There are many aspects that help make a video game a favorite amongst fans and critics. Fantastic storytelling, gorgeous visuals, and inventive gameplay are just a few of things that help create a great game. One of the most important and often overlooked factors is the main character. Many successful video games are helped by an interesting and strong lead you can get emotionally invested in and who pushes the plot forward.
When you think of iconic characters, the likes of Mario, Pikachu, and Sonic The Hedgehog often come to mind. These are just three memorable characters that transcended the video game world and crossed over into popular culture, helping sell millions of games worldwide.
But along with these well-known characters, there are a host that have had an impact but aren’t remembered quite as well. The likes of Manny Calavera and Earthworm Jim are classic characters that don’t get the attention they deserve. So here’s a look at 30 different and lesser-known but still important video game characters only real gamers will have an idea about. How many do you remember?
30 Who Was The Earthworm 16-Bit Hero?
Earthworm Jim (Earthworm Jim)
If you owned a Sega Genesis (or Mega Drive for those not in the States) during the 90s you no doubt would have played an Earthworm Jim game at some point. Playmate Toys wanted to create their own franchise similar to Sonic The Hedgehog and came up with a wisecracking earthworm named Jim and his sidekick Snott.
Despite only appearing in a handful of games Jim became a cult figure.
The games spawned a line of action figures and a hilarious animated show, with Jim voiced by Dan Castellaneta, the man behind Homer Simpson.
29 Which Super Mario RPG Character Was A Toy?
Geno (Super Mario RPG)
Super Mario RPG: Legend Of The Seven Stars introduced gamers to a wide variety of new characters, with Geno quickly becoming a fan favorite. The mysterious warrior from Star Road is modelled after a child’s doll and teams up with Mario to help defeat Smithy in the game.
Although he only appeared as a playable character in Super Mario RPG, Geno has turned up in a number of other Mario games throughout the years, including having his costume featured in Super Smash Bros. Interesting fact, his real name is actually ♥♪!?, but as that’s impossible to pronounce, he goes by the name Geno.
28 Who Did Super Mario Save Before Princess Peach?
Pauline (Donkey Kong)
In the original Donkey Kong game, Jumpman (or Mario as we now call him) had to navigate a series of construction sites while avoiding barrels thrown by Donkey Kong to rescue a woman by the name of Lady.
In the Western release of the game, Nintendo’s Executive Vice President and then-warehouse manager Don James decided to give her the name Pauline, after his wife Polly James. Pauline went on to feature in many of the following Donkey Kong games, evolving from a pixelated redhead to a buxom brunette in a red dress. Quite the evolution.
27 Your Friendly Backyard Lizard
Gex (Gex)
It’s hard to believe but Gex is one of the most successful video game franchises of the 90s. That’s right, a game about a lizard with a passion for television who is transported into the Media Dimension and must defeat the evil Rez spawned not only two sequels, but all three games combined have sold over 15 million copies.
Gex was first released on the 3DO and was intended to be the consoles version of Sonic and Mario, and while popular, wasn’t enough to save the 3DO from extinction. A funny and playful character terrifically voiced by Dana Gould, Gex remains a favorite amongst dedicated gamers.
26 Everyone’s Favourite Animal Private Eyes
Sam & Max (Sam & Max: Hit The Road)
If you told me a video game created by LucasArts about a six-foot fedora wearing dog and a short aggressive rabbit who are private detectives on the hunt for a missing bigfoot called Bruno and his love interest Trixie the Giraffe-Necked Girl would be hailed a classic, I’d have laughed in your face. How wrong was I?
Sam & Max: Hit The Road is a wonderfully fun point and click adventure based on comic book characters created by Steve Purcell. Both Sam and Max have contrasting personalities that make them such great characters and both provide many hilarious moments during the game.
25 The Best Travel Agent For The Deceased
Manuel Calavera (Grim Fandango)
LucasArts are responsible for some of the best point and click games of the 90s (Full Throttle and The Monkey Island Series) and Grim Fandango was another hit. An obscure adventure game set in some sort of Mexican purgatory where everyone is trying to make it to the Ninth Underworld.
Besides the awesome animation and interesting puzzles, the main character Manuel “Manny” Calavera is the highlight of the game.
A likable travel agent living in the underworld, Manny spends the game trying to save the soul of the recently departed Mercedes Colomar. He’s a fantastically developed character with some great lines who is a big part of the game’s success.
24 Princess Peach’s Longtime Steward
Toadsworth (Super Mario Sunshine)
The longtime steward of Princess Peach, Toadsworth is a 60-year-old Toad who spends his time fussing and worrying about Peach throughout a number of Mario related games. In fact, the usually non-playable Toadsworth has appeared in almost 20 Mario games and is easily recognizable thanks to his beige cap with brown spots and his sprouting of English sayings.
While he doesn’t seem to be very good at keeping Princess Peach out of trouble (just think about all the times she’s been taken) the old fella is always a welcome sight.
23 Guile’s Got A New Job
Lt. Surge (Pokemon)
The thing that’s always stuck with me about Pokemon’s Lt. Surge is his uncanny resemblance to Street Fighter’s Guile. Both have a love for camouflage clothing and sport spiky blonde hair, and although Surge is a little on the skinny side, both seem to enjoy spending time in the gym.
Surge is remembered for being one of the characters appearing in the first ever Pokemon game, while his success as a fan favorite resulted in him being a major character in the manga series.
22 Ever Heard Of A Thieving Racoon?
Sly Cooper (Sly Cooper And The Thievius Raccoonus)
This one might take some brain rattling but Sly Cooper is a rather popular video game character from the early 00s. Featuring in four games Cooper and his gang of thieves spend each one pulling off numerous heists and getting themselves into all sorts of situations.
Cooper is a loyal and cunning thief and quite an interesting lead.
I can’t say I would have thought of using a raccoon as the main character for a game but it works well with this entertaining franchise worth playing if you get the chance.
21 Looks Very Similar To Riddick
Sgt Cortez (TimeSplitters 2)
Although he doesn’t feature in the first TimeSplitters game Sgt Cortez became a regular fixture from the sequel onwards. A battle-hardened vet, Cortez is easily identifiable with his trademark goggles and black combat uniform.
Players travel through time completing various missions as Cortez, with the gameplay similar to that of first-person shooters GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark. Cortez always reminds me of Vin Diesel’s Riddick and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s somewhat based upon the bald-headed merc.
20 Demon Hunting Vigilante And Private Detective
Dante (Devil May Cry)
There are few characters in modern video games as cool as half-demon Dante. The main protagonist of the Devil May Cry series started life as a confident and brash demon slayer before becoming somewhat of a silent anti-hero by the second game. Thankfully, his flashy cockiness reappeared during the third and fourth installments.
Dante has undergone a number of changes to his appearance and personality during the franchise but has always managed to have an edge about him that keeps gamers interested in where his character will go next.
19 These Turtles Aren’t As Evil As They Appear
Koopa Troopa (Super Mario Bros.)
Despite often working for Bowser and regarded as Mario’s natural enemy, the Koopa Troopa’s aren’t actually bad people. The anthropomorphic tortoises are actually a peaceful race, and while many of them have worked for Bowser the majority of them don’t agree with his politics and have helped Mario over the years on his many adventures.
It’s around the time Super Mario 64 dropped that the Koopa Troopa’s began to be portrayed as a free-thinking race of tortoises, free from Bowser’s control and able to live their own lives.
18 He’s Really Quite Odd Looking
Abe (Oddworld)
Along with Spyro and Crash Bandicoot, Abe was one of the unofficial mascots of the PlayStation when it first launched. Featuring in a number of different titles under the Oddworld banner, each game finds you taking control of the alien-looking Abe and trying to save the ecosystem of Oddworld from industrial corporations intent on destroying the planet.
Named after Abraham from the Old Testament, Abe grows and evolves with each game, going from a slave to a free man trying to discover who really is and his place in the world, which is quite deep for an adventure game.
17 The One Man Brave Enough To Enter The Dragon’s Lair
Dirk The Daring (Dragon’s Lair)
Although he looks slightly clumsy and is easily sacred, Dirk The Daring proves himself to be a formidable hero as the main protagonist of the Dragon’s Lair series. Although he doesn’t speak in the first game his grunts and screams are provided by Dan Molina, who went on to voice the character in the sequel.
Dirk really is a knight in shining armour and a beacon for hope as he goes about dispatching enemies while trying rescuing Princess Daphne. He proved such a success a short lived animated show, Dragon’s Lair, hit screens in the mid 80s.
16 The Only Futuristic Ninja Worth Your Time
Strider Hiryu (Strider)
First appearing in the futuristic hack and slash arcade game Strider, ninja Hiryu Strider quickly won fans over thanks to his cool costume and frenetic attacks. The game was ported to the NES and a sequel soon followed before Strider found himself popping up in numerous Capcom fighting games, particularly the Marvel vs. Capcom series.
Fans have been crying out for another standalone Strider game and got their wish with the 2014 reboot.
Thankfully the game turned out to be awesome and allowed an entire new generation of gamers to familiarise themselves with the ninja.
15 An Old Man Disguised As A Cat
Big The Cat (Sonic Adventure)
Making his debut in Sonic Adventure, Big The Cat is a friendly if dim-witted anthropomorphic cat who’s part of the greater Sonic world. Possessing one of the seven Chaos Emeralds he must join Sonic’s quest after Eggman steals the lucky charm from him.
Big The Cat has appeared as a minor or NPC in many other Sonic games, but after players made fun of the blue buffon Sega officially announced in 2012 he would not star in any more games, although rumours persist a solo Big The Cat game could surface one day.
14 Spiral Mountain’s Very Own Witch Doctor
Mumbo Jumbo (Banjo-Kazooie)
Despite a lack of english and often referencing himself in the third person, Mumbo Jumbo is a classic character from the Banjo-Kazooie franchise. The skull faced shaman has appeared in every Banjo-Kazooie game and is well known for his magical abilities.
What makes him standout is his pink skin and giant skull head and his tolerance for Banjo and Kazooie’s constant jibes. Mumbo Jumbo also has a talent for juggling his eyeballs which you can witness when playing Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts.
13 Spaceship Flying Leader Of The Star Fox Team
Fox McCloud (Star Fox)
The hero of the Star Fox franchise, Fox McCloud is a loveable rouge who’s often discussed when it comes to the greatest video game characters of all time. Despite featuring in a number of less than stellar games Fox has always been portrayed well, be he flying his Arwing in Star Fox 64 or taking on enemies in the third person in action adventure game Star Fox Adventures.
His popularity led him to be cast in all four Super Smash Bros. game, with his character being one of the favorites amongst professional gamers for his frenetic attacks.
12 Professional Dinosaur Hunter
Turok (Turok: Dinosaur hunter)
Based on the comic book hero of the same name, the Turok series of games finds our hero battling against all manner of dinosaurs as he tries to protect the barrier between Earth and the Lost Land, well at least in the first game. After that Turok finds himself battling aliens and human forces across five sequels in all manner of jungle locations.
As a character there isn’t much to Turok but he looks pretty cool and he gets to take down dinosaurs, so you gotta love that.
There have been rumors of a new Turok game for years so hopefully, we will see one sooner rather than later as he deserves another shot.
11 This Bearded Warrior Is Loyal Till The End
Dominic Santiago (Gears Of War)
The right-hand man of Marcus Fenix, Dominic Santiago is a key member of Delta Squad. He has quite an emotional backstory concerning his missing wife and is portrayed as a family man and a loyal friend of Fenix’s.
He also has an awesome beard in Gears Of War 3 that makes him look even more imposing.
His eventual death in Gears Of War 3 is a tragic moment, with the burly warrior sacrificing himself for the greater good. What a guy.
