LoC #39 - Top 50 Video Game Characters - HIGH SCORES

[Dr. Whopoopeepee]

What's a good name for a video game character?  Oh I know...

Gordon Freeman!

I was being sarcastic there, just for fun.  It's a fine name.

Guybrush Threepwood is an awesome name by the way.

[Darth Geek]

What's a good name for a video game character?  Oh I know...

Gordon Freeman!

I was being sarcastic there, just for fun.  It's a fine name.

Guybrush Threepwood is an awesome name by the way.

Well said, poopoopeepee.

[Dr. Whopoopeepee]

What's a good name for a video game character?  Oh I know...

Gordon Freeman!

I was being sarcastic there, just for fun.  It's a fine name.

Guybrush Threepwood is an awesome name by the way.

Well said, poopoopeepee.

Oh... right.  I guess I should change my name before taking shots at other, real-sounding names.  Poopoopeepee is not my real name by the way.

[BBQ Platypus]

Luigi > Mario.

Just sayin' that right now.

[Johnny Unusual]

What's a good name for a video game character?  Oh I know...

Gordon Freeman!

I was being sarcastic there, just for fun.  It's a fine name.

Guybrush Threepwood is an awesome name by the way.

Well said, poopoopeepee.

Oh... right.  I guess I should change my name before taking shots at other, real-sounding names.  Poopoopeepee is not my real name by the way.

I haven't played the game but to be fair, I'm pretty sure he's supposed to be something of an ass-kicking nerd so a nerdy name makes sense.  Personally, I would have preferred Gordon Shumway.

[goflyblind]

Personally, I would have preferred Gordon Shumway.

but then the game would've consisted of hunting housecats.

[Pak-Man]

#5 - Samus Aran

(157 Points) 9 of 24 Lists - Highest Ranking - #1 - Tyrant

Mother! Time to go...

TOP 5 VICTORY VIDEO:

List of Games:

Metroid
Metroid 2
Super Metroid
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Metroid Prime: Corruption
Metroid Fusion
Metroid: Zero Mission
Super Smash Bros.
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Famicom Wars
Tetris
F-1 Race
Galactic Pinball
Super Mario RPG
Kirby Super Star
Kirby's Dream Land 3
Animal Crossing
WarioWare Inc: Mega Microgame$
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
WarioWare Inc.: Mega Party Game$
WarioWare: Touched!
WarioWare: Twisted
Animal Crossing: Wild World
Geist
Tetris DS
WarioWare: Smooth Moves
Fatal Frame IV: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse
Kirby Super Star Ultra
Animal Crossing: City Folk
Phantasy Star 0

Just the facts/Stuff I wiki'd:

Samus Aran is the main character and protagonist of the Metroid series.

Orphaned during a Pirate raid on her home of K-2L, Samus was adopted by the mysterious Chozo, and taken to Zebes, where she was infused with their DNA and raised to become a warrior. Once she reached adulthood, Samus joined the Federation Police, where she served under the Commanding Officer Adam Malkovich, but she ultimately left to become a bounty hunter. As a bounty hunter, armed in her cybernetic Power Suit, Samus has become famous for her accomplishments on missions thought otherwise impossible. Her most renowned achievements are the destruction of the Space Pirate base at Zebes, her role in ending the Galactic Phazon crisis, her extermination of the Metroid species, and her disobedience of orders at BSL where she chose to destroy the deadly X Parasite rather than turn it over to the Galactic Federation.

Introduced in 1986 in Metroid, Samus is a Human (infused with Chozo DNA and later strands of Metroid DNA) Bounty Hunter famous for her accomplishments on missions thought otherwise impossible. Armed with a cybernetic Power Suit built by the Chozo, an ancient, highly intelligent race, she is a powerful opponent in battle. Samus broke ground early in the gaming world in Metroid. Originally players were under the impression that Samus was a male, as even the instruction booklet confirmed this. However, completing Metroid under an hour revealed Samus to be a young athletic woman. Although Samus wears the Power Suit throughout most of the Metroid series, it has become a tradition to depict her in much more revealing attire at the end of each game, often as a reward for satisfying certain conditions, such as completing the game quickly or with a high percentage of the game's items collected or even both.

Samus's personality has never been detailed in-depth within the context of the games, a conscious decision by Nintendo to help the player imagine themselves better as the in-game character, as well as allowing them to imagine Samus's personality and backstory in any way they wish. However, Metroid Fusion, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, and Metroid: Other M are perhaps the most notable games in the series to give of a glimpse of Samus' personality, as well as other media formats such as comics and manga.

Typically, Samus is depicted as a Byronic hero, who despite her great achievements, is deep down very lonely and brooding, and seeks revenge against the Space Pirates, especially Ridley, who is personally responsible for the death of her parents. Samus is known to have been inspired by Sigourney Weaver's character Ripley from the Alien series. However, unlike Ripley, Samus is never shown to be traumatized by the Metroids she faces on her various missions.


Samus's lack of defined personality is largely due to the fact that, aside from opening narrations, she has never had a speaking role except in Metroid: Other M. Prior to Metroid: Other M her voice would be represented by text at the beginning narration, as well as throughout Metroid Fusion. 

Samus Aran's infusion with Chozo DNA, as well as her warrior training since her childhood, has turned Samus in a superior athelete. Her training began at the age of 3 and continued up until she was 14 years old. As a result of the Chozo's influence, Samus is capable of running and jumping heights far past normal human ability, as well as surviving falls that would otherwise kill an ordinary human. Samus is also more adaptive to foreign alien environments that humans cannot survive in. For example, she was able to breathe normally without her Power Suit on Elysia, despite the atmosphere being toxic to humans. While Samus does not exhibit any powers that humans do not naturally have (except possibly the aforementioned capability of surviving foreign alien environments that humans cannot survive in), all of the normal human limits have been exceeded to the max.

Samus also demonstrates good sharpshooting skills. She is an excellent marksman, with incredible aim, and is tremendously deadly in combat. She exhibits prodigious puzzle-solving and hacking skills. She also possess a limber figure that allows her to crawl through tunnels and gaps that would normally require usage of the Morph Ball. All of these are, of course, augmented further by her Power Suit. So far, Samus has not been seen engaged in weaponless, hand-to-hand combat within the Metroid universe, though in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, she uses a fighting style that largely relies kicks and occasional jabs.

The extent of Samus's training after she joined the Federation Police is currently unknown, but it is clear that the Federation has made one major augmentation to her abilities: her infusion with Metroid DNA. This infusion was done in a last-ditch attempt to save her life after she was infected with the X Parasite, and thus it was not completely known at the time what the side effects would be. As a result of the infusion, Samus gained immunity to X Parasites, but also inherited the Metroid's crippling weakness to cold, though this disability could be canceled out with a later Varia Suit upgrade.

Samus's most notable piece of equipment is, of course, her Power Suit, which has become virtually synonymous with her own identity. This suit was given to her when she first began living with the Chozo, and was built to be fused with her mind, body, and soul. The original Power Suit was destroyed when Samus crash-landed on Zebes after an ambush by Space Pirates, but her duel with the Chozo Hieroglyphic gave her a new, upgraded suit, which is able to absorb dozens of upgrades of alien origin. The Power Suit's main purpose is to protect her from adverse environments and enemy fire. The suit itself can be upgraded to such dozens of other forms, each with its own different advantages. While some suits are stronger than others and have different abilities, all they all maintain the same basic shape and usage.
Beneath the Power Suit, Samus wears a skin-tight body suit known as the Zero Suit. Because of its negligible weight, this suit allows Samus to perform at top physical performance level, and gives some, albeit weak, protection from enemy fire. She also owns a pistol known as the Paralyzer, which auto-charges to fire stunning shots, though it has no lethal capacity.

For transportation, Samus uses her Gunship, which usually resembles her helmet. She has owned a single Gunship that has been with her since her very first Zero Mission. It is a Hunter-class starship made especially for her by the Galactic Federation on Aliehs III. Two other gunships are also shown in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption and Metroid Fusion.

Trivia:

In the Prime series, Samus was voiced by Jennifer Hale, who played the riffed-upon Trinity in the game adaptation,"The Matrix: Path of Neo." She also played the female version of the shoulda-made-this-list Commander Shepard.

Pak's Thoughts - And we start off our top 5 with an icon! Samus' suit is the bomb! (And it can drop bombs!) It looks simultaneously friendly and menacing, which makes it 100% awesome. Exploring various labrynthian planets and space stations as Samus have made up some of the most fulfilling and immersive hours of my gaming life. She's got a cool suit, she's got a cool ship, and she wields an arm cannon. Total awesome. :^)

[Tripe]

Have to say, I rather like the ad for the new Metroid Game, that's a pretty Samus.

[Pak-Man]

#4 - Pac-Man

(158 Points) 13 of 24 Lists - Highest Ranking - #1 - Pak-Man

CHOMP!

TOP 5 VICTORY VIDEO:
I've got Pac-Man Fever! (Pac-Man Fever!) It's Drivin' me Crazy! (Drivin' me Crazy!)

List of Games:

Pac-Man (1980)
Ms. Pac-Man (1981)
Super Pac-Man (1982)
Pac-Man Plus (1982) - unauthorized title created by Bally Midway
Jr. Pac-Man (1983) - unauthorized title created by Bally Midway
Pac & Pal (1983)
Pac-Man & Chomp Chomp (1983)
Professor Pac-Man (1983) - unauthorized title created by Bally Midway
Pac-Land (1984) - a side-scrolling action/platform game with Pac-Man characters
Pac-Mania (1987) - an isometric version of Pac-Man with up-to-date sound and graphics
Pac-Man VR (1996) created by Virtuality
Pac-Man Arrangement (1996) - released as part of Namco Classics Collection Volume 2
Ms. Pac-Man/Galaga Class of 1981 (2000)
Pac'n Party (2000)
Ms. Pac-Man/Galaga/Frogger Classic Combo (2000)
Pac-Man: 25th Anniversary (2005)
Pac-Man Battle Royale (2010)
Baby Pac-Man (1982)
Mr. & Mrs. Pac-Man (1982)
Pac-Attack (based on the Cosmo Gang the Puzzle engine) (1993)
Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures (1994)
Pac-In-Time (1995)
Pac-Man World (1999)
Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness (2000)
Pac-Man: Adventures in Time (2000)
Ms. Pac-Man: Quest for the Golden Maze (2001)
Pac-Man All Stars (2002)
Pac-Man World 2 (2002)
Pac-Man Fever (2002)
Pac-Man Vs. (2003)
Pac-Man Pinball Advance (2005)
Pac-Pix (2005)
Pac 'n Roll (2005)
Pac-Man World 3 (2005)
Pac-Man World Rally (2006)
Pac-Man Championship Edition (2007)
Pac-Man Pizza Parlor (2010)
Pac-Man Party (2010)
Pac-Man Championship Edition DX (2010)
Pac-Man & Galaga (working title) (2010)
Kick Man
Mario Kart Arcade GP
Mario Kart Arcade GP 2
Ridge Racer V
Tales of Symphonia
Tales of the Abyss
Google's Homepage for a day
Many other cameos far to obscure to list.

Just the facts/Stuff I wiki'd:

Pac-Man is the main protagonist in the majority of the games in the Pac-Man series. His Japanese name is "Pakku Man". He was created by Toru Iwatani. He is Namco's mascot. Pac-Man nowadays is a common rival to Mario, the official mascot of Nintendo.

Pac-Man was created by Namco employee Toru Iwatani when he ordered a pizza. When the first quarter of the pizza was cut out, it looked similar to a head with it's mouth open, this is what inspired him to create the character that was originally Puck-Man. However, Puck-Man couldn't be used due to the fear of American kids defacing an arcade machine making it as an obscenity. Thus, Pac-Man became the American name and eventually the official name.

In later games, Pac-Man has (Very similarly to the cartoon) settled down with Ms. Pac-Man, had a baby, and got himself a pet dog.

When Pac-Man was released, the most popular arcade video games were space shooters, in particular Space Invaders and Asteroids. The most visible minority were sports games that were mostly derivative of Pong. Pac-Man succeeded by creating a new genre and appealing to both genders. Pac-Man is often credited with being a landmark in video game history, and is among the most famous arcade games of all time. The character also appears in more than 30 officially licensed game spin-offs, as well as in numerous unauthorized clones and bootlegs. According to the Davie-Brown Index, Pac-Man has the highest brand awareness of any video game character among American consumers, recognized by 94 percent of them. Pac-Man is one of the longest running video game franchises from the golden age of video arcade games, and one of only three video games that are on display at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C., (along with Pong and Dragon's Lair).

Trivia:

I was going to post Scott Pilgrim's lady-impressing story from the movie here, but the internet hasn't transcribed it for me yet. Shame on you, internet! It's all true, though!

Pak's Thoughts - My first arcade experience ever (Like my mom used to hold me up to the machine so I could reach) was playing Pac-Man. Decades later, I still enjoy it. That's longivity right there! Before there was a Mario, the face of video games was Pac-Man, and he remains an icon to this day.

Incidentally, the reason I go by Pak-Man online was because my first ever online experience was the old Nintendo chat-room. I came up with the pun because Games at the time all came on cartridges (Or, as Nintendo called them, Game Paks) and so my title would imply that I'm a man who enjoys a good game pak. That it evoked one of my favorite old-school arcade games made it even better.

[Pak-Man]

#3 - GLaDOS

(195 Points) 10 of 24 Lists - Highest Ranking - #1 - Invader Quirk

Please note that we have added a consequence for failure. Any contact with the chamber floor will result in an 'unsatisfactory' mark on your official testing record, followed by death. Good luck!

TOP 5 VICTORY VIDEO:
What else can I post? (Minor spoiler alert...)

List of Games:

Portal
Portal 2 (Forthcoming)

Just the facts/Stuff I wiki'd:

GLaDOS (Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System) is the sentient computer system managing the Aperture Laboratories, the guide of the Aperture Science computer-aided Enrichment Center, and the main antagonist of Portal and Portal 2.

The earliest known appearance of the name "GLaDOS" is in 1982, where version 1.07, and later 1.07a and 1.09, is operating Aperture Science's Enrichment Center Test Subject Application Process. The precise relation between this version of GLaDOS and the one appearing in Portal is unknown. Aperture also started using a BBS system in 1973, which was later managed by GLaDOS as late as 1997.

In 1986, while Aperture Science is working on the 'Portal' project, one of Cave Johnson's dying wishes, they learn of Black Mesa's work on a similar portal technology. In response to this, construction of the first Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System (GLaDOS) begins in the Aperture Laboratories with the aim of accelerating the 'Portal' project, and beating their rival company. In 1996, after a decade spent bringing the Disk Operating System parts to a state of more or less basic functionality, work begins on the Genetic Lifeform component. During that time, the Aperture Science Red Phone plan is implemented in case GLaDOS appears to become sentient and godlike, requiring an employee to sit by a red phone on a desk in GLaDOS chamber's entrance hall. In 1997, GLaDOS's version is 3.11.

In May 200-, the untested AI of GLaDOS is finally completed and is activated for the first time as one of the planned activities on Aperture's first annual bring-your-daughter-to-work day. Within one picosecond of activation, GLaDOS becomes self-aware, and two picoseconds later, she locks down the entire facility, trapping all inside, and begins a permanent testing cycle, aiming to beat Black Mesa in the race for the portal technology. She effectively loses this race however, as the Black Mesa Incident occurs mere days later, which in turn diverts all attention from rescuing the trapped Aperture employees.

In order to quell the rebelling scientists, GLaDOS floods the Enrichment Center with a deadly neurotoxin. Survivors of this attack subsequently fit GLaDOS with a Morality Core, which lessens her murderous intentions and prevents her from releasing more neurotoxins. GLaDOS's testing continues through the years, and the number of surviving employees dwindles.

GLaDOS speaks with a female voice that has an electronic edge to it. When her Morality Core is detached however, her voice loses most of its computerized tone and becomes much more human and seductive. It swiftly becomes obvious that despite her polite and equable tones, GLaDOS is neither particularly bothered by what happens to Chell, nor entirely rational. She frequently lies about such concerns as the deadliness of acid pits, and also has a fixation with cake, which she insists will be served after the test is completed. She presents this and the bewildering and dangerous tasks Chell is forced to perform as common procedure at Aperture. GLaDOS is also prone to seemingly intentional vocal malfunction, often blotting out important pieces of information in bursts of static. In one case, she promises to stop lying to Chell; however, as soon as she counts down to one, her voice is cut by loud static. Whether these are actual malfunctions, however, is still to be speculated.

Trivia:

GLaDOS is voiced by Ellen McLain.

The song "Still Alive" sung by GLaDOS during the Portal end credits is composed (Of course) by Rifftrax Guest Performer, Jonathan Coulton.

Pak's Thoughts - Everyone who didn't vote for GLaDOS needs to go out and beat Portal right now. Not just because of the brilliant puzzles or the lovingly-crafted difficulty curve and excellent play design, but because of GLaDOS. Her barely masked threats and insults throughout the game are all priceless. The final battle with GLaDOS is emotionally unlike any other boss battle in any game I've played. You're not taking on GLaDOS to save the princess, or the world, or even entirely to beat the game. You're taking her on because as long as you've invested in the story (And it's hard not to), you (The player) have developed a personal vendetta against her  and it's time for some good old fashioned vengeance. I don't think I've ever seen that particular emotion exploited in a game that way before and it works very well. GLaDOS deserves her spot right here, wedged firmly in the top 5 with the other icons.

[Pak-Man]

#2 - Link

(233 Points) 13 of 24 Lists - Highest Ranking - #1 - Lassieface

I suppose the least I can do is commend you for your reckless courage. - Ganondorf

TOP 5 VICTORY VIDEO:
Go! Go! Go!

List of Games:

The Legend of Zelda
Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link
Zelda: A Link to the Past
Zelda: Link's Awakening
Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Zelda: Majora's Mask
Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
Zelda: Oracle of Ages
Zelda: Four Swords
Zelda: The Wind Waker
Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
Zelda: The Minish Cap
Zelda: Twilight Princess
Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Zelda: Skyward Sword (Upcoming)
Link's Crossbow Training
Super Smash Bros.
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Soulcalibur II
Picross NP Vol. 5
Super Mario RPG
Mario Golf
WarioWare: Mega Micro Game$
WairoWare: Smooth Moves
WarioWare: Twisted
WarioWare: Touched
WarioWare: DIY
F-1 Race
Game & Watch Gallery 4
Golden Sun: The Lost Age
Tetris
Tetris DS

Just the facts/Stuff I wiki'd:

Link is the main protagonist of The Legend of Zelda series. He was created for the original The Legend of Zelda game in 1986 by Shigeru Miyamoto and has been the central character of all canonical The Legend of Zelda games. He was introduced as a young sword-wielding boy, but since The Adventure of Link, his identity, appearance, and role have changed from game to game. As already confirmed by Miyamoto, there are many different incarnations of Link; however, they share some distinct attributes, such as being left-handed and always wearing a green tunic. Link is called the Hero of Time in Ocarina of Time, but many fans used to number them according to their own timeline theories.

In the majority of Zelda games, Link's adventures mostly take place in the kingdom of Hyrule, traveling through the land and defeating a wide variety of enemies while trying to save both Princess Zelda and her kingdom from the clutches of Ganon, Link's primary antagonist.

In almost all the games (with the exception of The Adventure of Link and Twilight Princess only), Link starts his journey as a child or young adolescent Hylian and has not yet been depicted as being older than his late teens at any point of the series. Moreover, he is usually portrayed as having been orphaned at an early age: the only game that mentions Link's mother is Ocarina of Time, who died after she escaped to the Kokiri Forest with Link as a baby from a fierce war in Hyrule, leaving him in the care of the Great Deku Tree. In games such as A Link to the Past and The Wind Waker, Link lives with his uncle and grandmother, respectively, but leaves his home in order to fulfill his destiny as the savior of Hyrule or another land.

In all games thus far, Link has been descended from the Hylians, and due to that, appears as a young man with pointed ears. Link's incarnation of A Link to the Past mentions how he is the last descendant of the Knights of Hyrule, and as such is destined to rescue Princess Zelda. In many games, he has the Triforce mark on the back of his left hand, either to signify possession of the Triforce of Courage or, in some cases, to signify his exemplary courage.

Link does not speak or have any written dialog as such, which has led some people believe him to be mute. However, given that he is portrayed as being able to communicate with others and clearly shouts and grunts while in battle, it is more likely that the intention is for his role in dialog to be filled by the words and thoughts of the player, to some extent. His speech is usually replaced with simple and concise answers that the player can pick.  Moreover, in The Wind Waker, Link can be heard using short phrases such as "Come on!" at certain points throughout the game.

Although not much insight is provided to Link's personality due to him not speaking, he is often depicted as a humble yet brave and courageous character who steps up to the task of saving the kingdom of Hyrule. As such, he is often associated with the Triforce of Courage and the goddess Farore: in Twilight Princess, the Triforce of Courage activated when Link stepped into the Twilight, and it protected him from becoming a lost soul, instead turned him into a wolf. He rarely shows signs of cowardice and is always willing to use his strength and valor to save and help those around him.

Invariably, every Link wears a green tunic and a long, floppy green cap, at least for part of each adventure, although the shades of green vary. He also wears different clothes during parts of some Zelda games, most often color variations on his basic outfit (except for the Magic Armor and Zora Armor in Twilight Princess). His hair color tends to stay light brown from game to game. It could be argued, that in A Link to the Past, Link's hair appeared pink; some people believe it's just his cap. Furthermore, Link dons special gauntlets or bracelets that help him boost up his strength, such as the Power Bracelet or the Golden Gauntlet. In several games, various characters often comment on Link's physical attractiveness, calling him "cute" or complimenting his eyes.

Link is also depicted as left-handed in all games, except for the Wii version of Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword which depict him as right-handed, the same hand most people use to hold the Wii Remote. There is no option for left-handers, but in the GameCube version of Twilight Princess, Link is a traditional lefty. Arguably, Link is still left-handed in Twilight Princess and it is only that the camera is somehow reversed; this is supported by the fact that the entire Wii version of Twilight Princess is the complete reverse of the GameCube version. Currently, Link's "canonical" appearance in Twilight Princess is still as a lefty. However, official concept art for Skyward Sword depicts Link as right handed, most likely to coincide with the game.

A peculiarity which Link shares with many video game characters is the uncanny ability to effortlessly carry around many cumbersome items. The concept is known as Hammerspace and allows Link to carry an enormous array of large and heavy items, without the use of a bag of any kind. For example, where does he store the Biggoron's Sword when not in use? And how can wearing the Iron Boots make him any heavier, if he was already carrying them with him?

Throughout the series, Link usually starts out his adventure as an average boy with little to none swordsmanship skills. When trouble arises, however, Link quickly learns the ways of the sword and is able to best his enemies easily. As the game progresses, Link becomes known for his swordsmanship as well as his ability to quickly adapt to a wide variety of items and skillfully wield them, such as the Boomerang, the bow, and the Clawshot, among others.

In some games, Link can learn other handy sword techniques: in The Minish Cap, the Blade Brothers teach the young hero various sword skills by using Tiger Scrolls, and in Twilight Princess, the Hero's Shade shares his knowledge of the sword by teaching Link seven Hidden Skills to help him become more powerful and save Hyrule.

Additionally, Link is portrayed as having an excellent physical condition, performing backflips easily as well as being able to best others in sumo-wrestling, as seen in Twilight Princess. However, despite this, Link is usually defenseless without a sword or an item. Although in some games Link is easily able to pick up large stones or push blocks many times his size, other games require him to use special bracelets or gauntlets to further increase his strength, such as the Power Bracelet or the Titan's Mitt.

As seen in The Adventure of Link, A Link to the Past, and Ocarina of Time, Link is capable of using magic spells such as Din's Fire provided that he possesses a Magic Meter, which is usually granted to him by a Great Fairy.

Link is also talented in playing a wide variety of instruments. This is first shown in the original The Legend of Zelda, in which the young hero plays the Recorder to open up secret entrances or transport him to various parts in the overworld. Since then, Link has competently played other instruments such as the ocarina, a pan flute, a guitar, and the drums, all of which play a major role in each of the respective games in which they appear. Not only is Link a proficient instrument player: he is also adept in using a conductor's baton to conduct other players.

Trivia:

Miyamoto has said that he named Link thusly because he was the link between the player and the in-game world.

Pak's Thoughts - A funny thing happens with me and Zelda games. When the game is 2D, I start playing and have to keep going until I'm done. With the 3D ones (Which are generally the fan favorites) I enjoy them, but never seem to get around to completing them. Still, I love the Zelda series to death, and Link sure deserves his place near the top -- Right up there with... (See Next Entry)

[Pak-Man]

#1 - Navi

(1337 Points) 24 of 24 Lists - Highest Ranking - #1 - Everybody

Hey! Listen!

TOP 5 VICTORY VIDEO:
Hey! Listen!

List of Games:

Hey! Listen! Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Just the facts/Stuff I wiki'd:

Hey! Listen! Navi is Link's fairy companion from Ocarina of Time. Her name is thought to be short for Navigation. Since Link is not a real Kokiri and does not have a fairy of his own, she is summoned by the Great Deku Tree to accompany Link on his quest to save Hyrule. Navi is also one of the few characters with any voice-acting in the series, and the only other character (aside from Link and Beedle in The Wind Waker) who uses English words.

Trivia:

Hey! Listen! Navi is universally known to be the best character ever.

Pak's Thoughts - Hey! Listen!

This was fake. The next entry is real!

[Pak-Man]

#1 - Mario

(299 Points) 17 of 24 Lists - Highest Ranking - 4 #1s - Cole Stratton, D.B Barnes, Doctor Who?, mr.b.natural

It's-a me, Mario!

TOP 5 VICTORY VIDEO:
Mario! Mario!

List of Games:

Alleyway - 1989
All Night Nippon Super Mario Bros. - 1986
Ball - 1980
BS Super Mario USA Power Challenge - 1995
Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix - 2005
Donkey Kong - 1981
Donkey Kong 2 - 1982
Donkey Kong 3 - 1983
Donkey Kong 64 - 1999
Donkey Kong Country - 1994
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong-Quest - 1995
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble - 1996
Donkey Kong GB: Dinky Kong & Dixie Kong - 2000
Donkey Kong Land - 1995
Donkey Kong Land 2 - 1996
Donkey Kong Land 3 - 1997
Donkey Kong Jr. - 1982
Dr. Mario - 1990
Dr Mario BS Version - 1997
Dr Mario 64 - 2001
Dr. Mario & Puzzle League - 2005
Famicom Grand Prix: F-1 Race - 1987
Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally - 1988
Game & Watch Gallery - 1997
Game & Watch Gallery 2 - 1997 (GB), 1998 (GBC)
Game & Watch Gallery 3 - 1999
Game & Watch Gallery 4 - 2002
Golf - 1984
Hotel Mario - 1994
Itadaki Street DS - 2007
I am a Teacher: Super Mario Sweater - 1988
Kaettekita Mario Bros. - 1988
Luigi's Mansion - 2001
Manhole - 1981
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story - 2009
Mario & Luigi: Partners In Time - 2005
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga - 2003
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games - 2007
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games - 2009
Mario & Wario - 1993
Mario Bros. - 1983
Mario Bros. Classic - 1993
Mario's Early Years! - 1993
Mario's Cement Factory - 1983
Mario's Bombs Away - 1983
Mario's Tennis - 1995
Mario's FUNdamentals - 1995/1998
Mario Clash - 1995
Mario Golf (Nintendo 64) - 1999
Mario Golf (GBC) - 1999
Mario Golf: Advance Tour - 2004
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour - 2003
Mario Hoops 3 on 3 - 2006
Mario Is Missing! - 1992
Mario Kart 64 - 1996
Mario Kart Arcade GP - 2005
Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 - 2007
Mario Kart: Double Dash - 2003
Mario Kart DS - 2005
Mario Kart: Super Circuit - 2001
Mario Kart Wii - 2008
Mario Paint - 1992
Mario Party DS - 2007
Mario Party - 1998
Mario Party 2 - 1999
Mario Party 3 - 2000
Mario Party 4 - 2002
Mario Party 5 - 2003
Mario Party 6 - 2004
Mario Party 7 - 2005
Mario Party 8 - 2007
Mario Party Advance - 2005
Mario Pinball Land - 2004
Mario Power Tennis - 2004
Mario Strikers Charged - 2007
Mario Super Sluggers - 2008
Mario Teaches Typing - 1991
Mario Teaches Typing 2 - 1997
Mario Tennis - 2000
Mario Tennis: Power Tour - 2005
Mario the Juggler - 1991
Mario's Time Machine - 1993
Mario vs Donkey Kong - 2004
Mario vs Donkey Kong 2: March Of The Minis - 2006
Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! - 1987
NES Open Tournament Golf - 1991
New Super Mario Bros. - 2006
New Super Mario Bros. Wii - 2009
Paper Mario - 2000
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door - 2004
Super Mario 64 - 1996
Super Mario 64 DS - 2004
Super Mario Advance - 2001
Super Mario Advance 2: Super Mario World - 2001
Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi's Island - 2002
Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros 3 - 2003
Super Mario All-Stars - 1993
Super Mario Bros. - 1985
Super Mario Bros. & Friends: When I Grow Up - 1991
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels - 1986
Super Mario Bros. 2 - 1988
Super Mario Bros. 3 - 1988
Super Mario Bros. Deluxe - 1999
Super Mario Galaxy - 2007
Super Mario Galaxy 2 - 2010
Super Mario Kart - 1992
Super Mario Land - 1989
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins - 1992
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars - 1996
Super Mario Strikers - 2005
Super Mario Sunshine - 2002
Super Mario World - 1990
Super Paper Mario - 2007
Super Princess Peach - 2005
Super Smash Bros. - 1999
Super Smash Bros. Melee - 2001
Super Smash Bros. Brawl - 2008
Tetris - 1989
Tetris & Dr. Mario - 1994
Tetris Attack - 1996
Wario Blast - 1995
Wario Land II - 1998
Wario Land 3 - 2000
Wario Land 4 - 2001
Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 - 1994
Wario Land: Shake It! - 2008
WarioWare D.I.Y. - 2009
WarioWare D.I.Y. Showcase - 2009
WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$ - 2003
WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Game$ - 2003
WarioWare: Smooth Moves - 2006'
WarioWare: Snapped! - 2008
WarioWare: Touched! - 2004
WarioWare: Twisted! - 2004
Wario's Woods - 1994
Wrecking Crew - 1985
Yoshi's Cookie - 1992
Yoshi's Island - 1995
Yoshi's Island DS - 2006
Yoshi's Safari - 1993
Yoshi Topsy Turvy - 2004
Yoshi Touch & Go - 2005
Yoshi's Story - 1997

Just the facts/Stuff I wiki'd:

Mario is the main protagonist of the Mario series and the legendary mascot of Nintendo. Mario is normally a plumber, but in games, he uses his legendary jump and combat abilities to defend the inhabitants of the usually peaceful Mushroom World from power-hungry villains such as Bowser. During most of his adventures, he often teams up with his partners Luigi and Yoshi for extra support, as they are the only two characters he fully trusts to help him. When not adventuring, Mario participates in a variety of sporting events and even works as one of his alter-egos, Dr. Mario.

Mario has appeared in nearly every title in the Super Mario series. In addition, he has appeared in multiple television programs, comic books, and even a feature film. He is currently one of the most recognizable fictional characters in the world, having appeared in hundreds of video games.

Mario's distinctive look is due to technology restrictions in the mid-'80s. With a limited number of pixels and colors, the programmers could not animate Mario's movement without making his arms "disappear" if his shirt was a solid color, so Mario got overalls. They did not have the space to give him a mouth. As a result, Mario has a mustache. They could not animate hair. Due to this, they used a cap to bypass these problems. Mario's creator Shigeru Miyamoto has also stated when interviewed that Mario wears a cap because he finds it difficult to draw hair, the same reason Mario and Luigi have mustaches.

When Mario was first conceived, he looked more or less as he does today: a stocky man with a trademark hat, brown hair, black mustache and overalls. He normally wears blue overalls on top of a red shirt, but such was not always the case. Originally, he wore red overalls on top of a blue shirt – almost exactly the opposite of what he wears now. The Famicom version of Mario Bros. was the first game to depict Mario with blue overalls and a red undershirt (Although on the boxart he was depicted entirely in blue); however, it was Super Mario Bros. 2 that standardized today's blue overalls-on-red shirt outfit. (Incidentally, the original Super Mario Bros. has neither in-game; Mario wears a brown shirt with red overalls). Mario's outfit rarely changes, though he is known to change it on occasion if the situation calls for it. For example, in Super Mario Sunshine, Mario wore short sleeves instead of his usual long sleeved shirt, and could even forgo this entirely in favor of a more tropical shirt design worn over his normal shirt, which he always wore with sunglasses. When Mario appeared in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Brawl, his clothing was much more realistic than it was in Super Smash Bros.

Abilities:
Mario's first and trademark ability is his Jump, which allows him to leap two stories high, while doing two flips and a twist. He is the second best jumper in the Mushroom Kingdom, only bested by Luigi. He is also capable of several variations, including the Back Flip and the Spin Jump.
Mario is always associated with the element of fire.
Mario has very powerful feet, which have trampled innumerable enemies, toppled Fortresses and even crushed spaceships. When timed correctly, he is able to do this 100 times in a row.
In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Mario is able to "transform" into other characters, which comes in handy, as he is a silent protagonist. This is not one of his attacks, however; he simply uses it to tell stories or explain situations to other characters.
Mario can use simple physical attacks, including punching and kicking.
Mario can perform many standard moves in the Mario series, such as the Ground Pound.
Mario has been shown to possess superhuman strength. In Super Mario World, he is seen lifting a fortress out of the ground and then throwing it. In Super Mario 64, he can carry and throw the very large King Bob-omb, despite the king being far larger than him. An even more impressive feat is during the battles with Bowser; Mario can grab him by the tail, spin him around and throw him. Mario spins Bowser around faster and farther with more spins. His strength is also shown in Super Mario Galaxy, where he can easily stun a Mega Goomba with a Star Spin despite its great size and his ability to knock Bowser around during battles with him. He can also lift Bob-ombs that were his size. In Bowser's Inside Story, he is able to, with great effort, lift and throw a 3 ton, morbidly obese Luigi when using the Sweet Basket move among other fantastic feats.
Mario has extremely high stamina and can withstand and endure many things such as harsh environments and so on. For instance, in the third Mario and Luigi game, he could withstand the freezing cold within Bowser's stomach or a dark energy blast from the Dark Star when Luigi had a difficult time shaking it off. Mario is very versatile and adapts amazingly fast to his surroundings, being able to go from scorching deserts to freezing snow peaks to the depths of outer-space.
Mario's first weapons were the Hammer in Donkey Kong and the Fireball in Super Mario Bros. Mario often uses the Hammer as a weapon in Mario RPGs. Mario can, in some games, control fire without a Fire Flower power-up.
Mario has eleven power-ups that allow him to fly; the Raccoon Suit, the Tanooki Suit, the Cape Feather, the Wing Cap, the P-Wing, the P-Balloon, the Power Flower, the Bee Mushroom, the Boo Mushroom, the Red Star, and the Propeller Mushroom. On The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, Mario was able to fly even after powering up with a Fire Flower.
In Super Mario Bros. 3, Mario had the ability to transform into a Hammer Bro with the ability to throw hammers at his enemies or a Frog which let him swim faster and jump higher.
Mario has three other caps he can wear, the Metal Cap, Wing Cap and Vanish Cap, which turn him into Metal Mario, make him fly and make him invisible and intangible, respectively.
Mario even has his own fighting style. Although he never really uses it in his games, except the Smash Bros. series, he does use the martial arts in a Super Mario Bros. 3 comic. In the comic, while fighting Lemmy Koopa, Mario says, "Good thing I know karate!" In the following panel, Mario jumps many times in a rapid motion, dodging all of Lemmy's attacks with ease. Mario also has a black belt in Plumb Fu.
In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Mario became more paper-like, and could become Flat Mario, Paper Tube Mario, Paper Airplane Mario, and Paper Boat Mario thanks to the "curses" that were granted to him by the Black Chest Demons.
In Super Paper Mario, Mario was given the ability to flip between dimensions.
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Mario has a special attack called the Mario Finale, in which he unleashes a twin stream of fire from his hands, although he requires a Smash Ball in order to execute it.
Mario is able to hold his breath for a long period of time, as seen in Super Mario Bros. and numerous later games. However, in 3D platformers such as Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy, he isn't able to hold his breath for as long.
Mario seems to not be bothered by certain temperature levels, even in volcanoes and tundras (although in Super Mario Sunshine Mario would take damage without his hat on due to the heat and in Super Mario 64, Mario would shiver when not moving in snow level).
Mario can endure otherwise lethal hits (i.e. Burning, Electrocution, Freezing) several times before dying.
In the 2-D games, Mario is shown to run at a fast pace, even fast enough to run up walls. In the opening to Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, Mario is shown to run as fast as Sonic the Hedgehog.

Despite his lengthy history, Mario is, in many ways, an undeveloped character, with many details of his accepted biography having been created through complex lore spawned from the imaginations of comic book artists, cartoon writers, and fans. In most media and some games, Mario is depicted as an Italian plumber from Brooklyn who stands for what is right and has a love for Italian food. He is also bilingual, as he can speak both Italian and English. Mario has proven himself to be an excellent fighter, all-around sports player, and party lover in Mario spin-off titles.

Officially, Nintendo producers have stated that Mario's biography is kept simple in order to make the character versatile and reusable in many different games and situations. Mario is indeed one of the most underdeveloped characters in the Mario series, with characters such as Bowser and Princess Peach having more complex, consistent, and unique back stories. In fact, his brother Luigi has even gained more of a personality in recent games, while Mario has stayed "flat".

Over the course of his many games, Mario has rescued a number of people from captivity (including Pauline, Princess Peach, Princess Daisy, and Prince Pine) and has become regarded as a great hero in the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario is actually a famous personality across the world, and is a recognized celebrity inside and outside the Mushroom Kingdom. On the popular level, Mario is seen as the sole savior of the Mushroom Kingdom, while the contributions of others, including his own brother Luigi, have been forgotten or ignored. While not necessarily Mario's fault, Mario has remained in the limelight despite Luigi's equal efforts to protect the Mushroom Kingdom. In addition, Mario has been shown on very rare occasions, such as certain cutscenes in Mario Power Tennis, to have an almost overbearing attitude towards his brother. However, it should be noted that this could also just be Mario's outgoing "big brother" personality interacting with Luigi's more introverted nature.

Additionally, Mario is much more impulsive and aggressive than his brother Luigi, and is willing to enter dangerous situations all alone. Unlike Luigi, Mario will often attempt to quickly solve a problem with his actions instead of sitting back and analyzing the situation. Mallow even had to physically restrain Mario from brawling several times, such as before the battle with Bowyer, so that the heroes could figure out what exactly was happening to their world. While he will accept help and even partners during his adventures, at times he may also resent the implication that he needs the help in the first place. Despite this, he seems to enjoy their company.

Despite these potential flaws, Mario is a kind-hearted and brave hero who, more often than not, puts other peoples' problems and needs before his own. This is shown in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door when Doopliss had stolen his identity, and he was still willing to help Vivian with her problem, despite having his own to deal with. He is willing to risk his life to save the lives of millions from the forces of evil.

Like many other protagonists of Nintendo games, Mario rarely speaks, his dialogue primarily limited to numerous grunts and yells. When he does speak, he is shown to speak English with a heavy Italian accent, sporadically breaking into Italian. In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Mario is completely silent, communicating solely through pantomine. In the Paper Mario titles, he mainly communicates through simple nodding and hand gestures, and in the Mario & Luigi titles, he speaks in unintelligible gibberish that the other characters can understand perfectly. In Super Mario Sunshine, Mario is "heard" speaking in the opening scenes, but his dialogue is completely inaudible. In the Mario vs. Donkey Kong titles, Mario speaks fully, shouting sentences such as "Come back here, you big monkey!", and can be clearly heard shouting, "Welcome! Welcome, new galaxy!" in the ending of Super Mario Galaxy, as well as saying "Thank you so much for playing my game!" after the credits.

Mario seems to have a small fixation with food. As in Super Mario 64 and its remake, the original reason Mario came to the castle is that Peach was baking him a cake. In the opening of Super Mario Sunshine, Mario was apparently daydreaming about seafood.

Trivia:

Mario was created out of necessity by Shigeru Miyamoto after Nintendo lost the license to create a video game based on the Popeye universe. The designers kept the gameplay, but created a new cast of characters. Mario assumed Popeye's role, and the game was released as the arcade version of Donkey Kong. In this game, he was originally referred to as "Jumpman." Jumpman was renamed "Mario" when an employee at Nintendo of America's office in New York City pointed out the similar physical appearances of Jumpman and Nintendo's Italian landlord, Mario Segale.

Mario is voiced by Charles Martinet, who has more characters on this list than any other voice actor.

Pak's Thoughts - I doubt anyone's TOO surprised. Mario has starred in over 200 games and I've played and enjoyed MOST of them. Sure, some are better than others, but Mario doesn't show up in many patently bad games (Forgiving his brief stay on the CDi). I've followed his career since Donkey Kong -- Just shy of 29 years-- and there are no signs of stopping. Myamoto once said that every time they finish a Mario game, they swear it will be the last one. I hope the REAL last one never comes,

THE END?

[Pak-Man]

And... YOU!

mattwnelson  

Thank you for Playing!!

GOOD ENDING:

List of Games:

Every Game You've Ever Played

Just the Facts:
A video game just isn't a video game without YOU! Remember when You were standing in an open field west of a white house, with a boarded front door? Or maybe you remember saving a princess and bringing peace to the land. Either way, it wouldn't be a game without you!

Trivia

23 of you (Besides me) submitted your list.
There were 320 unique entries.
The list was worth a total of 3863 points.
The 270 Entries that didn't make it were worth 3933 Points.

HIGH SCORES:
1. Pak-Man - 18 Entries - 262 Points
2. lassieface - 16 Entries - 228 Points
3. Edgewriter - 13 Entries - 207 Points
4. Invader Quirk - 11 Entries - 205 Points
5. Rattrap007 - 17 Entries - 204 Points
6. mattwnelson - 16 Entries - 204 Points
7. Thom Serveaux - 10 Entries - 201 Points
8. Smoky - 12 Entries - 198 Points
9. Agent Ispep - 12 Entries - 192 Points
10. Cole Straton - 12 Entries - 184 Points
11. Doctor Who? - 12 Entries - 182 Points
12. mr.b.natural - 10 Entries - 179 Points
13. spaceforarent - 9 Entries - 165 Points
14. Johnny Unusual - 14 Entries - 164 Points
15. Asbestos Bill - 12 Entries - 160 Points
16. mrbaseheart - 12 Entries - 160 Points
17. D.B. Barnes - 9 Entries - 137 Points
18. Insert Coin(s) to Continue - 9 entries - 114 Points
19. Relaxing Dragon - 7 Entries - 113 Points
20. Tyrant - 7 Entries - 104 Points
21. Psychogoatee - 8 Entries - 100 Points
22. FLOCK of RABID SHEEP?!?! - 5 Entries - 83 Points
23. poopoopeepee - 8 Entries - 67 Points
24. Compound - 2 Entries - 25 Points

Pak's Thoughts - WHEW. That was an ordeal. Many games, after the end credits, thank YOU, so I thought I'd do that too. This list has taken up nearly every spare minute I've had for the last 2 weeks, but it was a labor of love, so I can't complain. It wouldn't have been nearly as cool if so many of you hadn't submitted your lists, so thanks to everyone who pitched in. Now go here and vote for the next topic, and be sure to submit a list for that too (Even if you're not totally into it!) http://forum.rifftrax.com/index.php/topic,19187.0.html

In the immortal words of our #1: Thank you so much for playing my game!

Now if you'll excuse me, I just thought of like- 50 games I need to play. :^)

THE END!

[Tripe]

Shouldn't this have ended with the revelation that Pak is actually a Headphone wearing Shiba Inu?