History Main / NewWorkRecycledGraphics

** From what's been seen so far of ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTearsOfTheKingdom'', the returning monsters from ''Videogame/TheLegendsOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'' use the same models with a few extra doodads like bigger horns or different armor.

* The first three ''VideoGame/SpyroTheDragon'' games are all built on the same engine and with the same general graphics, and thus certain models (notably character models) are recycled between them.

** In general, the main series games will reuse Pokémon sprites/models from the previous games. The exceptions to this rule are ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire''[[note]]revamped the art style with the move to a [[UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance new handheld]][[/note]] and ''VideoGame/PokemonXAndY''[[note]]switched from 2D sprites to 3D models[[/note]].

* The Pie in the Sky 3D engine was an FPS creation tool popular with amateur modders in the mid-to-late 1990's and was infamous for numerous fanmade games that all used the same stock, came-with-the-software assets regardless of the game's intended theme, leading to weird situations like taking on zombie cowboys in a wild-west ghost town with fantastically advanced weapons like a mechanically self-loading double barrel shotgun and adhesive-launching glue cannon.

** The first three ''VideoGame/MarioParty'' games used some assets from ''VideoGame/SuperMario64''. The second and third games also reuse the character models and many sound effects from the first game, and the second ''Mario Party'' even has some tweaked versions of minigames from the first.
** The [=GameCube=] ''VideoGame/MarioParty'' games (''4'' through ''7'') all use the same character models, animations, sound effects, and other graphics like coins and spaces. This also applies to ''Mario Party 8'' on the [=Wii=] and ''VideoGame/DanceDanceRevolutionMarioMix'', the latter of which Creator/HudsonSoft co-produced with Konami (Although the former at least adds new animations for every character instead of reusing every single one from ''Mario Party 4'').

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'' reuses much of the assets from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime''. This was due to the developers wanting to avoid the lengthy development cycle of ''Ocarina of Time'', as well as the DevelopmentHell that ''Ura Zelda'' went through. ''Majora's Mask'' was built off of ''Ocarina of Time''[='s=] game engine to ensure that it would be developed within a year. Kafei, an NPC for a big side quest, has the same body and animations as Link himself and his face is also similar to Link's.

** Zig-Zagged in ''Monster Hunter Tri'', with only Rathian, Rathalos, and Diablos getting redesigns, with all other monsters keeping their models and textures (for the most part) in each subsequent appearance.

** Zig-Zagged again starting with ''VideoGame/MonsterHunterRise'', as monsters gain new models when they first appear post-World, but keep their new models afterwards.

** The current Pokémon models for the series, introduced in the 3DS's ''Pokédex 3D Pro'' and designed primarily for ''VideoGame/PokemonXAndY'', have been reused in every 3D game since their debut. Not only do the main series games use these models, but spinoffs such as ''VideoGame/PokemonMasters'' and the 3D ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeon'' titles use them as well. The models were explicitly stated to be created in a vastly higher quality and polygon count than what would be needed for the 3DS in order to futureproof them for newer and more powerful hardware, without needing to do much additional work beyond adding extra animations and upgrading the lighting and textures. That said, likely because of this "one size fits all" approach, the model's animations are somewhat stiff and generic compared to the more lively animations of previous 3D installments, like the ''VideoGame/PokemonStadium'' series and its follow-ups. It became somewhat obvious by the time of the Switch's ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield'' that the models and animations weren't polished much from the previous 3D games, so later installments like ''VideoGame/PokemonLegendsArceus'' made further adjustments to ensure that they're more individualized and better suited for the hardware.

** The current Pokémon models for the series, introduced in the 3DS's ''Pokédex 3D Pro'', have been reused in every 3D game since their debut, with only the occasional update to textures and lighting (Although ''VideoGame/PokemonLegendsArceus'' and seemingly ''VideoGame/PokemonScarletandViolet'' have provided noticable updates to the models, as well as some new animations, although they are still based on the X and Y models), (example in the page image), but spinoffs such as ''VideoGame/PokemonMasters'' and the 3D ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeon'' titles use them as well. This is justifiable, of course, since the number of Pokémon is ever-growing, so it would be impractical to recreate hundreds of models for every single game. To this end the models were explicitly stated to be created in a vastly higher quality and polygon count than what would be needed for the 3DS explicitly so that they can be futureproof to last through different iterations of games on a wide variety of consoles without the need to do more than polishing up textures and creating fresh animations as needed. That being said, some fans have advocated for more lively animations for the Pokémon more akin to games like ''VideoGame/PokemonStadium'', ''VideoGame/PokemonBattleRevolution'' and sometimes even ''3D Pro'' itself.

** The current Pokémon models for the series, introduced in the 3DS's ''Pokédex 3D Pro'', have been reused in every 3D game since their debut, with only the occasional update to textures and lighting. This doesn't just apply to the main series (see the ''Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon'' and ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield'' example in the page image), but spinoffs such as ''VideoGame/PokemonMasters'' and the 3D ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeon'' titles use them as well. This is justifiable, of course, since the number of Pokémon is ever-growing, so it would be impractical to recreate hundreds of models for every single game. To this end the models were explicitly stated to be created in a vastly higher quality and polygon count than what would be needed for the 3DS explicitly so that they can be futureproof to last through different iterations of games on a wide variety of consoles without the need to do more than polishing up textures and creating fresh animations as needed.

While this is most easily noticeable in VideoGames (especially {{Mission Pack Sequel}}s), the rise of 3D modelling is beginning to cause other media to adopt it as 3D modelling becomes more ubiquitous -- see RecycledAnimation for such cases. For entire shots of film being recycled, see StockFootage. Closely related to PropRecycling (which is more specific in what is reused between games) See also RecycledSet. Compare RecycledScript.

** The current Pokémon models for the series, introduced in the 3DS's ''Pokédex 3D Pro'', have been reused in every 3D game since their debut, with only the occasional update to textures and lighting. This doesn't just apply to the main series (see the ''Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon'' and ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield'' example in the page image), but spinoffs such as ''VideoGame/PokemonMasters'' and the 3D ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeon'' titles use them as well. This is justifiable, of course, since the number of Pokémon is ever-growing, so it would be impractical to recreate hundreds of models for every single game.

** Zig-Zagged in ''Monster Hunter Tri'', with only Rathian, Rathalos, and Diablos getting redesigns , with all other monsters keeping their models and textures (for the most part) in each subsequent appearance.

** Zig-Zagged again starting with VideoGame/MonsterHunterRise, as monsters gain new models when they first appear post-World, but keep their new models afterwards.

** Zig-Zagged in ''Monster Hunter Tri'', with only Rathian and Rathalos getting redesigns , with all other monsters keeping their models and textures in each subsequent appearance.

** ''VideoGame/MonsterHunterRise'': Zig-Zagged again. Most monsters returning from ''World'' keep their updated models, but monsters not returning since ''World'' get updated models.

* Creator/SupermassiveGames reuses various character models (or at least the faces) in their games. For example, Jonathan Finn in ''VideoGame/HiddenAgenda'' has the same face as Charlie in ''VideoGame/ManOfMedan'' and Daniel in ''VideoGame/LittleHope'', and there are a number of others.

** In general, the budget FPS games released by Cauldron in the mid-00's were all made on the same engine and used a common pool of assets such as animations and textures. As previously mentioned, this includes ''VideoGame/SoldierOfFortune Payback'', ''VideoGame/SecretService: Ultimate Sacrifice'', ''History Channel: Civil War – A Nation Divided'' and ''History Channel: Civil War – Secret Missions'', and ''History Channel: The Battle for the Pacific'', which all have similar gunplay, enemy behavior, HUD, etc., just with different weapons and enemy uniforms based on the setting[=/=]historical era. On PC, all these games are also characterized by a game-breaking bug in which bullets phase harmlessly through enemies if the FPS is too high.

** In general, most of the budget FPS games released by Cauldron in the mid-00's were all made on the same engine and used a common pool of assets such as animations and textures. As previously mentioned, this includes ''VideoGame/SoldierOfFortune Payback'', ''VideoGame/SecretService: Ultimate Sacrifice'', ''History Channel: Civil War – A Nation Divided'' and ''History Channel: Civil War – Secret Missions'', and ''History Channel: The Battle for the Pacific'', which all have similar gunplay and enemy behavior, just with different weapons and enemy uniforms based on the setting[=/=]historical era. On PC, all these games are also characterized by a game-breaking bug in which bullets phase harmlessly through enemies if the FPS is too high.

** Most of the models used for the trophies in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU'' are just their in-game models ripped from their respective games. Very noticeable with the ''for Wii U''-exclusive trophies of the party members from ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles1'' who do not appear anywhere else in the game, whose faces are not as refined as Shulk or Dunban's in their trophies.

* ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossingHappyHomeDesigner'' runs on the same game engine as ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossingNewLeaf'', and thus, shares about 80% of that games' assets, which would only increase when the latter games' ''"Welcome amiibo"'' update hit and backported new villagers and mechanics. ''Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival'' and ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossingPocketCamp'' also use many of ''New Leaf''[='s=] assets.

* ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossingHappyHomeDesigner'' runs on the same game engine as ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossingNewLeaf'', and thus, shares about 80% of that games' assets, which would only increase when the latter games' ''"Welcome amiibo"'' update hit and backported new villagers and mechanics.

This also goes by the name of Asset Flipping, with games that make heavy use of it called Asset Flips.

* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil3Nemesis'' recycles some assets from ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil2''. The most notable one is the Raccoon Police Department, which has the exact same layout as it did in the previous game, only with the eastern side and most of the western side of the building sealed off. The music in the area is also reused. Despite being a fully polygonal game, ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvilGunSurvivor Resident Evil: Survivor]]'' also reuses a lot of assets from ''2'', from enemy models to Sherry's run cycle being repurposed for new character Lilly Klein.
* ''Videogame/ResidentEvilTheUmbrellaChronicles'' reuses assets from ''Videogame/ResidentEvilOutbreak'' for its ''Videogame/ResidentEvil3Nemesis'' segments, from stage maps to zombie models to even a random event from Outbreak occurring. (The woman who screams and dies in the restroom in the subway. It even uses the same character model ("Amelia", who also appears as a zombie throughout the chapter).)
* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil2Remake'' Uses the same engine as ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil7'' so its inventory interface is the same as well as the prompts for picking up items, the animation for using the bolt cutters to open chained up doors is the same as well as the yellow tape wrapped around an electrical box. The Mr. Raccoons found throughout the game are basically the same as the Mr. Everywheres from ''Resident Evil 7'' and both share the same sound effect when shot.
* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil0'' uses the same game engine used in the remake of ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil1'', which recycles many of the sound effects for the guns as well as reusing animations and sound for the regular zombies.