Ranking the Most Iconic Fighting Game Characters

8. Sol Badguy

Although Guilty Gear is considered an underground fighting game due to its lack of fame, Sol Badguy has been able to break that façade of obscurity. This is all thanks to the deep story and the awesome animations, which have made fans pay attention to the plot, making its protagonist stand out as the symbol of this saga. | © Capcom

7. Kyo Kusanagi

It is true that The King of Fighters is one of those rare fighting game franchises, loved more by its own fans than by veterans of the genre, but one name that can never be left out is that of its protagonist, Kyo Kusanagi. In certain localized areas, he becomes one of the most popular characters due to how influential he was in his time. | © SNK

6. Kasumi

Although it may have gained popularity for the wrong reasons due to the high sexualization of the characters in Dead or Alive, Kasumi is definitely the standout character of the series, not only because she is its protagonist, but also because her outfit has inspired hundreds of cosplayers around the world, who in turn have made her even more famous. | © Tecmo

5. Heihachi Mishima

A good sign that your characters are great is when the standout is not the protagonist, and in this case, it's Tekken's iron grandfather, Heihachi Mishima. It's not his fighting style, his complicated history with the protagonist, or his laconic personality that makes this character most memorable. Definitely, it's his hairstyle... | © Bandai Namco

4. Ivy Valentine

Another character who possibly gained popularity for the wrong reasons, as Ivy Valentine is considered the sex symbol of Soul Calibur. Despite that, her story and relationship with Nightmare and Cervantes are very interesting, and her fighting style is so unique that you won’t find it not only in other fighting games but in other games in general. | © Bandai Namco

3. Goku

It may seem a bit strange to put Goku in third place, considering he is one of the most popular characters in the world. But since we want to focus on his popularity solely in fighting games and not in series, movies, manga, and all other types of media, we felt compelled to include him, especially considering the large number of DragonBall fighting games out there. After all, Goku is our constant inspiration to hit the gym! | © Bandai Namco

2. Scorpion

"Get over here!" Who hasn't heard those immortal words? Not only does this iconic phrase from Scorpion appear in every Mortal Kombat installment, but it even made an appearance in one of the movies. And although it's rare to have a villain among the most iconic characters, the reality is that Scorpion always appears on the covers, posters, and box art of this franchise. | © NetherRealm Studios

1. Chun-Li

And as expected, the number 1 spot belongs to a character from Street Fighter. Although there are dozens to choose from, and I was very tempted to put Ryu, the reality is that Chun-Li surpasses him in every aspect. From the number of cosplayers who have portrayed her, to the character's appealing personality, to even the iconic nature of her moves like her spinning bird kick. Definitely, Chun-Li is the most iconic fighter of all time. | © Capcom

One of the most difficult challenges that fighting video games face is having a great roster of fighters that can leave an impression on our minds. Whether it's due to their visual design, appeal, personality, or fighting style, some characters have been able to transcend through history because of how iconic they are, and if a game in their franchise comes out without one of these characters, then that game is doomed to fail.

With this in mind, we decided to create a list of the most iconic characters in the world of video games, ranked from the least popular among the popular to the ones even your grandparents know.