36 Most Iconic Video Game Characters

Pull together a list of the most iconic video game characters of all time and chances are there would be very few surprises. Classics like Mario, Sonic, Pac-Man, Link, Solid Snake, Donkey Kong and Samus will always be phenomenally important to the fabric of video games, but all of them first appeared on the scene during a completely different era. They're unquestionably iconic, and the only argument is over what order they'd fall into the top 10. They each may have appeared in modern games (with varying degrees of success,) but they're ultimately children of the Eighties and Nineties. If you take that group off the table completely, and focus on the significant characters that made their first appearances this century, you get a very different picture of how video games now present their leading figures. Seen all together like this, they're a potent reminder that the tone of games, for the most part, has changed dramatically post-PlayStation 2 and Xbox.

We considered more than 100 characters when compiling this list, and there were some heated arguments and strong opinions about what makes a modern game character "iconic." There are both good and evil faces here that have come to represent whole platforms, entire genres, and others that have become familiar to literally hundreds of millions of players.

36. Vaas Montenegro

First appearance: 'Far Cry 3' (2012)

The most memorable video gaming enemies are those you love, and recall fondly, despite 

the need to bring about their demise. M Bison. Andrew Ryan. Psycho Mantis. Far Cry 3 

might not be revered like Street Fighter, Bioshock or Metal Gear Solid, but its lead antagonist 

merits mention in the same breath. In Vaas’ drug-addled brain, it’s those he’s holding to 

ransom on Rook Island who are the lunatics. He seems to genuinely believe that 

offering "two grand to the first motherfucker to bring me Jason Brody's nutsack” is totally 

normal, and even funny.

Iconic Moment: His monologue on the definition of insanity, which might vary somewhat 

from your usual clinical diagnosis. "Did I ever tell you what the definition of insanity is? 

Insanity is doing the exact... same fucking thing... over and over again expecting... shit to 

change... That. Is. Crazy." Vass would know. 

35. Tommy Vercetti

First appearance: 'Grand Theft Auto Vice City' (2002)

Basing a video game character on someone as iconic as Al Pacino’s Scarfacecharacter is a 

true gamble. Yet, as we’ve learned many times over the past two decades, Rockstar is never 

afraid of rolling snake eyes. Vercetti’s story closely mirrors that of one Mr T. Montana: exiled 

from his birthplace (Liberty City), his path to power is smeared with blood and cocaine, and 

his sizable mansion and short fuse match that of cinema’s deadliest blow dealer. But one 

achievement leaves Vercetti in a crime league of his own: when his former employers 

inevitably turn green eyes into bullets, Tommy survives to become kingpin of Vice City – and, 

for many, the GTA series, period.

Iconic Moment: That moment of betrayal by Lance Vance in the mission Keep Your Friends 

Close... "I sold you out, Tommy," says Lance, seemingly unaware of the bullets about to start 

flying. "I sold you out." 

34. Agent 47

First appearance: 'Hitman' (2000)

Fans of wrestling know their "Hitman" as “the best there is, the best there was, and the best 

there ever will be”. Bret Hart’s murderous namesake can claim the same slogan pertaining to 

the assassination business. Forever emulated yet never bettered, IO’s shaven-headed killer's

catalog of death methods dwarfs any traditional cookbook, with resumé highlights that 

include nudging a garbage man into his own truck, and shooting the glass on the underside 

of a clifftop hot tub. Agent 47 first found infamy in 2000, and – unlike his many victims – 

has survived four generations by constantly reinventing himself in all ways other than that 

bald dome.

Iconic Moment: Hitman: Blood Money was the game where it felt like the creators were 

really having some fun with the whole "my day job is planning murders" thing. The best 

example is the Vinnie Sinisitra kill at a kid's birthday party, with the option to get deadly as a 

FBI operative, a pool boy or even a clown.

33. Freddy Fazbear

First appearance: 'Five Nights at Freddy's' (2014)

From Naughty Bear to Zangief, the concept of giant grizzlies in video games is hardly novel – 

but 2014’s Five Nights At Freddy’s turned this animatronic bear into the categorically-not-

innocent face of survival horror. You play security guard Mike Schmidt, and must survive a 

night shift in which cute-but-rogue robots are roaming Freddy’s fast food joint – unlicensed to 

kill, yet determined to do so anyway.

Iconic Moment: The Golden Freddy: a distorted, eye-less version of the title character, who 

can appear in Schmidt’s office with complete disregard to doors, delivering the message 

‘IT'S ME’ before ending the game. Terrifying. Exhilarating. Deadly. Very, very cool.

32. Dovahkiin

First appearance: 'The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim' (2011)

Ahh, that helmet. Dovahkiin – A.K.A. the Last Dragonborn – is a fighter of many strengths, 

but it’s the Iron Helmet (yes, it's a proper name) which cements his (or her) status as Tamriel’s 

most elite of slayers. For many, it’s the headwear used to steer Skyrim’s lead through critical 

conversations with scaly ancestors, amplify countless exclamations of that omnipresent 

call-sign, and protect the Dovahkiin from uncertain beginnings through Skyrim’s climactic, 

cataclysmic battle with portal-hopping dastard Aldiun. Behind the headgear, though, is you. 

Through smithing, enchanting, alchemy, and other configurable traits, your personal 

Dragonborn evolves like no one else's. Save for the fact that they can all bellow "Fus Ro Dah"

with breathtaking, devastating authority.

Iconic Moment: Learning your first shout as a dragonborn, Unrelenting Force, and then merrily 

"Fus ro Dah-ing" all over the place. Even at the dog IRL.

31. Elizabeth

First appearance: 'Bioshock Infinite' (2013)

Elizabeth is surely the best AI companion in video games, never getting in the way and yet 

always there with a wry line and able to open tears in the fabric of reality, and conjure ammo 

and turrets from thin air. Bold and direct, she’s at the center of the whole game, despite the 

fact that the story makes her something of an accessory over which all the men fight. Episode

two of the game's Burial at Sea DLC is a tonic, then, allowing her to come into her own as a 

stealthy ninja manipulating the history of Rapture to enable the events of the original Bioshock 

to take place.

Iconic moment: When you realize exactly why Elizabeth is missing a piece of her pinky. 

Spoiler alert: it's the reason why all of Bioshock's temporal madness is happening to begin with.

30. Max Payne

First appearance: 'Max Payne' (2001)

What more does former cop need than grit and the ability to hurtle through the air, guns 

blazing? Motivation. And Max Payne has a bucket-load of it. His wife and child have been 

murdered by the bad guys, and he’s being framed for the murder of his partner. He’s no hero

and we know it because we hear his inner thoughts and frequently question the reality of what 

we’re seeing through his eyes. By his third game, Payne has added an addiction to painkillers 

and booze to his roster, and we get to examine a character attempting to cope with all the 

violence he’s experienced and committed in the past.

Iconic moment: While in a dream, Max realizes first that he’s in a graphic novel, and then 

that he’s in a video game. “Funny as hell, it was the most horrible thing I could think of,” he 

drawls.

29. Clementine

First appearance: 'The Walking Dead' (2012)

The canon of post-apocalyptic stories has shown us that it’s all too easy to lose our sense of 

right and wrong. This is what makes Clem such a strong presence in Telltale's 

The Walking Dead. She's our moral compass, her young eyes reflecting the terrible acts that 

the adults around her keep committing. Her innocence and the care we feel for her is what 

propels the whole story forward. When she’s left alone at the end of season one, she’s forced

to take on all she’s learned from others, particularly the choices and actions we’ve given her 

father figure, Lee. Hopefully we've mentored her best self.

Iconic moment: Though only nine years old, Clem is strong in the face of adversity. When 

she encounters her zombie parents she’s still able to get an unconscious Lee to safety.

28. Ellie

First appearance: 'The Last of Us' (2013)

Ellie has no concept of a world that isn’t in ruins. As we walk with her through Boston stunned 

by encroaching nature and appalled by the life that remains there, she simply copes, curious 

of the remnants of a world that she’s never been able to experience. She’s fierce, capable 

and self-sufficient in the face of horror, and yet she’s lost almost everyone she’s ever loved. 

Whatever childhood she was ever able to have was over long before you met her, and yet in 

the face of all of this, she holds hope for the future, standing as a symbol of hope for all 

humanity.

Iconic moment: Ellie’s quiet wonder when she and Joel encounter a giraffe. 

"So f*cking cool," she says.

27. Faith

First appearance: 'Mirror's Edge' (2008)

Faith makes a striking, unforgettable first impression. Tattoo on one arm and under one eye; 

black and white clothes; a single red glove and running shoes; black hair cut into a sheer bob;

 a steady, steely gaze. There's a good chance you recognize her even if you've never played 

her game. She was an uncommon video game lead for her time – a woman who wasn’t 

designed primarily to titillate. Her footsteps are yours as you run, leap between tall buildings, 

slide under barriers, and disarm guards. When you play Mirror’s Edge, Faith’s most striking 

feature is her flowing movement. It’s up to your skill to make the best of it.

Iconic moment: A wall jump, a smash through a window, a slide down sheer glass as a 

helicopter peppers it with bullets, a leap to a nearby flat roof, a roll on landing and running 

onward. Mirror's Edge is full of them.

26. Carl Johnson

First appearance: 'Grand Theft Auto San Andreas' (2004)

Born into poverty with a father he never knew, a mother who’s recently deceased, and a 

brother he accidentally killed, the cards are stacked against CJ from the start. And then cops

turn up telling him that they’re going to frame him for the death of one of their colleagues. 

But over the course of of the game, as his path criss-crosses Los Santos, CJ’s stoicism and 

sense of honor helps him transcend his past, embracing greater things and elevating himself 

above the criminals he encounters. The GTA series' first black protagonist had a good run, 

and voice actor Young Maylay's performance was authentic and memorable.

Iconic moment: When his former friend Big Smoke dies at his hand, CJ says, "We was like 

family, homie," his sadness a sign of his humanity, even in the face of betrayal.

25. Alyx Vance

First appearance: 'Half-Life 2' (2004)

Alyx Vance was a breath of fresh air in 2004, a woman in a video game who dressed sensibly 

and whose introduction has her performing the rescue. She's still an attractive lady with an 

inexplicable crush on our hero Gordon Freeman, but Alyx was a step forward for portrayals of

women. Half-Life 2 was also a step forward in terms of facial animation, and Alyx benefited 

from this most. Though Gordon is the silent one, Alyx communicates as easily with her 

expressive face as with her words.

Iconic moment: Alyx's face fills the screen as she looks down at Gordon, who has just been 

knocked to the ground. Unconcerned, she jokes, "Doctor Freeman, I presume?" with a goofy 

grin, flicking to a worried frown an instant later as alarms sound in the distance.

24. Captain Price

First appearance: 'Call of Duty Modern Warfare' (2007)

SAS Captain John Price was the leader of Bravo Six, the SAS squad whose story made up 

the British half of Modern Warfare. As rookie squad member "Soap" MacTavish we saw 

Captain Price as an avuncular commander, one who looked after his troops and his friends. 

But then in the level 'All Ghillied Up' we got to be Price in flashback, crawling through Pripyat 

with a sniper rifle. The game's highlight level, it gave us an insight into Price's backstory and 

also made "ghillie suit" part of our everyday vernacular.

Iconic Moment: Price meets the player and is underwhelmed. "What the hell kind of name is 

Soap? How'd a Muppet like you pass Selection?"

23. Peashooter

First appearance: 'Plants vs Zombies' (2009)

The humble peashooter was the first plant we received in Plants vs. Zombies. It shot peas at 

zombies and that was enough. It may not have been as impressive as the Cherry Bomb but 

the solid and reliable Peashooter was the plant we remember saving us repeatedly, slapped 

down at the last minute when we only had 100 points worth of sun to spend and the lane we 

thought empty turned out to have one last zombie in it.

Iconic Moment: The pea flies across the lawn and with a wet splat a zombie's head pops 

clean off. The lawn is safe – for now.

22. Trevor Philips

First appearance: 'Grand Theft Auto V' (2013)

When we first met Trevor, his role as an avatar for our very worst instincts seemed obvious. 

If we felt guilty driving dangerously as the other protagonists, here was Trevor to give us 

license to mount the pavement with impunity. More than a sadistic brute, he serves as 

Rockstar's wry commentary on our capacity for savagery as players.

Iconic Moment: "What kind of a fucking animal do you take me for? No, I didn't kill him... 

But I did kidnap his wife!"

21. Sackboy

First appearance: 'LittleBigPlanet' (2008)

It's surprising the cute toy that represents us in the dreamscape of LittleBigPlanet became so 

recognizable. At the beginning of the game Sackboy was a blank slate we covered up with 

customization items – glasses, mustaches, shark hats – but by the end of LittleBigPlanet he'd 

stopped being our stand-in and become his own entity, friendly and helpful and so gosh-darn 

nice.

Iconic Moment: When the villain who has been stealing from everyone's dreams turns out 

to be a lonely old man, Sackboy offers to be his friend. That's how you defeat a final boss, 

Sackboy-style.

20. Dante

First appearance: 'Devil May Cry' (2001)

Dante the demon hunter is pretty typical of the smoldering-with-generic-rage school of heroes 

in terms of personality, but his stylish look is what makes him truly iconic. The white hair 

offset by the bright red coat is a gift to cosplayers with six-packs. Far from being obnoxious, 

the cocksure attitude and Nineties-style ironic detachment has a certain appeal too.

Iconic Moment: Acquiring the hellish backpack weapon Lucifer in Devil May Cry 4, Dante 

uses it to carve up a monolith while flamenco music plays and he makes double entendres 

about "penetration." At the conclusion of this display a rose appears in his mouth somehow, 

and we see he has carved the stone into a romantic heart.

19. Lich King Arthas

First appearance: 'Warcraft 3' (2002)

Before he was the Lich King, Arthas was a paladin and a prince and Warcraft 3 let us play 

him before and after. We followed his fall from nobility to depravity as it played out like opera 

or myth. He was a villain we got to know as a hero, one whose descent made tragic sense 

each step of the way.

Iconic moment: Approaching his father the king, sword drawn. “What are you doing?” asks 

King Terenas. "Succeeding you," Arthas replies.

18. John Marston

First appearance: 'Red Dead Redemption' (2010)

In Rockstar games missions tend to be handed out by jerks and lunatics. You wonder why

the main character bothers with them. Although John Marston from Red Dead Redemption 

still had to put up with several of those jerks and lunatics, he was refreshingly blunt about it. 

Like the player, he wasn't interested in their nonsense, responding to the village idiot asking if 

he can find his lost sweetheart with, "I doubt it. But if I head up that way, I'll see what I can do."

(His sweetheart turned out to be a horse.) Marston needed redemption, but he didn't need to 

be nice about it.

Iconic moment: A familiar cry rings out, "Partner! I need your help!" Marston keeps his head 

down. "You and every other fool around here," he says.

17. Sam Fisher

First appearance: 'Splinter Cell' (2002)

The sarcastic dad of special agents, Sam Fisher was all about getting the job done. He 

remained professional in every situation (only later in the series when he believes his 

daughter is dead does he use violent interrogation methods), and even had a friendly rapport 

with guards he captured, right before knocking them unconscious. The night vision goggles 

were cool, but the sense of right and wrong made Fisher special.

Iconic moment: "You won't get a medal for this, Fisher," explains his handler during an op 

the government will deny ever happened. "Medals don't help me sleep at night, Lambert," he 

replies.

16. Commander Shepard

First appearance: 'Mass Effect' (2007)

Since everyone makes their own Commander Shepard and chooses how to play them, we all 

wind up with our own version. Shepard's morality and sexuality were up to you, and both 

were essential expressions of the character. The maverick with the alien girlfriend or the 

by-the-book hero who doesn't date within the squad? Both were valid, like every other 

permutation. We identified with Shepard because we made Shepard our own.

Iconic moment: A reporter asks Shepard some sensitive questions. How to respond?

You can give away information, deflect the question, end the interview, blame your superiors, 

or punch her in the face. All are fair options.

15. Claptrap

First appearance: 'Borderlands' (2009)

In the original Borderlands Claptrap was the overenthusiastic robot you probably didn't pay 

attention to. We all skipped his mission text. Borderlands 2made our disregard canonical, and 

Claptrap became the robot nobody liked. He only sounded happy because he was 

programmed that way, but really he was depressed and lonely. The mission to throw a 

birthday party for him, which nobody shows up to, was the saddest in the game. But Claptrap 

wasn't sad – because we were there, it was his best birthday ever. Claptrap went from 

universally hated to, well, still divisive, but those of us who care about the little guy will ride or 

die for him forever.

Iconic moment: "Feel free to mingle with, um, nobody."

14. Pudge

First appearance: 'DOTA 2' (2013)

As everyone who played Scorpion in Mortal Kombat knows, hooks are fun. Pudge became 

the most popular character in DOTA 2 because his Meat Hook attack is a skill shot that's 

satisfying to use. Being the signature hero of pro player Danil "Dendi" Ishutin didn't hurt his 

popularity, either. There's a custom mode called 'Pudge Wars' that's been around since the 

Warcraft 3 days in which teams of five Pudges face off over a river, hooking each other 

across like they're fishing. It's so popular it has more players than Evolve.

Iconic moment: Pudge gets first blood in a match, yet again. “Have I got juice on me chins?”

13. Marcus Fenix

First appearance: 'Gears of War' (2006)

There are plenty of manly, thick-necked heroes in video games, but Marcus Fenix may be the 

manliest, and also the thickest of neck. The voice performance elevated him though, with 

John DiMaggio (also voice of Bender and Jake the Dog) giving Marcus surprising humanity. 

You could hear it in the enthusiastic swearing, the “Nice!” when things went to plan, the way 

he lost it when someone he cared about was hurt. Marcus could have been another grunting 

marine, but DiMaggio made him the best grunting marine.

Iconic moment: Chainsawing an enemy in half, Marcus looks on his work and is pleased. 

“Nice,” he grunts.

12. Angry Birds

'Angry Birds' (2009)

Apparently Angry Birds began with a piece of concept art, just a picture of the birds rumbling 

along the ground looking pissed. The image was so engaging Rovio designed the game 

around it (with liberal inspiration from Crush the Castle), and you can see why. The birds 

were cute enough to appeal to everyone, furious enough to be ideal video game 

protagonists, and merchandisable enough to make them very rich indeed.

Iconic moment: A bird hurtles through the air, slaps up against a thick wall and rolls to a 

stop. You adjust the trajectory and fire again. The outcome is exactly the same. Now who's 

angry?

11. GLaDOS

First appearance: 'Portal' (2007)

Video games have plenty of lady artificial intelligences (hey, Cortana) including 

megalomaniacs (hey, Shodan), but GlaDOS from Portal is memorable even in a crowded 

field. It's the sense of humor that does it, the streak of playground malice that compels her 

to make fun of you while subjecting you to dangerous experiments.

Iconic moment: Even as you pull GlaDOS apart she continues insulting you, explaining 

that none of your friends would come to your party, "Because of how unlikeable you are." 

Then she pretends to read your file. "Unlikeable. Liked by no one. A bitter, unlikable loner 

whose passing shall not be mourned."

10. Teemo

First appearance: 'League of Legends' (2009)

Teemo is a cute, tiny, grinning squirrel but he's not as sweet as he looks. He specializes in 

poisoning and blinding, and his ultimate ability is an invisible mushroom landmine. Teemo is 

popular with trolls; he's got the most frustrating abilities and his incongruous cuteness makes 

it worse when he gets you with them.

Iconic moment: You're in a highly trafficked area when you step on a mushroom and boom, 

there goes a chunk of health. Before you can react, Teemo – also invisible – fires a blinding 

dart in your face. The last thing you hear is his laugh.

9. Barbarian

First appearance: 'Clash of Clans' (2012)

The mean-tempered, blonde-mustachioed, kilt-clad Barbarian is the first troop you unlock 

when placing a barracks in Clash of Clans, and remains a staple of any successful strategy 

at every level. He may seem like a angry, aggro, blunt instrument incapable of prioritizing 

what he needs to be walloping first, but he's cheap, effective, requires minimal housing space,

and is incredibly destructive in a group. He's similarly awesome in Supercell's card-based 

battler Clash Royale, too.

Iconic Moment: A swarm of Barbarians charging across the map laying waste to everything 

in their path is truly a joy to behold.

8. Big Daddy

First appearance: 'Bioshock' (2007)

Few video game monsters are as unsettling as Bioshock's heavy-footed Big Daddies. 

Far from being inherently evil like the majority of video game (or, indeed, pop culture) baddies, 

these terrifying giants represent something far more primal. They're never explicitly out to get 

you, but if they perceive you as a threat to the Little Sisters they're conditioned to protect, the 

tenacity with which they'll hunt you down is deeply alarming.

Iconic Moment: If you idle on the title screen of the original Bioshock, you witness the 

unflinching violence of the Big Daddies as they protect a Little Sister from an attacker. After a 

savage beating from one, a second Daddy drills through the assailant's stomach before 

punching him in the face, finishing him off. Then, dripping with blood, the lumbering giant 

tenderly takes the young girl's hand and leads her to safety.

7. Ezio Auditore da Firenze

First appearance: 'Assassin's Creed 2' (2009)

Of all the people to wear the stylish Assassin's cloak of stabby murder, Ezio has been the 

most fleshed-out, charismatic character by far. First introduced as a handsome, cocksure 

adolescent he matured through four games to be a grizzled retiree with his own Tuscan villa. 

Assassin’s Creed 2 saw the series live up to the potential hinted by the first thanks to its lush 

Italian landscapes and Ezio’s charming banter while knifing men in the windpipe and 

mourning the loss of his family.

Iconic Moment: Fighting with the actual pope, Rodrigo Borgia (aka Pope Alexander VI) in 

the Vatican. 

6. Geralt of Rivia

First appearance: 'The Witcher' (2007)

The White Wolf is an old school tough guy with the scars and swords to prove it. 

He just wants to earn cash slaying monsters but there's always a complication, be it 

his adopted daughter Ciri or his girl gang of love interests. True, he's not so much about 

the banter as the weary grumbling but he's always ready to bargain with a doomed troll 

or give a succubus a chance. This old grump is just a big softie underneath and 

after spending 200 hours with him - pretty standard for any Witcher fan - he'll feel like an 

old friend.

Iconic Moment: The Battle of Kaer Morhen, fighting alongside the allies you made during 

the main quest and Ciri. That or the mission with the cheese mage.

5. Tracer

First appearance: 'Overwatch' (2016)

She was the poster girl for Blizzard's mega-hit team shooter from the moment she appeared 
in the 2014 Blizzcon reveal. Since then Tracer, AKA Lena Oxton, has also made it into the 
company's other recent release, the MOBA Heroes Of The Storm. She has teleportation and 
time rewinding powers which make her a strong contender in the Overwatch ranks but it's 
really her charming English cockney accent that everyone remembers, even if they're 
hearing it as they die a shameful death at the hand of Blizzard's manic pixie dream girl.

Iconic Moment: Literally every time she says "cheers love! The cavalry's here!"

4. Steve

First appearance: 'Minecraft' (2011)

Originally just called "The Player" in early versions of the game, the name Steve (or "Steve?" 
if you believe the label on some of the merchandise) was apparently suggested 
by Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson as a joke. It stuck, and he went on to become 
one of the most recognizable video game characters of all time. More than 100 million 
people have now downloaded Minecraft across PC, console and mobile, prompting Microsoft
to acquire it from Swedish game developer Mojang for a whopping $2.5 billion in 2014.

Iconic Moment: Putting the finishing touch to an elaborate construction after hours of mining
and block placement, and then taking a moment to step back and just bask in your own
magnificence.

3. Kratos

First appearance: 'God of War' (2005)

He’s just about to get a hipster, Viking makeover but he’s still the bald, angry man 

we know and fear underneath it all. If wearing the ashes of his murdered family 

and sporting massive chained blades wasn’t enough to make him iconic then 

tearing bits off actual gods should do the trick. Once the surly, grimacing face of 

the PlayStation brand he’s killed his way through all the greats, Poseidon, Helios, 

Hermes and big daddy Zeus. Look out Norse gods, he’s coming to get you.

Iconic Moment: Saving the massive Titans, dragging them through time and using them 

to storm Mount Olympus and take on the gods. That, people, is delegating. 

2. Nathan Drake

First appearance: 'Uncharted' (2007)

He's Indiana Jones for the modern age, coming at you with a mix of bullets and 

witticisms in one verdant landscape after another. Voice actor Nolan North gave 

the character his familiar bantering tone but it was Drake's relationships with other 

characters in the Uncharted series, Elena, Sully, Chloe and his brother Sam that 

made him more than just another generic action hero with a talent for 

indiscriminately slaughtering bad-guys. By Uncharted 4, out earlier this year, 

people were rooting for Elena and Nathan to make it like they were winners 

from The Bachelor, and Naughty Dog made sure to keep us all hanging

Iconic Moment: The plane sequence from Uncharted 3 is Nathan Drake at his 

wisecracking, heroic best - navigating his way through a burning, plummeting 

cargo plane filled with enemies before arriving, nary a stylish scarf askew, in a 

stunning desert setting.

1. Master Chief

First appearance: 'Halo: Combat Evolved' (2001)

Whether you're an Xbox fan or not, Master Chief is part of that rarefied group of

iconic game characters that boasts Mario, Sonic, and a small handful of others. 

While all of the characters on this 21st century list are beloved by fans of their 

respective series' and genres, Master Chief is a true pop culture icon whose 

significance transcends the reception of whatever game he might appear in. His 

faceless visage and striking silhouette are instantly recognizable to gamers and 

non-gamers alike, and a generation has grown up seeing him as an imposing 

representative of video games as a whole.

Iconic Moment: There are so many throughout the five Halo games in which the 

Chief has appeared, but for many, the simple exchange between the Chief and 

Cortana in Halo 3 when he finds her in the Flood-infected Covenant structure High 

Clarity is a perfect example of his heroic appeal. "You know me. When I make a 

promise..." he says. "You...keep it," Cortana responds.