If you make games using sprite sheets, these animation tricks come in handy for keeping things simple. It doesn’t take more than a few frames to give life to objects and characters.
Learn more from Ari Feldman’s book Designing Arcade Computer Game Graphics.
More info about animating sprites can be found here: Interactive Media and Game Development
Cylindrical
Rotational
Disintegration
Color Flash / sparkle
Scissors - simple closed to open movement
Growing / shrinking
Piston
Squeeze
Swing / pendulum
Slide
Open / close
Bounce
Stomp
Slink
Flight
Walk
Run
Jump
Crawl
