# First \[whatever\] protagonist in games **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 3, 2009, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-whatever-protagonist-in-games/488118 "2009-03-03T06:52:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2009, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-whatever-protagonist-in-games/488118/21 "2009-03-04T18:20:00Z")
> [@Sofis](#): > > Which was the first protagonist in some game to belong to some demographic you consider interesting and/or relevant? The example was first female protagonist (unsurprisingly), another that was mentioned (but not answered) was first black protagonist. I would be really interested to know which game had the first black protagonist. I don’t mean a game where the player had the option of choosing a black avatar, but a game where the protagonist was a specific character who was black. The only example of this I can think of is the 2006 game _Paradise_ (which I’ve never played), where the protagonist is an African woman, but I’m sure there must be something earlier. I can’t offhand think of any Latino game protagonists at all. There’ve been plenty of Asian ones of course, due largely to the many games produced in Japan. > [@](#): > > \*One I’m interested in is an old protagonist (say, 60+). Old people are rare in games, and I can’t think of even one example of an old protagonist. \*This is probably not the first, but in _King’s Quest V_ (1990) King Graham comes out of retirement to rescue his family. I don’t think his age is stated, but he has adult children by that time and his hair is gray. _King’s Quest VII_ may be the first and is definitely one of the few games where there are two protagonists and both are female. The player alternates between Princess Rosella and her mother Queen Valanice. I can think of a few games where the player alternates between a male and female character (e.g. the second and third _Gabriel Knight_ games), or has the choice to play the game through as either a man or women (_Alone in the Dark_), but I don’t know of any other games that have multiple female protagonists and no male protagonists. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2009, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-whatever-protagonist-in-games/488118/22 "2009-03-04T19:14:19Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > I would be really interested to know which game had the first black protagonist. I don’t mean a game where the player had the option of choosing a black avatar, but a game where the protagonist was a specific character who was black. The only example of this I can think of is the 2006 game _Paradise_ (which I’ve never played), where the protagonist is an African woman, but I’m sure there must be something earlier. I’m sure we can take it back further, but **Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker** came out in 1990. > **[Michael Jackson's Moonwalker](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jackson%27s_Moonwalker)** > > In 1990, several video games based on the 1988 Michael Jackson film Moonwalker, all named Michael Jackson's Moonwalker, were released. Sega developed two beat 'em ups, one released in arcades and another released for the Sega Genesis and Master System consoles. U.S. Gold also published various games for home computers. Each of the games' plots loosely follows the "Smooth Criminal" segment of the film, in which Jackson rescues kidnapped children from the evil Mr. Big, and incorporates synthesized ... ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2009, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-whatever-protagonist-in-games/488118/23 "2009-03-04T19:51:19Z")
Are sports games excluded? **Dr. J and Larry Bird Go One On One** came out in 1983, and I’m sure there were others before that. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2009, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-whatever-protagonist-in-games/488118/24 "2009-03-04T20:22:25Z")
> [@](#): > > I’m sure we can take it back further, but Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker came out in 1990. Yeah, but he was asking for black protagonists. > [@](#): > > Are sports games excluded? Dr. J and Larry Bird Go One On One came out in 1983, and I’m sure there were others before that. Go too much before that, and all the protagonists were green. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2009, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-whatever-protagonist-in-games/488118/25 "2009-03-04T20:27:02Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Yeah, but he was asking for black protagonists. Over an hour for that joke! The Dope is clearly slipping. While I’m not the grand video game judge and jury or anything, but I’d say sports games shouldn’t count. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-whatever-protagonist-in-games/488118/26 "2009-03-05T00:19:47Z")
While true, Dr. J and Larry Bird was a one on one game, and it was really sold on them. I’d consider it as valid as Tiger Woods Golf, if you could only play Tiger Woods. ---
**Author:** ![Sofis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Sofis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofis)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-whatever-protagonist-in-games/488118/27 "2009-03-05T00:33:40Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > I’m sure we can take it back further, but **Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker** came out in 1990. > [@Max\_Torque](#): > > Are sports games excluded? **Dr. J and Larry Bird Go One On One** came out in 1983, and I’m sure there were others before that. > [@E-Sabbath](#): > > I’d consider it as valid as Tiger Woods Golf, if you could only play Tiger Woods. Leaving aside whether to count sports games or not, I find it interesting that these are all real people (which most game protagonists certainly are not). ---
**Author:** ![Hoopy\_Frood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoopy_frood/32/8452_2.png) [@Hoopy\_Frood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoopy_Frood)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-whatever-protagonist-in-games/488118/28 "2009-03-05T01:55:51Z")
Spawn apparently was the first non-real life black protagonist. Akuji was the first black protagonist created for a game. According to this site: [http://microscopiq.com/2007/02/first-black-videogame-stars/](http://microscopiq.com/2007/02/first-black-videogame-stars/) ---
**Author:** ![PopeJewish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@PopeJewish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PopeJewish)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-whatever-protagonist-in-games/488118/29 "2009-03-05T02:42:46Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Mario: first plumber? well he was originally a carpenter, then in later games was a plumber. maybe he should count as the first plumber AND carpenter. Carpentumber? Plumbenter? I’d also throw him out there as the first Italian hero ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-whatever-protagonist-in-games/488118/30 "2009-03-05T10:20:42Z")
Wasn’t Mario one of the first character protagonists, period? That’s always what all the Donkey Kong specials always say… (oh, wait. I’m forgetting text adventure games) ---
**Author:** ![MeDrewNotYou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@MeDrewNotYou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeDrewNotYou)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-whatever-protagonist-in-games/488118/31 "2009-03-05T12:59:21Z")
I remember a game called _Bible Adventures_ or something on the NES where you played as Noah collecting animals for the ark. If you’re a young earther, then he probably wins since he was past the century mark by then. As opposed to old characters, can anyone think of someone younger than Ness from SNES _Earthbound_ at 13, or the main character from the prequel _Mother_ at 12? (Lucas from _Mother 3_\* is also 12, but since it wasn’t released in the States, maybe they don’t count.) Obviously, with the young, races/creatures that only live to 15 don’t count. \*-If you haven’t played Mother 3, you’re really missing out. PM me if you need a link to the translated ROM ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-whatever-protagonist-in-games/488118/32 "2009-03-05T17:25:54Z")
> [@](#): > > (oh, wait. I’m forgetting text adventure games) Most of those don’t have a well-defined character, though. Usually, the protagonist is just refered to as “you” (or occasionally “cretin” or other such perjoratives). ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-whatever-protagonist-in-games/488118/33 "2009-03-05T17:34:01Z")
> [@MeDrewNotYou](#): > > As opposed to old characters, can anyone think of someone younger than Ness from SNES _Earthbound_ at 13, or the main character from the prequel _Mother_ at 12? (Lucas from _Mother 3_\* is also 12, but since it wasn’t released in the States, maybe they don’t count.) Relm is 10 in Final Fantasy VI and is certainly one of the protagonists, though that game lacks a lead protagonist(unless you coun’t Terra). ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-whatever-protagonist-in-games/488118/34 "2009-03-05T17:45:23Z")
Eiko from FF9 is supposed to be even younger, IIRC, but she’s a supporting character, not a protagonist. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-whatever-protagonist-in-games/488118/35 "2009-03-05T17:57:03Z")
> [@MeDrewNotYou](#): > > As opposed to old characters, can anyone think of someone younger than Ness from SNES _Earthbound_ at 13, or the main character from the prequel _Mother_ at 12? (Lucas from _Mother 3_\* is also 12, but since it wasn’t released in the States, maybe they don’t count.) Billy Blaze aka Commander Keen was 8 years old. I’d be shocked if there isn’t a third-person shooter or platform-type game with a baby protagonist somewhere out there. > **[Commander Keen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander_Keen)** > > Commander Keen is a series of side-scrolling platform video games developed primarily by id Software. The series consists of six main episodes, a "lost" episode, and a final game; all but the final game were released for MS-DOS in 1990 and 1991, while the 2001 Commander Keen was released for the Game Boy Color. The series follows the eponymous Commander Keen, the secret identity of the eight-year-old genius Billy Blaze, as he defends the Earth and the galaxy from alien threats with his homemade... ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-whatever-protagonist-in-games/488118/36 "2009-03-05T18:50:20Z")
I haven’t played it, but the main player in _Messiah_ is a cherub. That’s either very young or very old, depending on how you look at it. ---
**Author:** ![MeDrewNotYou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@MeDrewNotYou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeDrewNotYou)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-whatever-protagonist-in-games/488118/37 "2009-03-05T21:21:48Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Relm is 10 in Final Fantasy VI and is certainly one of the protagonists, though that game lacks a lead protagonist(unless you coun’t Terra). Personally, I wouldn’t count her. Even without a single lead, Terra, Locke, Edgar, Sabin, and Celes seemed a lot more important to the story. Relm almost felt like an afterthought, but YMMV. Although her bit with Ultros was one of my favorite scenes in the game… 😃 > [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > Billy Blaze aka Commander Keen was 8 years old. I’d be shocked if there isn’t a third-person shooter or platform-type game with a baby protagonist somewhere out there. > > [Commander Keen - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander_Keen) Commander Keen! Beans With Bacon Mega-Rocket! How could I have forgotten him! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-whatever-protagonist-in-games/488118/38 "2009-03-06T12:11:43Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > I would be really interested to know which game had the first black protagonist. I don’t mean a game where the player had the option of choosing a black avatar, but a game where the protagonist was a specific character who was black. The only example of this I can think of is the 2006 game _Paradise_ (which I’ve never played), where the protagonist is an African woman, but I’m sure there must be something earlier. I remember Shadow Man (1999) [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow\_Man\_(video\_game)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_Man_(video_game)) ---
**Author:** ![Mogle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mogle/32/12021_2.png) [@Mogle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mogle)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-whatever-protagonist-in-games/488118/39 "2009-03-06T12:36:45Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > I would be really interested to know which game had the first black protagonist. I don’t mean a game where the player had the option of choosing a black avatar, but a game where the protagonist was a specific character who was black. The only example of this I can think of is the 2006 game _Paradise_ (which I’ve never played), where the protagonist is an African woman, but I’m sure there must be something earlier. I not sure if Michael in [Maniac Mansion](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maniac_Mansion) published in 1987 counts since he isn’t a mandatory character but it should at least be worth mentioning. ---
**Author:** ![willthekittensurvive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@willthekittensurvive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/willthekittensurvive)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-whatever-protagonist-in-games/488118/40 "2009-03-06T12:37:35Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > I can’t offhand think of any Latino game protagonists at all. [Total overdose](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_Overdose) had one [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-whatever-protagonist-in-games/488118.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-whatever-protagonist-in-games/488118.md?page=3)