First Playable (Whatever) Character?

[90'sCartoonMan]

This thought just occured to me yesterday. It's common these days that you can play all sorts of characters in video games, but I don't imagine it's always been like that.

A friend of mine refuses to play as a female character in any video game, but I find it amusing to play as Peach in MarioKart. Does anyone know who the first playable female character was? I guess Ms. Pac-Man can count, but she looks like Pac-Man in drag. First human female? I want to say Samus, but I really have no idea.

What about non-white characters? I was trying to figure out the first black video game character you can play, but all I came up with is Jax from Mortal Kombat. Was there a black guy in Streets of Rage?

See, I have no idea. Anyway, does anyone know? First character of any race, really, I'm interested to know. Were any of these groundbreaking at the time?

[Prophet Wing]

First playable primate character: Donkey Kong Jr.

(I'm not exactly sure if this was groundbreaking or not, but it was just a thought.)

[Zyzzybalubah]

What about non-white characters? I was trying to figure out the first black video game character you can play, but all I came up with is Jax from Mortal Kombat. Was there a black guy in Streets of Rage?


There was Barlog in Street Fighter 2, which came out before Mortal Kombat 2. As for Streets of Rage, in the second one there was a young black kid named Skate. I didn't play much of the first title, but I think Skate's dad was one of the main characters with Axel and Blayze. I really think the first black character had to have been in a fighting game, or perhaps a basketball or football game. But if we want a specific name, the closest guy I have is Skate's dad.

As far as first woman character, I think you're right about Samus. Ms. Pac-Man is the only one I can come up from the early Arcade/Atari-era, but everyone believes she's just a "Pac-Tranny." :D

[River26]

Interesting topic you got here :).

For me, here's how it goes down

First playable male (mid 20s-early 30s)
- Cody

Final Fight
Fignal Fight 2
Street Fighter Alpha 3

First playable international male (country: Japan)
- Guy

Final Fight
Final Fight 2
Final Fight 3
Street Fighter Alpha
Street Fighter Alpha 2
Street Fighter Alpha 2 Gold
Street Fighter Alpha 3

First playable international female (country: China)
- Chun Li

Street Fighter II: World Warriors
Street Fighter III
Street Fighter III: 2nd Impact
Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike ~Fight For the Future~
Street Fighter Alpha
Street Fighter Alpha 2
Street Fighter Alpha 2 Gold
Street Fighter Alpha 3
Super Pocket Fighter
Super Street Fighter II
Super Street Fighter II: Turbo

First Muscular Fighter (U.S Navy)
- Guile

Street Fighter II: World Warriors
Street Fighter II: Championship Edition
Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting
Street Fighter II: Turbo
Super Street Fighter II
Super Street Fighter II: Turbo
Marvel Vs Capcom
Marvel Vs Capcom 2

First real likable RPG character
- Cloud

Ehrgeiz
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Final Fantasy VII: Lost Order

[mammy2shoesfan]

For me first playable characters of a certain race:

Black Male: Michel Jordan Jordan vs Bird
Male: Mario/Jumpman - Donkeykong
Black Female: Voodoo - Shaq-Fu
Female: Peach - SMB2
Haitian: Voodoo - Shaq-Fu
Ape: Donkeykong Jr
Fighting Character - Kung Fu Guy - Kung Fu
Stickfiguer: Bizarker (Atrai 2600)
Mushroom - Toad
Yellow Cheese thing - Pac Man
Alien - ET
Turtle - Leo -TMNT2
Duck - Uncle Scrooge - Ducktails

I could keep going but I don't choose to at this time lol.

[Ickis]

First playable turtle: Turbo turtle (it was on a console that was around when the Atari 2600 was new)

First Lizard: NES Rampage has a godzilla-ish lizard

First playable non-living thingy: The bars on Pong.

First Frog: To my believes Frogger.

[Jowy Blight]

First real likable RPG character
- Cloud

The casts of Final Fantasy VI, Chrono Trigger, Suikoden, and Lunar would like a word with you.

[Evil Tim]

I didn't play much of the first title, but I think Skate's dad was one of the main characters with Axel and Blayze.His name was Adam, and I'm pretty sure he was Skate's older brother.

[Tash]

Female: Peach - SMB2
If we're not counting Ms. Pac-man, Beat 'em & Eat 'em (and old porno game for the atari) had two playable females. (who may have names. I don't know)

[mammy2shoesfan]

I was counting about my first. Played Peach first and consider Ms Pacman a yellow cheese thing lol.

[90'sCartoonMan]

Sports games, of course! Obvious now that I think about it. Was Michael Jordan the first? Hmmmm...


If we're not counting Ms. Pac-man, Beat 'em & Eat 'em (and old porno game for the atari) had two playable females. (who may have names. I don't know)

Hm, this is a game I wish to know more about.

[mammy2shoesfan]

I think it was Jordan or one of those punch guys which game came out first. I know I played both for the first time when I was 7 and I played Jorden vs Bird first so he was the first black guy I played in a video game.

[tb4000]

Sports games, of course! Obvious now that I think about it. Was Michael Jordan the first? Hmmmm...



Hm, this is a game I wish to know more about.

No, you don't. Though check out Custer's Revenge as well. I'm sure you'll be quite enlightened.

[Tash]

Sports games, of course! Obvious now that I think about it. Was Michael Jordan the first? Hmmmm...



Hm, this is a game I wish to know more about. Sean Baby's website reviewed the game, if you REALLY want to know about it. (which you probably don't)

(Warning. Contains images of hot 4-bit action)

[mikestorm]

Didn't Metroid come out before SMB2, making the first female playable character Samus Aran?

[Scirel]

If we're not counting Ms. Pac-man, Beat 'em & Eat 'em (and old porno game for the atari) had two playable females. (who may have names. I don't know)

WTF?! How could a system with such poor graphics possibly have H-games? It would just be a bunch of pixels.

[RAINMAN]

Didn't Metroid come out before SMB2, making the first female playable character Samus Aran?


Metriod 87
SMB2 88


But I do believe peach was the first princess of gaming.

[Tash]

Metriod 87
SMB2 88


But I do believe peach was the first princess of gaming.
Doki Doki Panic had a playable female, too. What's the release date on that one? (although BE&EE still wins >_>)

[John Pannozzi]

WTF?! How could a system with such poor graphics possibly have H-games?

Trust me. You do NOT want to know.

[g_UnIt_GaNsTa]

First real likable RPG character
- Cloud

Ehrgeiz
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Final Fantasy VII: Lost Order

I like how you threw an opinion in there with all those facts.

[River26]

The casts of Final Fantasy VI, Chrono Trigger, Suikoden, and Lunar would like a word with you.

lol, scratch. What I meant to say is first likable old school RPG cast

FFVI
- Locke
- Sabin
- Terra
- Shadow
- Cyan

[RAINMAN]

Interesting topic you got here :).

For me, here's how it goes down

First playable male (mid 20s-early 30s)
- Cody

Final Fight
Fignal Fight 2
Street Fighter Alpha 3

First playable international male (country: Japan)
- Guy

Final Fight
Final Fight 2
Final Fight 3
Street Fighter Alpha
Street Fighter Alpha 2
Street Fighter Alpha 2 Gold
Street Fighter Alpha 3

First playable international female (country: China)
- Chun Li

Street Fighter II: World Warriors
Street Fighter III
Street Fighter III: 2nd Impact
Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike ~Fight For the Future~
Street Fighter Alpha
Street Fighter Alpha 2
Street Fighter Alpha 2 Gold
Street Fighter Alpha 3
Super Pocket Fighter
Super Street Fighter II
Super Street Fighter II: Turbo

First Muscular Fighter (U.S Navy)
- Guile

Street Fighter II: World Warriors
Street Fighter II: Championship Edition
Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting
Street Fighter II: Turbo
Super Street Fighter II
Super Street Fighter II: Turbo
Marvel Vs Capcom
Marvel Vs Capcom 2

First real likable RPG character
- Cloud

Ehrgeiz
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Final Fantasy VII: Lost Order

But didn`t the original street figther cameout before FF? So that would make Ryu the first japan playabile char?

[mammy2shoesfan]

What nationality is the guy from Hung Fu. I always thought that guy was from China or Japan.

[Mynd Hed]

First playable green-haired half-Esper: Terra (FFVI)

[Ickis]

First playa... drivable VW Beetle: An old arcade game that I think is called superbug, not to be confused with the obscure German films.

First drivable mini cooper: Some old NES racing game I can't remeber the name of, all I can really remember about it is when you drove the mini all of your opponents drove old VW Beetles, so did the traffic but they were a different color.

First game with a drivable VW Type 3: Need for Speed 2 has one via cheats.

First game with a drivable Citroen 2cv: Need for Speed 2 has one via cheats, again.

First and only game with a drivable Honda Z act (the models sold in reality in the US were Z600 which had a bigger motor aswell as some safety modifications, and a bigger paintjob variety.) : Gran Turismo 4, earnable through buying it used on the day ???, or just cheating which is way easier and you can pick the paint.

I guess you can say I'm really into cars, a little too much though.

[Prophet Wing]

Something I want to know is, who was the first playable character in a game based on an anime?

[Peter Paltridge]

http://images.webmagic.com/klov.com/images/S/cSnoopy_Pong.jpg

The first licensed game was Snoopy Pong, but it might not count as it was never released.

[Jave]

No, you don't. Though check out Custer's Revenge as well. I'm sure you'll be quite enlightened.Gee, thanks a lot for reminding of what's perhaps the most disturbing videogame ever made. I once played it by accident and was trying to forget everything about it.

[Agent S7]

Gee, thanks a lot for reminding of what's perhaps the most disturbing videogame ever made. I once played it by accident and was trying to forget everything about it.

Speaking of which:

First Playable General= Custer's Revenge.

Egad, I never want to play that game. :ack:

~s7

[Gokou Ruri]

Maniac Mansion, released in 87, let you play as an African-American and as a girl (a few, actually).

[veemonjosh]

First playable hedgehog: Sonic
First playable star (as in from space): Ristar
First playble polygon creature: Vectorman