Mario
The most popular video game character in the world, and the most recognized of all time.
I’ve been playing with Mario since Donkey Kong. Yeah he debuted in Donkey Kong. It was pretty much the second video game I played, right after Pac Man. He’s been in more video games and skits than anyone can count.

Link
This guy sure doesn’t talk much, but he’s probably the most popular elf on the planet. Who else is going to save the princess but a tiny elf with magical powers? While Nintendo was thought to already have enough big characters, Donkey Kong, Mario and Link were created and they practically monopolized the game industry.

Samus
The nerd-dom that is video gamers. After gamers beat Metroid in early 80s, figured out she was a hot girl, they literally wet their pants. Today she still remains a fantasy for Nintendo gamer fetishes everywhere. Oh and it helped that the game was quite addicting. That’s 3 for Nintendo out of the Top 5, amazing company.

Ryu
Who would of thought a guy just as about exciting as a celibate monk would be one of the most famous characters of all time? What he lacks in personality, he makes up with his muscles and Hadoken fireballs that eliminate your opponent. Great fighter, not much of a conversationalist.

Cloud Strife
Last but certainly not least! The coolest, most powerful, yet brooding young warrior bio-enhanced with Mako cells and once inflicted with the Geostigma disease. He remains a template for character creation for just about any game. After the debut of Cloud, every game had to have a character with a giant sword, or a spiky hairdo. My personal all time favorite.

Honorable, swappable positions:
Pac-Man, Zelda, Chun-Li, Ken, Simon Belmont, Lara Croft, Solid Snake, Mega Man, Yoshi, Luigi, Princess Toadstool, Sonic, Scorpion…

Conclusion
What’s something in common with all of these characters? They all kick major ass when it comes to close, ranged or magical combat. All of them shoot fireballs. (Note to game makers, all cool characters shoot fireballs??) 3 of them are goody two-shoe heroes, but Ryu and Cloud have their dark sides.Their games have all defined the genre.