Video Game Recommendations for Fictional Characters

Did your mom ever tell you to stop playing video games and read a book instead? Mom, why the dichotomy between books and games? You can have both! But we real humans aren’t the only people who like to hit the Xbox or gaming PC after a long day of work. Fictional characters would enjoy gaming, too! In an effort to combine the two worlds of the written word and the animated graphic, here are some video game recommendations to our favorite characters.

Mario for Lancelot from Arthurian Legend

Lancelot’s whole deal is fighting evil and saving royalty, which makes Mario the perfect game series for him! He not only has to save a princess, but he gets to fight mythical creatures. Instead of collecting relics, he’d gather stars and mushrooms. And if he’s worried about lacking his squad (the rest of the Knights of the Round Table, duh), no sweat: he’d get a bunch of companions to help him through his journey. Who needs Gawain when you have Yoshi?

Kingdom Hearts for Peter from Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

For the boy who never grows up, this game is perfect. Not only is Kingdom Hearts full of everyone’s favorite characters from childhood, but Peter himself is in it (talk about an ego boost!). Not only would he get to fight along with Zora, but his world—Neverland—is in the game. It’s practically a custom-made title for a lad like Peter.

Grand Theft Auto for Toad from Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

Everyone knows that Toad loves to steal cars for a joyride. After all, he’s been jailed for recklessly driving a stolen car! (Tsk, tsk.) It only makes sense that he would love Grand Theft Auto. Toad would adore stealing cars and trying to escape the cops. And the good news? Since it’s a game, he can enjoy the adrenaline rush without having to bail himself out of jail.

BioShock for Howard from The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

Oh, Howard. This game was practically made for him. He’s the embodiment of Ayn Rand’s Objectivist philosophy, so he would  absolutely adore Rapture, the setting of BioShock. Rapture is a society that was built on Rand’s Objectivist beliefs, so this would seriously be Howard’s paradise. As for the character Atlas? We have a feeling Howard would be a big fan.

Life is Strange for Rachel from Here’s to You, Rachel Robinson by Judy Blume

It’s an understatement to say that adolescence can be rough – after all, navigating transition after transition comes with difficult decisions at every turn. Rachel fits right into that mold: she’s feeling angst over her troubled brother and her love life. That’s why we think Life is Strange is the perfect game for Rachel. Maxine “Max” Caulfield also experiences tumultuous feelings, which Rachel would relate to in a heartbeat. Max has to make some truly killer choices (seriously – lives hang in the balance), so Rachel might gain wisdom through making them in a safe, fictional world. The best part? Rachel, playing as Max, can rewind time and see what the consequences are for each choice.