A matter of character...

It's been such a long time. (Pardon me a minute while I launch into "Long Time" by Boston in my head...Rock Band is the bane of my existence)

Anyway, I kind of need to easy back into this whole blog thinger. I'm thinking the best way to do so would be to start with a list. But a list of what?

O.K. so here is the part where I would come up with a funny list of about 3-4 topics that I came up with but ultimately rejected. But, because it's been such a grand hiatus from blogging, I'm going to cut to the quick and tell you I decided on...The Best (which we all know translates to : My Favorite) Video game characters!

Let's kick it off old school shall we? *Note: I'm gonna keep this list Kid Oriented. Why? Just feel like it is all*

Luigi--This taller, more in-shape Italian always intrigued me more than his more rotund, less vertically endowed brother. He can jump higher, he can run a bit faster and he's got a better color choice. Green means go and I always went with this classic, but underrated character.

Kranky Kong-- Ancillary characters unite! Yeah, I only know him from Donkey Kong Country where you never actually get to play as him, or see him all that much. However, this cantankerous curmudgeon always made me laugh. I love the animated rocking chair and that beard can give Rip Van Winkle a run for his money.

Croc--A forgotten gem of the PS1, this little amphibian (reptile?) was the star of a very fun platformer. With some of the best sound effects and exclamations this little guy was fun not just for the hand and eye, but also for the ears. If you can find a copy of this oldie but goodie, snag it up and enjoy.

Slippy Frog--He's always been my wingman and no, I don't mean he's helped me pick up chicks. While I was tooling through the galaxy trying to defeat whatever bad guy or evil that was descending on the world as Fox McCloud (btw, one of the best names in videogames) this guy was always by my side along with his friends, saving my tail when it got too close to the proverbial flames. Rrrubbnt rrbbb rrbbberrrrr. *If you have to ask, you won't get it.

Iggy Koopa-- By far the coolest of the Koopa kids, this mohawked, four-eyed little dude was always a pleasure to destroy and a favorite of mine. One of only two bad guys on the list, Iggy is a descendant of the baddest mo-fo to ever hit the Nintendo system (I don't care which one, he's been on them all), Bowser. This kid was hyper, crazy and very punk rock, I was always sad when I defeated him.

I-Ninja--Another lesser-known character this big-headed martial artist is the protagonist of the game with the same name. Fun as hell and a rush to play, the game was quite unique. Often finding himself in the middle of giant plastic balls or rolling on top of powder kegs, I-Ninja is an aggressive dude who loves to cause destruction and mayhem. His power is matched only by his anger. Mr. Miagi would have a lot to say about this character. Soooo young, soooo angry.

Tails--We'll finish the list off with the character I have had the least experience with. Besides the new Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games, I never owned a SEGA and thus never owned a game with Tails in it. I'm a fan of sidekicks and this one is a great example. Loyal, a bit inept and very eager, Tails was always portrayed as the red-headed step-child of Sonic. I think that's a bit of a bad rap. The little dude always looked so sad when he lost all his rings. He's just endearing and, yeah, let's face it, cute.

So there you have it my top (how many did i have...1,2,3,4,5,6..7? That's an odd number. Not 5. Not 10. 7? I guess I'll run with it) seven video game characters of all time in the kiddy category. Of course the list would be quite different if I was including characters like Solid Snake, Sub Zero and Zangief. Well actually it would probably be this list plus Solid Snake, Sub Zero and Zangief...so there's your top 10 for ya.