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[West Texas CEO]

Top 50 videogame characters of all time

1. Mario (Donkey Kong, Nintendo, 1981)
2. Link (The Legend of Zelda, Nintendo, 1986)
3. Master Chief (Halo: Combat Evolved, Microsoft, 2001)
4. Solid Snake (Metal Gear, Konami, 1987)
5. Cloud Strife (Final Fantasy VII, Square, 1997)
6. PAC-Man (PAC-Man, Namco, 1980)
7. Lara Croft (Tomb Raider, Eidos 1996)
8. Gordon Freeman (Half-Life, Valve, 1998 )
9. Kratos (God of War, Sony, 2005)
10. Sonic (Sonic the Hedgehog, Sega, 1990)
11. Crash (Crash Bandicoot, Sony, 1996)
12. “Soap” MacTavish (Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Activision, 2007)
13. Nico Bellic (Grand Theft Auto IV, Rockstar, 2008 )
14. Samus Aran (Metroid, Nintendo 1986)
15. Ratchet (Ratchet & Clank, Sony, 2002)
16. Nathan Drake (Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, Sony, 2007)
17. Captain Price (Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Activision, 2007)
18. Kirby (Kirby’s Dream Land, Nintendo, 1992)
19. Marcus Fenix (Gears of War, Microsoft, 2006)
20. Pikachu (Pokemon Red/Green, Nintendo 1996)

What do you think?

The remaining 20 are:

21. Yoshi (Super Mario World, Nintendo, 1990)
22. “CJ” Johnson (Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Rockstar, 2004)
23. Mega Man (Mega Man, Capcom, 1987)
24. Sam Fisher (Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell, Ubisoft, 2002)
25. Shadow (Sonic Adventure 2, Sega, 2001)
26. Jak (Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, Sony, 2001)
27. Duke Nukem (Duke Nukem, Apogee, 1991)
28. Dante (Devil May Cry, Bandai, 2003)
29. Naruto (Naruto: Konoha Ninpoch, Bandai, 2003)
30. Altair (Assassin’s Creed, Ubisoft, 2007)
31. Zelda (The Legend of Zelda, Nintendo, 1986)
32. Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII, Square, 1997)
33. Donkey Kong (Donkey Kong, Nintendo, 1981)
34. The Prince (Prince of Persia, Broderbund, 1989)
35. Ezio (Assassin’s Creed II, Ubisoft, 2009)
36. Leon S (Biohazard/ Resident Evil, Capcom, 1996)
37. Ash Ketchum (Pokemon Red/Green, Nintendo, 1996)
38. Guybrush Threepwood (The Secret of Monkey Island, LucasArts, 1990)
39. Spyro (Spyro the Dragon, Universal, 1998)
40. “Ghost” Riley (Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, Activision, 2009)
41. Goku (Dragon Daihikyoe, Epoch, 1987)
42. Max Payne (Max Payne, Rockstar, 2001)
43. Jill Valentine (Biohazard/ Resident Evil, Capcom, 1996)
44. Princess Peach (Super Mario Bros., Nintendo, 1985)
45. Larry Laffer (Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards, Sierra, 1987)
46. Augustus Cole (Gears of War, Microsoft, 2006)
47. Bowser (Super Mario Bros., Nintendo, 1985)
48. Eddie Riggs (Brutal Legend, EA, 2009)
49. Ryu (Street Fighter, Capcom, 1987)
50. Sackboy (LIttleBigPlanet, Sony, 2008)

It seems their only criteria is to be from a best selling video game, rather than a character that's actually good. How can I tell this? There are TWO Call of Duty characters, and Marcus Fenix.

 

[wvnative]

Soap is above Captain Price? Wtf

 

[TheDrunkenMerchant]

You mean the most RECOGNIZABLE characters that your parents probably know too. If you're talking about true characters with arcs and personality and engaging story, that list is hot garbage. Where's Heather Mason, Yuna, Agent York etc.

Also, Goku isn't a video game character.

 

[kingfey]

 

[Nankatsu]

Naruto way higher than goku?

 

[BryceNobody]

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

Soap is rated that high above those other characters?

 

[SeraphJan]

This list is pointless

 

[SJRB]

What's Heineken's top 50 list?

 

[Orta]

Cloud Strife ffs

 

[Represent.]

They counting Goku? If so he's number 1 by far.

GOATKU

 

[CherryFalls]

no John marston from red dead?

no the boss / big boss from metal gear?

 

[Sophist]

20. Pikachu (Pokemon Red/Green, Nintendo 1996)

Then Minecraft steve or the red bird from angry birds shall be on this list too.

 

[BigBooper]

Look, as far as top videogame franchises, no one can deny how important the Mario games have been. No way is that Peach simp the top character though. He's a total pushover. Sitting on top of flagpoles for her, and then spinning around.

 

[Kuranghi]

12. “Soap” MacTavish (Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Activision, 2007)

I was nodding along and then this one made me laugh really hard. I can't remember a single thing he ever said.

How can you even compare some of these lmao, PAC-MAN has a design he doesn't a have a "character" like others do on the list. Link as well, he's a vessel for the player. We know absolutely nothing about Gordon Freeman, what is his character, that he has a beard and he's a scientist?

 

[Pallas]

There are 3 call of duty characters, not 2. Personally think Ghost deserve to be higher than the other two. I agree with the top 4, but after that it’s a big hot mess. Some should be higher, lower, not even on the list and a few omissions.

 

[Kuranghi]

Look, as far as top videogame franchises, no one can deny how important the Mario games have been. No way is that Peach simp the top character though. He's a total pushover. Sitting on top of flagpoles for her, and then spinning around.

Cuck indeed. He ain't gonna get his pole shined any other way so he'll be spinning for eternity.

 

[R3claimer117]

Chief is number 1 but I can’t be mad at 1 and 2 but Nathan drake is higher then Sam fisher? What !!

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Before clicking this thread, I was thinking Mario, Link, Chief. Spot on. I'm surprised Ryu is so low.

1. Mario (Donkey Kong, Nintendo, 1981)
2. Link (The Legend of Zelda, Nintendo, 1986)
3. Master Chief (Halo: Combat Evolved, Microsoft, 2001)

 

[Neon Pavlova]

Guiness has a seperate Knack top 50 list.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

You mean the most RECOGNIZABLE characters that your parents probably know too.

I dont know about that.

How many people on this board would ever bring up this character as one of the best ever?

38. Guybrush Threepwood (The Secret of Monkey Island, LucasArts, 1990)

 

[blacktout]

Was this list written over a decade ago?

I don't know how else to explain the complete absence of contemporary characters and the bizarre over-representation of games from the late '00s.

Also, why is the character that has sold more merchandise and has greater pop culture relevance than all the others combined (except Mario) somehow ranked below Nico Bellic and TWO characters from Modern Warfare?

 

[Belthazar]

Oh, it was an online poll so...

 

[winjer]

I'll agree with most of it. But there are a few strange ones.

 

[ShirAhava]

Sonic was more recognizable than Mario and Mickey Mouse in 1992 yet he's ten on this list behind

Kratos and Gordon Freeman the fuck?

 

[TheDuskwalker]

Oh, it was online poll of 13,000 voters. That explains everything.......

"37. Ash Ketchum (Pokemon Red/Green, Nintendo, 1996)"

Almost everything.

 

[Swift_Star]

Not a bad list tbh.

 

[EverydayBeast]

Cloud is a big hero, no one is messing with Master Chief, not a bad list.

 

[Badlucktroll]

Sonic should be #1!!!

 

[ReBurn]

You know how to tell that this list is wrong? Waluigi isn't #1.

 

[West Texas CEO]

Sonic should be #1!!!

 

[MakarelBoi]

Glad to see Niko is more recognizable than those three clowns in GTA V though it weird there no Arthur and John from the Red Dead series. Soap shouldn't even belong on the list lmao. People remember Captain Price more. Anime character shouldn't be on the list either. They only nail the top 10 part. What a garbage list.

 

[Ceadeus]

it's all so subjective but where the hell is Simon Belmont and Ryu Hayabusa?!?!?

 

[TDiddyLive]

It seems their only criteria is to be from a best selling video game, rather than a character that's actually good. How can I tell this? There are TWO Call of Duty characters, and Marcus Fenix.

Marcus Fenix is a legit great character so I’m not sure where you’re going with that…

I dont know about that.

How many people on this board would ever bring up this character as one of the best ever?

38. Guybrush Threepwood (The Secret of Monkey Island, LucasArts, 1990)

Absolute legend.

 

[brian0057]

People complaining that no Silent Hill character is anywhere on the list.
It's like everyone forgets that, despite how influencial the series is, it wasn't a seller, let alone light the sales charts on fire.

 

[Fake]

Soap is above Captain Price? Wtf

Lmao. This is a google list after all.

 

[adamsapple]

Would love to find out what their criteria for the rankings is.

OP thinks sales but looking at the numbers that can't be right.

 

[MakarelBoi]

People complaining that no Silent Hill character is anywhere on the list.
It's like everyone forgets that, despite how influencial the series is, it wasn't a seller, let alone light the sales charts on fire.

It's sad because unless you make an inspired Resident Evil game or an Amnesia clone (hide and seek game), your horror game won't sell that high. Dead Space and The Evil Within manage to sell a million copies because they follow RE formula

 

[ULTROS!]

I don’t know who tf are the COD characters. Tbh Simon Belmont is more recognizable.

 

[SlimeGooGoo]

.

 

[Ozzy Onya A2Z]

Yoshi below Ratchet and Fenix? This multiverse sucks.

 

[Hardensoul]

Im not sure the criteria of this list, but if Link is #2 not sure how Zelda is so low, the game is literally called The Legend of Zelda. Hell some casual gamers even think Link is Zelda lol

Not sure I remember Captain Price or any protagonists from any CoD games.

List seems pointless even have non gaming first characters!

 

[Thirty7ven]

On-line pool on Guiness site? This shit is worthless.

 

[Hoppa]

Where’s Abby

 

[Hardensoul]

Yoshi below Ratchet and Fenix? This multiverse sucks.

Also ahead of Pikachu!

 

[brian0057]

I'm just happy my boy, Sam Fisher, made the list.

 

[Dream-Knife]

Polls like this are dumb. Of course Mario is #1, he literally represents video games. Everything else is just personal belief.

 

[ZehDon]

Seems like a reasonable take, in my opinion.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

A character I'm sure very gamer has played at some point.

25. Shadow (Sonic Adventure 2, Sega, 2001)

 

[Codes 208]

Top three sound about right imo. Mario and Link are some of the most iconic characters to exist. and halo is the sole reason xbox didnt just end up DoA so there ya go.