Iconic video game mascots and me...
Video game mascots may seem a little archaic now but they are certainly integral in the introduction to gaming for people my age (mid to late 20s). That’s not to say we all have a die-hard attachment to the likes of Crash Bandicoot or Spyro; but that initial interest and connection, no matter how amoebaean, sparked that passion for video games, be it playing, creating or writing about them.
Mascots are a bit of a dying breed, and for years now have been seen as remnants of a gaming landscape that no longer exists. They’re only really talked about retroactively.
Gaming was predominantly marketed towards children. In the age of mature video games and competitive gaming the traditional mascot just doesn’t really fit anymore. But I’m getting a little ahead of myself.
Arcades delivered gaming to the masses and in 1980 Pac-Man arrived, widely considered the original gaming mascot and remains Bandai Namco’s mascot to this day.
Mascot fever really started to take hold once Mario became a household name. Nintendo hit the jackpot with Mario, he is the embodiment of the carefree harmless fun that Nintendo are known for.
Similar characters followed thereafter like Capcom’s MegaMan and Nintendo’s Kirby. Getting from point A to point B and getting the high score isn’t all gamers want, we want to root for the hero too.
Sega took a different route with Sonic the Hedgehog - a mascot with attitude and he became (literally) the blueprint for 90s mascots.
Mascots with ‘tude all shared a few traits, they probably wore sneakers, usually loved words like “Radical” or “Bogus”, they were snarky but a little bit wholesome and they were undeniably the cool one out their misfit friends Just look at characters such as Gex, Spyro and Crash Bandcoot and you’ll see what I mean. But it appears despite develpers’ best efforts the mascot is a dying breed and the gaming world will be all the poorer for it.