what is sprite in computer

In computer graphics, a sprite is a two-dimensional (2D) graphical object used in video games and other applications. It is typically a bitmap image or a series of images that are combined to create an animation. Sprites can be thought of as separate entities that exist within a larger scene, such as a video game world. They can be given properties such as size, position, and transparency, and can be layered. The ability to create flexible and efficient animations is one of the main benefits of using sprites. In many video games, the game world is made up of individual elements, each represented by a sprite. These sprites can move independently and can be manipulated, e.g. rotated, scaled, tinted with different colors. Sprites can also be used to represent other elements in a game, such as objects, enemies, backgrounds, or UI/hud elements. They were the standard way to integrate graphics into video games in the 1980s and 1990s. Every character and object in the game was represented by a sprite that the game’s designer created. Nowadays, 2D sprites have been replaced by 3D polygons because of the superior graphics rendering power that is available. Sprites are also used to represent icons as part of a user interface.