diff --git a/arcade/sprite/base.py b/arcade/sprite/base.py
index 68e0d57b30..a1f878b4a9 100644
--- a/arcade/sprite/base.py
+++ b/arcade/sprite/base.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Iterable, List, TypeVar, Any
 
 import arcade
-from arcade.types import Point, Color, RGBA255, PointList
+from arcade.types import Point, Color, RGBA255, RGBOrA255, PointList
 from arcade.color import BLACK
 from arcade.hitbox import HitBox
 from arcade.texture import Texture
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ class BasicSprite:
         "_color",
         "_texture",
         "_hit_box",
+        "_visible",
         "sprite_lists",
         "_angle",
         "__weakref__",
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@ def __init__(
         scale: float = 1.0,
         center_x: float = 0,
         center_y: float = 0,
+        visible: bool = True,
         **kwargs: Any,
     ) -> None:
         self._position = (center_x, center_y)
@@ -57,6 +59,7 @@ def __init__(
         self._width = texture.width * scale
         self._height = texture.height * scale
         self._scale = scale, scale
+        self._visible = bool(visible)
         self._color: Color = Color(255, 255, 255, 255)
         self.sprite_lists: List["SpriteList"] = []
 
@@ -293,29 +296,44 @@ def top(self, amount: float):
 
     @property
     def visible(self) -> bool:
-        """
-        Get or set the visibility of this sprite.
-        This is a shortcut for changing the alpha value of a sprite
-        to 0 or 255::
+        """Get or set the visibility of this sprite.
+
+        When set to ``False``, each :py:class:`~arcade.SpriteList` and
+        its attached shaders will treat the sprite as if has an
+        :py:attr:`.alpha` of 0. However, the sprite's actual values for
+        :py:attr:`.alpha` and :py:attr:`.color` will not change.
+
+        .. code-block:: python
+
+            # The initial color of the sprite
+            >>> sprite.color
+            Color(255, 255, 255, 255)
 
             # Make the sprite invisible
-            sprite.visible = False
-            # Change back to visible
-            sprite.visible = True
-            # Toggle visible
-            sprite.visible = not sprite.visible
+            >>> sprite.visible = False
+            # The sprite's color value has not changed
+            >>> sprite.color
+            Color(255, 255, 255, 255)
+            # The sprite's alpha value hasn't either
+            >>> sprite.alpha
+            255
+
+            # Restore visibility
+            >>> sprite.visible = True
+            # Shorthand to toggle visible
+            >>> sprite.visible = not sprite.visible
 
         """
-        return self._color[3] > 0
+        return self._visible
 
     @visible.setter
     def visible(self, value: bool):
-        self._color = Color(
-            self._color[0],
-            self._color[1],
-            self._color[2],
-            255 if value else 0,
-        )
+        value = bool(value)
+        if self._visible == value:
+            return
+
+        self._visible = value
+
         for sprite_list in self.sprite_lists:
             sprite_list._update_color(self)
 
@@ -345,27 +363,22 @@ def color(self) -> Color:
         return self._color
 
     @color.setter
-    def color(self, color: RGBA255):
-        if len(color) == 4:
-            if (
-                self._color[0] == color[0]
-                and self._color[1] == color[1]
-                and self._color[2] == color[2]
-                and self._color[3] == color[3]
-            ):
-                return
-            self._color = Color.from_iterable(color)
-
-        elif len(color) == 3:
-            if (
-                self._color[0] == color[0]
-                and self._color[1] == color[1]
-                and self._color[2] == color[2]
-            ):
-                return
-            self._color = Color(color[0], color[1], color[2], self._color[3])
+    def color(self, color: RGBOrA255):
+        if color == self._color:
+            return
+
+        r, g, b, *_a = color
+
+        if _a:
+            if len(_a) > 1:
+                raise ValueError(f"iterable must unpack to 3 or 4 values not {len(color)}")
+            a = _a[0]
         else:
-            raise ValueError("Color must be three or four ints from 0-255")
+            a = self._color.a
+
+        # We don't handle alpha and .visible interactions here
+        # because it's implemented in SpriteList._update_color
+        self._color = Color(r, g, b, a)
 
         for sprite_list in self.sprite_lists:
             sprite_list._update_color(self)
diff --git a/arcade/sprite_list/sprite_list.py b/arcade/sprite_list/sprite_list.py
index 5cc832ada7..a608466b36 100644
--- a/arcade/sprite_list/sprite_list.py
+++ b/arcade/sprite_list/sprite_list.py
@@ -1262,7 +1262,7 @@ def _update_color(self, sprite: SpriteType) -> None:
         self._sprite_color_data[slot * 4] = int(sprite._color[0])
         self._sprite_color_data[slot * 4 + 1] = int(sprite._color[1])
         self._sprite_color_data[slot * 4 + 2] = int(sprite._color[2])
-        self._sprite_color_data[slot * 4 + 3] = int(sprite._color[3])
+        self._sprite_color_data[slot * 4 + 3] = int(sprite._color[3] * sprite._visible)
         self._sprite_color_changed = True
 
     def _update_size(self, sprite: SpriteType) -> None:
diff --git a/tests/unit/sprite/test_sprite.py b/tests/unit/sprite/test_sprite.py
index 0ebcb20017..1e88f6221a 100644
--- a/tests/unit/sprite/test_sprite.py
+++ b/tests/unit/sprite/test_sprite.py
@@ -321,15 +321,19 @@ def test_visible():
     assert sprite.alpha == 255
     assert sprite.visible is True
 
+    # initialise alpha value
+    sprite.alpha = 100
+    assert sprite.alpha == 100
+
     # Make invisible
     sprite.visible = False
     assert sprite.visible is False
-    assert sprite.alpha == 0
+    assert sprite.alpha == 100
 
     # Make visible again
     sprite.visible = True
     assert sprite.visible is True
-    assert sprite.alpha == 255
+    assert sprite.alpha == 100
 
 
 def test_sprite_scale_xy(window):