Video games like The Legend of Zelda and God of War have only had one protagonist since they were released. That is, Link and Kratos respectively. Both characters seriously need to be retired sometime soon. Heck, even Mario has been running amok for way too long and Nintendo’s in-house studio should consider introducing another game protagonist.
On the bright side, games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and GTA V regularly change characters. So, fans get to experience new personalities and compelling backstories. To that end, Player.com has arranged a list of the game protagonists that should be retired.
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5 Game Protagonists That Should Be Changed
Below are five game protagonists who deserve to be changed because they’ve been running the show for more than a decade already. Yes, the list includes Link, Kratos, and Mario, three characters whose presence has spanned multiple console generations already.
#1: Mario From the Super Mario Games
To be honest, Mario is a household name at this point. A Japanese plumber finds himself in a world of magical beasts and plenty of treasures. At the core of the games, you’re always the good guy; Always saving Princess Peach from trouble. To Mario’s credit, his brother, Luigi, has usually been a playable character in the Super Mario games. However, both twins need to be scrapped for another generation of heroes to shine.
We know Mario already and our kids know him too. Who’s next: Our grandkids? Super Mario’s characters, including the non-playable ones, have always been colourful. So, we’re sure Nintendo can come up with other compelling game protagonists.
The new heroes can be plumbers or compatriots who are native to the Mushroom Kingdom, so they don’t need to be humans. Still, the mechanics baked into Super Mario games are addicting. So, some memorable mentions that you can consider are Super Mario Bros. Wonder, WarioWare: Move It, and Mario Kart Tour.
#2: Link From The Legend of Zelda Games
The two recent games that featured Link are The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. They’re marvellous games with a great combat system, unique upgrade trees, and ingenious exploration mechanics. The plain fact is that the game will still sell like hotcakes if the focus shifts to another protagonist.
The new game’s protagonist could be Link’s son or a relative with a unique set of powers. If Nintendo kept the lore, pumped up the marketing, and introduced a new protagonist, we would still buy the game. However, Link has been the sole game protagonist for more than two decades already.
Of course, we love the character’s development, but it seems he has also reached a plateau. For one, we know the campaign always revolves around a damsel in distress whom Link saves. Even in the upcoming games, we can expect the same treatment. So, it’s time to open up the storyline further.
#3: Kratos From the God of War Games
Kratos is a big name in the gaming industry because God of War ushered in a new age of action adventures. Yes, it uses an isometric or top-down camera, but the game’s fast-paced action and ridiculously long string of combos were as flashy as they were fun. In recent God of War games, Kratos has aged considerably and isn’t as agile as he used to be.
So, the combat is more laid-back because of the studio’s switch to an over-the-shoulder view. In other words, Kratos can’t jump around the way he used to, but he’s still a god. For this entry, we would love to see Santa Monica lead the new game with Atreus as the lead game protagonist. We don’t want them to kill off Kratos but Atreus has developed several new skills in God of War Ragnarok.
One of them is the ability to shapeshift. We don’t know if the skill is limited to animals such as a bear and a wolf or if it will let him shapeshift into other magical beasts or even gods in later games. Santa Monica has already set the stage and we deserve more fast-paced combat than Kratos is too old for.
#4: Dante From the Devil May Cry Games
Dante is the titular game protagonist in the Devil May Cry games who can trash-talk opponents and still manage to beat them. He’s a half-demon, meaning he boasts the strengths of both races and none of their weaknesses. Vergil, his twin brother, has always been his rival throughout the games, but we got to thoroughly experience his skills first-hand in Devil May Cry 5. Nevertheless, Vergil and Nero have regularly featured in Devil May Cry games.
The developers want gamers to experience the story from different perspectives, so you know the heroes and villains no matter how misguided they are. Nevertheless, these game protagonists have been running the show for more than a decade now. We wouldn’t mind playing other characters, even if it’s Sparda himself.
#5: Leon From the Resident Evil Games
Leon Kennedy is another immensely popular game protagonist from the Resident Evil games who has regularly featured in movies, animated series, and games. However, we’re sure movies about new game protagonists will pop up if the game ever switches its roster of characters. Usually, he’s accompanied by Claire Redfield, sister to Chris Redfield, another playable character. We’ve got nothing against these characters except for the fact that they’re the only cash cows that Capcom has.
The studio’s ingenuity sometimes falters because they love remaking games. Some of their remakes are Resident Evil, Resident Evil (2019), Resident Evil 3 (2020), and Resident Evil 4 (2023). We want to see the old Capcom, who could pump out great ideas faster than we could keep up.
The idea of flesh-eating viruses that turn animals and plants carnivorous is appealing, but these characters have hit a stalemate as far as development goes. Evidence that it will benefit from a new protagonist is that Resident Evil Village was a banger, even though Ethan Winters was a new face.
Our Final Say: Studios Are Businesses Too
Video games are sources of entertainment for hundreds of millions worldwide but to organisations, they’re just business opportunities. A slower way to make video games would be to introduce a new game protagonist in every new game. Rockstar Games does this and they make billions of Dollars from GTA V. However, a faster way is to copy and paste the protagonist while introducing new combat mechanics and skill trees. In short, gamers deserve better, but why fix it if it’s not broken?