Most iconic video game character ever?

[CheesecakeRunner]

272BHP said:

Ask your gran who either of those 2 are and you will likely get a blank look.

My gran(s) died in the 90s. But my Mum, who’s in her late 70s knows who they are as she had two sons who grew up playing their games way too much. She won’t be the only one.

Lara Croft in particular was an absolute cultural phenomenon in the 90s and early 2000s.

[272BHP]

CheesecakeRunner said:

My gran(s) died in the 90s. But my Mum, who’s in her late 70s knows who they are as she had two sons who grew up playing their games way too much. She won’t be the only one.

Lara Croft in particular was an absolute cultural phenomenon in the 90s and early 2000s.

The gran comment was not directed to you personally but more as an example of cross-generational impact. Maybe a better example would be to ask a 5yr old.

Mario has a much higher impact across generations.

[Cotty]

Never had a Nintendo and never played a Mario game.

Played a Tomb Raider demo when I first got my Playstation, didn't like it so bought Resident Evil. I know there are many Tomb Raider games as well as three live action films. It does not surprise me that it got the vote.

[rustyuk]

CT05 Nose Cone said:

They made a sneaky edit to the article



Ms Pac Man is usually considered the first, I'd say Samus Aran was the first iconic female lead (even if the fact you were playing as a woman was originally an easter egg)

On Radio 5 they were trying to spin it that Laura was a lesbian and had given lots of women courage to come out.

I happened to be living in Derby at the time it was released and through a housemate knew the original lady who was promoting the game. As previously mentioned the whole premise was to get young lads excited about the size of her tits.

[CT05 Nose Cone]

rustyuk said:

On Radio 5 they were trying to spin it that Laura was a lesbian and had given lots of women courage to come out.

I happened to be living in Derby at the time it was released and through a housemate knew the original lady who was promoting the game. As previously mentioned the whole premise was to get young lads excited about the size of her tits.

Which isn't right either, she was never shown to have a partner. Still, fond memories to those days where the internet wasn't so easily accessible, and every playground had a kid who knew the code to make her nude.

[Fusion777]

No surprise that they’ve gone down the “strong female lead” route. Some truth in it, but more likely to be the age old fact that sex sells. Why else were gaming magazines stuffed full of renders of her scantily clad?

Would be interested to know how many Tomb Raider players in the 90s were female. 10%?

[808 Estate]

I thought Zelda was the first female lead character?

[272BHP]

808 Estate said:

I thought Zelda was the first female lead character?

Although the series is named after Zelda she was never the lead character.

Samus in Metroid was the first in many peoples opinion.

[Mastodon2]

Given that the list is for the "most iconic", which you'd expect would list characters who are considered recognisable icons, two nobodies from Baldur's Gate 3 appearing on the list is surprising. The game hasn't even been out a year.

It is the BAFTAs though, so -pro British bias is expected.

[Leon R]

Good to see Arthur Morgan from RDR2 on there.

Not the most iconic but one of the best if not the best.

[soad]

Eidos/Tomb Raider were huge back in the day.

Nell McAndrew promoted it for a short spell in Leeds. Virgin Megastore springs to mind.

Nobody mentioned Duke Nukem?


I don’t want to look at what games sold the best, but PlayStation (in various generations/remakes) probably outperformed quite a few platforms?

Carl “CJ” Johnson for the San Andreas.