Top 10 Most Iconic Video Game Characters of All Time

Video games have become an integral part of the human technology and have given birth to the most iconic video game characters of all time. It has come a long way since its inception and is a constantly evolving entertainment medium. From Pac Man’s simple graphics to the realistic simulations of Call of Duty, it would not be surprising that this particular medium has been the subject of scrutiny.

Today’s modern culture has shaped emerging video games that now cover a wide range of topics. As a result, many different video games over the years have introduced a great number of famous characters that has spanned recognition over many generations of old and emerging gamers. With many formats available, it is not surprising that many of video games’ most iconic characters have gained recognition among today’s younger generation and have indeed evolved with today’s technology.

Here is the Gaming World’s Most Iconic faces:

Pikachu

This particular anime character is also a video game character that has become synonymous with the famous Pokemon franchise. The Pokemon franchise was first created by Nintendo in the mid 1990’s and it became a global phenomenon. The video game franchise has spanned a popular kids’ show, several movies and video games. Due to his immense popularity, Pikachu is considered to be the franchise’s unofficial mascot.

Sephiroth

Even a villain can become an iconic character. One particular video game character achieved such status and he goes by the name of Final Fantasy VII’s Sephiroth. Dubbed as the best PRG video game ever made, Sephiroth’s status was sealed the moment he killed one of the main characters in the game – permanently. This left the kind of trauma that has stayed on with fans until now.

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People, who have some knowledge of video games, associate him with The Legend of Zelda even if he is not the hero of the game.This silent yet lovable character has had his fair share of saving the world. The Legend of Zelda is one of Nintendo’s best games.

Solid Snake

Metal Gear is based on Hideo Kojima’s epic storyline of military espionage, Cold War politics and modern warfare and no one best represents it but Solid Snake. This protagonist is part spy, part-special ops soldier and part mercenary. The series’ tagline “Tactical Espionage Action” perfectly defines the Snake’s representation of the franchise.

Master Chief

When X-box was first released in 2001, Microsoft gave the gaming world one of its iconic characters in the video game Halo. Its protagonist, Master Chief, became the unofficial mascot to Microsoft’s new gaming console.

Lara Croft

Who knew combining Indiana Jones and Bruce Willis from the Die Hard series could actually bring such kick-ass results? Lara Croft is undoubtedly one fierce beauty in the world of video games. The star of the Tomb Raider series, this video game heroine has starred in two movies and was portrayed by Angelina Jolie. She is considered to be one of the most celebrated video game characters.

Sonic

The battle for video game supremacy was first fought between Nintendo and Sega. Unlike Nintendo’s roster of many recognizable characters, Sega focused on one particular hedgehog. The Sonic franchise became Sega’s bread and butter intellectual property. Since the tension between the two had cooled off, Sonic can now be seen side by side with Mario in Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Gordon Freeman

This silent and mysterious guy is the main protagonist of the Half Life series, one of the greatest single-player first person shooters ever made. This theoretical physicist became a bad-ass gun wielding hero when the experiment he was part of accidentally opens an inter-dimensional portal of monsters.

Pac Man

The world of Video Games owes this particular character everything. It was this hungry little yellow circle that had the world of Video Games come into play. The first ever Pac Man machine came out in 1980 and became the cultural mascot of its decade.

Super Mario

This famous Italian-American plumber from New York City has been Nintendo’s official mascot since 1983. Super Mario undoubtedly is the most recognizable character in all of video gaming. Mario along with his gang, his brother Luigi, Princess Perach, Wario, Waluigi and Yoshi, has become one of video gaming’s household names. Super Mario games have sold over 262 million copies, making it one of the most successful video game franchises of all time.