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!

Super Metroid
Super Metroid
Final Fantasy VI
Final Fantasy VI
Metroid
Metroid
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.
Metroid II: Return of Samus
Metroid II: Return of Samus
Ms. Pac-Man
Ms. Pac-Man
Streets of Rage 3
Streets of Rage 3
Clock Tower
Clock Tower
Panel de Pon
Panel de Pon
Freddi Fish and The Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds
Freddi Fish and The Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds
Clu Clu Land
Clu Clu Land
Phantasy Star
Phantasy Star
Pocky & Rocky
Pocky & Rocky
Umihara Kawase
Umihara Kawase
Flicky
Flicky
Puyo Puyo
Puyo Puyo
Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge
Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge
Morrigan undebatably replaced Demitri as lead mascot character after 1
Freddi Fish 2: The Case of the Haunted Schoolhouse
Freddi Fish 2: The Case of the Haunted Schoolhouse
City Connection
City Connection
M.U.S.H.A.
M.U.S.H.A.
Puyo Puyo Tsuu
Puyo Puyo Tsuu
Monster World IV
Monster World IV
Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon
Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon
Phantasmagoria
Phantasmagoria
Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon
Disney's The Little Mermaid
Disney's The Little Mermaid
Gunbird
Gunbird
Pocky & Rocky 2
Pocky & Rocky 2
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
Magical Pop'n
Magical Pop'n
The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery
The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery
"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."

-ZapRowsdower
Alisia Dragoon
Alisia Dragoon
Battle Mania Daiginjou
Battle Mania Daiginjou
Mario & Wario
Mario & Wario
TECHNICALLY as the player, you control Wanda and assist Mario indirectly.
Cotton: Fantastic Night Dreams
Cotton: Fantastic Night Dreams
Psycho Soldier
Psycho Soldier
Popful Mail: Magical Fantasy Adventure
Popful Mail: Magical Fantasy Adventure
Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: Another Story
Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: Another Story
The Legend of Valkyrie
The Legend of Valkyrie
Panorama Cotton
Panorama Cotton
King's Quest VII: The Princeless Bride
King's Quest VII: The Princeless Bride
Balloon Kid
Balloon Kid
Super Valis IV
Super Valis IV
Advanced Busterhawk Gleylancer
Advanced Busterhawk Gleylancer
Athena
Athena
GG Aleste
GG Aleste
Cotton 100%
Cotton 100%
Legendary Wings
Legendary Wings
michelle heart is the technically P2 and doesn't appear heavily in the original promo material but post-release crossover media always features her over her male counterpart
The Ninja Warriors
The Ninja Warriors
cursor defaults to kunoichi on character select and she's most prominently featured in box art
Disney's Pocahontas
Disney's Pocahontas
Magical Chase
Magical Chase
King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella
King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella
Zelda's Adventure
Zelda's Adventure
Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon R
Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon R
Barbie: Super Model
Barbie: Super Model
Valis III
Valis III
Magic Knight Rayearth
Magic Knight Rayearth
El Viento
El Viento
Trouble Shooter
Trouble Shooter
Rolling Thunder 2
Rolling Thunder 2
Mugen Senshi Valis: The Fantasm Soldier
Mugen Senshi Valis: The Fantasm Soldier
Power Strike II
Power Strike II
Barbie
Barbie
Ginga Fukei Densetsu Sapphire
Ginga Fukei Densetsu Sapphire
Arrow Flash
Arrow Flash
The Ninja Warriors
The Ninja Warriors
Kunoichi is P1 in arcades, don't know about cd ports
Twinkle Tale
Twinkle Tale
Jill of the Jungle
Jill of the Jungle
Hellfire
Hellfire
pc-engine version
Keio Flying Squadron
Keio Flying Squadron
Pulstar
Pulstar
The Great Giana Sisters
The Great Giana Sisters
Burning Force
Burning Force
Time Gal
Time Gal
Super Star Soldier
Super Star Soldier
Disney's Ariel: The Little Mermaid
Disney's Ariel: The Little Mermaid
Cleopatra's Fortune
Cleopatra's Fortune
Ranma ½: Chougi Ranbu-hen
Ranma ½: Chougi Ranbu-hen
KiKi KaiKai
KiKi KaiKai
Valis II
Valis II
Kendo Rage
Kendo Rage
Battle Golfer Yui
Battle Golfer Yui
Keio Flying Squadron 2
Keio Flying Squadron 2
Wonder Momo
Wonder Momo
Advanced V.G.
Advanced V.G.
Layla
Layla
Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy
Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy
The Colonel's Bequest
The Colonel's Bequest
Quartet
Quartet
Mary is the default P1 character in the Master System version
Crystal's Pony Tale
Crystal's Pony Tale
Sanrio World Smash Ball!
Sanrio World Smash Ball!
Wiz 'n' Liz
Wiz 'n' Liz
Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Super S: Fuwa-fuwa Panic
Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Super S: Fuwa-fuwa Panic
Chop Suey
Chop Suey
The Fairyland Story
The Fairyland Story
The Dagger of Amon Ra
The Dagger of Amon Ra
Valkyrie no Bouken: Toki no Kagi Densetsu
Valkyrie no Bouken: Toki no Kagi Densetsu
Dahna: Megami Tanjou
Dahna: Megami Tanjou
Blades of Vengeance
Blades of Vengeance
Hyper Iria
Hyper Iria

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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