Moms in games are a rare species. They tend to die or disappear for dramatic effect in RPGs, while mainstream action games in the last decade or so preferred to focus on dads and father figures. Some moms managed to survive the narrative process and play memorable – if not always substantial – roles. Some leave their mark by starting wars and being generally terrible to their kids. Others give up everything so their children can pursue their dreams, and one or two are just there to give you a helping hand when you need it. These are the moms in games that we won’t forget any time soon.
Link and Aryll’s granny in The Wind Waker
Link actually had parents for once in The Wind Waker, although they died or disappeared, so his grandmother was left to bring up Link and his sister, Aryll. It all seems perfectly normal. The kids are fine, they grow up well – and then they get caught in the middle of a conflict spanning the ages. Link’s granny quietly prepares him for adventure and always has a pot of his favorite pumpkin soup ready when you come home. You really couldn’t ask for more.
All your Pokemon moms
The Pokemon moms have had a heck of a time. With partners working in another city or absent altogether, they’re left to raise you entirely on their own. Sometimes, they juggle careers as Pokemon Contest champions or Rhyhorn riders. Some of them give up everything just to support you, and then when you leave home, they’re happy for you and encourage you in whatever way possible. They do so much, it’s about time they have a spinoff of their own.
Samus Aran
Samus is why we called this list the most memorable moms and not the best moms, because she’s not a particularly good one. After destroying all the Metroids on SR388 and killing the Metroid Queen, an infant Metroid imprints Samus as their mother. The infant then gets used in scientific experiments and kidnapped by pirates, and it eventually sacrifices itself to save Samus. If that’s not traumatizing enough for the bounty hunter, the infant saves her life again thanks to its DNA, though if you’ve played Metroid Dread to the end, you might consider that DNA a mixed blessing.
Ness’ mom in Earthbound
Ness’ mom never questions why he’s out picking fights with thugs and smacking aliens with baseball bats. She just feeds you steak when you come home, covers for your absences at school, and gives you encouraging words when you call. Ness even gets homesick and becomes vulnerable in battle if he doesn’t call periodically. It’s a sweet relationship, even if ma does sometimes rush the call so she can watch her favorite soap.
Queen Brahne in Final Fantasy 9
Brahne is memorable in Final Fantasy 9 for all the worst reasons. She’s happy to sacrifice her daughter’s well-being, treats everyone around her with cruelty and contempt, and happily wages war against her neighbors. There’s a pretty good reason for her atrocious behavior, but just like in real life, it hardly excuses what she does.
Freya in God of War
Continuing on in the line of questionable mothers is Freya, erstwhile wife of Odin and mother of Baldur. Freya tries, she really does, but maybe a little too hard. In a bid to prevent her son from dying in fulfillment of a prophecy, she removes his ability to feel anything. What follows is all very mythological, and it doesn’t end well for anyone, least of all Freya.
Your mom in Animal Crossing
Your mom in Animal Crossing always remembers to get in touch on holidays, family occasions, and sometimes just because, with a kind little note and a reminder that she’s thinking of you. Sure, she – and your dad – might be a little goofy and probably turned your room into something else the second you left home, but at least she cares.
Ana in Overwatch 2
Ana’s reputation as a brilliant leader and markswoman in Overwatch led to some tensions with her daughter, Pharah. Pharah thought Ana pushed her to the side in favor of her career, not helped by Ana letting everyone think she was dead. Ana thought she was protecting her daughter and making the world safe. It’s a messy situation, and the current Overwatch 2 lore suggests there’s no resolution in sight for either hero anytime soon.
Rosalina in Super Mario Galaxy
Rosalina’s story in Super Mario Galaxy is a surprisingly touching twist on the found family trope. Rosalina finds herself lost in the galaxy, alone and separated from her family for ages before stumbling by chance on a Luma who’s just as lonely as she is. She finds comfort in caring for it and eventually becomes StarMom to a small galaxy of Luma. Her star children are very much the center of her universe, but Rosalina still extends warm generosity to Mario and helps him find Peach so he won’t be separated from his loved one.
Ifalna in Final Fantasy 7
Whether Jenova counts as a mom or mother-type is its own essay, so we opted for Ifalna instead. Aerith’s brave mom busts out of Shinra headquarters, defies Hojo and his unhinged experiments, and, since it’s an RPG, ends up making the ultimate sacrifice so her daughter has a chance at a normal life. Even in death, Ifalna and her ancestors speak to Aerith and give her the knowledge she needs to save the world.
Amber in Dragon Quest XI
The Hero in Dragon Quest XI has a biological mother, but it’s Amber who takes care of him first, Amber who shows him love, teaches him about the world, and sets him on a good path for the rest of his life, all while knowing he’ll one day learn she’s not his birth mother. Her fate isn’t exactly a happy one, but at least she gets to spend some time with her kid, which is more than most Dragon Quest parents ever get.
Samantha in Street Fighter 2
Samantha plays a small role in Street Fighter 2, but it’s a touching one nonetheless. Her child, Blanka, goes through life mostly alone, growing up in a jungle after surviving a plane crash as a child. He enters a street fighting tournament to improve himself and see the world, and Samantha recognizes him by the anklet he wears. The reunion is a sweet one, and while Samantha doesn’t appear again, she apparently remained a source of encouragement for Blanka. In Street Fighter 6, Blanka is working to provide a comfortable life for his mother.
Toriel in Undertale
Toriel the goat is the GOAT. She takes you in, cares for you, and provides love and support without even knowing who you are. It doesn’t matter. She just naturally loves you and wants only the best – even when that means letting you go and explore the dangerous world. She’s clearly not your biological mother in the indie game, but she doesn’t have to be either. Toriel is the ideal found mom and a good reminder that family doesn’t have to biologically be family.
Wakaba Isshiki in Persona 5
Wakaba stands out in part thanks to the little trick Atlus plays. Persona 5 initially depicts her as a horrible mother who prioritized work over her daughter, Futaba, and whose memory lingers as a source of constant torment. Some psychological reflection and a few confrontations later, and it turns out Futaba created this angry version of her mother out of fear and a sense of guilt. Some relationships might be too far gone to fix with some conflict resolution, but in this case at least, it lets Wakaba’s memory become a source of strength and comfort.
Irina Reinford from Trails of Cold Steel
Irina Reinford is a complex woman who loves her daughter Alisa, but who also kinda commits war crimes for profit. After she takes over the family business – an industrial manufacturing company that operates on a continental scale – and her husband dies, Irina finds solace in devoting herself to expanding the enterprise. That leads to shady deals and even government contracts that fueled a civil war and imperial aggression – not exactly the best legacy. Eventually, Irina risks her life and the Reinford Group to rescue her daughter and help stop a looming global war. It might’ve taken almost 20 years to remember her love for Alisa, but better late than never.
Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF
