admittedly, this question doesn't really have a simple answer. I'll mainly be referring to the GBA games as I'm able to observe the inner workings thanks to VBA, but there seems to be evidence of Squeak Squad abiding by these observations.

 Not counting Kirby's palette, the GBA games both only had two palette sets that were consistent throughout (see attached file). The bottom one is easily the most used of these two as far as I know, being used for numerous things such as effects, food items, and 1-ups, along with pretty much any sprite they can used on and still look good like the mirror doors in Amazing Mirror. The only two enemies I've seen use this as their default palette are Gordos and rogue Parasols, though enemies will briefly use this palette when taking damage. The top palette I understand less, but I know Gordo uses it when flashing. 

Outside of that, just about every enemy, give or take, has their own set of 15 colors to use for themselves, so really, when it comes to coloring, the best thing I'd recommend is to look at the sprites of the various enemies and objects and make a judgement off that.   

I'll also provide of the colors the GBA can use if that is somehow useful.

EDIT: Kirby's goggle and water attack also uses the top palette.