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, some video game mascots, especially modern ones, are more human, 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/System mascots
edit- Accolade – Bubsy[3][4][5]
- ASCII Entertainment – Ardy Lightfoot[6]
- Bandai Namco Entertainment – Pac-Man,[7][8][9] Klonoa[10]
- Capcom – Captain Commando,[8][2] Mega Man[7][8][9]
- Data East – Karnov[2]
- Halfbrick Studios – Barry Steakfries[11][12]
- Irem – Rocky Rodent[3]
- Kojima Productions – Ludens[13]
- Konami –Power Pro-kun,[14] Solid Snake[15]
- Hudson Soft – Bomberman[2]
- TurboGrafx-16 – Bonk[8][2]
- PC-FX – Princess Rolfee[16] (formerly NEC)
- LucasArts – Chuck the Plant[2]
- Marvelous Inc. – Yumi
- Midway Games – Liu Kang[2]
- miHoYo - Kiana Kaslana, Ai-Chan, Paimon, DAVIS, Pom-Pom and Bangboos.
- Nintendo – Mario[7][8][15]
- Nitroplus – Super Sonico[19][20]
- Rare – Mr. Pants[21]
- Sega – Opa-Opa[8][22] (former), Alex Kidd[8] (former), Sonic the Hedgehog,[7][8] Segata Sanshiro[2][23]
- Sonic Team – Sonic the Hedgehog[15]
- Rovio Entertainment – Red[24]
- Spike Chunsoft – Monokuma[25]
- Sony Interactive Entertainment – Ratchet, Toro and Kuro,[26] Sackboy,[8][27] Nathan Drake,[8] Kratos[2]
- PlayStation – Polygon Man (former),[28] Crash Bandicoot (former)[8][9],[29] Spyro the Dragon (former)[8]
- PlayStation 5 – Astro Bot[30][31][32][33]
- Square Enix – Chocobo[8] (Square), Slime[8] (Enix), Moogle,[34] Cloud Strife[35]
- Studio MDHR – Cuphead
- Sunsoft – Aero the Acro-Bat[36]
- Tengen – Awesome Possum[3]
- Titus Software – Titus the Fox[3]
- WayForward Technologies – Shantae[37]
- Xbox Game Studios – Master Chief[8]
- Yacht Club Games – Shovel Knight
● Koei-Tecmo — Nyabraham Lynnyahn
Specific series mascots
edit- 808 – Hi-Fi Rush
- Angry Birds – Red[39]
- Animal Crossing – Villagers, Isabelle
- Ape Escape – Pipo Monkeys
- Banjo-Kazooie – Banjo & Kazooie[3][5]
- Battletoads – Rash, Zitz, Pimple[3]
- BioShock – Big Daddy[40]
- Bomberman – Bomberman[5]
- Bonk – Bonk[3]
- Bubsy – Bubsy the Bobcat
- Castlevania – Simon Belmont[15]
- Conker – Conker the Squirrel[3][5]
- Crash Bandicoot – Crash Bandicoot[15][7][5][29]
- Croc – Croc[3]
- Danganronpa – Monokuma[25][34]
- Disgaea – Prinny[41]
- Donkey Kong – Donkey Kong[15]
- Dragon Quest – Slime[8]
- Fallout – Vault Boy[42]
- Fate/stay night – Saber[34]
- Final Fantasy – Chocobo,[8] Moogle,[34] Cloud Strife[35]
- Gex – Gex
- Glover – Glover[3]
- God of War – Kratos[15][2]
- Gran Turismo – Nissan Skyline GT-R / Nissan GT-R,[43] Toyota Castrol TOM'S Supra[44]
- Halo – Master Chief[15]
- Jet Grind Radio – Beat and Gum
- Jazz Jackrabbit – Jazz Jackrabbit[45]
- Just Dance (video game series) – Panda
- Katamari Damacy – The King and The Prince[5]
- Kid Icarus – Pit
- Kingdom Hearts – Sora[46][47]
- Kirby – Kirby[15]
- Klonoa – Klonoa[10]
- LittleBigPlanet – Sackboy[48]
- Life Is Strange – Max Caulfield
- Mega Man – Mega Man[15]
- Mega Man Legends – Servbot[49]
- Metal Gear – Solid Snake[15]
- Metroid – Samus Aran[15][2]
- Minecraft – Steve, Creeper
- Mortal Kombat – Scorpion[15]
- Pac-Man - Pac-Man[50]
- PaRappa the Rapper – PaRappa the Rapper
- Pikmin – Pikmin and Captain Olimar
- Plants vs. Zombies – Sunflowers, Peashooters, Zombies
- Pocky & Rocky – Pocky & Rocky[3]
- Pokémon – Pikachu[15]
- Q*bert – Q*bert
- Ratchet & Clank – Ratchet & Clank
- Raving Rabbids – Rabbids
- Rayman – Rayman[15][7][5]
- Resident Evil – Jill Valentine[15]
- Ristar – Ristar
- Ridge Racer – Reiko Nagase[51]
- Skylanders – Spyro the Dragon, Master Eon
- Sly Cooper – Sly Cooper
- Sonic the Hedgehog – Sonic the Hedgehog[15]
- Space Channel 5 – Ulala
- Spyro – Spyro the Dragon[5]
- Star Fox – Fox McCloud[15]
- Street Fighter – Ryu[15]
- Super Monkey Ball – AiAi
- Super Mario – Mario, Luigi[15]
- The Legend of Zelda – Link[15]
- Tomb Raider – Lara Croft[15]
- Twisted Metal – Sweet Tooth[15]
- Uncharted – Nathan Drake[15]
- Yoshi – Yoshi[15]
See also
editReferences
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- ^ https://www.timeextension.com/news/2024/07/ridge-racer-night-2024-celebrated-30-years-of-namcos-arcade-classic