Tomb Raider's Lara Croft has been crowned Most Iconic Video Games Character of All Time (according to BAFTA) and of course, the internet isn't happy. While there's always going to be debate about who's worthy of the crown, gaming fans think the decision is a massive snub to more worthy contenders – Mario and Sonic anyone?
While most would agree that Tomb Raider is one of the best video games of the '90s, Lara's lasting gaming legacy is certainly up for debate. The recent Tomb Raider I–III Remastered collection certainly put Lara back in the mind and the 90s are definitely on-trend right now. And with a new Tomb Raider game in development for the best games consoles, it looks like Lara is back.
While Lara is absolutely a gaming icon who was the first game character to break out of the games culture and even made the cover of magazines usually reserved for pop and film stars such as the Face magazine, does she really have a bigger legacy than Mario? One thing's for certain, the internet is in collective confusion about how Miss Croft made it all the way to number one.
And the Most Iconic Video Games Character of all time is... Lara Croft! 👑The globetrotting badass was voted the winner in our global poll🌎 What's your favourite Lara Croft memory?View the full Top 20 list 👇https://t.co/d2CY1FDKSW#BAFTAGamesAwards pic.twitter.com/T89IfhfudJApril 4, 2024
According to BAFTA, over 4,000 gamers from across the world took part in its landmark players’ poll to decide who would win the coveted title. With the likes of Mario, Link, Sonic and even Minecraft's Steve included in the list, fans pointed out how Lara's victory was a bizarre turn of events.
To add fuel to the fire, a now-edited BBC article claimed that Lara was "the first female lead" in a video game, sparking outrage on X. "Not knowing about Samus Aran should disqualify any opinion you have on gaming," replied one user, referencing Metroid's iconic protagonist. "Lara Croft over Ms Pacman is crazy," another responded.
I literally can't deal with this shit today. pic.twitter.com/QzZdL2CXETApril 4, 2024
you're telling me that lara croft is more iconic than the plumber that saved the whole videogame industry?? https://t.co/RkT63INSdqApril 4, 2024
Others shared a general annoyance at the rankings, with Mario taking 2nd closely followed by Hitman's Agent 47. "Lara Croft at number 1 is a crime in itself, let alone being above MARIO, SONIC, AND PAC-MAN," said one passionate X user. "You're telling me that Lara Croft is more iconic than the plumber that saved the whole videogame industry??" another chimed in.
While the rankings clearly disgruntled some, others chose to see the lighter side of the situation, with one X user commenting "I’m genuinely surprised that my boy Agent 47 is THAT high up on the list." Personally, I sympathise with everyone's impassioned response to the news as my favourite video game character was cruelly snubbed from the list. Matt from Wii Sports, you'll always be iconic to me.
If Lara's newfound glory has got you feeling nostalgic, take a look at our collection of the best retro game consoles to relive the golden days of retro gaming. For more gaming news, check out the best upcoming game remakes and remasters to look out for this year.
