Video games have been around for almost fifty years now, and for an unfortunately long time, most of the main heroes were either men – for example, Mario, Pac-Man, and Link – or inanimate objects like the paddles from Pong or various spaceships in games like Asteroids. So, the reveal that the badass space bounty hunter Samus Arin in the original NES Metroid game was actually a g-g-girl came as a legitimate surprise at the time.
Sadly, when women were first introduced to video games, they were often objectified or used as an exploitative tool. Thankfully, times are starting to change. For example, characters who were initially created for titillation (colloquially known as "fan service") have become compelling or interesting characters in their own right.
10 Lara Croft Gets More Dimensions in Her Reboot
From the very first game in the popular Tomb Raider series, there was no doubt Lara Croft was a badass. However, it cannot be denied that she was also utilized as fan-service eye candy for the (perceived) predominantly male audience of the mid-to-late '90s. This was confounded by her anatomically unrealistic design and the various "sexy" magazine spreads that featured her throughout the era. However, in 2013, Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics rebooted the franchise and gained the success many of the original games' sequels failed to achieve. This rebooted version of Lara Croft was more naturally proportioned and a more well-rounded, vulnerable, and interesting character to boot. Better yet, she also remained a certified badass.
9 Bayonetta Is Badass And Unapologetic
Bayonetta is a third-person hack-and-slash game starring the eponymous Bayonetta – a scantily-clad witch that uses her magical hair and guns to stylishly kill monsters. But where the character really shines is through her unapologetic confidence. She's strong while remaining feminine and sexy as well.
Bayonetta's appeal is further reinforced by the campy tone of the games themselves. They remain fun and coy while avoiding outright exploitation or objectification.
8 Rouge The Bat Isn't Blind To Character Development
Making her debut in Sonic Adventure 2, Rouge the Bat is an admittedly controversial choice (although not as controversial as Sonic kissing a human princess in Sonic '06). Nevertheless, it can't be denied that Rouge's design is more evocative than her fellow female comrades on Sonic's team, for obvious fan-service-y reasons. However, despite that, Rogue has an interesting story arc as a mercenary anti-hero-turned-hero, who grows as a character throughout the series. Consequently, this makes her more than simple eye candy or furry fetish fodder.
7 Chun-Li Goes From Token Character To Central Character
Defining what "fan service" means often leads to didacticism, where some gamers say it simply means useless titillation. However, "fan service" is arguably defined by female tokenism as well. For example, it can't be denied that Chun-Li was a formidable opponent in her first appearance in Street Fighter 2, so she's far from useless. However, she was also the only female fighter in the game (before Super Street Fighter 2 added Cammy). This, combined with her revealing outfit and oft-paused "spinning bird kick" move, makes her inclusion fit the definition of female tokenism. Luckily, her story was compelling enough that later games and media made Chun-Li a central figure in the overall Street Fighter narrative. So much so, she became a literal lead character in 2009's Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li.
6 Mileena The Misunderstood Monster
Mileena and Kitana both debuted in Mortal Kombat 2 as female ninja assassins. Unlike the similarly palette-swapped fighters Scorpion and Sub-Zero, Mileena and Kitana donned revealing costumes. In later games, while Kitana was allowed to keep some form of regality, Mileena's costume essentially became a non-existent pink bikini. However, these later games also fleshed out Mileena's tragic backstory as an unwanted clone of Kitana, who rejected her, while Mileena only ever wanted love and acceptance from her pseudo-sister.
Even Mileena's monstrous actions in Mortal Kombat X, where she becomes a Shao Kahn-like despot, happened because she felt inadequate and unloved during his reign, so used her position to posthumously garner his favor. Furthermore, in her MK 11 arcade ending (where her outfit became a lot more practical), she reveals that once she is given god or titan-like power to control the flow of time, she uses it to create a family who simply loved her for who she was.
5 Tifa Summons Many Layers
Like many of the female characters on this list, Tifa from Final Fantasy VII is a competent fighter. She attacks what are essentially kaiju with her fists. However, it also can't be denied that she's an attractive female character who wears short shorts and a cropped tank top while fighting monsters, soldiers, and literal angels. This is despite characters like Cloud and Barret who are conversely decked out in armor and pants. Nevertheless, Tifa Lockheart is much more than a pretty face and powerful fists. She's also a caring, three-dimensional character who grows throughout the long, arduous journey.
4 Liara T'Soni Is Not Just An Option
Liara T'Soni from the immensely popular Mass Effect sci-fi series seems – at first glance – your stereotypical "fan service" character. Unlike the others on this list, Liari is a character who the player can have sex with within the game. She's from an alien species called the Asari, who meld with their partner's minds to make mating as pleasurable as possible. However, Liari is more than just a disposable sex object. She's one of the most interesting and compelling characters in the whole series. In fact, the romance subplot is entirely optional!
3 Princess Peach, More Than A Damsel In Distress
Princess Peach began as your prototypical damsel-in-distress. She was a pretty, petite princess trapped in a tower by an evil villain who must be rescued by the story's hero (in this case, the short, stout Mario from Super Mario Bros). However, despite her humble beginnings, Peach held her own in various successive sequels and spin-offs. First, she became the most useful character in Super Mario Bros. 2, then one of the fastest drivers in Mario Kart, and finally a formidable opponent in Super Smash Bros. Melee. Consequently, Peach became someone who was willing to get their hands dirty, and she was the better for it.
2 Ms. Pac-Man Does Everything Better Than Pac-Man
Pac-Man, released by Namco in 1980, is one of the most iconic arcade games of all time, possibly even "the" most iconic. But then, two years later, Ms. Pac-Man was released in North America (originally as a mod kit), to much acclaim and success. One of the things that made Ms. Pac-Man more alluring than the original was the flirty and leggy artwork on the arcade machine itself.
However, beyond her marketing potential, Ms. Pac-Man was more than an attractive, gender-swapped Pac-Man. Her game puzzles were more challenging and varied, with many considering them superior to her Pac-Man counterpart.
1 2B Finds Real Humanity
In the critically-acclaimed sci-fi RPG Nier: Automata, the player character 2B's fan-service design was a deliberate choice by creator Yoko Taro. He said in an interview that he just "enjoyed hot girls in games." However, despite that (somewhat disturbing) fact, 2B easily overcomes the initial intentions of her creator and becomes one of the most fleshed-out and human characters in video game history (despite, you know, being an android).