Top 10 iconic PlayStation characters

After Sony launched the PlayStation (PS) in 1994, It immediately became one of the best all-time iconic consoles not only in Japan but across the globe. As time went by, Sony continuously released groundbreaking consoles accompanied by awesome PS-exclusive games, which in turn, have given us some of the most iconic gaming characters in video game history.

But who exactly are these amazing characters, and what makes them so iconic? Here are 10 PlayStation Characters that took the gaming world by storm.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the opinions of the writer

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Most iconic PlayStation characters of all time

1) Sweet Tooth (Twisted Metal Series)

Needles Kane, aka Sweet Tooth, is the crazy, sadistic, murdering butcher of a clown who first appeared in Twisted Metal all the way back in 1995 during the early years of the PlayStation. Sweet Tooth’s weaponized pink ice cream truck was also impeccable, a factor that only cemented his place in Sony’s roster of iconic characters.

Twisted Metal soon spanned into 10 games, with Sweet Tooth appearing in PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale as a playable character. A TV series with the same name is also in the works, so fans of the franchise will surely look forward to this one.

2) Crash Bandicoot (Crash Bandicoot Series)

Before Crash Bandicoot became available for every gaming platform, the orange marsupial was formerly a PlayStation exclusive. Some may argue that Crash is arguably one of the main reasons for the PS1's popularity. The mutated bandicoot served as Sony's direct competitor to other franchises like Nintendo's Super Mario and SEGA's Sonic the Hedgehog.

These days, Crash Bandicoot games can be played on almost every platform and are no longer considered PS exclusives. However, die-hard Sony fans will forever treasure Crash as he was considered the company's mascot for a period of time.

3) Jak and Daxter (Jak and Daxter Series)

Another Naughty Dog creation, Jak and Daxter first came out in 2001 and was a massive hit for the PlayStation 2. The platformer mechanics mixed with action and adventure made the game unique to the point that fans wanted more.

Although Jak wasn’t as iconic in his first game, he finally broke out of his shell when Jak II came out years later. He became a vigilante-esque character who was dark, mysterious, and brooding. Put a character like him in a cyberpunk futuristic open-world setting, and you’ll have yourself one amazing game and an iconic character to go with it.

4) Solid Snake (Metal Gear Series)

Hideo Kojima’s masterpiece series of games has always been iconic in the eyes of gamers everywhere. From the god’s eye view classic gameplay of Metal Gear Solid to the incredible gameplay of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, the titular character quickly became one of the most famous characters in all of gaming. Donning the iconic eyepatch and bandana, Solid Snake is the epitome of an epic action character.

5) Joel Miller (The Last of Us)

Joel will forever be one of the most tragically written characters on this list. Players fondly remember his journey from a father who only wanted to raise and protect his daughter to a post-apocalyptic survivor who constantly has to fight in order to protect the ones he loves. He may not be the most heroic and perfect character in this hall of fame, but he’ll do whatever it takes to do what he thinks is right. The character is now even made more popular thanks to Pedro Pascal’s portrayal of him in HBO’s The Last of Us.

6) Ratchet and Clank (Ratchet & Clank Series)

Ratchet and Clank (Image via Insomniac Games)

This is another legendary two-for-one pick since we can’t really separate the awesome duo. Ratchet and Clank first appeared all the way back in 2002 on the PS2 and has been a staple in Sony’s lineup of exclusive games due to the continuous critical acclaim game after game. The duo became so iconic that they have appeared in their own films, as well as having joined the epic roster of characters in PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale.

7) Cole MacGrath (Infamous Series)

Cole Macgrath may just be one of, if not the most powerful, characters to make it on this list. First appearing in Infamous back in 2009, Cole got his powers when an explosion suddenly hit him and granted him amazing superpowers that enabled him to control all matter of lightning and electricity.

What makes him more iconic is the fact that his powers change depending on what level your karma is. So whether you were a fan of the Infamous games or not, there’s no doubt that his character and the impact he made during the PS3 era were phenomenal.

8) Nathan Drake (Uncharted Series)

Geeks often debate that the best archeological adventurer was Indiana Jones. However, Sony had a strong contender for the title in Nathan Drake from the Uncharted series. The character's mix of humor and heroics were some of the best gamers had seen in a long time. Accompanied by a great story, an amazing cast of supporting characters, and a voice provided by Nolan North, Nathan Drake was proved to be one of PlayStation’s most iconic characters.

9) Spider-Man (Marvel’s Spider-Man)

PlayStation's Spider-Man (Image via Insomniac Games)

At first glance, one probably wouldn’t consider Spider-Man as an iconic video game character as he is already an iconic film and comic book character in his own right. But Insomniac Games came out with an epic game about the webslinger and made it a PlayStation 4 exclusive. The game was praised for bringing the webhead to our gaming consoles and did the hero justice by giving us game mechanics we’ve always dreamed of having in a Spider-Man game.

10) Kratos (God of War Series)

Last but definitely not the least is the all-powerful God of War himself, Kratos. He first appeared in God of War back in 2005 and has been making gigantic waves in the gaming scene ever since. The Ghost of Sparta was the epitome of bloodthirsty revenge and slayed all that stood in his way, even going as far as battling Thor in the latest game.

His iconic ashen skin, paired with the red tattoos all over his body, was a surefire way for Sony and Santa Monica Studios to make Kratos instantly recognizable by gamers everywhere.

These are the top 10 iconic PlayStation characters of all time, and although there are a lot more we could have squeezed into this list, these characters have proven time and time again that they’re more than worthy of carrying the mantle of being an iconic PS character.

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Edited by Siddharth Satish