Every great video game needs someone or something to act as the face of the series—an instantly recognizable figure that represents the game and all of its fans. Something/someone that stands out and is memorable enough that it makes a lasting impact on newcomers the moment they lay eyes on them.
What better way to get to the audience’s hearts than to melt them with a mascot that cranks up the cuteness factor to eleven and triggers a chorus of “awws” the second they show up? Having an adorable mascot is an effective marketing strategy that very few can resist succumbing to. Here are some of the cutest mascots in gaming.
10 Sackboy (LittleBigPlanet)
During the PlayStation 3’s early days, Littlebigplanet‘s main character, Sackboy, served not only as the game’s mascot but the entire platform’s mascot as well. Sackboy is the star of the LittleBigPlanet series that takes place on Planet Craftworld. He was so beloved by the fandom that he even received his very own game.
He is of a species of adorable beings called Sackpeople (a.k.a Sackfolk or Sacklings) that are known to be cute and cuddly creatures. Being adorable is part of Sackboy’s DNA and it shows. Not to mention all the amazing collaborations LBP has done in the past, allowing Sackboy to be customized to look just like all the gaming scene’s favorite characters. The power of the adorable Sackboy was strong enough to make even God Of War‘s Kratos and the Metal Gear Solid 4 cast look as cute as a button.
9 Slime (Dragon Quest)
Who would have thought that a common enemy would ever grow to such heights of popularity among a fandom to the point that they become the face of the entire series? This is what happened with Dragon Quest‘s Slime. The Slime has a simple design: a blue tear-drop-shaped monster with two big eyes and a smiling mouth. Yet this simple monster design ended up being such a staple in the Dragon Quest universe that it eventually spawned its very own monster family.
Now fans can choose their favorite Slime, whether it be the tough Metal Slime, the gooey Bubble Slime, or even the delicious Crème Caraslime.
8 Isabelle & Tom Nook (Animal Crossing)
For years, Tom Nook has served as the face of the Animal Crossing series despite the fandom being rather divided on him, seeing him as either a money-hungry crook or simply a good businessman. However, after the release of AC: New Leaf, fans took a liking to the adorable yellow doggy, Isabelle. Isabelle was so popular that she returned again to AC: New Horizons and naturally took a spot next to Tom Nook as the new AC representative.
She serves as the player character’s assistant/secretary and always lends a helping hand when needed, meanwhile, Tom Nook helps with any of the player’s housing expenses. These two aren’t just the cute faces of the wholesome AC series, they’re also great characters that always provide a safe, warm, and welcoming environment for all players.
7 Chocobo & Moogle (Final Fantasy)
Although both the Chocobo and the Moogle have changed their appearances throughout Final Fantasy‘s lifetime, the pair always stood as the face of Final Fantasy. After first appearing in FF2 back in 1988, the giant, flightless birds known as Chocobos have found their way into every FF game in the series so far in their own special way.
Meanwhile, the cuddly white-furred Moogles have also made an appearance in each mainline FF game, aside from FF4. The pair have gone through several different design iterations and have had a handful of makeovers through the years, with each and every version of them just as cute as ever. As if their adorable appearances weren’t enough to make fans fall in love, their little “kweh” and “kupo” catchphrases are the perfect cherry on top.
6 Prinny (Disgaea)
This blank-faced, blue penguin may arguably be the reason why gamers that aren’t fans of Disgaea still know the name of the series. In fact, Prinny is so recognizable that he doesn’t only serve as the series mascot but also serves as the Nippon Ichi (Disgaea‘s company) mascot as well.
There isn’t just one single Prinny, as Prinny is actually the name of the entire species. While the main Prinny most people imagine is a dark/navy blue, Prinnies actually come in a variety of colors seen throughout the Disgaea series. Aside from their blank stare of cuteness, Prinnies are often lazy little dummies that love joining in on any conversation with their signature “dood” catchphrase.
5 Monokuma (Danganronpa)
Although any avid (or even casual) Danganronpa fan would be hesitant to call the infamous Monokuma “cute” because of the horrific crimes he has committed, the average person that doesn’t know any better would simply see an adorable teddy bear.
When all lore is set aside and ignored, this simple yet unique character design (in combination with his cutesy voice and famous “puhuhu” laugh), easily makes for one of the cutest bears in gaming. The iconic Danganronpa‘s antagonist’s white side gives him a cute teddy bear feel while his black side gives him a bit of a unique edge.
4 Kirby (Kirby)
Somehow, a simple pink ball with little arms, a face, and shoes captured the hearts of Nintendo lovers everywhere in an instant. Kirby is the main protagonist of his platformer series and later went on to gain even more attention (and love) when joining the Smash series.
Kirby’s design is simplistic and keeps things clean while still creating a charming mascot that is easy to recognize in an instant. His little pink blush marks and high-pitched voice makes it near impossible to not fall in love with the adorable pink puff.
3 Don & Katsu Wada (Taiko No Tatsujin)
Don Wada (usually referred to as the much more affectionate “Don-chan”) and his twin brother, Katsu (lovingly called “Ka-chan”) are the adorable duo of sentient drums from the Taiko No Tatsujin series. Taiko No Tatsujin is a series of rhythm games that involve the player banging away on taiko drums to the beat of catchy J-pop songs.
The twin brothers are the mascots as well as the protagonists of the Taiko games. Not only are their colorful character designs cute, but their personalities make them even more lovable. Don-chan and Ka-chan are carefree kids (drums?) who love going out and eating festival foods with their friends. To make them even more adorable, they both have the habit of ending their sentences with “da-don” or “don” every now and then.
2 Yoshi (Mario)
While Mario himself is obviously the most famous character in gaming, he wouldn’t be where he is today without the help of his green buddy, Yoshi. The Mario series has many characters that arguably act as the face of the series (such as Toad or Bowser, etc.), but Yoshi is one of the most easily recognizable characters in gaming even outside the Mario franchise.
Yoshi (full name T. Yoshisaur Munchakoopas) made his first appearance as a mere steed for protagonist Mario. However, his popularity rose quickly and soon enough, Yoshi was given a handful of his own games to star in. There, fans were able to see many sides of Yoshi and learn how kind, brave, and courageous he is on every adventure he embarks on. Clearly, Nintendo fans can’t get enough of the adorable green dino.
1 Pikachu (Pokemon)
Not only is Pokemon popular among young children today, but many older audiences hold the series dear to their hearts as well. Pikachu has been a childhood hero for generations, and it seems like his reign isn’t ending any time soon. The adorable yellow rat was first introduced to North American audiences all the way back in 1998 with Pokemon Red and Blue, as well as the animated series. Since then, the Pokemon series (both animated and gaming) have been a staple for both kids and adults.
Despite his simple design, he’s become incredibly iconic, winning fans’ hearts with his duality of being cute and cuddly on the outside but still being a loyal, fierce fighter when on the battlefield.
