Bafta Games Awards: BAFTA honours some of the best gaming characters ever

Mario fist pumping the air. Mario is an animation based on an Italian plumber, wearing a red hat and top with blue overalls. He wears white gloves and has blue eyes and a bushy brown moustache. — Image caption,
In a poll of gamers to mark the 20th Bafta Games Awards, Lara Croft has beaten Mario and Sonic for the title of most iconic video game character of all time. In second place came one of the oldest characters on this list, Mario was created in 1981 – not as the star of his own series, but as a player character in the first instalment in the Donkey Kong series. From humble beginnings, he has appeared in over 200 video games, two films, and numerous other multimedia adaptations. Mario's creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, said he had to create the first version of the character from just 16 pixels.

Gamers play in front of a huge mural of Sonic The Hedgehog at Paris Games Week in 2022.

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Sonic the Hedgehog ranked as the fourth most popular character of all time. Sonic sprinted his way into the hearts and minds of fans worldwide in 1991 as the star of Sonic the Hedgehog for the Sega Genesis. He has appeared in over 100 video games as both a main character and supporting cast, as well as starring in several TV shows and two films, with a third slated for release in late 2024.

Sony

One of the most customisable characters on this list, fifth-placed Sackboy made his video game debut in 2008 as the star of Sony’s LittleBigPlanet. He’s since starred in all six LittleBigPlanet mainline games, as well as making an appearance in numerous other game franchises as everything from a playable character to an Easter egg.

Pac-Man ghosts on the video game. Pac-Man is a yellow circle missing a triangle which acts as a mouth. The animation follows small pink dots around a black and blue maze and is pursued by four animated ghosts - one blue, one red, one yellow and one pink.

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Pac-Man, which sees players chased through a maze by ghosts, was first released in 1980. This little yellow hockey puck has appeared in over 50 games and has made appearances in loads of other types of media and came sixth in the poll.

Nintendo

The silent main character of the Legend of Zelda franchise, comes in seventh place. Link has appeared in 20 games in the series, as well as starring in his own animated series and different comic book and manga adaptations.

The pokmeon company

In 12th spot, and the only Pokémon to appear on this list, Pikachu has appeared in over 100 different games, films and tv shows, as well as making appearances in multiple comic books and manga.

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The iconic player character, Steve, from 2011’s Minecraft (the best-selling video game of all time as of 2024) is in thirteenth place. Steve has also made appearances in four other games including the Minecraft spinoff Minecraft Dungeons.

Activision/Toys for bob

Introduced to the world in 1996’s Crash Bandicoot came in 15th place. He has appeared in more than 20 video games throughout his lifespan. The BAFTA Games Awards take place on Thursday 11 April.

SQUARE ENIX

But the big winner was Lara Croft who beat Mario and Sonic for the title of most iconic video game character of all time in a poll of gamers to mark the 20th Bafta Games Awards. The Tomb Raider franchise has sold more than 85 million copies across 20 titles. First introduced to the world in 1996 Lara Croft has also appeared in films, books and comics.