Who would have thought that after
starting from mere vacuum tubes and pseudo-images created via electronic
beams, video games would escalate to a level where in-depth storylines
and full character profiles would become a norm? Throughout the
relatively recent years, video game characters have continued to
captivate players with graphic charm and fictional brilliance. Of
course, the popularity of a video game character concept primarily
relies on the attractiveness of the game itself.
Following is a list of some of the most popular video game characters of all time.
Snake
Solid Snake is the main protagonist of
Konami’s Metal Gear series and according to a Famitsu poll for character
rankings, the number one video game character of all time. Snake’s
popularity can be gauged by the fact that he has made several
appearances in other games as well.
Ryu
Everyone knows Ryu. Even those who
haven’t played much of the Street Fighter series are well aware of his
immensely popular hadoken. Ryu is the lead character in Capcom’s Street Fighter game, anime and Manga (comic book) series.
Link
The brave hero of Nintendo’s famous
Legend of Zelda series, Link fights through hordes of enemies to save
pretty Princess Zelda. He is also the star of the American animated series by the same name. Link was one of the first game characters to be honored in the Walk of Game.
Sonic
This loveable, snazzy blue hedgehog is
the central character of the Sonic series and “the fastest thing alive”
according to the quite famous animated TV
show. The Sonic video game series was Sega’s response to Nintendo’s
Mario and he did not disappoint, making it to the spotlight along with
Mario.
Mario
When one thinks of the greatest game
characters ever created, central character of the best-selling video
game series of all time, Mario is indubitably one of the most popular
characters in the history of video games. It wouldn’t be wrong to say
that he is sort of a trademark for the industry as a whole.
Master Chief
Over the years, Halo’s Master Chief
Petty Officer John-117 has grown greatly in popularity. He was ranked as
the eighth most popular game character in history by Electronic Gaming Monthly.
The cybernetically enhanced Spartan never takes off his helmet and
barely talks, yet has a fan following vast enough to rival that of game
characters the likes of Snake and Lara Croft.
Cloud
Cloud Strife first appeared in Final
Fantasy VII as the primary protagonist in the storyline. The genetically
enhanced mercenary and his Buster Sword are equally popular in gaming
circles and among FF series fans. Cloud was ranked seventh by Electronic Gaming Monthly in their list of top ten videogame characters.
Kratos
This fierce looking, pale-skinned
Spartan Demigod is probably one of the closest video game character
definitions of the word “Bad-ass”. Kratos’ ferocity and God of War’s
innovative gameplay have made way for the Ghost of Sparta, as he is
often called, to become a widely popular character throughout the
gameverse.
Lara Croft
Holding Guinness World Records for the
“most official real life stand-ins” and the “most recognized female
video game character”, Lara Croft of Square Enix’s Tomb Raider series
most definitely deserves to be on this list. In the game, she is a bold
and beautiful British archaeologist who roams the world in search of
ancient artifacts of value.
Mega Man
This blue and cyan android is yet
another example of Capcom’s tendency to consistently produce good
character concepts. Mega Man has appeared in over a hundred titles in
several different forms over the years. The one with the blue armor
being the most popular and is considered one of the most beloved
characters in gaming history.
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