tileset

A tileset is a collection of smaller images used to create 2D graphics in tile-based games and applications. Each tile is a small, fixed-size image, for example 16x16 or 32x32 pixels, that shares a common grid and is designed to tile seamlessly with others of the same set. A tileset is usually stored as a single image (a sprite sheet) or as several images, and an accompanying map or data structure records which tile goes in each cell of a game world grid.

In development, the arrangement of tiles inside the image is called sheet layout, typically with optional margins and spacing to prevent edge bleeding when rendering. The tilemap is the separate layer that defines the world by placing tiles according to a grid; the map stores indices that reference tiles in the tileset.

Tilesets support variants: regular square grids; isometric tilesets that render in a diamond projection; hexagonal tilesets; and animated tiles composed of multiple frames.

Formats and tools: common image formats include PNG and BMP. Popular tools include the Tiled Map Editor, Aseprite, and game engines such as Unity (Tilemap) and Godot (TileMap) that ingest tilesets and tilemaps to render levels.

Usage and data: tilesets are used for terrain, walls, floors, and decorative objects. Some engines assign per-tile properties, such as collision, terrain type, or flags for rendering and physics, enabling more complex gameplay while keeping the graphical data compact.

History: tilesets emerged with early 2D games and pixel art workflows, and remain a core technique for efficient, scalable 2D level design.