Top 10 Female Leads in Video Games

10. Any game that supports female character creation –

I recently moved from rolling strictly dudes to rolling only female characters when given the chance in video games that allow me to choose between the two sexes. Because who wouldn’t want to spend 30-100+ hours playing as a female?

9. Sonya Blade –

Sonya Blade has been a staple in the Mortal Kombat franchise since the first game released in 1992. Ever since then, Sonya Blade has cartwheel-kicked her way into our lives and has made numerous appearances that spans 9 games, 2 movies, and various other entertainment outlets.

8. GlaDOS-

Ahh, GlaDOS our “the cake is a lie” loving, passive aggressive AI matriarch is a hard circuit board to deny. Although not THE lead in the Portal series, she is the one who cynically narrates Chell through two games.

7. Jade –

Jade (Beyond Good & Evil, not Mortal Kombat) is one of the most recognized female protagonists in video games and made her debut in 2003’s, Beyond Good & Evil. Armed with a brain and a camera, Jade broke the objectified female mold and has received praise in other various top ten female protagonist lists throughout the years.

6. Jill Valentine –

You may have heard of this little franchise called, Resident Evil. Yeah, I haven’t either. But from what I hear, there is this zombie-equalizing bad-ass character, Jill Valentine. Although I hear she wasn’t as strong as her partner, Chris Redfield, she was better equipped with skills and weapons which allowed her to kick serious zombie ass. Jill Valentine has also appeared in numerous other Resident Evil games and movies.

5. Commander Shepard –

Kicking ass and taking names is Commander Shepard’s second job in the Mass Effect franchise. Her first job is leading a rag-tag group of assassins, scientists, and mercenaries against an eminent threat, the Reapers. Spanning three games, this leading lady traversed the universe in the Normandy leading her crew, battle after battle, wiping out the Reapers which resulted in an ultimate act of selflessness.

4. Princess Peach –

This peach of a lady stole Mario’s heart in Nintentdo’s Mario and Donkey Kong franchises, which in turn stole our hearts. This heroine made her epic levitating debut in one of my favorite Mario games, Super Mario Bros. 2. Since then, Peach has been in a multitude of spin-offs and even getting her own game, Super Princess Peach.

3. Chun Li –

It’s only natural that the first female in a fighting game be on this list. Not only the first, but arguably the most effective in a fighting game as well. She debuted in Street Fighter 2 and has been in just about every other Street Fighter since. If you don’t think she deserves to be on this list, especially at number 3, I have a SF2 machine in my house that will prove otherwise.

2. Lara Croft –

Besides all the negative sexual attention this character received when the first Tomb Raider released, Lara Croft was one of the first female characters in a strong protagonist role. Armed with two pistols and the ability to climb any mountain, crevasse, hillside, or cliff, Lara Croft treads fearless into any cave welcoming any challenge she faces.

Recently rebooted, Lara Croft was given a new appearance and story. Although Lara was portrayed as a broken young woman, by the end of the game she was transformed into a fearless adventurer. I look forward to seeing what new adventures come her way.

1. Samus Aran –

Yes, Samus hails at number one of this top ten female lead list. Why, you ask? Samus is in the Guinness Book of World Records: Gaming Edition as, “the first playable human female character in a mainstream videogame.” Not only is she the first but, at the time, a dominant force in video games as the protagonist of the Metroid series. She didn’t just jump, bop, and run from left to right like her cousin, Mario. She spun, gunned down, and morphed her way in, through, and around the world of Zebes, eradicating Mother Brain.

Being a male in his mid-thirties, I grew up in the NES era and one of my favorite games was Metroid. The developers pulled one of the biggest and greatest switcheroos by unveiling that Samus was a female in this male dominated genre. Being young, and only seeing male protagonists, imagine how astonished I was when I found out that this ball-morphing, spin-jumping, arm-gun shooting protagonist was actually a female. Mind. Blown.

California ExDREAMIN’

MEGA PINBALL ACTION

Today the misses and I had the wonderful opportunity to go to a magical place filled with neon lights, luminescent glows, sounds of rapid tapping of buttons, and a very distinct stench only associated with gamers holed up in a low lit room, California Extreme. Walking into this place I was immediately overwhelmed by the staggering amount of arcade games, old and new. The first thing Lili, my fiance, wanted to do was take pictures. I did not share her enthusiasm for photography at that moment, I was there to play video games.

So, after the photo opp we made our way around to see what kind of games we could muck up with our clean hands. We look left, The Grid, Mortal Kombat 3, and Puzzle Fighter, OK. A couple more feet and to the right Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man littered in between a slough of other games I have never seen or heard of. We stop to play a game of Pac-Man and then the A.D.D. kicks in. We play a “life” here and a “credit” there and make our way through and around the crowds and land at a game called, Timber. With a little encouragement from me, Lili was on her way to chopping trees frantically. You literally just chop trees and dodge enemies.

CHOP CHOP CHOP

I tried to join in the chopping fun but to no avail, so I wondered over to Satan’s Hollow. I have seen this game on the interweb but have never played it. It was mediocre at best. A real Galaga rip off. I played a credit, Lili joined me and we were off. After Satan’s Hollow (which is what it felt like while playing) we headed over to the other half of the hall. We mosey on over through a short crowded hallway and I look to my right and people had set up animatronic mice playing instruments. You know, the kind you would see at Chuck E. Cheese when you were kid and except for playing some kiddie song these mice were playing the Misfits. It was creepy, awesome and slightly demented. Right up my alley.

Natural Born Digital Killer

The Micefits

After the Micefits, we found rows and rows of fighting games. Everything from Street Fighter to Marvel vs. Capcom to SNK vs Capcom to Primal Rage. It was bliss. My eyes caught a Neo Geo machine and my Vans were on its way. Lili asked, “What’s a Neo Geo?” I quickly responded, “One of the most awesome machines ever,” due to it’s multiple game capabilities in a cabinet and the outrageous console price at launch, plus, the amazing games it had on it’s platform. The first thing I did was show her the cycle capabilities it offered the player.

This machine had four slots for four separate playable games. It had the usual suspects, SNK vs. Capcom, Metal Slug, Samurai Showdown, and Bubble Bobble. I selected SNK v. Capcom and played a round. Lili’s curiosity piqued when I selected Metal Slug and started playing. She immediately jumped in and had a blast. I then dropped it on her that I was very interested in owning a Neo Geo and she reciprocated but there wasn’t a “For Sale” sticker. Boo! We asked who the owner was and the people standing behind me told me that the machine had been sold but that the owner might have another one laying around his domicile. Then, they pointed over to the pristine Super Street Fighter II Champion Edition and told us that he owned that machine as well and his number was on that “For Sale” sticker. I texted him and off we went. We hovered over the Street Fighter machines spending most of our game play time here. The nostalgia was emanating from these games. I was 12 again and had just stolen money from my parents to meander over to the local 7-11 to buy a Slurpee and delve into the battle ground known as Street Fighter 2.

That’s me whoopin’ ass on the left

Whatcha’ Playin’?

Yep, more games!

At this point Lili and I had our eye on a Street Fighter machine that was being sold by the guy with the Neo Geo and the thought of owning one had been marinating in our brains. We had a very very long conversation about buying one, probably 2 minutes. After looking at my phone about 15 times to see if the seller had texted back we decided to call. I called. No one answered and I left a message. 10 minutes later as I was playing a video game my phone rang and it was the seller. After a long conversation over games and whatnot,we said we would talk it over. Back to the VIDS!

That’s a lot of balls

Round 1…FIGHT!

We made a few more rounds, played a few more games, and left. California Extreme had been good to us, but something was a miss. We had visions of sprites dancing in our minds and the inevitable question was still swirling. Were we going to get a cabinet or not? Lili had turned to me and said she wanted to go ahead and get one, seeing as we want arcade games at our wedding and are avid gamers, there was no reason not to. We called the seller once more and left a message saying we were ready to do business but wouldn’t be able to transfer the cabinet. The seller called about a half our later saying he would deliver given a small fee and we obliged. YES! We are now the proud owners of a Street Fighter II machine, score.

But back to the California Extreme experience. California Extreme is like going to Disneyland. There was so much to play and see that I feel like one day was not enough. If anyone is interested in playing arcade games old and new, this was the place. Lili and I paid $30 each for Sunday, Saturday was $40 a head, and I believe the weekend pass was $60. I would highly recommend the weekend pass and staying at one of the local hotels given you didn’t live in the area and seeing as it’s open until 2 am on Saturday. So, if your looking for dim lights, old games, and an awesome welcoming atmosphere, California Extreme is for you.