The video game medium has been going for decades and has gained a large number of great heroines. 2021, for example, featured new installments of the famously female-lead Metroid and Life is Strange series. But this is still not enough and there could always be more.
There are not only plenty of great gaming heroines but also great side characters. But who says they have to stay in that role forever? Ellie from The Last of Us and Clem from The Walking Dead both got promoted to protagonist for their sequels. So it's only right that these classic game characters get the same treatment.
Pauline (Super Mario)
To call Pauline a sidekick is perhaps a bit inaccurate, but she's certainly a side character. She debuted in Donkey Kong as the damsel that Princess Peach would soon replace. But she came back to the Super Mario series with Super Mario Odyssey. She's now Mayor of the Mushroom Kingdom's New York stand-in and an accomplished singer.
Princess Peach already has a game of her own, alongside many other supporting Mario characters. But Pauline's many hats give her options for a solo game. Her mayoral status could be perfect for a simulator, and her singing and dancing would be great for a rhythm game. She hasn't appeared in many spin-offs yet, so maybe she needs her own solo career.
Athena Cykes (Ace Attorney)
Ace Attorney is full of memorable characters, but none more so than the various protagonists of the franchise. These Ace Attorneys think out complicated plans and counter-strategies on the fly. And with Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies, Athena Cykes joined as a new female protagonist. She has a major arc in the game, starring alongside the two other playable lawyers.
But then the next game pushed her into a supporting role, and then the two games after that took place in a completely different time period. For a character who was introduced to the series with such aplomb, she's taken a big backseat. There's still plenty more to do with her development and special hearing ability, so hopefully, Capcom utilizes her more next game.
Tifa Lockhart (Final Fantasy VII)
Vincent from Final Fantasy VII is an optional party member and has a spin-off game called Dirge of Cerberus. But it wasn't received very well. In contrast, Tifa Lockhart is one of the most popular characters in the game and among the first to join the player's party. Despite her prominence, she hasn't received the same courtesy.
Tifa is often brought up alongside Lara Croft when it comes to beautiful but important female characters from the Playstation One. Unlike Lara and Vincent, Tifa isn't a gunslinger. Her moveset would likely bring a brawler or fighter to the Final Fantasy VII Compilation games, and a game where Tifa beats people down would definitely get attention.
Sarah Kerrigan (Starcraft)
Sarah Kerrigan is perhaps the biggest stretch for "sidekick" on this list. She's a dark and terrifying antagonist from the StarCraft universe that makes the Zergs truly interesting. Her transformation from human to monster is a story for the ages, but she also debuted as a standard mankind unit before gaining this distinction, making her a supporting character.
But the truth is that StarCraft has stayed silent too long. There were plans for an action game in the franchise with a female protagonist that got canceled. Seeing either the protagonist of that game, Nova, or the Zerg's leading lady get their own solo title would be incredible. Kerrigan would be a solid pick for a game about a power-hungry villainess.
Mona Sax (Max Payne)
Max Payne is a sharply written series of shooters by the team at Remedy games. The series follows a hardcore NYPD detective in a noir-style thriller. The sequel introduced Max's co-op partner, a tough assassin named Mona Sax. She ended up not appearing in the third entry after her character was criticized in the Max Payne film.
But this was a shame because her character was great. She was a femme fatale archetype who felt mysterious and non-cliche, making her feel like a true companion to Max. A new game that focuses on her assassin history would be fun. Unfortunately, Remedy seems more interested in continuing the incredible Alan Wake series than Max Payne's universe at the moment.
Sherry Birkin (Resident Evil)
Resident Evil is full of sidekicks, and there's a good argument to be made that Ada Wong, the mysterious agent from 2 and 4, should be given her own solo adventure. Wong is very much best at her most mysterious, working as a sometimes antagonist sometimes friend. But there are other Resident Evil sidekicks who could be developed into full new protagonists, like Sherry Birkin.
Sherry actually was playable in Resident Evil 6, and despite that game's poor reception, fans did think the idea of bringing back Sherry was interesting. She is the daughter of William and Annette Birkin, two of the leading Umbrella scientists who create the games' zombie plague. Having their child have to deal with their impact is an extremely interesting plot point.
Morrigan (Dragon Age)
BioWare's Dragon Age series has a lot of great female companions, but Morrigan was not expected to be one of them. Her character traits were originally meant to make her unlikeable, but some combination of this, her gothic design, and vocal performance from Claudia Black ended up making her one of the franchise's most popular characters.
She debuted in Dragon Age: Origins but would also appear in Inquisition. In both games, she still exudes a sense of mystery. Getting to see what's behind that mystery could potentially be exciting for a game. But even if she never appears again, fans hope to see her in the upcoming Dragon Age 4.
Ciri (The Witcher)
Ciri is not technically a video game character. While the character from The Witcher III and the Netflix show is beloved, as with all Witcher characters, she's from a book first. That being said, the game incarnation from III was very iconic and beloved, inspiring in part the character's depiction in the show. Geralt's adopted daughter is a big part of his life but clearly has her own story.
Cirilla forgoes her political duties to become a Witcher, which is great. She comes with a set of goals already laid out for future game appearances. In the canon of the books, she goes off to have further adventures in Arthurian times. There are plenty of adventures that Ciri could have in The Witcher IV or a solo adventure.
Liara (Mass Effect)
Mass Effect is full of beloved shipmates, both male and female. Dr. Liara T'Soni is one of them: a tough young Asari who has one of the most expansive arcs in the franchise. Fans even say that Liara is the best companion in Mass Effect. She does stand out for her compassion and expertise on the Normany.
Liara is so popular she was one of the few trilogy characters to be referenced in Mass Effect Andromeda. This is because her Asari lifespan is so long that it allowed her to appear in that game's timetable. This is also how she could easily get her own solo adventure. Her long life means that she's certain to exist at many different points throughout the timeline.
Zelda (The Legend Of Zelda)
Despite The Legend of Zelda franchise being named for her, Zelda has never headlined a Zelda game. She's been playable before and been a major character plenty of times, but despite fan outcry and concepts and the flow of time, it remains to be true.
Since Zelda is a franchise that reinvents itself constantly, a Zelda-focused game doesn't have to use any established Zelda characters. Given how many there are, however, there's no shortage of possibilities. Skyward Sword and Breath of the Wild have Zelda's who grow into their power, while Twilight Princess and Ocarina of Time have more stoic heroines who are constantly working on counterattacks. One thing is for sure though, no matter the Zelda, fans would for sure be excited to play it.