Dan Paladin

{{Short description|American video game developer (born 1979)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Dan Paladin

| image = Dan Paladin at GDC 2007 (417964820) (cropped).jpg

| caption = Paladin at the 2007 Game Developers Conference

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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1979|09|14}}

| birth_place = Ohio, United States

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| other_names = Synj

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| occupation = Video game art designer, developer

| years_active = 2001{{emdash}}present

| employer = The Behemoth

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| known_for = {{ubl|Alien Hominid|Castle Crashers|BattleBlock Theater|Pit People|Alien Hominid Invasion|BEHEMOTH}}

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Daniel Joseph Paladin (born September 14, 1979{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/thebehemoth/posts/happy-birthday-to-dan-paladin-happy-happy-birthdayyyy-/10150280905150951/|title=The Behemoth - Facebook|website=Facebook }}), also known as Synj, is an American video game artist, designer, and co-founder of the video game company The Behemoth.

He began collaborating with Newgrounds creator Tom Fulp and in the early 2000's designed several Flash-based browser games: Sack Smash 2001, Chainsaw the Children, Dad n' Me, and, most notably, Alien Hominid. In 2002, he, Fulp, John Baez, and Brandon LaCava founded the video game company The Behemoth. Paladin designed the critically acclaimed remake of Alien Hominid, as well as the hack-and-slash game Castle Crashers, with his 2D style becoming signature for these games.{{cite web |title=Taunting The Behemoth: Tom Fulp and Dan Paladin Cry Out |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/taunting-the-behemoth-tom-fulp-and-dan-paladin-cry-out |website=www.gamasutra.com |date=12 December 2008 |language=en}}{{cite web |url=https://www.destructoid.com/the-behemoths-game-5-is-alien-hominid-invasion/|title=The Behemoth's Game 5 is Alien Hominid Invasion|date=31 January 2020}}

Aside from working for The Behemoth, Paladin has also worked for Gratuitous Games and Presto Studios. He also composed a polka-style song that ended up being used in the closing credits for the Cyanide & Happiness animated shorts.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newgrounds.com/audio/listen/10836|title=I Like Your Hat}}