Top 20 Cutest Video Game Characters

“Genshin Impact” (2020) We don’t know what it is about adorable children using highly dangerous weapons to dispatch enemies, but the combination always makes them cuter. Klee from “Genshin Impact” is a perfect example. She’s a pyro hero with a tendency to use bombs. Her design and combat style makes her seem like a much happier, much more capable Red Riding Hood. The Big Bad Wolf wouldn’t stand a chance. If her infectious cheer, sweet-as-sugar voice, and silly little running animation don’t make you squee with excitement, her bunny-themed bombs will. This is especially the case with Jumpty Dumpty, a massive explosive and Klee’s pride and joy.

#19: Ilo and Milo

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“Ilomilo” (2010) We’re not really sure what type of creatures Ilo and Milo are supposed to be. But they’re so cute that we honestly don’t care. In this puzzler, players take the duo through a park of obstacles in order to reunite them at the end of each level. Their design is precious, from their tiny nubs as appendages to their single, curled hair. Not only does solving each puzzle give us a feeling of accomplishment, but it also makes our hearts flutter seeing Ilo and Milo’s joy at being reunited. In fact, they hate being apart so much that at one point they cry enough to create underwater levels. Aw, it’s okay little buddies.

#18: The Knight

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“Hollow Knight” (2017) “Hollow Knight” isn’t exactly a cute game with its spooky setting and intimidating enemies. However, the player character certainly is. Known only as The Knight, this little hero descends into the treacherous kingdom of Hallownest with only a broken nail as a weapon. While the Knight doesn’t have any fluffy, squishy, or other traditionally cute features, there’s something about the hero we find irresistibly lovable. Every boss completely dwarfs you, either in size or skill. And the hand-drawn art style combines with the character’s charming design to create a lovely little protagonist. “Hollow Knight” is a tough game, and we just want to protect this little dude at all costs.

“Tales of the Abyss” (2005) The RPG genre is a haven for cute supporting characters. In “Tales of the Abyss,” we get Mieu. Mieu is a cheagle, a race of petite, pastel-colored critters with gigantic ears. Their design was enough to make us declare our undying allegiance, but Mieu is a bit more unique than your standard cheagle. Being young, he shouldn’t be able to breathe fire like older members, yet he can and learns to control it by traveling with the heroes. He wears a translation ring around his middle so that we can hear his equally adorable voice and he later gains the ability to fly with his oversized ears. If only cheagles were real…

#16: Bub and Bob

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“Bubble Bobble” Series (1986-) Dragons don’t normally make the cutest creatures, what with the scales, sharp claws, and tendency to burn you to a crisp. But little boys turned into dragons that use bubbles to trap enemies? Well, that’s a different story. First appearing in Taito’s 1986 arcade game, the twin dragons have built a legacy of cuteness. Everything from their stout stature to their bright, cheerful expressions makes us want to give them a big ol’ hug and never let go. Plus, did we mention they breathe bubbles instead of fire? How delightful is that!? With improved graphics, our love for Bub and Bob has only grown over the years. And we have no doubt it will continue to do so.

#15: Om Nom

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“Cut the Rope” Series (2010-) Combining the need for attention of a Tamagotchi with the cuteness of a Pokémon, Om Nom propelled its series to being one of the mobile market’s most popular. The premise is simple: solve physics-based puzzles to get a piece of candy to Om Nom, who will gleefully munch on it. We didn’t just want the satisfaction of finding a solution; we craved the opportunity to please Om Nom. The little green creature is already adorable, sitting and waiting for its treat. But upon failure, the look of sadness on its face lit a fire in us to never make him unhappy again. Om Nom even got his own successful web series, an even greater display of his cuteness.

“Disgaea” Series (2003-) Penguins are world-renowned for being delightful, little animals. So basing a fantasy creature on them was always going to result in something supremely appealing. Enter prinnies from the “Disgaea” series. Beyond their penguin features, prinnies have peg legs, tiny bat wings, carry around pouches, and fight with machetes. That combination is undeniably fantastic, as is their fondness for calling everyone “Dood.” Since debuting in the first game, Prinnies have become developer Nippon Ichi’s mascot and deservedly got to star in a couple of hilariously cute spin-offs. It’s always great to see them return for each entry, as the series just wouldn’t feel right without them.

#13: BD-1

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“Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order” (2019) Just because it isn’t organic doesn’t mean it can’t be cute. Case in point: BD-1, your helpful droid in “Fallen Order.” Set 5 years after Order 66, the game follows a former Padawan whose secret comes to light, sending him on the run. He makes a few allies along the way, but none are as amusing and delightful as BD-1. Part of what makes the bot earn its spot is how miniscule it is, but its characteristics do a lot of heavy lifting. Having been built specifically to help with charting and exploring locations, BD-1 gets excited every step of Cal’s journey. It’s just so happy to help you out.

“Final Fantasy” Series (1990-) We’d jump at the chance to ride a Chocobo any day. But if we have to pick one creature from “Final Fantasy” that warms our hearts, it’s the Moogle. These tiny white-furred, pig-bear creatures have wings and heads that are just a bit too large for their bodies. They seem like the perfect cuddle partners, looking so soft we wish we could reach into our TVs and grab one. While they’re mostly included to make us swoon at how sweet they are, several have played bigger parts in the story, like Mog and Stiltzkin. Regardless of their role, Moogles are always appreciated.

“Astro Bot” Series (2016-) Another adorable machine, Astro is by far one of the most pleasant creations from Sony in a while. First appearing in “The Playroom VR,” Astro is a robot with a handful of nifty abilities, including a wind-up, spinning punch and little jets in his feet. But literally everything he does makes us giddy. Whether we’re playing with him in VR or experiencing the PlayStation 5’s capabilities in “Astro’s Playroom,” each joyful sound effect and each bright expression that flashes across his face is a pleasure. If only we had the skills to build our own Astro Bot, then our lives would be complete.

“It Takes Two” (2021) Every cute character is designed purposefully. But not many are designed that way to make you feel bad about it. In “It Takes Two,” an unhappy couple on the verge of divorce is turned into toy dolls. To break their curse, they believe they need to make their daughter cry and go about trying to murder her favorite toy to make it happen. The toy in question is Cutie, an elephant queen whose appearance, voice, and demeanor are some of the most preciously sweet in all of gaming. Although Cutie isn’t in the game much, she leaves a strong impression. Never before have we gone from “Aw, look at how cute” to “Oh my god, please don’t make me do this” so quickly.

“Deltarune, Chapter 1” (2018) & “Deltarune, Chapter 2” (2021) Toby Fox has shown an impressive quality to create strong characters in shorter narratives. The most precious, adorable one, who must be protected at all costs, is Ralsei. While he keeps his face covered for the majority of “Chapter 1,” he reveals himself towards the end to be a goat-like monster. His glasses, pink horns, and long, floppy ears are definitely cute. But it’s honestly his personality that earns him his spot. Ralsei is a little bit lonely. He cares deeply for Kris and Susie, the only friends he’s ever had, and relishes any opportunity to spend time with them. There’s not much we wouldn’t do to make this kind boy happy.

#8: Pikmin

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“Pikmin” Series (2001-) If we discovered a planet full of incredibly cute plant-animal hybrids, we’d have trouble not bragging about it when we made it back home. Ever since the first “Pikmin” on the GameCube, we’ve wished for hordes of these little guys to help us out in our everyday lives, especially when it comes to chores. Not only are Pikmin incredibly useful, but their smile-inducing appearance and their squeaky noises could make any activity fun. Unfortunately, that makes losing them to a hungry enemy downright tragic. “Pikmin Bloom” got us as close as we can get to raising and interacting with the tiny creatures. But it just isn’t the same.

“Sonic the Hedgehog” Series (1991-) Some characters are cute while others are so incredible, we yearn for them as pets. Chaos from the “Sonic the Hedgehog” series fall into the latter category. First appearing in “Sonic Adventure,” these squishy creatures could be raised by the player. Having them fuse with the animals you rescued throughout the game could increase their cuteness factor. They’ve since gone on to appear in a multitude of releases, which we’re extremely grateful for. They’re the very definition of “so cute, it hurts.” We also admire Tails’ shiny coat and warm-hearted nature. But there’s no topping the Chaos when it comes to the awe factor.

“Okamiden” (2011) Any character whose name includes ‘chibi,’ a Japanese term to refer to something as small and cute, is bound to be pretty freakin’ adorable. The son of “Okami’s” Amaterasu, Chibiterasu is a heroic wolf pup and deity. The sequel keeps the cel-shaded look of the original, just with a much smaller hero than the first game. And because he’s smaller, it automatically makes him cuter. Chibiterasu uses his mother’s signature ability; using a magical paint brush to heal his world. Despite his size, he’s also strong enough to carry others around on his back. Such a good boy, always helping those in need. He deserves all the pets in the world.

“Animal Crossing” Series (2001-) Another very good doggo, Isabelle has become the unofficial mascot of the “Animal Crossing” franchise. And while you could point to pretty much any villager in the series and declare them the cutest, Isabelle’s role helps her rise above. First appearing in the 3DS’ “New Leaf,” she acts as your assistant in becoming mayor. Always kind and hard-working, she was brought back to live the island life in “New Horizons.” A Shih Tzu in business attire is one of the cutest things in existence, but it helps that her announcements always make us chuckle. She's a bit spacey and silly, and that only makes us love her more.

“LittleBigPlanet” Series (2008-) Sony has had many platforming mascots over the years, though Sackboy’s charming design has made him one of the best. Imagine being able to take your favorite plushie into a game, playing though wonderful adventures with it. That, essentially, is Sackboy. It was fantastic seeing the creativity of players thrive through user-generated content in the “LittleBigPlanet” series. That may have been the selling point, but Sackboy, with innumerable outfits and varied expressions, definitely stole the show. We sung Sony’s praises when it brought back the little guy for “Sackboy: A Big Adventure.” Because something as adorable as him should never be out of our lives for too long.

#3: Eevee

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“Pokémon” Series (1998-) Pikachu may be the mascot. And there’s no denying how cute the electric mouse is. But if we could have one Pokémon in real life, to cuddle, take naps with, and make our friends endlessly jealous, we’d pick Eevee every time. Its luscious coat, its fluffy tail, its big, bright eyes… How can you not find that irresistible? Eevee is notable for having a multitude of evolutions, giving players a lot of variety for which direction to choose. However, none of the evolutions are quite as cute as Eevee. If we had an Eevee in real life, we’d have to have multiple just so we could keep one as the lovable original form.

#2: Yoshi

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“Super Mario” Series (1985-) & “Yoshi” Series (1992-) Yoshi began as cute in “Super Mario World.” From there, the green dino rose consistently over the years to be one of Nintendo’s sweetest, most likable creations. In fact, players were so charmed that Yoshi started getting spin-offs almost instantaneously, starting with a 1992 puzzler. It wasn’t long before he became the star of his own platformers. All of them have given him a different hand-made appearance, from the storybook-esque “Yoshi’s Island” to the arts & crafts themed “Yoshi’s Crafted World.” These aesthetics make every Yoshi adventure immeasurably pleasing to experience. But Yoshi himself has always been cute, from his appearance to the joyful noises he makes.

#1: Kirby

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“Kirby” Series (1992-) Speaking of adorable creatures with noises so cute they make us forget all troubles, Kirby fits the bill and then some. While his design may be simple, it is indisputably one that will emit a drawn out “aw” from any player. He looks so soft and squishy, we know he’d make the perfect cuddle partner as he’s already basically a pillow himself. He must be terrifying to his enemies though, as he can consume any of them and steal their essence. No matter what awesome ability he copies, he always looks delightful. Even his angry face is cute! And his tendency to do a little dance whenever he beats a level only further solidifies him as the cutest gaming character of all time.