Video game characters, fictional as they are, have the luxury of never ageing, so long as their franchises live. Classics such as Nintendo's Mario, Tomb Raider's Lara Croft and Sonic the Hedgehog's Dr. Robotnik remain as youthful as ever with every new release.
3D artwork has been created showing what these characters, and others, would look like if they were as old as their franchises. The illustrations were created with the help of professor Carol Holland, Professor in Ageing Research at Lancaster University. Holland took into account each character's apparent lifestyle, as suggested by their respective video games, in order to come up with as accurate an estimation as possible.
Mario was said to be 25 years old when he debuted in 1981, meaning he would be 65 years old this year. His brother Luigi was some two years younger. The artwork for both show what they would look like after a lifetime of rigorous exercise. The iconic characters would likely have aged well, although, according to Holland, they might tire out more easily. It was also assumed that they would have had a healthy Mediterranean diet -- a point based solely on the fact that the characters are Italian -- which would also, apparently, help them age well.
Dr. Robotnik Eggman first appeared in 1991 in Sonic the Hedgehog, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. The villainous character was 50 years old when he was introduced, meaning he would be 80 years old this year. Being involved in countless battles over the years would have taken its toll on the doctor, and it was thought that it would show. Despite his engagement in battle, Eggman has more or less always remained seated and it would have resulted in a loss of mobility and muscle mass.
Next up is Carl 'CJ' Johnson from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The iconic character was 36 when he was introduced in the 2004 video game, which would make him 53 in 2021. The artwork shows that the character would be starting to grey and injuries sustained over the course of his life would have started to really affect him.
Finally, the artwork explores Lara Croft, who first appeared in 1996's Tomb Raider. The artwork depicts the often-reckless archaeologist as a 46-year-old. Owing to her adventurous lifestyle, it is thought that Lara would still be in great shape and have her famous hourglass figure. Her defined facial features may have smoothed and she could also have grey hairs.
Source: comparethemarket.com