#10 Sonic The Hedgehog (Sonic The Hedgehog)
Let's face it, Sonic is a bit of a bellend. He may be able to run moderately quickly for a hedgehog, but he can't really do much else. I wouldn't necessarily call him a gaming hero, but to say he wasn't iconic would be untrue. I will also say that his games are also somewhat samey, just him running through similarly designed levels at break neck speed gets a bit boring after a while. But there really is no denying that Sonic has become a legendary character in the history of gaming, and has always been SEGA's little posterhog.
What you get with Sonic is a classic retro feeling game in which he runs very quickly through various hills and rings, and then delivers his irritating little catchphrases like an absolute twat. But you forgive him for that, because well he's Sonic. He might not have become the 'Mario beater' that SEGA had hoped, but that hasn't stopped him from selling 80 million copies in his long running franchise. To put that into perspective that's about the same as Lady Gaga, so he must be doing something right, hence why he makes this list.
#9 Lara Croft (Tomb Raider)
The protagonist that would end redefining the gender role in video games forever, essentially becoming the ultimate feminist, despite dressing up like a slutty Indiana Jones. It's the original damsel, but not so much in distress, as she just kicks everyone's ass. Sure she may have been ruined by Square Enix in recent games, especially the new emotional bullcrap simulator that defeated the whole point on Tomb Raider, but even this disappointment doesn't ruin a legendary video game heroine. She is also one of the only characters that can be transferred onto the big screen, and the films based around her have actually been alright. This of course is helped by her nice ass, and also because she was the postergirl for PlayStation for about 10,000 years. Did I mention her sex appeal, yep, who thought moving pixels could be so attractive.
#8 Ezio Auditore (Assassin's Creed)
The Assassin so awesome they named a city after him, although that might be a massive lie, but what's the renaissance period without this glorified cutthroat. The success behind this completely fictional character that fronted three games in the series is that he feels so realistic, he's so brilliantly Italian that you forgive him for painfully chatting up and having sex with many women instead of doing things that actually matter. You just expect everyone in Italy to be like him, but of course they don't all have perfect facial hair, although more STDs than murders might be more accurate. He's also pretty awesome, just look at that cape, and not only that he also has some badass double blades, and other interesting inventions that he can acquire from chatting up Leonardo DaVinci, which certainly makes him very unique compared to any other character on this list.
I just couldn't think of a better way to explore the Renaissance period than by running around a lot and occasionally cutting the throat of one of those fucking lute players. We also care about him, he has such an interesting personal life that you do quickly become very attached to him. He's not like some cartoon hedgehog that you couldn't give a shit about, he's actually a human, and a very realistic one at that. The Ezio trilogy of the franchise was by far the best, the quality has since declined in the games, and aside from Revelation, Ezio's contribution to the franchise was the most signficant, and without him would Ubisoft really be a household name? After all, he has become the model for a modern gaming hero.
#7 Kratos (God of War)
The man whose name literally means 'power', and that's not surprising considering this man, or god to be more precise, is an absolute animal. He's just such a barbaric character, a being that lives for one purpose, and that is to fuck shit up. He's certainly a character I wouldn't like to meet in a dark alley. Sony have used this monster to their advantage, and he has almost become an icon of the modern PlayStation community, which is fair enough, as with Lara's downturn there really isn't anyone left to fill that huge gap. But who doesn't love playing as an antihero, and this one comes in the form of a unique god that has put the spark back into hack 'n' slash games, with a side order of brutal murder.
#6 Mario (Mario)
This may come as a surprise, after all Mario does usually occupy the top spot on my gaming countdowns, but let's face it, is the Italian plumber really that great? He may well be the most iconic character in the history of gaming, and he's certainly had his fair share of great games, but I keep asking myself whether I actually care about him at all. Appearing in over 200 video games is an incredible achievement, but for me saving princesses over and over again is a bit boring, no matter how many different ways you do it.
But who can argue with success? 210 million copies have been sold thanks to this guy, twice that of the 'James Bond' novels, and that comes as little surprise when you consider the legacy that this small plumber has left behind him. As nostalgia goes, it doesn't get more nostalgic than this, and I'm sure many children around the world have grown up with the playful antics and signature catchphrases of the first real protagonist in video games. He may well have outstayed his welcome on my console, but the character who is more recognizable than Mickey Mouse certainly deserves a top finish on this list.
#5 Samus Aran (Metroid)
It's everybody's favorite intergalactic bounty hunter, and this one happens to be a women, which was a pretty big shock in 1986, and years before crappy Lara Croft came along to ruin everything. What makes this character stand out is her legendary armor which she uses to fight the baddest criminals all over the galaxy. Whether it be with rockets, missiles, or the deadly screw attack, Samus always gets the job done, and has taken down some pretty mean bosses in the process. In short she is the lovechild of Lara Croft and Master Chief, except she might be more awesome than both put together. I mean since when have they ever blown up a whole planet.
#4 Commander Shepard (Mass Effect)
A personal favorite here, and the protagonist of the greatest video game franchise of all time in my opinion. The difference with this character is that they can be both male or female, it's up to the player. Every detail of this protagonist can be customized by the player, even the individual choices they make along their epic journey. So really you only have yourself to blame if you're dissatisfied with this epic character, and even default Shepard is an amazing character in their own right.
When it comes to voice acting though, Commander Shepard is in a class of one, both genders have amazing voice actors that perfectly compliment Shepard's likeable and relatable persona. The exceptional content of Mass Effect can only be seen through his eyes, and any enemy can be quickly dispatched with his badass weapons and lethal special moves. People may rave about the performance of the female Shepard, but I think they're both equally brilliant, and don't affect gameplay in the slightest. But why am I surprised? It's just another standard military character that Bioware have superbly brought to life in their usual outstanding fashion.
#3 Master Chief (Halo)
The talisman of every Microsoft fanboy, and still the posterboy for the company after 10 long and successful years at the helm. He is more commonly known as John, although that isn't anywhere near as catchy, although that name doesn't stop him from being an absolute tank. He has the weaponry to take down a whole platoon, and you get the sense that if the characters on this list had a fight this guy would definitely win. The trick behind the success of Master Chief is the fact that we know very little about him, he is effectively an enigma, and never takes off his signature armor. But that has never held him back, he has become the iconic hero of any action related gaming fan.
He's just so cool, he's a man of very few words, and so anything he does say carries great weight. Unlike others on this list he doesn't rely on overdramatized and cliche material, instead we get an earnest and genuine performance that make him an action legend and a very believable character. He has become the icon for any 13 year old boy, and I'm sure all us gamers have fantasized about being him for just one day, despite the fact that he isn't really that important in the Halo games, multiplayer has always been the focal point. Halo 4 may have been a difficult episode for this guy, but after all that he still retains his awesomeness, and still has that legendary status around the Xbox community.
#2 John Marston (Red Dead Redemption)
The protagonist and antihero of the greatest game of all time, and the success of this character certainly contributes to how great the game actually is. For me it has to go down as one of the greatest voice acting performances of all time, but then it couldn't be anything else with the phenomenal script and amazing storyline. The best thing about Marston is that he's such an ordinary guy, torn between the battle of good and evil, and so it becomes an essential part of the game, and in the process he becomes the most believable character in the history of gaming. People may say that video games can never have storylines that rival movies, but John Marston proves that theory wrong, his sophisticated performance goes into far more depth than any movie could ever dream of, and the result is a character that you actually care about. He doesn't feel superficial, and the genuine and wholesome performance drives the epic plot.
Even after all the character development he is still one of gaming's best loved badasses, and his interrelationship with all the other brilliant characters in the game just proves that. His demise will always be one of the greatest gaming moments, and his sacrifice will live long in any gamer's memory, and it shows you what can be achieved if a little bit of thought and quality screenplay is utilized effectively. He may just be the legend of one game, but this antihero may just be the ultimate hero of gaming, and he's living proof that given a little character development, a game can get to that next level, and maybe even produce a masterpiece.
#1 Link (Legend of Zelda)
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The only man that could topple the greatest character of all time is one that consistently produces outstanding games in one of video gaming's longest and most loved franchises. It seems amazing that this green elf thing has become such an iconic character when he doesn't even talk. He may have been aided by some truly amazing storylines, but his character is still the most interesting and exciting entity within the realms of gaming. Through this character we have been given some of the greatest RPGs of all time, and this ultimate protagonist keeps churning out top performance after top performance. The personal quests that the player has to go through is such an integral part of the game that it almost makes playing the game feel like a documentary.
This attention to detail and realism is something that I love about the series, and it allows the player to connect to the protagonist in a way that is in no way similar to any other game I've played. You've got to hand it to the Japanese, they might not be able to make Hollywood epics, but give them a low budget and some thinking time and they can produce something wonderful. What we don't get out of this character is maybe what makes him so special, even after all these games Link is still a mysterious character. A character that you just love joining on one of his many quests. He does make some annoying noises every three seconds, but what would the franchise be without him? Nothing, he is the game. And for me he is the greatest protagonist in the history of gaming.
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