The question of how the bitmap IBM VGA 8x16 font would look like with curves that keep its nature has been trotting in my mind for some time. Sun's out, so I took to my (mediocre) sketching.
Might make it into a #MetaPost project idk
ps.: source font: https://int10h.org/oldschool-pc-fonts/fontlist/font?ibm_vga_8x16#-
8x8 Font Advent Calendar 2025 Day 25
Pixelbricks
I've done a few top-heavy or bottom-heavy fonts, and even some squared off... how about a chaotic squared-off heavy font that just goes where it wants and does it condensed for good measure.
Welcome Pixelbricks!
8x8 Font Advent Calendar 2025 Day 24
The Untouchables
Ocean gave us this 1920s prohibition romp based on the star-studded movie of the same name in 1989.
Interesting for us are the two art deco fonts - this one being the 8x8 that uses every available pixel.
I've added a lower-case in the same style and created a "Revised" version that applies the same treatment to the numerics & symbols.
https://dl.damieng.com/fonts/conversions/The+Untouchables.zip
Now that other gorgeous 16x16 font...
8x8 Font Advent Calendar 2025 Day 23
NLQ
A fresh new serif font that pushes to the edges of the bounding box available in 4 styles - regular, italic, bold and small.
8x8 Font Advent Calendar 2025 Day 22
Slaine
Martech Games' 1987 release takes the 2000 AD comic character Slaine on a tricky-to-play atmospheric adventure.
The game actually features three fonts - a sharp digital one on the title screen, a small one for dialog and an old-style one used for the main interface which I've converted here.
The same in-game fonts were used on the CPC, C64 and ZX versions.
8x8 Font Advent Calendar 2025 Day 21
ZX Space Highway
Justin Penner's Space Highway is an great typeface that encapsulates the feel of old sci-fi covers and posters.
While Justin has made pixel fonts this one was fully scalable and just itching for an 8x8 pixel adaptation in my eyes... and so I made it.
You can find the real Space Highway and other cool free typefaces in Justin's 36 Days of Type at https://justinpenner.ca/projects/36-days-of-fonts/
https://dl.damieng.com/fonts/zx-origins/ZX%20Space%20Highway.zip
8x8 Font Advent Calendar 2025 Day 20
Street Rod 2
This 1991 DOS and Amiga game sees you attempting to acquire and then modify 1960s street hot rods and race them with plenty of engine tuning and under-the-hoot changes.
The font is a clean, easy-to-read one that is a little unusual in that it is both narrow and features a light touch of serifs for a bit of class.
https://dl.damieng.com/fonts/conversions/Street%20Rod%202.zip
8x8 Font Advent Calendar 2025 Day 19
Got Soul
The pull between consistency and individual glyph flair in a typeface is a difficult balance to get right. I have a tendency to come up with a "style" for a font and then stick to it rigidly throughout the entire character set.
Got Soul embraces bold and then lets each glyph breathe life into its pixels whether that's wider or narrower, curvy or straight, while still feeling cohesive.
8x8 Font Advent Calendar 2025 Day 18
Dan Dare
A regular strip in British comic The Eagle, this brave "Pilot of the Future" is usually battling evil Mekon - a green alien with a giant head.
The game involves exploring a space station, opening doors, battling enemies and solving puzzles.
Importantly for us is the dashing comic-book style font which I've extended here with small-caps for the lower-case and additional symbols.
8x8 Font Advent Calendar 2025 Day 17
Crossed
I've tried variants of this a few times - the idea of lines and curves that overshoot like sticks. A previous one was called Bamboo but I unpublished it not long after as it's just had to get right.
This one I feel came off a bit better than that. Mostly readable with a lot of edge and flair - use sparingly!
Dobody 🇺🇦🍉
Damien Guard