Lead female protagonists predating Lara Croft

trying to avoid games where there are multiple playable characters and the girls are treated as secondary to the lead male(s). if one is mentioned here, it's because a factor of the game treats the female character(s) equally or more prominently than the male(s) - featuring them in the title and/or box art, shared presence in marketing materials, making them the P1 option by default, etc.

i'm sure i've only scratched the surface. recommend me any i've missed!

Metroid
Metroid
Metroid II: Return of Samus
Metroid II: Return of Samus
Super Metroid
Super Metroid
Balloon Kid
Balloon Kid
Ms. Pac-Man
Ms. Pac-Man
Mario & Wario
Mario & Wario
TECHNICALLY as the player, you control Wanda and assist Mario indirectly.
Alisia Dragoon
Alisia Dragoon
Mugen Senshi Valis: The Fantasm Soldier
Mugen Senshi Valis: The Fantasm Soldier
Valis II
Valis II
Valis III
Valis III
Super Valis IV
Super Valis IV
M.U.S.H.A.
M.U.S.H.A.
GG Aleste
GG Aleste
Power Strike II
Power Strike II
Arrow Flash
Arrow Flash
Final Fantasy VI
Final Fantasy VI
Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon
Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon
Zelda's Adventure
Zelda's Adventure
Wonder Momo
Wonder Momo
Burning Force
Burning Force
Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy
Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy
Flicky
Flicky
Clu Clu Land
Clu Clu Land
City Connection
City Connection
Popful Mail: Magical Fantasy Adventure
Popful Mail: Magical Fantasy Adventure
Time Gal
Time Gal
KiKi KaiKai
KiKi KaiKai
Pocky & Rocky
Pocky & Rocky
Pocky & Rocky 2
Pocky & Rocky 2
Trouble Shooter
Trouble Shooter
Battle Mania Daiginjou
Battle Mania Daiginjou
Pulstar
Pulstar
Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge
Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge
Morrigan undebatably replaced Demitri as lead mascot character after 1
Super V.G.
Super V.G.
TW///

I excluded V.G. as a series because the series' conceit is that it's a porn game with markedly rape-y strip scenes when a character loses. Super V.G. removes these entirely, and it's pretty tame with those gone, though there's no real way to distance the console versions from their exploitative PC siblings. Play at your own discretion.
Advanced V.G.
Advanced V.G.
Barbie
Barbie
Barbie: Super Model
Barbie: Super Model
Disney's The Little Mermaid
Disney's The Little Mermaid
Disney's Ariel: The Little Mermaid
Disney's Ariel: The Little Mermaid
Disney's Beauty and the Beast: Belle's Quest
Disney's Beauty and the Beast: Belle's Quest
Disney's Pocahontas
Disney's Pocahontas
Cotton: Fantastic Night Dreams
Cotton: Fantastic Night Dreams
Cotton 100%
Cotton 100%
Panorama Cotton
Panorama Cotton
Madou Monogatari I: 3tsu no Madoukyuu
Madou Monogatari I: 3tsu no Madoukyuu
Madou Monogatari II: Arle 16-Sai
Madou Monogatari II: Arle 16-Sai
Madou Monogatari III: Kyuukyoku Joou-sama
Madou Monogatari III: Kyuukyoku Joou-sama
Puyo Puyo
Puyo Puyo
Puyo Puyo Tsuu
Puyo Puyo Tsuu
Magical Pop'n
Magical Pop'n
Twinkle Tale
Twinkle Tale
Magical Chase
Magical Chase
Little Magic
Little Magic
The Fairyland Story
The Fairyland Story
Freddi Fish and The Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds
Freddi Fish and The Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds
Freddi Fish 2: The Case of the Haunted Schoolhouse
Freddi Fish 2: The Case of the Haunted Schoolhouse
Quartet
Quartet
Mary is the default P1 character in the Master System version
Phantasy Star
Phantasy Star
Umihara Kawase
Umihara Kawase
The Ninja Warriors
The Ninja Warriors
Kunoichi is P1 in arcades, don't know about cd ports
The Ninja Warriors
The Ninja Warriors
cursor defaults to kunoichi on character select and she's most prominently featured in box art
Athena
Athena
Psycho Soldier
Psycho Soldier
Momoko 120%
Momoko 120%
Ninja Princess
Ninja Princess
Monster World IV
Monster World IV
Streets of Rage 2
Streets of Rage 2
Fringe case? Axel is the designated white male protag but Blaze is purported to be the leader and character that initiates the team's call to action in both 2 and 3's story.

Also notable to me bc a lot of early action games (hell, most today) give women weaker offense and defense stats, but blaze is actually the game's all-rounded character.
Streets of Rage 3
Streets of Rage 3
Blades of Vengeance
Blades of Vengeance
Magical Drop II
Magical Drop II
Justice and World are both notable mascot characters and the rest of the cast is prominently female ala Puyo
Ranma ½: Chougi Ranbu-hen
Ranma ½: Chougi Ranbu-hen
Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon
Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon R
Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon R
Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: Another Story
Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: Another Story
Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Super S: Fuwa-fuwa Panic
Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Super S: Fuwa-fuwa Panic
Panic in Nakayoshi World
Panic in Nakayoshi World
Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon S: Kondo ha Puzzle de Oshioki yo!!
Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon S: Kondo ha Puzzle de Oshioki yo!!
HOW DID THE SUPER FAMICOM HAVE SO MANY SAILOR MOON GAMES
Hellfire
Hellfire
pc-engine version
Ginga Fukei Densetsu Sapphire
Ginga Fukei Densetsu Sapphire
Chop Suey
Chop Suey
The Berenstain Bears: Camping Adventure
The Berenstain Bears: Camping Adventure
On the title screen, sister bear is the default 1P option
Devil Hunter Yohko
Devil Hunter Yohko
Valkyrie no Bouken: Toki no Kagi Densetsu
Valkyrie no Bouken: Toki no Kagi Densetsu
The Legend of Valkyrie
The Legend of Valkyrie
Kendo Rage
Kendo Rage
Makeruna! Makendo 2: Kimero Yokai Souri
Makeruna! Makendo 2: Kimero Yokai Souri
Asuka 120% Burning Fest.
Asuka 120% Burning Fest.
Asuka 120% Maxima Burning Fest.
Asuka 120% Maxima Burning Fest.
Natsuki Crisis Battle
Natsuki Crisis Battle
Seifuku Densetsu Pretty Fighter
Seifuku Densetsu Pretty Fighter
El Viento
El Viento
Anett Futatabi
Anett Futatabi
The Wing of Madoola
The Wing of Madoola
Panel de Pon
Panel de Pon
Top Banana
Top Banana
Cleopatra's Fortune
Cleopatra's Fortune
Gunbird
Gunbird
Advanced Busterhawk Gleylancer
Advanced Busterhawk Gleylancer
Keio Flying Squadron
Keio Flying Squadron
Keio Flying Squadron 2
Keio Flying Squadron 2

4 Comments


1 year ago

This is not the list we deserve, but the one we need.

1 year ago

Umihara Kawase
Chop Suey

1 year ago

how the fuck did i forget umihara oh my god -

1 year ago

For some more Sierra games,

Phantasmagoria 1

The Lara Bow Duology (The Colonel’s Bequest and Dagger of Amon Ra)

Pepper’s Adventure in Time

Gabriel Knight 2 (Admittedly a bit debatable but 2 elevates Grace to playable main character status with around equal playtime compared to Gabe and she does a lot of the legwork of solving the mystery of the plot.)


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