What was your most significant childhood experience? Your answer might be a trip to Disneyland or some wonderful, fun-filled trip you had with your friends or family, or could it be something mom or dad used to whip up in the kitchen that satisfied your sweet tooth? While these are all fun childhood memories most people’s minds would replay, there is one other activity that you might also remember; when you got your first video game console.
From the various video game consoles (Nintendo, Xbox, PlayStation, Sega, Atari, etc.) to computers, and mobile devices, gamers and non-gamers cannot get enough. With various video game genres, including action/adventure, sports, RPG (Role-Playing Game), horror/survival, puzzle, and strategy, there are millions of games/game titles to choose from and play.
Some games and the characters featured in them are more famous than others. Gamers can now also play live casino online and other activities that allow players to win cash while enjoying their favourite virtual casino games online.
In this article, we shall push the playback button as we remember some of the most iconic video game characters that you probably spent or still spend a lot of hours playing as. Here are gamers’ top 6 characters in no particular order.
Super Mario (The Heroic HandyMan)
Suppose you ever picked up a joystick or video game controller in your life. In that case, you might have enjoyed exploring a world riddle with Goombas, Piranha plants, Koopa Troopas, and Bowser with a video game character featured in a game title that is ranked as the second-highest grossing video game title ever.
Mario, otherwise known as Super Mario, created by Shigeru Miyamoto, needs no introduction as it is the most recognizable video game character of all time. This energetic, high-jumping Italian plumber is cast as the hero in the Super Mario Bros. title, which was released in 1985 for the Famicom (Family Computer) game console, after which it made its way to the US market on the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System).
It will not be a stretch to say that Mario stimulated the imagination of kids worldwide who thought of themselves as heroes who were on a mission to save the Princess.
Crash Bandicoot (The Belcher)
When the PlayStation game console came into the gaming market, it made a big splash with its ground-breaking graphics, exciting design, and a game title that brought chaos and a lot of excitement to homes everywhere; Crash Bandicoot, the crazy animated creature.
Crash Bandicoot is a mutant marsupial in the game title named after it. Interestingly, before it was released in 1996 by Naughty Dog, this character was intended to be a mascot for the PlayStation. A feature of this character that was unique for its time that players loved was that Crash was ill-mannered.
This game had everything, from an exciting storyline to high-action gameplay with interesting manoeuvres to an immersive gaming design.
Pac-Man (The Glutton)
If you are into arcade games, then Pac-Man is a character you are likely familiar with. The most dedicated gamers can’t have a conversation about iconic game characters without talking about this dot-munching, bright-yellow-coloured game character.
This game became even more popular when it grew from arcade machines to video game cartridges for kids to play at home. Although the game features a simplistic early generation game design and gameplay, Pac-Man is still relevant and well-loved by gamers.
As a credit to its resilience, the Pac-Man character has found its way to mobile devices for a newer generation of gamers to enjoy. Fun fact, Pac-Man was created by Toru Iwatani and was initially called Puck Man.
Sonic (The Hedgehog)
In an isolated period of gaming history when Mario was saving Princesses and making kids happy throughout planet earth, then entered the alien Hedgehog with an attitude and speed to provide some competition.
Sonic the Hedgehog is another famous video game character that powered its way into the ’90s gaming scene. Complete with a worthy villain Doctor Robotnik, this title delivered a shot of dopamine to the brain whenever a Sega Genesis was turned on, mainly thanks to this character wielding a power-up ring.
The “Blue Blur,” advertised by Sega, was created by Yuji Naka and Naoto Ohshima and came onto television sets after the game was released in 1991.
Lara Croft (The Pretty Archaeologist)
As far as first impressions go, a pretty archaeologist wielding a pistol in each hand and who maybe also has an obsession for tombs and high-risk situations is a sign that you’re in for a blood-pumping gaming experience. Lara Croft is another popular game character that became a quick gamer’s favourite after its release in 1996.
Though the original Lara Croft character was the poster girl for hypersexualization, subsequent versions saw a more realistic character that still had boys and girls excited when they got the Tomb Raider game on Christmas morning. Angelina Jolie was cast as Lara Croft in the movie adaptation of the game, making Lara Croft even more popular.
Kratos (The Demigod with Anger Issues)
For gamers with a healthy appetite for brutality and Greek mythology, the bearded God of War came to satisfy that hunger, and he was well received. The character was well-designed. On that alone, it became an instant icon to add to the fantastic game interface, violence-rich storyline, and an all-immersive 3-D gaming experience.
This character always makes it to discussions about the most notable video game characters. The game was released in 2005 on the PlayStation 2 console and has sold millions of copies thanks to its main protagonist.
Final Thoughts
Some other characters deserve at least a mention, like Donkey Kong, Ellie, Pikachu, the Mortal Kombat characters, Earthworm Jim, Luigi, and Solid Snake mention a few.
Remember, gamers, like with everything, play video games in moderation because research shows that gaming can be as addictive as drug abuse.
