Making 10 iconic video game characters even better with a simple change

You probably have a few video game characters that you admire in some way. There's no shame in that because video game characters are just as famous, if not more so, than many characters from books and movies. I suspect more people know who Mario is than know Atticus Finch.

The thing with all these characters is that they are undoubtedly iconic, but they can all be improved upon. Don't get angry at the messenger, it's just the harsh truth that a character like Duke Nukem would be so much better if he had the voice of Plankton from SpongeBob.

10 Mario - A Full On Beard

Just imagine how the glorious little mustache of the Italian plumber transforms into one of the most rocking full beards you've ever seen. Add a pair of sunglasses, and no one in the Mushroom Kingdom would dare to mess with Mario.

Bowser would think twice before messing with Princess Peach, out of fear of the newly silver-haired Mario hot on his heels. Give Mario a little Toad as an adopted daughter for him to protect on his adventure, and I think we have a completely new series of Mario games just waiting to make money.

9 Sephiroth - Frosted Tips

Sephiroth from Final Fantasy 7 is a legendary villain, but there's one thing that would make him even better, and that would be replacing his long hair with a short, spiky cut with blonde highlights. Just imagine how much more menacing Sephiroth would be if he had an uncanny resemblance to Guy Fieri.

His entire twisted plan and taunting towards Cloud would have a much more intense impact if Sephiroth, instead of looking like a pretty boy, were painfully stuck in the 90s. He could even use some classic 90s slang terms to truly fit into the era and be totally cool.

8 Commander Shepard - His DLC Personality As Default

Commander Shepard is probably one of the most legendary characters in RPG history, but they could be even better. If Shepard were as quick-witted and cocky as they were in the incredible DLC where they try to kill their evil clone, the entire series could be even more fantastic.

Shepard certainly has his funnier moments, like unabashedly punching reporters, but the various personalities would probably lead to more interesting conversations with the crew. That would make people like Jacob and James much more entertaining.

7 Scorpion - A Gun

The most popular ninja from Mortal Kombat may already seem as cool as possible, but you know what would make him even cooler? A weapon. There aren't many things scarier than a demon ninja capable of summoning hellfire while slicing you to pieces and being fully armed.

It's almost shocking that Scorpion didn't receive a weapon in his design, considering how popular such things were in the '90s and early 2000s. Similar to WWE's The Undertaker, I'm somehow just waiting for some kind of hilariously bad decision to be made to Americanize Scorpion and turn him into an American badass.

6 Sonic The Hedgehog - Better Super Sonic Backstory

The fact that Sonic can become Super Sonic is certainly cool, but it would be even better if he had some kind of tragic backstory that triggers this transformation. The Sonic series is not afraid to incorporate darker stories, so perhaps it's time for a darker reboot of Sonic.

The form is more or less a shameless copy of the Super Saiyan form from Dragon Ball Z, so why not have Eggman destroy Tails and trigger Sonic into a fit of rage, transforming him into Super Sonic? Embrace the inspiration and make Sonic even cooler while getting rid of his bumbling sidekick once and for all.

5 Link - Every Link Is One

The Legend of Zelda series has been led by Link for decades, but a great way to refresh his character and make everyone rethink would be the revelation that every single Link is actually the same person.

I'm not just talking about the reincarnation of a soul; I mean literally the same person. Thanks to Hyrule Warriors, time travel is technically possible, and it would be so much funnier if it were the same Link who is constantly amazed at how many times he encounters the exact same people over thousands of years.

4 Pac-Man - Square-Man

We live in a generation of people who love to see things that are oddly satisfying, and that's precisely why Pac-Man should be changed from a circle to a square. Watching him navigate those mazes and devour those dots would satisfy everyone's need for filled space.

How exactly he would manage to turn properly can only be speculated, but those details are unimportant. We just need a petition to bring Square-Man into the world. Those ghosts would be the ones truly horrified as a luminous chaos comes rushing towards them, squeaking along the corridors.

3 Master Chief - Trusty Alien Companions

I know that Master Chief is designed as a specific type of character, but it's hard to argue that he wouldn't be even better if he had a colorful group of alien friends to embark on adventures with. It would make him feel much more like Commander Shepard, and that is never a bad thing.

The different aliens in Halo tend not to be particularly friendly, but every hero could use a Garrus and a Liara in their lives. It's possible that it would help Master Chief to come out of his shell if he were surrounded by such characters, but I wouldn't bet on it. His voice is too cool and rugged for something like that.

2 Kratos - Being Overly Polite

This next change may sound silly, but it's hard to argue that it wouldn't make him even more memorable. If Kratos from God of War were to maintain all the fiery passion he displays in his games, but instead be as polite as an average Canadian hockey enthusiast, he would be taken to a whole new level.

I want to hear Kratos scream "Thank you" while kicking people into bottomless pits. He should thank his enemies for holding onto his axe every time he recalls it. There's just something deeply funny about being so furious but at the same time so polite.

1 Kirby - A Deep Voice

One might wonder what could be changed about a character as simple as Kirby, and the answer to that would be to give him a deep, seductive voice. This little pink devil saying "Hi" would never be more impressive.

It would be so unexpected that it would immediately become iconic. Of course, it would play with Kirby's cute image, but it would turn him into a character deserving of even more memes and make him famous in the gaming world. Give him the voice of James Earl Jones or Barry White, and the money would flow abundantly.