List of video game mascots
A video game mascot is a mascot that is used by video game companies to promote both the company and their specific video game series and franchises.[1] Video game mascots are sometimes considered to be similar to those at sporting events, with larger-than-life animals, such as Pikachu or Crash Bandicoot.[1] However, more modern video game mascots have been more human, more realistic characters such as Nathan Drake or Lara Croft becoming a series mascot.
There are few rules surrounding which characters are considered to be mascots for a series, but they are generally those that are featured highly in the promotional media for the game, and are often those that are known outside of the game platform.[2] Many video game mascots have transcended their original video game series and have been promoted across multiple games and platforms.[2]
Company and system mascots
- Accolade – Bubsy[3][4][5]
- ASCII Entertainment – Ardy Lightfoot[6]
- Capcom – Captain Commando,[7][2] Mega Man,[8][7][9]
- Data East – Karnov[2]
- Halfbrick Studios – Barry[10][11]
- Irem – Rocky Rodent[3]
- ITE Media – Hugo[3]
- LucasArts - Chuck the Plant[2]
- Microsoft Game Studios – Master Chief[7][12]
- Namco – Pac-Man[14][8][7]
- Nintendo – Mario,[14][8][7]
- Nitroplus – Super Sonico[15][16]
- Rovio Entertainment – Red[17]
- Sega – Alex Kidd[7] (former), Sonic the Hedgehog[8][7][18] (current)
- Sony Computer Entertainment – Toro Inoue[20]
- Square Enix
- Sunsoft – Aero the Acro-Bat[23]
- Tengen – Awesome Possum[3]
- Titus Software – Titus the Fox[3]
Specific series mascots
- Angry Birds – Red[24]
- Banjo-Kazooie – Banjo-Kazooie[3][5]
- Battletoads – Rash, Zitz, Pimple[3]
- Bomberman – Bomberman[5]
- Bonk – Bonk[3]
- Castlevania – Simon Belmont[14]
- Conker – Conker the Squirrel[3][5]
- Crash Bandicoot – Crash Bandicoot (character)[14][8][5]
- Croc: Legend of the Gobbos – Croc[3]
- Disgaea – Prinny[25]
- Donkey Kong – Donkey Kong[14]
- Duke Nukem – Duke Nukem[5]
- Fallout – Vault Boy[26]
- F-Zero – Captain Falcon[27]
- Gex – Gex[3][5]
- Glover – Glover[3]
- God of War – Kratos[14][2]
- Halo – Master Chief[14]
- Jazz Jackrabbit – Jazz Jackrabbit[28]
- Katamari Damacy – The King, The Prince[5]
- Kirby – Kirby[14]
- Klonoa – Klonoa[29]
- Mega Man – Mega Man[14]
- Metal Gear – Solid Snake[14]
- Metroid – Samus Aran[14][2]
- Mortal Kombat – Scorpion[14], Sub Zero,[30][31] Liu Kang[2]
- Pocky & Rocky – Pocky & Rocky[3]
- Pokémon – Pikachu[14][32]
- Rayman – Rayman[14][8][5]
- Resident Evil – Jill Valentine[14], Chris Redfield[33]
- Sonic the Hedgehog – Sonic the Hedgehog[14][18]
- Spyro – Spyro the Dragon[5][34]
- Star Fox – Fox McCloud[14]
- Street Fighter – Ryu,[14]
- Super Mario – Mario,[14][35]
- The Legend of Zelda – Link[14]
- Tomb Raider – Lara Croft[14]
- Twisted Metal – Sweet Tooth[14]
- Uncharted – Nathan Drake[14][21]
- Yoshi – Yoshi[14]
See also
References
- ^ a b "A History of Videogame Mascots". Paste Magazine. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "The Top Ten Best Video Game Mascots That You Probably Didn't Even Know Were Meant To Be Mascots". cinemablend.com. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "15 Forgotten Video Game Mascots From the 1990s". mentalfloss.com. October 4, 2017. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
- ^ Wehner, Mike (June 9, 2017). "One of the worst video game mascots is getting his first new game in 20 years". bgr.com. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "10 Lost Video Game Mascots: Where Are They Now?". nerdmuch.com. March 22, 2016. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
- ^ Lewis Washington (May 1993). "Feedback - New Mascots". Super NES Buyer's Guide. Vol. 3, no. 3. p. 8.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "A History of Videogame Mascots". pastemagazine.com. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f "Feature: Gaming's Most Iconic Mascots". digitalspy.com. January 16, 2011. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
- ^ a b "Did You Know The Origin Stories of These Famous Video Game Mascots?". smosh.com. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
- ^ "E3 2011: Halfbrick Studios Demos 'Machine Gun Jetpack,' 'Fruit Ninja Frenzy' and 'Fruit Ninja Kinect'". gamerant.com. June 9, 2011. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
- ^ McWhertor, Michael. "Stop What You're Doing and Get Jetpack Joyride for Your iPhone Now". kotaku.com. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
- ^ "10 Iconic Video Game Mascots (That Actually Suck) – 6. Master Chief". whatculture.com. January 25, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
- ^ "Be Kind, Rewind: The Real Story Behind Blinx, Xbox's Mediocre Mascot". gamesradar.com. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x "The Best Video Game Mascots of All Time25. Crash Bandicoot". Complex. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
- ^ "Super Sonico Celebrates Her 10th Anniversary with Sanrio". crunchyroll.com. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
- ^ Fahey, Mike. "Being A Virtual Gravure Idol's Personal Photographer Isn't Easy". kotaku.com. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
- ^ ""Angry Birds, Happy Planet" climate action campaign honored with The UN Foundation's Global Leadership Award". Rovio. October 19, 2016. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
- ^ a b "10 Iconic Video Game Mascots (That Actually Suck) – 4. Sonic the Hedgehog". whatculture.com. January 25, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
- ^ Frank, Allegra (October 16, 2017). "Atlus released a free Shin Megami Tensei Metroidvania game". Polygon. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
- ^ "Xbox 360 Version of Street Fighter X Tekken Could Have Had Master Chief or Marcus Fenix as Playable Fighters - Nerd Reactor". nerdreactor.com. January 23, 2012. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
- ^ a b "10 Iconic Video Game Mascots (That Actually Suck) – 9. Nathan Drake". whatculture.com. January 25, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
- ^ "10 Iconic Video Game Mascots (That Actually Suck) – 7. Gex". whatculture.com. January 25, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
- ^ "Aero the Acro-Bat - Sunsoft". Electronic Gaming Monthly. Vol. 6, no. 49. Sendai Publishing. August 1993. p. 96.
- ^ "Meet red, the Angry Birds mascot". nst.com.my. July 21, 2016. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
- ^ John Tanaka (August 29, 2008). "Disgaea Mascot Featured in New PSP Title". IGN. Retrieved November 27, 2008.
- ^ "The 50 Greatest Video Game Characters". Empire. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
- ^ "10 Iconic Video Game Mascots (That Actually Suck)". whatculture.com. January 25, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
- ^ "The lesser-known videogames of famous designers". Den of Geek. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
- ^ McWhertor, Michael. "Klonoa May Get Poochied For American Wii Release". kotaku.com. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
- ^ "First Injustice 2 DLC pack includes Starfire and Sub-Zero". looper.com. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
- ^ "Snow in July - Sub-Zero DLC Available Now for Injustice 2 for PS4 and Xbox One". dualshockers.com. July 11, 2017. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
- ^ "10 Iconic Video Game Mascots (That Actually Suck) – 2. Pikachu". whatculture.com. January 25, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
- ^ "10 Iconic Video Game Mascots (That Actually Suck) – 3. Chris Redfield". whatculture.com. January 25, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
- ^ "10 Iconic Video Game Mascots (That Actually Suck) – 5. Spyro the Dragon". whatculture.com. January 25, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
- ^ "10 Iconic Video Game Mascots (That Actually Suck) – 1. Mario". whatculture.com. January 25, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2017.