Video games have produced thousands of memorable characters, but only a handful manage to stay in your thoughts long after you've put the controller down. Some disappeared because their franchises stopped receiving new entries, while others were written out of stories that players weren't quite ready to leave behind. Decades can pass, yet a familiar face can still bring back the feeling of sitting in front of an old console for the first time.
It's also a great feeling when you can have these types of characters in your games as well. Mario and Sonic are two of many characters we've had for many years. There are so many other main or side characters we wish were around more. Having them gone from the games makes them seem even cooler than they already were.
Some Heroes Simply Faded Away
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One of the clearest examples is Solid Snake, whose history stretches back to the original Metal Gear in 1987. The character became substantially more developed with Metal Gear Solid in 1998, helping establish him as one of gaming's defining action heroes. Game Informer's retrospective described Snake as one of the industry's legendary characters, particularly noting how the move into 3D allowed his personality and story to expand dramatically.
Of course, Snake isn't out of the picture entirely when it comes to video games. But with no new Metal Gear games featuring him, fans have been missing him. Whether it be from the voice or just how he has become over the years with all of his troubles. It's ironic that a game about being stealthy would cause a character to go hard to find.
Next, we have Samus. She's had much more recognition than Snake, but she too goes through dry spells without new games coming out. Since the beginning of Metroid back in 1986, Samus has become one of Nintendo's favorite characters. Especially after people found out the hero who wore the suit was actually a female. Her identity was unusually understated for the era, allowing players to discover the character rather than having everything explained to them.
Due to these gaps of no Metroid games, people tend to love this character even more. Once you see that Samus is back in your life, it almost feels like she never left. Few characters can disappear for years and still make their arrival feel like an event.
Aerith Gainsborough belongs to a different category because players didn't simply miss her after a long break from a franchise. Her death in Final Fantasy VII became one of gaming's most famous story moments, turning a cheerful and compassionate party member into a character whose absence shaped everything that followed. The scene has remained memorable for decades because players had spent substantial time getting to know her before the story abruptly removed her.
Aerith is one of those characters that did more than just help you in battle or advance the story. She allowed the adventure to have heart, which we missed once she was gone. Even players who know exactly what's coming can still understand why the moment has remained such a powerful part of gaming culture.
Lee Everett from The Walking Dead offers another example of a character whose absence became inseparable from the story itself. Throughout Telltale's first season, Lee spends much of his journey protecting Clementine while navigating an increasingly dangerous world. His eventual death was designed to conclude his story, but it also left players with a character they couldn't simply replace with another protagonist.
What made Lee such a good character was that you felt like he cared about normal things. He wasn't looking to be the best video game hero ever; he was just trying to protect a kid and learn who he wanted to be as a person. Once he was gone, it felt like something was missing from the game.
The Ones We Still Hope Will Come Back
Some characters don't need a dramatic farewell to be missed. They simply stop appearing, leaving players to wonder why a beloved face hasn't received another opportunity. The 1990s were especially crowded with mascot-style characters, and many of those figures gradually disappeared as the industry moved toward 3D games and different kinds of protagonists.
Many of these games had some that seemed to have all the potential to be well known today. There were many games given to them, only to see their popularity fade. Looking back at them can feel like opening an old game magazine and realizing just how many supposed future stars were competing for attention.
Tomb Raider's Lara Croft is an example of how some can grow. With the character first being introduced in 1996, she has been a constant figure in gaming history. She was even voted as the most popular video game character by BAFTA in 2024. So while a character can evolve, there are things that will always make you think of them.
But there are also many characters that we never got to see evolve. Which I think is what causes so many people to speak about past characters we've lost interest in. These could be main characters or anti-heroes. A character doesn't necessarily need a new game to remain meaningful; sometimes the memories of the games they did receive are enough.
Gaming nostalgia is ultimately about more than old graphics or familiar soundtracks. Characters become attached to particular moments in our lives, so seeing them again can bring back far more than the original game itself. Whether they're waiting for a comeback, remembered because of a heartbreaking story, or simply trapped in an era that has moved on, these characters remain proof that a few pixels and a good personality can have an unexpectedly long life.
