Top 10 Iconic Video Game Characters That Were Toned Down

To prevent the player from leaving Viridian City before dropping off Professor Oak’s parcel, the developers blocked off the path with an old man. It’s explained that the old man is cranky since he hasn’t had his coffee, which always seemed weird to us. We mean, if you didn’t have your morning cup of joe, would your first instinct be to lie in the middle of the road, forbidding anyone to pass? The original Japanese version provides a more logical explanation, revealing that the old man actually passed out after drinking too much. Once you’ve delivered the parcel, he’ll have sobered up. Since “Pokémon” is a kid-friendly series, you can see why some countries decided to tone down the old man’s beverage of choice.

Compared to some other female game characters from the mid-to-late 90s, Jill Valentine didn’t come off as especially sexualized. Brett Elston of GamesRadar+ wrote, “Jill Valentine emerged as perhaps the most sensible design of the period, being both tough and sexy without shedding her clothes at the first sign of trouble.” As the years went by, though, Jill’s wardrobe would become noticeably skimpier in some entries. She wore a tube top and miniskirt in “Resident Evil 3: Nemesis,” not to mention that unlockable pirate outfit in “Resident Evil: Revelations.” With the 2020 remake of “Resident Evil 3,” it was decided to alter Jill’s design to “make sure that there’s a certain level of believability in what she’s wearing,” as art director Yonghee Cho put it.

“Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U” received an E10+ rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board, as well as an A for All Ages rating from Japan’s Computer Entertainment Rating Organization. So, when Bayonetta joined the battle as a downloaded character, it presented a challenge for director Masahiro Sakurai. The “Bayonetta” games earned their “Mature” reputation due in part to partial nudity and suggestive themes. Although some critics have taken issue with Bayonetta herself, she’s generally been praised for balancing wit, badassery, and sex appeal without necessarily becoming a sex object. Nevertheless, her “sexual exposure” had to be toned down to secure “Smash Bros.’” all-ages rating in Japan. Even with these restrictions, Bayonetta remains one of the most popular “Smash Bros.” characters.

Donkey Kong is one of gaming’s most iconic heroes. Back in the 80s, however, his name was clouded in infamy. Instead of overthrowing the evil Kremlings, the gorilla went around kidnapping damsels and chucking barrels at Mario. What’s more, he did all of this in the nude! While the family history is a little murky, it’s widely believed that the original arcade Donkey Kong is actually a younger Cranky Kong, who’s generally characterized as modern DK’s grandfather. Even if you go by that backstory, Cranky has evolved into an ally and a hero in his own right. Whatever you want to call him, this ape is no longer the savage beast we first met in 1981. Plus, he now has the decency to wear clothes.

In North America, “Final Fantasy VI” was originally marketed as “Final Fantasy III” on the SNES, and that wasn’t the only change. Many elements were censored for the U.S. version, such as alcohol and smoking. Most notably, the nudity was radically toned down. It may come as a surprise to those who grew up with the game, but Siren was given a pair of shorts while Power was covered up with a loincloth. Many other enemies also had their clothes digitally altered to be less revealing. The GBA version was censored as well, although not quite as much. If you’re interested in the uncensored versions, you’ll have to track down the original Japanese cartridge or the PlayStation port.

“The Sands of Time” introduced most modern gamers to the “Prince of Persia” franchise. This 2003 hit depicted the unnamed Prince as strong and confident, but not without glimpses of humor. The character took a dark, brooding turn in “Warrior Within,” spilling buckets of blood and casually dropping profanities. GameSpot even nominated “Warrior Within” for “Most Baditude” in 2004. While the sequel was generally well-received, “Prince of Persia” creator Jordan Mechner (MECK-ner) told Wired, “I’m not a fan of the artistic direction, or the violence that earned it an M rating.” The third installment, “The Two Thrones,” was rated M as well. For the 2008 reboot, however, the series returned to a T rating with the new Prince trading his predecessor’s angst for some one-liners.

In the original “God of War” games, Kratos had such disregard for all life that it was borderline comedic. In 2018’s “God of War,” we get to see another side of Kratos. Oh, don’t get us wrong. Kratos remains an incredibly violent character who won’t hesitate to throw his Leviathan Axe or paint the town red with his Blades of Chaos. Now that he’s a single father, though, Kratos is more remorseful of his past actions. He tries to set a better example for his son Atreus (ah-TRAY-usss), although bloodlust may run in the family. The evolution of Kratos has been universally praised by fans and critics. Dave Thier (tear) of Forbes wrote in his review, “Kratos is a character this time, and a surprisingly engaging one.”

One of the franchise’s most divisive entries, “Mortal Kombat 11” earned mostly positive reviews from critics and “generally unfavorable” user scores on Metacritic. The game did however receive backlash for a variety of reasons, including its microtransactions and grinding. The decision to give the female characters more “realistic costumes” was also heavily debated. Where some saw this as a step forward, others expressed outrage on social media. “Mortal Kombat” co-creator Ed Boon defended this change in a PlayBoy interview, saying, “It made a little more sense to have them dressed, especially if they’re going to be in combat. I don’t know how many people wear a bikini to a fight.” Various outlets also noted that while the female costumes were toned down, male characters still went shirtless.

Being a cute, cartoony squirrel, Conker might not strike you as a foul-mouthed alcoholic. What’s especially jarring is that he started off in family-friendly titles like “Diddy Kong Racing” and “Conker’s Pocket Tales.” Nevertheless, “Conker’s Bad Fur Day” got a cult following thanks in part to its depraved, coarse humor. Fans were ecstatic when a remake was announced for Xbox. Some were let down, though, when many of the obscenities got bleeped out, hence why the title was changed to “Live & Reloaded.” The remake was still rated M and scored solid reviews, but some of the original game’s appeal was arguably lost by bleeping Conker and his colorful acquaintances.

Lara Croft might’ve been the first video game character to achieve sex symbol status. She appeared in PlayStation Magazine’s Swimsuit issue and let’s not forget the “Nude Raider” scandal. Lara’s sexualization wasn’t well-received by everyone, including “Tomb Raider: Underworld” director Eric Lindstrom. While divisive, Lara helped pave the way for more complex action heroines in gaming. As such, it was decided to have Lara change with the times when “Tomb Raider” got rebooted in 2013. Gone were her short shorts and unrealistic proportions, but Lara remained beautiful, strong-willed, and resilient. The new trilogy also provided a layered character arc, evolving Lara from a survivor to a protector. This direction has been mostly applauded with IGN’s Lucy O’Brien writing, “Lara Croft has never been so endearing.”