So fp's gotten me to thinking, perhaps we don't need to just discuss video games here, but other aspects of gaming, too. Why not? So simple question. Who are your favourite video game characters? (game characters originating from other mediums obviously to be excluded)

My #1 favourite character is the lowly, lovable and hardly villainous Koopa Troopa. This has been the case ever since Super Mario Kart in 1992, and I have my sister to thank for that one. She was always quicker on the trigger finger and nabbed Yoshi first, who was also the character I wanted to use at the time. Relegated to choosing the most Yoshi-like character, I selected Koopa Troopa, and haven't looked back since. What is it about Koopa Troopa that appeals to me so? I really don't even know any more.
They're just this friendly wee little turtle, and umm... I have no idea. I just inexplicably still love it to bits. Mario Strikers Charged and Mario Kart Wii have allowed me to continue this long-running streak of choosing it in every single playable appearance it has (which took a step back in the N64 days, but has been improving gradually).

Second place is Sonic the Hedgehog. As I've alluded to earlier, it was fairly academic that I would. He was marketed to appeal to my exact demographic, 90s kids. The old games are of course still where it's at, but I don't hold it against Sonic that he hasn't appeared in a definitively great game for about what... 9 years or so? Besides, other than a lot more dialogue (I liked it better back when Sonic, like every other video game character, didn't seem to have much to say. ...Also liked it better when Eggman was Ivo, but I think most of us do anyhow), the character himself still has the same appeal to him. He's just not as chubby as he used to be. If you want to see some characters they've really messed up, just look towards the supporting cast... Tails is annoying as all hell and Knuckles seems to have been pretty much castrated. In Sonic Heroes, he nervously states 'We're not going in there, are we?' ...wtf? Back in the day Knux was blasting through walls and pounding foo's with reckless abandon. Oh well. I digress.

Who are your favourite video game mascots, comrades?