# Create an isometric tilemap

> Import isometric sprites and add them to an isometric tile palette, then paint onto an isometric tilemap.


**An example of an isometric tilemap. A desert-like temple environment with a witch character.:**
![](/api/media?file=/engine/6000.3/media/images/tilemap_example_isometric.jpg)

Create isometric tilemaps, which use a 2D grid to simulate a 3D environment and create the illusion of height and depth.

There are two types of isometric tilemap in Unity:

1. Isometric, where everything on a tilemap is at ground level. To create 3D height, you create a separate tilemap for each level.
2. Isometric Z as Y, where you can set the 3D height position of tiles within a single tilemap.

## Import isometric sprites

When you [import a sprite or spritesheet texture](/engine/6000.3/manual/unity2d/sprite/import-images-sprites.md), do the following:

1. Set **Mesh Type** to **Tight**, to avoid Unity drawing transparent pixels at the corners of the isometric tiles.

2. Set **Pixels Per Unit (PPU)** to the width of a tile in your texture in pixels. One unit is one cell in the tile palette and the tilemap, so setting the PPU to the width of a tile makes sure that the tile fits within a single cell.

   If you set **Pixels Per Unit (PPU)** to a lower value, the tile expands beyond the width of a cell.

3. For each sprite in a texture, open the **Sprite Editor** window and set a custom **Pivot** at the center of the 3D floor of the tile, so the 3D sides of the sprite extend below a grid space on the tilemap. For more information, refer to [Sprite Editor tab reference for the Sprite Editor window](/engine/6000.3/manual/unity2d/sprite/sprite-editor-window-reference/reference.md).


   **A floor of green isometric tiles. The tiles on the left and right have their pivot point set higher, so the ground aligns with the isometric tilemap cells.:**
   ![](/api/media?file=/engine/6000.3/media/images/tiles-pivot-point.png)

> **Note:**
>
> Isometric sprites have a diamond shape but you can slice them into rectangles as usual in the Sprite Editor.

If you [enable collision for tiles](/engine/6000.3/manual/unity2d/tilemaps/tilemap-collider-2d/2d.md), either enable **Generate Physics Shape**, or to create an isometric collider select the tile asset and set its **Collider Type** to **Grid**.

## Create an isometric tile palette

To [create a tile palette](/engine/6000.3/manual/unity2d/tilemaps/create-tile-palette/assets.md) with an isometric grid, do the following:

1. From the main menu, select **Assets** > **Create** > **2D** > **Tile Palette**.

2. Select **Isometric**.

3. In the **Project** window, select the created tile palette.

4. In the Editor window, set the **y** value of the **Cell Size** property. To calculate the value, divide the height of the 3D floor of a tile in pixels by the width of a tile in pixels. The **y** value controls the height of the isometric diamond on the tile palette grid.


   **A tile with a 3D floor height of 32 pixels and a width of 64 pixels. The y value for Cell Size is 16 / 32 = 0.5.:**
   ![](/api/media?file=/engine/6000.3/media/images/tilemap-y-size.jpg)

   > **Note:**
   >
   > The default **Cell Size** has a **x** value of 1 and a **y** value of 0.5. This is a ratio of 2 to 1, which is a common ratio for isometric tiles.

You can now add sprites to the tilemap and paint as normal. For more information, refer to [paint tiles into the scene](/engine/6000.3/manual/unity2d/tilemaps/create-tilemap/create-tilemap.md).

## Create an isometric tilemap

When you [create a tilemap](/engine/6000.3/manual/unity2d/tilemaps/create-tilemap/create-tilemap.md), do the following:

1. Set its type to either **Isometric Tilemap** or **Isometric Z as Y Tilemap**. For more information, refer to [Create 3D height on an isometric tilemap](/engine/6000.3/manual/unity2d/tilemaps/isometric-tilemap/tilemap-renderer-isometric-modes.md).

2. In the **Inspector** window, in the **Grid** component, set the **y** value of the **Cell Size** property so it matches the value you set in the tile palette.

3. In the [2D renderer asset](/engine/6000.3/manual/unity2d/2d-urp/2drenderer-data-overview.md), set the **Transparency Sort Mode** to **Custom Axis**, then set **Transparency Sort Axis** to 0, 1, 0. These values ensure Unity renders higher tiles behind lower tiles, to provide a sense of depth.

   > **Note:**
   >
   > This property has **Transparency** in its name because Unity renders 2D objects during the transparent render pass of the render pipeline.

> **Note:**
>
> If your project uses the Built-In Render Pipeline, to set the **Custom Axis** values, select **Edit** > Editor > **Graphics** > **Camera Settings**.

## Additional resources

* [Paint tiles into the scene](/engine/6000.3/manual/unity2d/tilemaps/create-tilemap/create-tilemap.md)
* [Create 3D height on an isometric tilemap](/engine/6000.3/manual/unity2d/tilemaps/isometric-tilemap/tilemap-renderer-isometric-modes.md)