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Old 09-20-05, 12:36 AM
  #26  
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What about Link?
Old 09-20-05, 01:29 AM
  #27  
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Originally Posted by tonymontana313
What about Link?
Link's an interesting one. Very well known amongst gamers, but probably most non-gamers wouldn't have a clue; while Mario and Pac Man would be running very high recognition among the same crowds.
Old 09-20-05, 01:50 AM
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the left paddle from pong.
Old 09-20-05, 01:52 AM
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I'm sorry I screwed up, I meant the right paddle.
Old 09-20-05, 02:52 AM
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Originally Posted by Decker
Link's an interesting one. Very well known amongst gamers, but probably most non-gamers wouldn't have a clue; while Mario and Pac Man would be running very high recognition among the same crowds.
And even the people who would have some sort of a clue would yell "Thats Zelda!"

Like others its Mario, Pac Man, and the sticks from Pong.
Old 09-20-05, 08:01 AM
  #31  
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Originally Posted by Chris_D
Of course the impact of the first Sonic game on the Gen was huge. I think the only mario game to come close in terms of impact was mario 64.
Hello? Super Mario Bros.? Donkey Kong? Super Mario Kart?

I'd have to go with Pac Man & the Ms. having the edge over Mario. They will be with us until the end of time. When was the last time you saw a Super Mario game in an arcade or bar?

Lara Croft would be on down the list. Ryu? Who outside of gaming is going to know who he is? Same with Link. I love my Zelda, but outside of gamers who is really going to recognize him? I'd give a nod to Mega Man over Link. MM has the benefit of a cartoon series and an ongoing line of action figures.
Old 09-20-05, 08:36 AM
  #32  
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Bahahahahahahaha!

From the previous link. http://www.the-nextlevel.com/feature...um/index.shtml

Nintendo touted that "Mario, the first-ever video game icon honored with a wax figure at the museum, replaces statues of Matrix actors Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss in the museum's lobby, even while the final installment of their trilogy remains in theaters."
Old 09-20-05, 08:38 AM
  #33  
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I'd say PAC-MAN hands down is the most recognized character.
Old 09-20-05, 09:15 AM
  #34  
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I'd have to go with Mario.
Old 09-20-05, 09:26 AM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by Chris_D
Sonic if only because the Mario brand has been diluted across way too many games. Even then, only because the Mario spin offs are actually rather good rather than the few sonic spinoffs which in general have sucked.
Wait, I don't get this. You suggest Sonic over Mario because they've both been in spin-off titles but acknowledge that most Mario games are good and most Sonic games suck. So Sonic is more iconic than Mario because Sega is throwing him is several poor games?

As for your question on the UK magazine poll, Nintendo didn't have a big presence in Europe in the early days (probably not now either) and Sega was able to market the US and Japan-failed Master System to European regions to great success. So Sonic is probably more recognizable based on that's what most kids there will remember playing in their childhood.

I can't even believe Lara Croft was mentioned in this discussion.
Old 09-20-05, 10:16 AM
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Straight up. I never liked Tomb Raider. When I got my sound card for my latest pc, it had a copy of Angel-something or other with it. I've seen it once since and that's when I gave it away. The guy took it, broke it, and threw it away. :P

I also don't understand how Sonic made an impact on the gaming industry. Was it a good game? Yes. Did it have something new? Yes, for the way it based itself on speed and getting through quickly. But a great impact? Well, I may have been too busy tossing it aside for Ecco to have noticed.

Mario... Jesus H. Christ! Is there something this guy hasn't done yet? Made his star appearance as Jump-man against the, at that time, infamous DK. It was Mario's game that came with the NES that managed to save the industry from the first crash. In the years to follow you could find him everywhere. Popsicles, shirts, cartoons, live action shows, movies, and giant wax figurines (thanks for that link, I can't believe there's a wax Neo ). He has proven himself a character that lends his iconic powers to any game he stars in with supreme authority. His resume covers platformers, rpg's, party games, the first kart game, educational games, fighting games, tetris knockoffs, and the game that showed the industry what a game should be like in the 3rd dimension.

For those who say that "so-and-so wouldn't be known outside of gamers", that's not quite true. Don't forget the numerous cartoon spin-offs. Zelda, DK, Street Fighter (+1 horrible live action), and many others have had their own.

Overall: Mario wins, but can I vote for Gunpei Yokoi anyway? :P
Old 09-20-05, 10:22 AM
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Mario!

Old 09-20-05, 10:34 AM
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Mario can be the only one....he whores himeself out in so many games, it's almost pathetic now
Old 09-20-05, 01:27 PM
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Originally Posted by tylatz

Overall: Mario wins, but can I vote for Gunpei Yokoi anyway? :P
[Dr. Cox]Not so fast there newbie.[/Dr. Cox]

The question comes down to recognizability. Who would be more recognizable to an 80 year old grandmother? Mario or Pac-Man? I think that would determine the most iconic character in history. I think it would be Pac-Man. Mario has been in 100 games, but who do you recognize below:



Can you recognize your little plumber in any kind of food? Pac-Man isn't going down without a fight!
Old 09-20-05, 02:11 PM
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I still think Mario wins over Pac-man, Pac-man doesn't have much of a presence these days, sure there are still games, but nowhere near the recognition of the Mario games.

I know I could ask my parents and they would know both Mario and Pac-man, definitely would not know Lara Croft or Sonic, but would know Donkey Kong most likely.

I would say there are probably many kids who don't know Pac-man, but who know Mario still.

My grandfather probably wouldn't recognize Mario or Pac-man, but I don't think he would have a greater chance of knowing either.
Old 09-20-05, 02:16 PM
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Link, Zelda Donkey Kong and Mario.

I agree with the above poster too about Pac Man, I mean how many diff games did we have for Pac Man and an animated cartoon.
Old 09-20-05, 02:42 PM
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Originally Posted by Decker
Mario by a country mile. Nobody else even comes close.
Yep. Not even arguable.
Old 09-20-05, 03:12 PM
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Being named Mario myself, I can tell you from firsthand experience that Mario is the biggest icon. If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me where Luigi was...
Old 09-20-05, 03:44 PM
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Originally Posted by animalmystic
I agree with the above poster too about Pac Man, I mean how many diff games did we have for Pac Man and an animated cartoon.
And don't forget the song! Actually, try to forget the song...

But I think if you were to show a picture of Mario to someone with no knowledge of games with no context, they wouldn't even know it was from a video game. Pac-man is far more identifiable...
Old 09-20-05, 05:31 PM
  #45  
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Originally Posted by PixyJunket
As for your question on the UK magazine poll, Nintendo didn't have a big presence in Europe in the early days (probably not now either) and Sega was able to market the US and Japan-failed Master System to European regions to great success. So Sonic is probably more recognizable based on that's what most kids there will remember playing in their childhood.
Well the post didn't say US only, and while all the NES heads here obviously would say mario they might actually get a shock if a similar poll was done in the US. The results in the edge reported poll were quite suprising (I was surprised anyway) giving Sonic a 2-3x recognition over Mario. The article went on to discuss why this was the case despite there not having really been a truely classic sonic title since genesis/cd days. I can't really recall them coming to any good conclusion. Anyway I tried to hunt down a link for you all but to no avail. I think it was about 6-9 months ago that I read this on www.edge-online.co.uk.

And yes I think Lara croft might have been in the poll too. Can't remember whether she beat mario or not .
Old 09-20-05, 05:53 PM
  #46  
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Originally Posted by Chris_D
Well the post didn't say US only, and while all the NES heads here obviously would say mario they might actually get a shock if a similar poll was done in the US. The results in the edge reported poll were quite suprising (I was surprised anyway) giving Sonic a 2-3x recognition over Mario. The article went on to discuss why this was the case despite there not having really been a truely classic sonic title since genesis/cd days. I can't really recall them coming to any good conclusion. Anyway I tried to hunt down a link for you all but to no avail. I think it was about 6-9 months ago that I read this on www.edge-online.co.uk.

And yes I think Lara croft might have been in the poll too. Can't remember whether she beat mario or not .
I couldn't open the link, but was that a REAL poll, or was it one of those ridiculous online surveys where anyone can click on it? I'm not counting any non-scientific polls.
Old 09-20-05, 07:07 PM
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From memory it was done by a british tabloid paper (presumably in the gaming section / column) and edge was just reporting on it. The link worked for me

Last edited by Chris_D; 09-20-05 at 07:17 PM.
Old 09-20-05, 09:23 PM
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Originally Posted by Michael Corvin
[Dr. Cox]Not so fast there newbie.[/Dr. Cox]

The question comes down to recognizability. Who would be more recognizable to an 80 year old grandmother? Mario or Pac-Man? I think that would determine the most iconic character in history. I think it would be Pac-Man. Mario has been in 100 games, but who do you recognize below:



Can you recognize your little plumber in any kind of food? Pac-Man isn't going down without a fight!
I have to agree. I think if people were randomly polled on who each character is, more people could correctly name Pac-Man than Mario, although it would be close. Heck, just judging by my own grandma, I am sure she knows the name of Pac-Man but not Mario.

However, I think when people think arcade, it is Pac-Man and home consoles it's Mario, so each has their own area they are the more iconic in.
Old 09-21-05, 02:43 AM
  #49  
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mario and sonic are like mickey mouse and bugs bunny...
Old 09-21-05, 09:44 AM
  #50  
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Originally Posted by Michael Corvin
[Dr. Cox]Not so fast there newbie.[/Dr. Cox]

The question comes down to recognizability. Who would be more recognizable to an 80 year old grandmother? Mario or Pac-Man? I think that would determine the most iconic character in history. I think it would be Pac-Man.
But who would a 10 year old kid recognize? I'm not so sure many young kids today would be able to identify Pac-Man over Mario these days.


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