Yeah when I see people upload their 'work in progress' videos they always block out the shapes, I should try that. I've been just going in with outlining but then sometimes I get frustrated because I can't see the shape so maybe I should try blocking out the shape first.
I can't quite remember the games sorry it was a long time ago. Probably around the ps1 time.
Ohh if you know of any games with assets like these please let me know, I'd love to check them out. I wouldn't say they take particularly long, compared to when I've made other kind of assets, but I'd say it's really important to (1) block the main shapes first, (2) have a palette ready (or at least close to), and (3) have either enough images in your head about what you're trying to make or find good references.
For these I just went ahead since they're pretty much on my comfort zone.
It looks familiar to certain styles I've seen in Japanese games. Does it take you a long time to make that kind of game asset?
Blocking is really useful! That way you can focus on proportions, shapes and composition before jumping into details. Always try to go from big to small, not the other way around. Otherwise, you might end up with pieces that don't match, objects that aren't cohesive, disproportionate bodies and so on.