Retro Diffusion Pixel Art — Claude Code MCP server: how to install
Connects AI assistants to an authentic pixel art engine that outputs grid-aligned sprites, animations, and tilesets. Useful for game developers prototyping visual assets inside their IDE.
claude mcp add --transport http retro-diffusion-pixel-art https://mcp.retrodiffusion.ai/mcpWhat Retro Diffusion Pixel Art does
This remote service operates over Streamable HTTP at https://mcp.retrodiffusion.ai/mcp. No local process is required. To send requests, provide an API key beginning with rdpk- in the authorization header. Pricing works on a pay-per-generation basis from prepaid credits. Checking prices with estimate_inference_cost is free.
The server exposes RD Fast, RD Plus, RD Pro, and RD Mini models alongside 90+ style presets. It outputs static sprites and animated sheets. Built-in edit tools handle background clearing and palette conversions. The fix_pixel_art utility cleans up blurry or scaled pixel graphics at zero credit cost.
Image jobs are non-idempotent and charge your account immediately. If a network call drops or times out, never restart the process blindly. Instead, pass the initial request_id into get_inference_result to recover signed output URLs without paying twice.
What it helps with
- Generate sprite sheets and animations with transparent backgrounds
- Construct repeating tilesets for 2D level design
- Restore native pixel grids on blurry or resized images
- Convert graphics to match specific project color palettes
- Calculate generation costs prior to spending prepaid balance
Example prompts for the agent
- Estimate the cost of making a walk cycle animation with RD Pro before running it.
- Generate a 32x32 knight idle animation with a transparent background using create_inference.
- Clean up the blurry grid on this uploaded sprite using fix_pixel_art.
How to install Retro Diffusion Pixel Art
Platform CLI: remote server
claude mcp add --transport http retro-diffusion-pixel-art https://mcp.retrodiffusion.ai/mcpPlatform CLI: remote server
codex mcp add retro-diffusion-pixel-art --url https://mcp.retrodiffusion.ai/mcpConfig file
{
"mcpServers": {
"retro-diffusion-pixel-art": {
"url": "https://mcp.retrodiffusion.ai/mcp"
}
}
}Config file
{
"servers": {
"retro-diffusion-pixel-art": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://mcp.retrodiffusion.ai/mcp"
}
}
}Platform CLI: remote server
gemini mcp add -t http retro-diffusion-pixel-art https://mcp.retrodiffusion.ai/mcpStep by step, with commands for each platform: How to add an MCP server to Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini CLI and more
Questions about Retro Diffusion Pixel Art
How do you install Retro Diffusion Pixel Art in Claude Code?
Run claude mcp add --transport http retro-diffusion-pixel-art https://mcp.retrodiffusion.ai/mcp in your terminal. You must also supply your API key in the authorization header.
What does Retro Diffusion Pixel Art do?
It allows your coding assistant to generate pixel-perfect sprites, animations, and tile grids using dedicated models. It also offers tools for palette swapping and cleaning up scaled pixel art.
How should network timeouts be handled during generation?
Do not trigger a new generation job because the initial attempt still bills your balance. Pass the existing request_id to get_inference_result to fetch the completed output URLs.
