The first video game figure with which I could identify myself was a monkey

A nursery in the 90s: two girls are sitting in front of a tube TV, Snes controller in hand, and argue, who is allowed to play Dixie Kong - and to whom the boring Didi is hanging. One of these girls I am, the other is my best friend.

When we discovered Donkey Kong Country 2 \ - by the way one of my favorite games of all time - for us, we were completely fascinated: There was actually a cool female character. That this was a monkey girl, we did not bother us in the least. Why Dixie was a real milestone for me and what advantages I see in animal characters, I'll tell you here.

I took what I could get

As a primary school child in the 1990s, my gambling career was strongly influenced by a lack of money and information. I had to collapse video games from my pocket money and the Internet was not yet the inexhaustible and easy-to-access source of knowledge that is today.

What I knew about Games was largely based on their own experiences with titles that I often scowled for covers or well-known names. Among them were first Tetris, Super Mario Land and World, Disney Adaptations, some more exotic games - and natural The first Donkey Kong Country.

Which stories these games told, or who I actually played, I was interested by little. The quality of the gaming experience I made a fun factor and pretty levels - and Donkey Kong Country full and completely convinced. Accordingly, the anticipation was the continuation. I would not have guessed that the protagonist of the game would convince me. By the way, I had never heard of Samus Aran. As I said, it was difficult ...

For a change a girl?

My about ten-year-old I was to reflected finding "I missed the female representation in video games" yet not yet capable. I would even say that I was not even aware that Games could produce interesting characters. The bigger was the surprise when I could easily identify myself unexpectedly for the first time with a video game protagonist.

What was the case? DIXIE was simply sympathetic to me: she was like me a girl with a long braid and put it in clever to her advantage by using him as a propeller. That gave her something very individual. If you let them stand in a place for a while, they chewed chewing gum and blowing blisters - as I liked it too. If you ended up perfectly on the target platform, then she rocked with an electric guitar. Something that was very familiar to me in my musical environment. The only drawback: When an opponent hit her, she howled, while her male colleague was merely annoyed. Apart from this annoying detail, I found it just great and refreshing.

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Samara Summer @ Also_im_winter Samara has been playing video games since its basic school. It was initially only the fun of the gameplay. Above all, Jump & Runs were on the program. In the meantime, the author also enthuses itself in addition to games that offer a captivating story and strong characters. These include for Samara, for example, great games and rows such as Red Dead Redemption, Horizon and Ghost of Tsushima, but also indie titles such as The Vanishing of Ethan Carter and Amnesia: Rebirth.

Animal benefits?

Now that I have explained why Dixie's appearance was an aha experience for me, you may survive that she was the first video game figure with which I could identify myself - though she is a monkey. Moment ... although she is a monkey? When I was aware of this fact, I asked myself if it is not sometimes even beneficial to hatch in the role of animal characters.

Why that? Quite simply because for clichés and externals is less space if we do not even search the comparison with reality. I do not want to say that I do not consider it necessary that the games world gets diverse and, for example, we experience more People of Color in main roles. Flush horses and otters should not be a means for developers, to press themselves before their social responsibility.

Universal stories

Nevertheless, it may be useful to make sure that we can look at animal main characters detached from external characteristics and that it may be a statement if the protagonist may be a cat or an owl - and not a person with a particular skin color and Stature. The focus is then stronger on what is in a character.

In addition, the use of animal characters can be transported that the story you want to tell is universal that the topics you want to address can affect a wide variety of people. Because one does not have to set itself on a particular man and "seemingly only his story told". This principle is already in many cartoons and cartoons.

It works but also in the video game world. Although a shadow about Night in The Woods has fallen through the allegations against one of the developers, the Indie Darling is a perfect example of this: the adventure is based on profound and differentiated species with topics such as depression, meaning search, the question to God and friendships apart.

At the same time I noticed how pleasant it was to play a cat whose circle of friends consists of a fox, a bear and a crocodile. I did that much more clearly that this story could play everywhere and with the most diverse actresses could be occupied - and that's what I think is a valuable message.

Special skills

Now that I have explained which Message can convey an animal occupation in my opinion, but I would also like to talk to a much more obvious and easier topic:

Another reason why I sometimes like to play animal characters, are cool special skills. If I can, for example, in the role of a flight bill of slips that can climb and slide, the chance offers many fun game mechanics.

Maybe you now say: But you can also equip human figures with climbing hooks and paraglider and that's true, but still the feeling is another if the character brings its properties directly. In addition, an animal, which is set to certain conditions and habitats, can inspire developers in designing unused paths. That's why I say: we may not need a whole zoo on new animal main characters, but depending on the game that can be very refreshing!

Now you are asked: Do you like to slip into the role of animal characters or do you prefer to play people?