To reduce a 3D model’s poly count for sprite use, apply automated decimation (e.g., Blender’s Decimate Modifier) while preserving the key silhouette—critical for 2D sprite recognition.
- Decimation cuts excess polygons efficiently, and keeping the silhouette intact ensures the sprite still looks familiar even with fewer triangles. - Remove non-essential details (like small creases) that won’t show in the final 2D render—these add polygons without benefiting the sprite.
If decimation causes blockiness, try manual retopology to rebuild a cleaner low-poly mesh or use a normal map from the original high-poly model to add subtle detail without extra polygons.