Below is a list of characters that we always see in almost any goodgamestation. Without them, the video game world would not be complete. People just seem to relate to these things so fast because as children, we were told stories about them and we carry them with us as we grow up but still play video games. The following list does not come in any particular order or importance.
Pirates – Pirates are either heroes or villains in video games. It entirely depends on the plot of the game. The real life perception of pirates though gives them the common role as villains. Pirates are commonly humans with very few special abilities in video games other than kidnapping the leading lady of the story. If they ever take the role of strong pirates, they are usually dead pirates and are moving skeletons.
Robots – These metallic creatures are either controlled or computer-programmed and are for combat, and/or intelligence/surveillance. They are usually equipped with guns, missiles, lasers and are usually weak at lightning attacks (in RPG games). Robots are very common in Japanese games. They even have games dedicated to super robots entitled super robot wars which is a collection of mech that appeared in past and current Japanese animations.
Ghosts – Ghosts are either cute or really creepy in games. Examples of cute ghost in games are the ghost enemies of Super Mario World for the Super NES. As games became more realistic and more mature, game developers have found a way to make ghosts in games more creepy in games such as Fatal Frame for the PS2 and Microsoft XBox. In most cases, ghosts cannot be hit by physical attacks. Your chances of annihilating them is almost close to zero. You only option is just often times to run.
Dragons – Perceived as a very powerful being, dragons are popular to both kids and adults. They usually breath fire but other species are also present in some games such as ice dragons, earth dragons, wind dragons, water dragons, etc. They can be allies or foe. In an RPG game like Final Fantasy, a Dragon by the name of Bahamut is usually a summoned guardian that aids the player in eliminating his enemies.
Slimes – Slimes are a favorite enemy character in RPG games especially when you are just starting out. They commonly look alike in games and usually just differ in colors whenever the game developer chooses to create different varieties of this creature. Their usual color is green.
Elfs – Long-eared creatures that look and act like humans, usually with blonde hair. They are often times possess powerful magics and their abilities are above human level. Elfs usually co-exist with humans in games but can also exist on their own. Some elf creatures are half-god, half-human giving them the label of demigod. There are elf-inspired characters such as The Legend of Zelda’s Link (although his race is not called elf, he resembles the common look of an elf). They also posses or can forge powerful weapons.
Dwarfs – Small, human-like creatures that usually dwell in caves, mushrooms, trees or flowers. A common perception of a dwarf aside from being small are that they have long ears, sometimes a long nose, wearing a green cone-shaped hat and robe and carrying a sack on their back. However, there are also strong depictions of dwarfs such as those carrying huge (meaning bigger than them) axe or hammers.
Vampires – A popular enemy at games like Castlevania. They can sometimes transform into bats (or disguise as bats) and other magical abilities. There seems to be a growing trend for vampires to become the hero of a game, such as the game called The Legacy of Kain where the heroes are vampires (or former vampire). They are common enemies to humans but are also enemies to werewolves. Vampires are former humans and can be either male or female. Example of a female vampire game is the game called BloodRayne.
Zombies – A favorite enemy to be abused because they are slow and powerless… But wait, once they get a hold of you they will surely sink their filthy teeth on that neck of yours! The popularity of zombies in video games started out in games such as Zombies Ate My Neighbors and was then re-popularized or re-hyped by Resident Evil and most recently, Plants vs Zombies. A popular First Person Shooter also feature zombies as your enemies in Left 4 Dead.
Aliens – Aliens are very lucky because they are often times where the plot of the story revolve. Just see the very popular game called Metroid where your enemies are aliens. Without the concept of aliens, games would be limited to pre-historic or medieval times. Aliens allowed exploration of the human mind in space through games. The common plot is that humans unite in order to defeat them.
Fairies – And we shouldn’t forget about fairies. For simplicity, I will collectively refer to sprites, nymphs and the likes as fairies. They are usually girls or women dressed in white robe (or not dressed at all) with wings similar to butterflies, dragonflies or fireflies. In video games, they usually grant you with special abilities, replenish your health or tell you something important about your quest.
