Top 10 Ladies of the Video Game Realm:(based on overall appeal and impact)Runner-Up: Princess Rosalina of the
Mario series
~Dethroning the Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom is a very hard task, if nigh impossible. For having just appeared in Super Mario Galaxy, though, Rosalina has quite a large fan following considering that she could have been another “one-shotter” like the countless other miscellaneous Mario characters before her. Rosalina was an unlockable character in Mario Kart Wii and was at one point strongly rumored to be an Assist Trophy for Super Smash Bros. Brawl. With a castle looming in the pages of her childhood past and a yet-explained crown, all we know for certain is that she’s got it going on and many hope to see more of her against all odds.
10. Kasumi of the
Dead or Alive series
~Kasumi, a could-be leader and runaway ninja, is canonically the first winner of the 'Dead or Alive' tournament which she entered to take revenge upon a man named Raidou who crippled her brother, Hayate. Alongside Kasumi, you also have her sister, Ayane. In addition to the sheer amount of cosplay Kasumi has had, Kasumi also enjoys the honor of unofficially figureheading the series which has resulted in a number of Volleyball-themed spoofs all across the internet and being a top babe on the lists of many guys that happen to lay eyes on her.
9. Jill Valentine of the
Resident Evil series
~As of recent years, Capcom's
Resident Evil series has seen much acclaim, garnering plenty of excellent video game reviews and sales in addition to a few movie adaptations. Jill Valentine's name is known to many, and the popularity is not unearned; she was one of the first
Resident Evil protagonists, arguable the main force against the legendary Nemesis, and her role in Resident Evil 5 is on the top of the mind of many industry-watchers. We may be teased with a tombstone with her name inscribed on it, but it's hard to believe that such a physical woman that even made it into Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 would just go away quietly.
8. Samus Aran of the
Metroid series
~For the last time, no, that is not a man inside that Power Suit. If you just finished blasting a ton of aliens and escaped an exploding planet, you were more than likely playing the role of Samus Aran, the female bounty hunter with all the skill you might expect from a well-toned super-athlete that has to travel space, fight a number of physically intimidating foes with highly-rated combat prowess, and exterminate an entire species of life-draining parasites. Her Chozo Power Suit (an arsenal unto itself) can be upgraded, which is handy since Samus' frosty persona isn't enough to freeze Metroids into submission, though it does work on her colleagues.
7. Princess Zelda of the
Legend of Zelda series
~Damsel in distress? Sure. Often. To be taken lightly? Never. No, in fact, as the holder of the Triforce of Wisdom and part of the ruling power of the benevolent and thriving kingdom of Hyrule, she is always the first target of the holder of the Triforce of Power, the evil Ganondorf (whom is most recognizable in his pig-warlord form, Ganon). Even though most games are entitled the
Legend of Zelda, you play as one of a number of young lads named Link, the holder of the Triforce of Courage, who always rescues the princess. Ganondorf never seems to go after him first, though, which would kill two birds with one stone. This should say something about the power Zelda has, and this story has resonated through the annuls of gaming for a long time (provided you can hear over the echoing "Hey! Listen!").
6. Lara Croft of the
Tomb Raider series
~You might say that current gaming had its "formative" years when Sony officially entered the console war with its own device that was originally planned to be an add-on to the Super Nintendo, the Sony Playstation. Nintendo and Sega suddenly had some surprise competition, and in the wake of the confusion, Sony knew it had to acquire a mascot that could stand alongside the likes of Mario the plumber and Sonic the hedgehog. Lara Croft was Eidos Interactive and Toby Gard's shot at the spot, and the design seems to have paid off; this reckless, Indiana Jones-esque vixen has had the honor of having Angelina Jolie play her part, and was even awarded a Guinness World Record recognizing her as the "most successful human video game heroine." This could be argued by sales numbers, but if you want to talk about household names, you can always start off the list right by brainstorming up her name.
5. Misty of the
Pokemon series
~Who could forget the day Ash Ketchum started off his rousing (and now long-winded) adventure to be the best trainer of Pokemon with Pikachu (given to him by his mentor Professor Oak)? As you might expect, though, not all goes well as the electric mouse accidentally fries an expensive bicycle! Enter Misty. Yes, this red- and hot-headed tomboy follows our hero all over the world in her signature, and decidedly open outfit consisting of very short shirt and shorts and a pair of suspenders. For all the brashness in her personality, you would think she's confident, but in reality, she's actually very shy and has a bit of an inferiority complex. As the show goes on, though, Misty makes great attempts to overcome these traits, though her feelings for Ash are as of yet unrequited. Though there have been 3 generations of Pokemon games since the original Red and Blue, the absolutely massive Pokemon following ensures that Misty has a cozy spot no matter where she goes.
4. Chun-Li of the
Street Fighter series
~Hadoken, Shoryuken, Sonic Boom: you heard these, but then you also heard cries of defeat. You glance at the screen just in time to see a serious-looking, ornately-dressed Chinese female wearing bulldog spiked cuffs suddenly leap into the air and shoot the deuce at the screen with a smile that would melt Mount Everest. Yep, that's Chun-Li. An agent of Interpol, the "spring beauty" Chun-Li seeks revenge on the infamous and power-hungry M. Bison for the death of her father (the silk brocade and ribbons probably gave away that she was in mourning, though). After the events of
Street Fighter II, she wishes to return to law enforcement and teach children the art of self-defense, and yet the streets and the forces of evil keep calling her back to fight once more. No matter; when that does happen, you can be sure she'll bring her A-Game, improbable leg strength and mobility, and pantyhose for her trademark thighs, and a righteous determination that makes even the strongest warriors of the world turn their heads.
3. Tifa Lockhart of the
Final Fantasy VII games
~Heroes have to start somewhere, and the best place to start explaining the backstory of Final Fantasy VII is at the small mountain town of Nibelheim. Here you find a young, blonde teenage boy with nothing to lose. Except, of course, his pride and self-acceptance. And more than anything, young Cloud Strife desperately seeks the attention of Nibelheim's prized student and girl-next-door, Tifa Lockhart. With brown hair that just doesn't seem to stop, and matching proportions, Tifa often finds herself being the desire of a lot of men, willingly or otherwise. Cloud, however, goes so far as to join the SOLDIER army just to impress little Tifa, starting a chain of events that, by chance, had they not occurred, might have resulted in the end of the world. One crazy ride and a whole lotta plot twists and tears later, Cloud and Tifa stop the villainous Sephiroth and JENOVA. Just don't mind me if, along the way, I happen to take particular notice of her during cutscenes or drool at her victory pose a bit.
2. Princess Peach of the
Mario series
~Though often mispronounced in the media, Mario is truly a household name. The one icon that has made his way squarely into the mainstream media, Mario games are the delight of children of all ages, from 2 to 92. Another classic case of damsel-in-distress, the fair Princess Peach is constantly being abducted by the beastly, but cunning Bowser, a spike-shelled, fire-breathing lizard with a bad attitude and an unhealthy combination thirst for misguided vengeance and unbridled power. Yet even though she's kidnapped time and time again, and imprisoned within castle walls, above lava, in claustrophobic rooms, etc., Princess Peach keeps her cool and either waits for the perfect escape or, the more likely scenario, her rescue by Mario. While her ornate dress and long blonde hair or many other traits are nothing out of the ordinary by themselves, Princess Peach manages all of these aesthetics and her duties in such a way that gives her the timeless quality that copies many "golden age" monarchs from our own reality. Oh, and I forgot to mention. Just when you think she's shallow and/or helpless, she surprises the skeptics with her own devious plans that rival Bowser's and defensive tools of war that far outshine anything any Mario brother ever had to work with.
1. Aeris Gainsborough of the
Final Fantasy VII games
~I've already told the tale of Tifa Lockhart and Final Fantasy VII, but there is yet another female in the same game that while not often considered more attractive than almost anyone on the rest of this list, she was equally integral and had more impact on more people than her "rival" in love. Aeris Gainsborough was the daughter of Ifalna, one of the few remaining Cetra and a powerful race skilled in magic and the ways of the life of the planet. I say was, because, well, you know what happened. Yes! You know what happened! I do not have to spoil it for you, because I'd say there's an 85% chance that if you play video games
at all, you know how Aeris was slain while praying in an attempt to cast Holy by the SOLDIER-experiment-gone-mad Sephiroth. And there's also a good many people that, believe it or not, actually
cried when it happened. It's not a sign of weakness nor is it a sign of detachment from reality; it is empathy resulting from the temporary Suspension of Disbelief necessary to enjoy any work of fiction, level of realism regardless. Aeris Gainsborough lost her father, was adopted after arriving in Midgar where her mother immediately died, gained then lost her boyfriend Zack later on, and all the while was being hunted down by the Shin-Ra and Turk organizations to further their own scheme to drain more Mako (lifeblood) from the planet as part of an energy monopoly. Through all this, she remained sane, independent, and strong, while having maybe a little flirtatious fun with Cloud along the way up until her sudden demise. On top of that, she had an adorable frame and fashion sense that appealed to the other half that didn't like Tifa Lockhart's design (never mind Yuffie,
), and strong Magic Attack, a high MP rating, and Limit Breaks that would make your party invincible. No, Final Fantasy VII isn't the most original, creative, or thought-provoking story ever written, but it stands out in peoples' minds, and so does Aeris.
Whew. There. Not my personal preference and line-up, but I think it's fairly solid, regardless.
Posted on: January 30, 2009, 02:32:42 AM
Hahaha.
Just went onto Yahoo! to see my e-mail.
Top search for the day?
"Lara Croft"
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