With consoles and PCs booming, it was only natural for some of the best video game characters to rise among others. When talking about the legendary video game franchises, the best video game characters of all time played a vital role in the story and set the tone for the upcoming sequels. But with so many to choose from, what separates a best video game character from the more forgettable ones?
When talking about the bests and the greats of video games, we are talking about characters like Agent 47, Mario, and Doomguy — the faces of the games they are in. The factor that the great characters in video games share is their memorability. When you turn on the game, their face might be the first you see. The same goes for the marketing material — other video game characters are left on the side while the more important ones take the stage.
Want to test out your knowledge on the subject of video games? Well, we have compiled a list of the most famous video game characters that have graced the world of computer storytelling. Upvote the characters you recognize, and if you want to share anything related to the characters, do so in the comments below.
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#1 Geralt Of Rivia (The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt)
Geralt of Rivia stands apart as a model of moral relativism in a world filled with daring heroes trying to do the right thing. It would be pointless to attempt to eliminate all the cruelty and evil in the world around him. The Witcher's unapologetic fantasy world centers around Geralt and his journeys.
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20points
#2 Joel (The Last Of Us)
Joel is a shadow of the man he once was twenty years ago after he lost his young daughter. He has something to fight for when he begins to take care of Ellie. The daughter-father relationship he forms with Ellie is an emotional journey. His decisions seem human, and their consequences are world-changing.
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15points
#3 Mario (Super Mario Bros)
No one can beat Mario in the legendary character category. First appearing in Donkey Kong and then in his independent games, Mario has cemented himself as a style icon and story character. Nintendo uses this character in their video games due to the popularity he has among fans
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14points
#4 Ellie (The Last Of Us)
While she became more known due to her appearance in The Last of Us, her concept originated in Uncharted 2 as a companion to Drake. The idea garnered plenty of attention from the game developers and Ellie was developed as a foul-mouthed, comedic, and emotional center of The Last of Us franchise.
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14points
#5 Ezio Auditore Da Firenze (Assassin's Creed 2)
With so many Assassin's Creed titles to choose from, only one character can stand out from the lineup — Ezio Auditore. Born and raised in the great boot that is Italy, Ezio grew a lot throughout the games. Starting as a man on a path of revenge, he ended up as a respected and renowned icon in the lore of the game.
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14points
#6 Dogmeat (Fallout 4)
Man's best friend is a dog in both the real and virtual worlds. In the apocalyptic world of Fallout, Dogmeat acts as a companion to the main character. With such an iconic name, Dogmeat is a cute and helpful character that joins the protagonist quite early in the story. Among the many grotesque creatures, Dogmeat is unique.
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14points
#7 Lara Croft (Rise Of The Tomb Raider)
Since her introduction as the protagonist of 1996's Tomb Raider, Lara Croft has undergone significant development. The 2010 remake brought a new, more contemporary Lara Croft, offering her a more thorough background narrative and a fresh streak of humanity. She always remained powerful, traveling to ancient tombs and fighting off villains and dinosaurs.
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13points
#8 Pikachu (Pokemon Gold And Silver)
This mouse-like character has charmed several generations of video game players for decades now. Pikachu is famous in the games for its special moves and in the anime series, where he and his trainer Ash took the stage in the marketing material. Pikachu is both colorful and funny in some moments.
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11points
#9 Pac-Man (Pac-Man)
Pac-Man's main objectives are to consume dots and leave a ghost-filled maze. Despite its straightforward gameplay, Pac-Man has endured as one of the arcade era's most popular characters, with products and media profiles to match. Even today, he has had cameos in multiple movies and series.
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11points
#10 Link (The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild)
While usually confused with Zelda, whose name is in the title of the games, Link is the character we play throughout the Zelda games. Silent for most games, due to a promise, he was created by Shigeru Miyamoto, the legendary video game designer, and has become as well known as Mario.
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11points
#11 Steve (Minecraft)
Steve became an icon of both Minecraft and the whole gaming industry. He is also a person no other character would want to mess with, as he journeys through the infinite world with a full bag of items that weigh quite a lot in the real world. He appeared in other games, like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
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11points
#12 Alduin (The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim)
Known as the World Eater and the Twilight God, Alduin is one of the first dragons to have ever cast a shadow over Tamriel. He led the dragons and subjugated the humans in Tamriel, using them as slaves to build temples in their honor. Luckily, he was cast into the future by three brave heroes and ultimately defeated by the last Dragonborn.
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11points
#13 Bella Goth (The Sims)
The most fashionable Sim to ever exist once led a pleasant, routine life. She was an excellent student who showed her Gothic side through her collection of skulls in her bedroom. She grew up in a bachelor's household. As she marries Mortimer Goth in The Sims 2, the recognizable, perfectly coiffed Sim's life becomes significantly fun.
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11points
#14 John Marston (Red Dead Redemption)
A man with a past he wants to forget — John Marston is as complex of a character as Arthur Morgan. A former member of the Van Der Linde gang, Marston is forced by the government to hunt down his previous colleagues so that his family can live peacefully. Dueling between his decisions, everything he does is for his family.
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11points
#15 Nathan Drake (Uncharted)
In 2007's Uncharted, Drake made his first endearingly unkempt appearance, and he quickly became the gold standard for endearing in-game dialogue. He embodies the ideal of the lovable rogue. Nathan is a disturbed individual with a complicated background who, despite his seeming hesitation, always chooses to act morally.
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10points
#16 Commander Shepard (Mass Effect)
This character can be a man or a woman — it doesn’t make a difference as both of them get portrayed as great leaders and fighters. Mass Effect by Bioware does an excellent job of creating a plausible environment in which you start developing your mythology — all thanks to the work of Shepard.
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10points
#17 Glados (Portal)
The cake might be a lie, but the fandom that GLaDOS (Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System) developed for herself is truly real. This well-developed AI, created by Aperture Science as a hive mind of the facilities, has become much more popular than the protagonist herself. Evil and funny, GLaDOS is the face of the Portal games.
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10points
#18 Arthur Morgan (Red Dead Redemption 2)
The Wild West requires a person to be versatile, cold-blooded, and loyal — everything that Arthur Morgan captures in just a single game. Having been raised by Dutch van der Linde and Hosea Matthews, Morgan became a high-ranking member of their gang, who did everything to help his good friend and brother-like figure John Marston to survive.
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10points
#19 Jill Valentine (Resident Evil)
The master of unlocking herself, Jill Valentine, started off the Resident Evil franchise with quite a bang. A former member of the S.T.A.R.S team, Valentine has the skills to survive a zombie-filled mansion and Raccoon City. After the enslavement under Wesker, Valentine joined forces with her old colleague, Chris Redfield, to fight bioterrorism.
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10points
#20 Spyro (Spyro The Dragon)
Spyro's traditional dragon green color changed to purple to prevent him from merging with the surrounding vegetation. He got the power to glide to set the game apart from other platformers. Even NASA rocket expert Matt Whiting was employed by Insomniac to refine his in-air movements.
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9points