NBA Clash

Nifty Games  

I was the Art Director for NBA Clash. The work was done by the profoundly talented Nifty and external partners.

Visual Development

We had an open canvas: make something visually new for the NBA. The goal was stylized realism that felt athletic, energetic, and undeniably premium. I directed us toward exaggerated player proportions, expressive silhouettes, and bold color contrasts. We established clear visual identifiers for characters, UI, loot bags, and player reveals — so every asset had something unique to say. These explorations became our visual north star throughout production, whether we hit them exactly or used them to push back.

NBA Clash — visual development banner
NBA Clash — Nifty Games · Art Direction: Arthur Klein
NBA Clash character lineup
NBA Clash — Art Direction
NBA Clash arena environment art
NBA Clash — Art Direction
NBA Clash top-down concept and body type reference
NBA Clash — Art Direction

Art Style Guide & Game UI

The NBA Clash Art Style Guide defined the visual language across every touchpoint: sporty and premium, dark backgrounds with bold color accents, high-contrast focal points, and a masculine/luxury feel for hero moments. I established the tone, palette, and silhouette rules, then collaborated with the team to apply them consistently throughout the game.

NBA Clash main menu and arena entry points UI
NBA Clash — Art Direction
NBA Clash in-game card states — full state system
NBA Clash — Card State System
NBA Clash color choices and style guide documentation
NBA Clash — Art Direction

Live Ops Art

With Nifty's live roadmap always buzzing, we needed a banner system that could move fast and still look great. I directed the development of store, event, and home banner templates — a visual system built for speed without looking generic.

NBA Clash — Nikola Jokic Daily Deals event banner
NBA Clash — Art Direction
NBA Clash — new player banner
NBA Clash — Art Direction
NBA Clash — new player banner
NBA Clash — Art Direction
NBA Clash — Trae Young character lineup
NBA Clash — Art Direction

UX & Process Documentation

The card progression system is a key part of the game. This was a deep cross-disciplinary effort. These are hands-on UX flows I made myself: card systems, store entry points, chest opening, login bonuses, and in-game menu flows.

NBA Clash UI process overview — full player journey map
NBA Clash — UX Documentation by Arthur Klein
NBA Clash card options UX flow
NBA Clash — UX Documentation
NBA Clash chest opening UX flow
NBA Clash — UX Documentation
NBA Clash login bonus UX flow
NBA Clash — UX Documentation
NBA Clash card and home banner UX documentation
NBA Clash — UX Documentation

NFL Clash

Nifty Games  · 

I was the Art Director for NFL Clash. The work was done by the wildly talented Nifty artists and external partners.

Art Style Overview

The brief was to create intensity and "juice." The feel of an NFL broadcast, compressed into a mobile game you could play in 3-minute bursts. I directed the character design toward bold, exaggerated football archetypes — fast receivers, massive linemen — with VFX and animations that made every play feel impactful on a small screen. The environments and loot boxes were designed with a nostalgic twist for true fans of the NFL.

NFL Clash — art style overview banner
NFL Clash — Nifty Games · Art Direction: Arthur Klein
NFL Clash game UI montage — multiple screens
NFL Clash — Art Direction
NFL Clash character position models
NFL Clash — Art Direction

Game Environments & UI

NFL Clash football stadium — aerial view
NFL Clash — Art Direction
NFL Clash main menu UI
NFL Clash — Art Direction
NFL Clash loot box opening screen
NFL Clash — Art Direction

Marketing & Social Art

NFL Clash welcome screen background
NFL Clash — Art Direction
NFL Clash key art — horizontal finish
NFL Clash — Art Direction
NFL Clash VFX intro screens
NFL Clash — Art Direction

UX & Process Documentation

Same system-level thinking applied to NFL Clash — mapping the front-end flow, store navigation, and play call UI. These are pages that I mockedup to provide direction and clarity.

NFL Clash front-end UX flow
NFL Clash — UX Documentation by Arthur Klein
NFL Clash store UX flow
NFL Clash — UX Documentation
NFL Clash play call UI — animated
NFL Clash — Play Call UI