|
Year
|
Game
|
Character
|
|
1980
|
Ball (Game & Watch)
|
Mr. Game & Watch
|
|
1980
|
PAC-MAN (Arcade)
|
Pac-Man
|
|
1981
|
Donkey Kong (Arcade)
|
Donkey Kong
|
|
1981
|
Donkey Kong (Arcade)
|
Mario
|
|
1983
|
Mario Bros. (Game & Watch)
|
Luigi
|
|
1984
|
Punch-Out!! (Arcade)
|
Little Mac
|
|
1984
|
Duck Hunt (NES)
|
Duck Hunt
|
|
1985
|
Ice Climber (NES)
|
Ice Climbers
|
|
1985
|
Stack-Up (NES)
|
R.O.B.
|
|
1985
|
Super Mario Bros. (NES)
|
Piranha Plant
|
|
1985
|
Super Mario Bros. (NES)
|
Bowser
|
|
1985
|
Super Mario Bros. (NES)
|
Peach
|
|
1986
|
The Legend of Zelda (NES)
|
Link
|
|
1986
|
The Legend of Zelda (NES)
|
Zelda
|
|
1986
|
Metroid (NES)
|
Samus
|
|
1986
|
Metroid (NES)
|
Ridley
|
|
1986
|
Castlevania (NES)
|
Simon
|
|
1986
|
Kid Icarus (NES)
|
Pit
|
|
1986
|
Kid Icarus (NES)
|
Palutena
|
|
1987
|
Metal Gear (MSX2)
|
Snake
|
|
1987
|
Street Fighter (Arcade)
|
Ryu
|
|
1987
|
Street Fighter (Arcade)
|
Ken
|
|
1987
|
Mega Man (NES)
|
Mega Man
|
|
1988
|
Dragon Quest III: The Seeds of Salvation (NES)
|
Hero (Erdrick)
|
|
1988
|
Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)
|
Larry
|
|
1988
|
Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)
|
Morton
|
|
1988
|
Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)
|
Wendy
|
|
1988
|
Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)
|
Iggy
|
|
1988
|
Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)
|
Roy
|
|
1988
|
Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)
|
Lemmy
|
|
1988
|
Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)
|
Ludwig
|
|
1989
|
Super Mario Land (Game Boy)
|
Daisy
|
|
1990
|
Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen (NES)
|
Hero (Solo)
|
|
1990
|
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light (NES)
|
Marth
|
|
1990
|
Dr. Mario (NES, Game Boy)
|
Dr. Mario
|
|
1990
|
F-Zero (SNES)
|
Captain Falcon
|
|
1990
|
Super Mario World (SNES)
|
Yoshi
|
|
1991
|
Rad Mobile (Arcade)
|
Sonic
|
|
1991
|
Fatal Fury: King of Fighters (Arcade)
|
Terry
|
|
1992
|
Kirby's Dream Land (Game Boy)
|
Kirby
|
|
1992
|
Kirby's Dream Land (Game Boy)
|
King Dedede
|
|
1992
|
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (Game Boy)
|
Wario
|
|
1993
|
Star Fox (SNES)
|
Fox
|
|
1993
|
Star Fox (SNES)
|
Falco
|
|
1993
|
Kirby's Adventure (NES)
|
Meta Knight
|
|
1993
|
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (TurboGrafx-16)
|
Richter
|
|
1994
|
EarthBound (SNES)
|
Ness
|
|
1994
|
Donkey Kong Country (SNES)
|
Diddy Kong
|
|
1994
|
Donkey Kong Country (SNES)
|
King K. Rool
|
|
1994
|
Tekken (Arcade)
|
Kazuya
|
|
1996
|
Pokémon Red & Blue (Game Boy)
|
Pokémon Trainer
|
|
1996
|
Pokémon Red & Blue (Game Boy)
|
Squirtle
|
|
1996
|
Pokémon Red & Blue (Game Boy)
|
Ivysaur
|
|
1996
|
Pokémon Red & Blue (Game Boy)
|
Charizard
|
|
1996
|
Pokémon Red & Blue (Game Boy)
|
Pikachu
|
|
1996
|
Pokémon Red & Blue (Game Boy)
|
Jigglypuff
|
|
1996
|
Pokémon Red & Blue (Game Boy)
|
Mewtwo
|
|
1997
|
Final Fantasy VII (PlayStation)
|
Cloud
|
|
1997
|
Final Fantasy VII (PlayStation)
|
Sephiroth
|
|
1997
|
Star Fox 64 (N64)
|
Wolf
|
|
1997
|
Diddy Kong Racing (N64)
|
Banjo
|
|
1998
|
Banjo-Kazooie (N64)
|
Kazooie
|
|
1998
|
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)
|
Young Link
|
|
1998
|
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)
|
Ganondorf
|
|
1998
|
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)
|
Sheik
|
|
1999
|
Pokémon Gold & Silver (Game Boy Color)
|
Pichu
|
|
2001
|
Animal Crossing (N64)
|
Villager
|
|
2001
|
Pikmin (Gamecube)
|
Olimar
|
|
2001
|
Super Smash Bros. Melee (Gamecube)
|
Roy
|
|
2002
|
Kingdom Hearts (PlayStation 2)
|
Sora
|
|
2002
|
Super Mario Sunshine (Gamecube)
|
Bowser Jr.
|
|
2002
|
Metroid Prime (Gamecube)
|
Dark Samus
|
|
2002
|
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past & Four Swords (Game Boy Advance)
|
Toon Link
|
|
2004
|
Metroid: Zero Mission (Game Boy Advance)
|
Zero Suit Samus
|
|
2004
|
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (PlayStation 2)
|
Hero (Eight)
|
|
2005
|
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance (Gamecube)
|
Ike
|
|
2006
|
Mother 3 (Game Boy Advance)
|
Lucas
|
|
2006
|
Pokémon Diamond & Pearl (DS)
|
Lucario
|
|
2006
|
Wii Sports (Wii)
|
Mii Fighters
|
|
2007
|
Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)
|
Rosalina & Luma
|
|
2007
|
Wii Fit (Wii)
|
Wii Fit Trainer
|
|
2009
|
Minecraft *Pre-release (PC)
|
Steve
|
|
2009
|
Minecraft *Pre-release (PC)
|
Zombie
|
|
2009
|
Bayonetta (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
|
Bayonetta
|
|
2010
|
Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)
|
Shulk
|
|
2011
|
Minecraft (PC)
|
Enderman
|
|
2012
|
Kid Icarus: Uprising (3DS)
|
Dark Pit
|
|
2012
|
Fire Emblem: Awakening (3DS)
|
Robin
|
|
2012
|
Fire Emblem: Awakening (3DS)
|
Chrom
|
|
2012
|
Fire Emblem: Awakening (3DS)
|
Lucina
|
|
2012
|
Animal Crossing: New Leaf (3DS)
|
Isabelle
|
|
2013
|
Pikmin 3 (Wii U)
|
Alph
|
|
2013
|
Pokémon X & Y (3DS)
|
Greninja
|
|
2014
|
Minecraft *1.8 update (PC)
|
Alex
|
|
2015
|
Splatoon (Wii U)
|
Inkling
|
|
2015
|
Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright/Conquest/Revelation (3DS)
|
Corrin
|
|
2016
|
Persona 5 (PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4)
|
Joker
|
|
2016
|
Pokémon Sun & Moon (3DS)
|
Incineroar
|
|
2017
|
ARMS (Switch)
|
Min Min
|
|
2017
|
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age (3DS, PlayStation 4)
|
Hero (Luminary)
|
|
2017
|
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Switch)
|
Pyra
|
|
2017
|
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Switch)
|
Mythra
|
|
2019
|
Fire Emblem: Three Houses (Switch)
|
Byleth
|
It was ported to the Saturn in 1994, but before then it was an arcade-only game. This mistake has now been fixed. Thanks for catching that!
Since the Hero is based on at least four different protagonists from the Dragon Quest series I briefly considered adding each of them onto the list but I decided not to because adding the name “Hero” makes it seem like they represent the series as a whole. For now I’m just adding the first game but I’ll change it if I need to.
Also, Banjo & Kazooie act as a duo but unlike the other duo characters, Banjo actually debuted in a different game than his partner, so they’re the only characters that are split up like that.