by Matt Bird

Created on: April 30, 2009

We've been inundated with thousands upon thousands of video game characters conjured jointly from the brightest and darkest regions of the brains of game designers over the years. Some are truly awesome; some truly suck. Yet among the legions there are a select few who continue to stand out consistently despite the odds, and in this article I will pay the most reputable among them homage.

Mario. There's no denying the plucky plumber's impact on the video game world. Even non-gamers can recognize him on sight. Mario's starred - or at least appeared - in more games than I'd ever want to think about, and is proof positive that even the strangest of combinations (a plumber as an action hero?) can pay off in spades if properly handled.

Pac Man. He may crave power pellets, but secretly, Pac Man's after something far better: your quarters. Eating up our pocket change since the 1980s, Pac Man has seen tons of changes and re-imaginings, yet it's still his meagre roots that remain most popular in our hearts. Wakka wakka wakka.

Mega Man. Endlessly reinvented and rereleased by his dutiful master Capcom, Mega Man endures as a legend. Regardless of his appearance or how his game plays, you can at least be sure of two things: he's going to be blue, and he's going to make your day a whole lot more fun.

Link. His games may not be named after him, but who cares? Link's the real star of the Legend of Zelda series, and what a star. We've watched him mature from a plucky young adventure to a matured warrior time and time again, and even though each game is pretty damn similar to the last in many respects we still don't mind. Swing that sword, Link, swing that sword.

Sonic the Hedgehog. Mario's longtime rival in gaming circles, Sonic has the chops to back up his bravado. His speed is legendary, and reason enough alone to play any of his games - you can't dash through one of Robotnik's giant ships at Mach Five and say, with a straight face, that you didn't feel a rush.

Lara Croft. I must admit that I've never been a HUGE fan of Ms. Croft's games, but I can't deny the impact she's had. Even though Samus Aran came first it was Lara who ushered in a new era of games starring girls rather than guys, and despite the overly-sexualized nature of her design I can't thank the lady enough.

Pikachu. This electric rodent is a sight that parents probably dread, yet its drawing power is undeniable. Pikachu is THE pokemon that represents the brand, and I somehow doubt he'll be supplanted any time soon.

Donkey Kong. Another infamous arcade star, Donkey Kong has managed to do what Pac Man failed at: he climbed out of his arcade machine and made a name for himself with his own series, Donkey Kong Country. Sure he may be a bit of a ripoff of King Kong, but who's to complain? The older ape never managed to appear in a decent game, after all.

Cloud Strife and Sephiroth. Honestly, I can't place one without the other. When one appears in a game the other almost ALWAYS does too, and they usually end up fighting. These two bad boys of Final Fantasy VII helped popularize the series in ways past heroes couldn't (sorry, Terra and Kefka), primarily for two reasons: they have big swords and they're stunningly attractive. That's both genders knocked out at once.

Master Chief: Though I've not played the Halo games to any great degree, I know an icon when I see one. Master Chief is the Xbox's head honcho, and definitely a big reason why the games have done as well as they have. Hard to argue with a guy who shoots first and doesn't bother with questions after.

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