How Many Of These Video Game Characters Do You Know?
Some game developers just hit the nail right on the head, and the characters they create become known across the world. Some video game characters have had such cultural impacts that most people could tell you the name and main story lines of their games even though they have never played them. As a result you would be pretty hard pressed to find someone who couldn't tell you who the following 10 characters are.
Hardcore gamers are generally not all that interested in most of the games that Nintendo puts out on the market. However, it is Nintendo that owns almost all of the most famous and well-knowns video game characters in the world.
So we've made an effort to try and incorporate a few characters from other developers as well. Here we go. This is a list of the 10 most famous video game characters that are known by millions worldwide:
10. Crash Bandicoot
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Everyone's favorite Bandicoot!
Crash Bandicoot was the result of the evil Dr. Neo Cortex's twisted animal experiments. The original franchise revolved around you first working for the crazy doctor, and later when you realize his true plans for world domination, you turn against him and foil his plans. You would have to run through numerous stages, beat up evil minions with Crash's spin attack or belly flop, and collect power crystals to keep them out of Cortex's hands. The best part about it all was that you got a living floating vodoo mask that guided you. Aku Aku was awesome!
The mutated bandicoot was used as Sony's mascot for a very short time in the 90's, but he was eventually dropped due to his lack of success. The game franchise was rebooted and eventually became a part of Skylanders. Most loyal fans are still hoping for a Naughty Dog developed return to memory lane.
Here is a fun piece of trivia for you: Crash's original name was Willie the Wombat but the developers changed his name after incorporating crashing into boxes as a main game mechanic, and thus Crash Bandicoot was born.
9. Master Chief
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Master Chief shook the world with the release of Halo in 2001.
When Halo was first released back in 2001 it rocked the world. No one could've predicted how big of an impact this single game franchise would have on the industry. The Halo series has gone on to break numerous records and became the best selling game for the Xbox console. The game has gotten such notoriety that it is likeley the first game someone will ask if you play if they find out that you like video games.
Master Chief is the protagonist and leads his Spartan soldiers in defending humanity from a crazed fanatic alien race bent on purging them from the galaxy. As the battle rages on, Master Chief discovers some disturbing secrets about the universe's history and a parasite known as the flood. Chiefs iconic helmet and armor has made him extremely easy to recognize. That combined with the franchise's success brings him in at number 9 on the list.
8. Fox McCloud
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Fox McCloud revolutionized an entire genre.
Star Fox was released way back on the SNES console and became one of the first installments in a new genre. This spaceship shooter became hugely popular and Fox McCloud became a staple for Nintendo. Today he is probably more well-known for his appearances in the Super Smash Bros games in which he is a super fast and agile fighter. McCloud has a large cult following and is on the Nintendo Power list as one of the favorite Nintendo heroes ever. Playing as Fox McCloud, you lead a squad of human like animal pilots in defending your planet from an invasion.
Star Fox has been on a bit of a drought for the last decade since no original titles have been released in 9 years. However, look for the new Star Fox game to come out on the Wii U this year. Nintendo is bringing the beloved Fox back.
7. Donkey Kong
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Meet the Kongs
Donkey Kong is not an easy character to forget. This misunderstood Gorilla first appeared as a villain in a Super Mario game way back in the 80’s. Eventually he went on to get his own games out of which the gameboy version called Donkey Kong Country became most popular.
The game was characterized by being highly dynamic and difficult. You spent a large portion of the side scrolling game riding around in train carts or rolling forwards in barrels. When Donkey Kong was in one of these "vessels" then he moved significantly faster and jumping was much harder. In fact, there were several parts of this Donkey Kong game that felt almost unbeatable. The plot was simple: get your bananas back from the Gremlins. To this day Donkey Kong has remained an industry staple, and the character is known by millions worldwide.
6. Lara Croft
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Lara Croft in trouble... again.
This might be surprising for some, but the Tomb Raider franchise did not start with Angelinea Jolie's movies, although they did help define the series as a franchise. Lara Croft was first created and appeared in the Tomb Raider video game released in 1996. She is an adventurer on the hunt for ancient relics or historical places.
The games were characterized by a lot of climbing and parkour style navigation of the environment. Whereas there is a lot of action in the games, Croft prefers stealth and avoiding conflict. In the recent reboot we get a much grittier and violent version of Croft as she disposes of her enemies with her bow.
5. Link/Zelda
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It is Link, not Zelda people.
Everybody loves Zelda! Or wait… is it Link? Unless you’ve actually played the games, it is unlikely that you will be able to name this character correctly. For your information, his name is Link. So for clarification: Link is the guy with the long ears, sword and shield, and green outfit. Zelda is the princess that asks for Link’s help.
Each Zelda game tells a different story and they are not necessarily related. A recurrent theme though is that the young boy named Link is called upon to find relics of some sort and defeat the evil Ganondorf. The Legend of Zelda is probably the most popular and renowned adventure game to date, and so everyone recognizes Link… or Zelda.
4. Pac Man
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Pac Man is making a comeback in Super Smash Bros for the WII U.
Some would say that Pac Man is the first example of a game going viral. While this game may not be as riveting and immersive as some of today’s RPG’s or adventure games, Pac-Man still holds a very special place in our hearts. The game is a classic and involves taking on the roll of a yellow ball going around a labyrinth eating dots while staying away from the evil ghosts. Pac-Man has become one of the most iconic models for the gaming industry in general.
3. Pikachu
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The most electrifying rat of all.
Pokémon has become one of Nintendo’s absolute biggest sellers, and it is one of the few Nintendo games that almost everyone still plays. The game, originally title Pocket Monsters, has now had multiple versions created including an anime show, comic books, and several knock off games.
The franchise really picked up speed after the release of the original anime. The series followed the young boy named Ashe Ketchum and his favorite Pokémon Pikachu, as they journeyed together to beat the Pokémon league. That show alone made Pikachu into one of the most recognized and famous Pokémon of all. It is today known as an icon of Japanese culture. When most people think of Pokémon, they think of Pikachu.
2. Sonic
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Is Sonic fast enough to catch the success that continuously eludes him?
Oh Sonic, what has happened to you? At one time Sonic was considered the most popular and well-known video game character of all time. His original games on the Sega were fast paced, exciting, and hugely successful. You zoomed through the game's stages collecting rings and saving the poor critters trapped by Dr. Eggman. Then consoles got better and Sonic’s games got worse.
The worst Sonic game of all was Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) which was full of bugs and looked awful. The game even featured a romantic relationship between Sonic and the human protagonist girl… like what? Sonic is a hedgehog! Anyway, people still remember him for what he was. We will see how long Sonic can ride the wave of fame from his past.
1. Mario
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There is not a soul alive today who could not identify Mario.
Super Mario, the little plumber with the overalls takes the undisputed number 1 spot of the most famous video game character of all time. I don’t think there is a person alive today that has not heard of this guy. His brother Luigi is another story… But Mario is famous! His games have had huge success and he has appeared in over 200 games. That is a ridiculous resume. You will be very hard pressed in finding another character like Mario.
Most of his games are 2d scrollers in which he jumps on turtles, travels down over-sized pipes, and eats a ridiculous amount of mushrooms, and he does it all for the sake of rescuing his beloved princess Peach from the evil Bowser.
That concludes our list of the most famous and well-known video game characters of all time. Let us know who your favorite is in the comments below?
