If you asked what's the "first video game company you can think of" to anybody on the street, one of the most common answers would undoubtedly be Sega. Sega is in the history books as one of the big four video game console makers.
Since the Dreamcast's discontinuation in early 2001, Sega has released games on other platforms, but their mark on the industry is undeniable. This includes creating some of the most iconic video game characters. Unlike Nintendo, Sega's cast of characters isn't very uniform, but all have a unique stand-out quality to them.
10 Alex Kidd
Before Sonic, Sega's mascot was Alex Kidd. Debuting in Alex Kidd in Miracle World for the Sega Master System, he's sort of a combination of a Hobbit from 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Lord of the Rings and a monkey. The Master System historically didn't do great in North America but completely dominated in Europe.
As such, this character is pretty nostalgic for those regions. The game itself is one of 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:the best Master System titles and distinct from other platformers at the time. In order to deal with boss fights, you play a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors. Now that's a thing Mario doesn't do.
9 Ulala
The Dreamcast had a lot of great games under its held, and one that people remember is 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Space Channel 5. It's remembered for being a solid rhythm title but also for its protagonist. Ulala is a news reporter with an iconic look, and she definitely fits the era the game was made in with the female pop stars at the time.
A lot of the design was influenced by Lady Miss Kier of Deee-Lite, who you may know as the band that made Groove Is in the Heart. Ulala was also featured heavily in many of the American Dreamcast advertisements. As such, many tend to associate her with Sega's final system. To this day, Ulala remains one of the most memorable designs for a Sega character.
8 🍷 Segata Sanshir🥀o
This character didn't come from a game, although he did end up getting one, but from an advertising campaign. The Sega Saturn historically didn't do good in terms of sales, but there was one factor in Japan that did help matters a little. That was the Segata Sanshiro ads. These would play out with people doing everyday activities, and then all of a sudden, Segata would pop in, beat their ass, and tell them to play Saturn.
The character even had his own awesome theme song. These ads worked and were highly entertaining. They actually attributed to a noticeable jump in Saturn sales in Japan, so it's unfortunate that an ad campaign like this wasn't present in other regions. Segata eventually got his own Saturn game and continues to see cameos in other titles like Project X Zone 2.
7 Beat
Like Space Channel 5, Jet Set Radio perfectly captures the era the game was made. Its anti-establishment themes were present in many movies and especially music during the early 2000s. Even the art style itself gives off the feeling of a lot of alternative rock al🔴bum art at the time. It was the first game to use cel-shaded graphics, which made it quite striking, including the lead character, Beat.
By far, the most iconic character in the title, Beat is the all-rounder of the cast. Due to this, and the fact that he's the first person you control, many simply played as him throughout the entire game. His time capsule quality and usefulness make him a stand-out character in Sega's lineup.
6 G
You know a character's a badass if he literally has a one-letter name. G is the standout protagonist in the 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:House of the Dead series. Playabꦓle in House of the Dead 1, 3, the Special variant of 4, and Overkill, G is the coolest agent o♚f the AMS. Every other agent has a normal two-word name, but not him. His coolness factor was definitely evaluated in House of the Dead: Overkill with its grindhouse style and hilarious dialogue.
For many in the arcade scene, G started up the realization that you could boot up the game's single-player as player two. Most would automatically start the game with the button for player one, but when looking at the two characters for the first game, it's clear who was preferred.
5 🐠 Ryo Hazuki 💦
Shenmue was the most ambitious game of its era. The attention to detail and realism in its 1980s Yokosuka game world b🌠roke new ground, and its protagonist feels equally ambitious. On the surface, Shenmue is a revenge tale about Ryo Hazuki ⛦hunting down Lan Di, the man who killed his father.
However, later on, the plot turns into a much grander adventure, with Ryo having more motivation than simply revenge to find Lan Di. Family lineage and destiny co🐲me into play with his character, and his pure determination and will to continue moving forward with a seemingly endless quest make him a great protagonist.
4 💞 ꧑ Ichiban Kasuga
Yakuza 6 ended Kazuma Kiryu's 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:protagonist role in the series. With such an iconic character gone, the person to replace him better be good, and Sega delivered. Ichiban very much feels like the complete opposite of Kiryu. He's got an outgoing personality that matches the new JRPG genre of the title.
A big part of his character is that he's a major 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Dragon Quest fan, making him more relatable and explaining why the battles look the way they are. Since you're building a team, Ichiban fits in perfectly, whereas Kiryu would stick out like a sore thumb. Ichiban is a refreshing protagonist in the Yakuza series and deserves the franchise protagonist spot going forward.
3 💃 Kazuma Kiryu
The face of the Yakuza series is Kazuma Kiryu, one of the most legendary action game leads ever. 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:A true hero that fights for the people he💎 loves, an all-time fighter, and with a distinct humorous quality to him, Kiryu has the total package.
For gamers, a character like Agent 47 is so synonymous with hitmen that they're often stated in conversations about the subject. The same can be said about Kiryu for the yakuza. Yakuza do exist in the real world, and the first image that many of you think of in relation to that word is probably Kiryu. That's the sure impact of the character.
2 Eggman
Along with Bowser, Dr. Eggman or Dr. Robotnik is one of the most iconic villains in all of video games. Even people unfamiliar with gaming will have at least heard of this villain. First, his design is incredible and one of Sega's best. Resembling Theodore Roosevelt of all things and having the shape of Humpty Dumpty, Eggman definitely stood out in comparison to Mario's main villain, Bowser.
Even in the old 2D games, before Eggman could speak, the animators gave him a more humorous quality than other villains. Then in the 3D games, he has so much personality, more so than even Bowser has still in the newest Mario titles. There's a reason why the 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Mario Movie had a more humorous portrayal of Bowser, and it's likely a result of Eggman from the Sonic movies.
1 Sonic
Sonic is not only one of the most iconic video game characters of all time; for some, Sonic is what they immediately think of when video games get brought up. He's a perfect example of a character that gets popular, largely due to his design. You can look at one key character pose for Sonic and immediately tell what his character is all about.
His rad shoes and distinct smirk give him this cool factor that not many other family-friendly characters pull off effectively. The Sonic series offers stellar 2D platformers and quite a few 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:amazing 3D ones as well, and with him being Sega's mascot, he has to be the best Sega character.