Recognizable videogame characters have been around almost as long as videogames themselves. The Atari 2600 had Pac-man, Nintendo had its Ninja Gaiden and Sega had Aladdin. As memorable as these characters are, I feel that they don’t quite compare to the same level of infamy when placed by my listed choice for the Top Ten Most Memorable Videogame Characters. The following countdown contains the most popular and iconic characters from the past twenty years that gamers everywhere have come to recognize:

10: Lara Croft (Tomb Raider)

Lara Croft made her debut in the classic third-person action adventure game Tomb Raider, which was released for the original PlayStation back in 1996. Since then, she has starred in several videogame sequels and even in two Hollywood blockbuster movies (played by Angelina Jolie). The bosomy British bombshell is probably best known for her ample looks rather than the content of her games, however. The character has suffered criticism for creating an unrealistic portrayal of the female body and has also suffered scrutiny from various – ahem – feminist groups. But whatever your particular stance on the subject, Tomb Raider is arguably one of the best third-person creations of the 1990s. With the possibility of further franchise titles and perhaps even a couple more movies, chances are we’ll be seeing much more of Lara Croft in the years to come.

9: Max Payne (Max Payne)

Max’s life is turned upside down one afternoon when he discovers that his wife and baby daughter have been brutally murdered. That’s the premise of the original Max Payne videogame, created by Remedy in 2001. Following its success, a sequel has since emerged and Max Payne has exacted his revenge on hundreds of gangsters. Max was originally a badass undercover cop with a permanent sneering grin on his face, but has now matured into an older looking homicide detective with a dress shirt and tie. Of course, he still has the wickedly cool leather jacket. Max Payne also popularized