Hi HN,
I spent some time reconstructing the iconic Square Face Generator, a minimalist pixel avatar maker that was a staple of early 2010s internet culture (originally by Japanese artist h071019).
With the death of Flash, many of these creative "toy" sites vanished or became inaccessible. I wanted to bring this experience back using modern web standards while keeping the original charm.
Key features:
Digital Preservation: Runs the original assets via Ruffle (Flash emulator) integrated into a modern Next.js/React stack.
Privacy First: There are no server-side uploads. All image generation and customization happen entirely in the client's browser.
No Friction: No sign-ups, no tracking, and 100% free. I hate forced registrations as much as you do.
Modernized: Unlike the 2013 original, this version is mobile-responsive and exports high-res PNGs.
I built this primarily as a nostalgic archival project. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the UI or if anyone remembers using the original version back in the day!
