blocky

Blocky is an adjective used to describe objects, images, or styles that are composed of large, distinctly straight-edged shapes resembling blocks. The term often implies a chunky, simplified form and can apply to physical objects with cubic geometry as well as to visual media that deliberately eschews smooth curves in favor of angular facets.

In digital graphics and entertainment, blocky describes aesthetics rooted in voxel-based modeling and retro or minimalist design. Games such as those employing voxel engines, as well as many indie titles, adopt blocky character and world geometry to emphasize modular construction, low polygon counts, and a tactile, toy-like quality. The term also covers a broad category of low-resolution imagery where edges appear stepped and rectilinear.

Blocky is commonly used in discussions of image compression artifacts, where blocks of pixels become visible due to quantization or downsampling. This usage parallels the idea of modular, block-structured data and is not specific to any one format but is widely observed in JPEG and other block-wise processing schemes.

In contemporary design, blocky aesthetics are embraced for stylistic purposes, often signaling accessibility, playfulness, or nostalgia. The term remains descriptive rather than a formal standard and can describe both artistic choices and technical characteristics across media.