22 January 2015. Video game mascots: perhaps one of the greatest elements of the gaming industry to manifest during the 80s and 90s. Ecco is a bit of an anomaly when talking about video game mascots. Problem was, the best they could come up with was Zool. This 1997 platformer followed the Jersey Devil, a little gremlin tasked with surviving the spooky wilds of Jersey while battling the sinister Dr. Knarf and his army of mutant vegetables. Let's call a spade a spade: Croc is an unabashed Mario rip-off. He had a pair of sunglasses, and a sneering grin, and a load of one-liners. In case you didn't guess from the on-the-nose title, the star of this 1998 platformer is, well, a glove. ", Ma Rainey's Black Bottom review: "Chadwick Boseman is astonishing in his final film performance", Star Trek: Discovery season 3, episode 13 review: "An anti-climax", Doctor Who Revolution Of The Daleks review: "The meat ‘n’ veg version of Who", Star Trek: Discovery season 3, episode 12 review: "A spectacular run of episodes continues", Cobra Kai season 3 review: "Powers through and delivers its best season yet", Star Trek: Discovery season 3, episode 11 review: "The perfect Christmas present". GamesRadar+ is supported by its audience. Some of the picks on this list are obvious, some perhaps less so, but at the end of the day, these are The 25 Greatest Video Game Mascots ⦠While we'll never know if Socks the Cat could have given Mario and Sonic a run for their money, odds are this title would have fallen flat. Problem was, the best they could come up with was Zool. Here are the best and worst from that bygone age. Last known whereabouts: Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (2014). This is because this once heavily hyped game never even hit shelves. Ranking of '90s Platforming Mascots. With the PlayStation and 3D graphics cards out there allowing for new possibilities, narrative and gameplay, the 90s produced some of the most attractive characters in video game history. You can fire the head in eight different directions around Headdy and collect power-ups to change your head's appearance and alter its abilities. I could really just end this list here. Can you name the Forgotten 90's Video Game Mascots? It's been theorized that he had them amputated to keep more blood in his head and torso, so he'd be less likely to faint from high g-forces. He was just like Jack Nicholson if Jack Nicholson was a lizard and crap. Heck, one of the most prolific mascots in gaming is a blue hedgehog. Thus, Jersey Devil was born. However, some video game mascots, especially modern ones, are more human, ⦠While Nintendo staked their claim on the genre with 1996's Super Mario 64 on the N64, the PlayStation would quickly fire back with mascot stars of its own. Unlike Sonic, Ristar featured a slower pace and emphasized utilizing Ristar's arms to interact with the environment. Unfortunately, by the time the game released in 1996, gamers were over colorful 2D platformers, and Punky Skunk landed with a resounding thud. Well, SEGA already had a mascot: Sonic the Hedgehog. Feb 24, 2020 - Remember these video game mascots from the 90's? 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Originally intended for release on the SNES by developer Ukiyotei, Punky Skunk would be rushed to the Playstation when sales for the SNES began to slump. Please refresh the page and try again. The game's protagonist, the bucktoothed little crocodile dubbed "Croc," would return in 1999's Croc 2, but by this point, better 3D platformers had released for the PlayStation, causing the game to slip under the radar. Problem is, the game played like a watered down Kid Chameleon, and the game's story, which involved Rocky trying to save the stolen daughter of a restaurant owner in exchange for a free all-you-can-eat buffet, didn't exactly get kids excited. Gex was "cool." Most of which are probably polluting a landfill somewhere right this very second. His game is crap, he looks like a scrawny, cross-eyed stimulant abuser and, to top it all off, his title screen appearance has him weakly exclaim "I'm awesome!" In 1993, Bubsy was the most hyped thing since organized religion. Even better, his games are unlikeable, uncontrollable, and borderline unplayable. When Sega launched the oft-forgotten Master System in 1985 to compete with the NES, the system came complete with its own platforming mascot: Alex Kidd! While there would be several characters introduced that gave Nintendo's plumber a run for his money, there were plenty of mascot platformers that barely even made a blip. But hey, you know, its okay. There was a time, largely in the mid-Nineties, when the world of video games was overrun with a certain type of character.The Mascot with Attitude is a snarky Funny Animal with kickin' powers, improbable jumping abilities, and usually some form of girlfriend or world to save (or something).Generally, the Mascot with Attitude can be defined by the presence of three or more of the following traits: Releasing in 1994, Ristar introduced players to the titular anthropomorphic star, who utilized his stretching arms to battle baddies and traverse treacherous terrain. I'm just shocked he's not wearing sunglasses. 3. What words exist to describe his state of being? From there he has become the face of Nintendo, starring in best-selling games across their consoles from the Gameboy to the Wii without any indication of slowing down. Otherwise, completely rotten. Thankfully, Funky was never more than a bit character, despite being made up entirely of radness. Sure, he's got little drawn on eyes, but kids weren't exactly clamoring for a game starring a living fashion accessory. Where do you turn for your inspiration? Some had smart, creative designs that have endured to this day - but most were just total crap. Originally envisioned as the next big mascot star, poor sales put these dreams, along with a planned sequel, out to pasture. Maybe it's time for a gritty reboot... Last known whereabouts: Earthworm Jim HD (2010). The twirling, bug-eyed marsupial established early dominance on the Sony console, becoming synonymous with the Japanese giant's first 3D system. Sega needed a different mascot to represent the company, so ⦠First appearing in 1987, the 7UP mascot Cool Spot grew immensely popular in the early '90s which led to four video games! If you look closely at the backgrounds you can see how they're made to look like hand-made sets. Whether one tried to create these icons for a series, or to create awareness for a console, the 80s and 90s were full of them. It went from a distant first from the PS2 to a distant 3rd. While Sonic would give Mario and company a run for their money, poor Alex Kidd never stood a chance of dethroning Nintendo. Such was the case with the TurboGrafx-16 which, despite finding success in the Land of the Rising Sun as the PC Engine, would subsequently flop in America. Released for the PlayStation in 1997, Croc: Legend of the Gobbos served as one of the first 3D platformers for the console, causing the title to sell like hotcakes. Mikey from Nick Arcade (1992) - In the early '90s, I remember watching Nick Arcade on Nickelodeon which was a fun game show that put you inside a video game for the bonus round. With the dawn of the 3D platformer, the battle for mascot supremacy really began to heat up. Despite a brash print advertising campaign that saw Croc eating Mario, Croc ultimately proved to have no bite, causing the franchise to fizzle out. But by 2001, Naughty Dog would sell off the Crash IP, leading to the bandicoot to going multiplatform, with subsequent titles receiving middling reviews and lukewarm sales. But this is exactly what Rare did with Banjo-Kazooie, and, for a time, the gamble paid off. For a time, Gex's special brand of wisecracking antics worked pretty well, but this motormouthed hero didn't manage to escape the 90s. Dynamite Headdy is yet another gem in developer Treasure's collection. Why, you'd get Rocky Rodent, one of the more obscure mascot platformers for the SNES. Contrary to this games conceit, seals do not need ships to navigate the sea. 90s kids were truly platformer crazy. The 7-Up mascot of the time, Spot, was featured in a series of games in the early â90s. In the 90s, kids were suddenly convinced there was nothing cooler than protecting the planet. But we bet kids would have willingly up-ended a bucket of trash directly onto the streets if they had to hear this message from Awesome Possum. A one-stop shop for all things video games. Such was the case with Ristar, a promising, but ultimately failed 90s platformer. The 80s certainly saw plenty of games come and go that tried to steal Mario's thunder, but it wasn't until the 90s that game companies began to usurp Mario's throne in earnest. Reckin' Balls (which really should have been called Reckin' Ballz) was a curious mashup of kart racers, a grappling hook, and some Marble Madness thrown in for good measure. Look at some of the old Star Fox artwork and you'll see what I mean. Gaming mascots are frequently produced using the intention not only to be cute cartoon figures, but additionally a representation of the trademark. While Sega was initially very gung-ho about Kidd, pumping out five sequels starring the mascot, the company eventually realized that the character just wasn't strong enough to compete with Mario, leading to Kidd unceremoniously being retired in 1990 and replaced by Sonic the Hedgehog. Such was the case with Punky Skunk. Because itâs the â90s and thatâs what you do in video games made in the â90s. It's a miracle Jim didn't implode under the weight of his coolness. But being forced into one of the most brazen Sonic clones of the '90s tainted him. This ad-free experience offers more features, more stats, and more fun while also helping to support Sporcle. His nemesis is Queen Slug-for-a-Butt. Originally created as a marketing technique to attract newcomers to the then-small gaming community, video game mascots seem to have transcended to something far greater⦠they have become legends. While the console never stood a chance in the West, the TurboGrafx-16 still tried to get its foot in the door with a mascot character of its very own: Bonk. Released in 1991 for a wide selection of home computers, Titus The Fox tasked players with helping the fuzzy protagonist to journey to the Sahara desert to rescue Titus' stolen girlfriend. When Gex's mother tried to break up this pity party, Gex chose homelessness, only to return after she had inherited a life-changing sum of money - which Gex then used to buy an even bigger TV. The PlayStation has had a lot of mascots over the years. Earthworm Jim perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the '90s all in one character. Across two PS1 sequels, and a beloved kart racer spin-off, developer Naughty Dog perfected the character and his unique style of gameplay. The battle for video game mascot supremacy between Mario and Sonic is legendary. But the Blue Blur wasn't Sega's first crack at trying to dethrone Nintendo's goomba-stomping plumber. Starring a sunglasses-clad red dot, who worked as the mascot for perennial "oh yeah, that drink still exists" contender 7-Up, Cool Spot saw the soft drink mascot bonk enemies, hang out at the beach, and jump around inside giant 7-Up bottles. Just look at him. Despite terrible critical reception, developer Accolade truly believed Bubsy to be the next big name in gaming, even going so far as to sign off on a pilot for a Bubsy cartoon. Such was the case with the punnily titled Aero The Acro-Bat, which, despite its truly lame title, was pushed as the next big name in mascot platformers. Kids loved him, parents didn't understand him, and Jim earned himself four games and a Saturday morning cartoon series. Thank you for becoming a member. Up to four players could race against each other, but instead of just rolling down a single track there was a surprisingly amount of platforming involved (hence the need for a grappling hook). 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