Highlights
- Sega's poor marketing and lack of great games led to their loss in the console war against Nintendo, causing them to pull out of the home console market.
- Despite setbacks, Sega has enjoyed a great comeback, becoming one of the most respected names in the video game industry with a wealth of iconic characters.
- Sonic the Hedgehog, Sega's mascot, is loved for his unbridled personality and likable nature, despite the mixed reception of his 3D outings.
There was a time when Sega was in the console market and trying to compete against Nintendo and its home console offerings. Despite having a wealth of great titles, poor marketing and a lack of great games led to Nintendo winning this console war. As a result, Sega reverted to the role of a publisher and pulled out of the home console market, which was a huge blow to the morale of most employees working in the company around that time.
However, things took a turn for the better when the company finally got its hands on a string of successful IPs, becoming one of the most respected names in the video game industry. This setback was a big deal, but it's amazing to see Sega enjoy such a great comeback right now. The wealth of iconic characters they have introduced to gamers is proof enough of this!
7 Ryo Hazuki
There was a time when Shenmue was on the tip of everyone's tongues, with this attempt at an open-world game costing Sega a bomb and leading to this title being the most expensive game ever made at the time. Things have changed now, with Shenmue 3 turning out to be somewhat of a disappointment courtesy of its dated mechanics and poor storytelling.
However, players still have some warm memories of this series, with the series' protagonist being a stand-up dude whom players wanted to see succeed. Ryo's quest to hunt down Lan Di has remained consistent over these three games, which made their confrontation in Shenmue 3 a massive disappointment.
6 Tails
The blue hedgehog's closest friend has played a pretty major role across most Sonic games. He may not be as fast as the Hedgehog, but the fact that he can glide evens things up slightly.
His character design is instantly recognizable, and the numerous appearances he has made across the Sonic games make it clear why he's such an iconic character. It helps that his interactions with Tails are a joy to witness every single time too!
5 Goro Majima
The crazy Goro Majima is one of the most eccentric personalities in the Yakuza series, which is saying something, given just how weird this franchise is in general! One of the biggest figures in the Tojo Clan, Majima and Kiryu strike up an amazing bromance that makes him a really lovable character in every way.
Majima may be crazy, but there's a method to his madness that makes him such a riveting personality. Watching his character evolve in Yakuza 0 sheds more light on his backstory as a character, and it helped that fans could finally control this amazing character and experiment with his massive moveset!
4 Joker
Persona 5 is one of the biggest JRPGs of all time, in no small part because of its amazing presentation and great combat. The story is also a highlight in its own way, with players falling in love with the cast of characters and the conflicts they endure while exploring each Mind Palace to change a corrupt adult's mind.
Joker is the protagonist of this series, with his iconic look and amazing powers making him a force to be reckoned with. He's become such a popular figure in no time at all that he was chosen to be one of the new fighters in Smash too!
3 Doctor Eggman
Sonic the Hedgehog is one of Sega's most popular franchises, and it's a shame that this title hasn't really enjoyed many good modern games despite shifting to 3D. The antagonist who has constantly been a thorn in his side in the majority of the games is Doctor Eggman, also known as Dr. Robotnik.
This plump, iconic character is the textbook definition of a mad scientist, but there's more to him than what meets the eye. His backstory is explored quite a bit in later games, and Jim Carrey's portrayal of this amazing villain has made him a really popular figure indeed.
2 Kazuma Kiryu
The stoic badass who runs the show in most Yakuza games, Kazuma Kiryu is one of the best video game characters of all time. His no-nonsense attitude makes him perfect to deal with the many goofy events that happen in the Yakuza series, and players can't help but laugh at the Dragon of Dojima getting roped into a series of ridiculous events over and over again.
Of course, when the stories in Yakuza get serious, there's no better protagonist to spearhead its events than Kiryu himself. Ichiban Kasuga may have taken over this mantle and wowed players with how likable he is, but Kiryu still holds a special place in the hearts of many fans even now.
1 Sonic The Hedgehog
The titular blue hedgehog was Sega's mascot for the longest time during their console wars with Nintendo. Sonic's games prioritized speed and movement, letting players enjoy a great sense of motion as this hedgehog picked up speed to zoom through levels in no time at all.
His 3D outings have been pretty mixed, but players still love Sonic the Hedgehog for his unbridled personality and likable nature. He shares a great dynamic with the series' supporting cast and continues to have a great presence in the gaming industry to this day despite the many hiccups he has endured!