You may have noticed us talking in the past about the work of Rafa Grassetti, who serves as art director for last year’s incredible God of War revival for PlayStation 4. If not, well, you may want to take a peek at his Instagram page. Recently, Grassetti has begun drawing intricate works based on characters from the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate lineup.
That includes fan-favorite characters like Diddy Kong and Ridley. But these aren’t just any portraits; he offers a surreal, realistic touch to each character, making them stand out like never before.
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We’ve featured his work in the past, but we’ve put together a larger gallery of his work from Instagram. And, yep, it’s mind-bogglingly cool, whether you’re a fan of Nintendo or God of War. Check them all out below!
God of War is now available on PlayStation 4, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is now available on Nintendo Switch.
Diddy Kong
First up is this spectacular Diddy Kong, which features a photo-realistic take on a young monkey, but with the trademark Nintendo hat and shirt.
View this post on Instagram? Having some fun with the little guy! #diddyKong #donkeykong #nintendo #supersmashbrosultimate
Ridley
Next up is Ridley, the dangerous winged adversary to Samus in the Metroid series. The scary detail here is phenomenal, especially when it comes to the look on Ridley’s face.
Pikachu
While some folks may not be ready for a realistic take on Pikachu, Grassetti provides a great portrait of the character, happy as can be.
King K. Rool
OK; this one’s a winner. Putting a real crocodile in the picture and giving him a victory pose, along with a crown and cape, is phenomenal. It’s so good that we want to set this as our mobile background.
Mega Man
This portrait may take some getting used to, probably because of his deep stare with blue eyes, but this take on Mega Man isn’t bad, and that Mega Buster looks amazing.
Mewtwo
Just for you Pokemon fans, here’s Mewtwo, looking pretty good in real-life form, with powers generating in his hand and a long, dangerous tail to complement his furry body.
Sonic the Hedgehog
While a lot of us are waiting to see what Sonic the Hedgehog looks like in his live-action movie, Grassetti has a unique take, although the fur still throws us off a bit. Still, at least the shoes aren’t bad!
Bowser
This life-like take on Bowser is frightening. If the shell isn’t enough to send shivers down your spine, how about that face? And that mohawk? And those claws?!
Fox McCloud
OK, this heroic take on Star Fox‘s main hero is awesome. He looks great with his facial set-up and that optic eye piece, but the jacket and the gloves really sell the whole costume. We’d love to try this cosplay sometime.
Link (The Legend of Zelda)
We’re not sure if it’s something with the eyes or the hair, but this Link looks slightly different than the one we’re used to in games. That said, the Master Sword looks excellent, and the outfit is spot-on.
Samus Aran (Metroid)
This take on Metroid is pretty incredible as the armor looks about just right, and that arm cannon is as realistic as you can get. Now if we can just get a model like this into Metroid Prime 4…
We’ll bring you more coverage on these Smash Bros. Ultimate drawings as we get them!
Which one of these is your favorite? Let us know in the comments, or follow up with me on Twitter at @TheDCD!
