Lara Croft, the lead of the Tomb Raider franchise, has been voted as the most iconic video game characters of all time. The news comes days before the 20th BAFTA Games Awards on April 11. According to a news release from BAFTA, Lara sped past Super Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog to top the list. It is based on responses from more than 4,000 gamers from around the world. BAFTA described Lara Croft as a "generation-spanning heroine". She made her debut in the original Tomb Raider in 1996.
"She's gone from being very pointy and childlike in drawing to very filmic," Shelley Blond, the actor who voiced the original Lara, told the BBC.
Ms Blond further said that she is not surprised by the results of the poll, but added that she's never played the game herself.
"What is so iconic about Lara Croft is the fact that she is a female lead in a video game. She's all about girl power and female empowerment. She's at the forefront, she is what the adventure is," said Ms Blond.
The game, which was released on PC, PlayStation, and Sega consoles, revolutionised the industry and launched the wider Lara Croft franchise in the form of films starring Angelina Jolie and even a Netflix series expected later this year.
The game allows gamers to wander through open worlds with clues about how to progress to next level. Lara Croft's went on missions across the globe, including Egyptian pyramids and Tibetan mountains.
As of 2023, 19 Tomb Raider games had been released. On February 14, coinciding with Lara Croft's birthday, the first three games of the series were re-released as remasters.
