In 2026, the plumber’s 45th anniversary and the archeologist’s 30th, among those of other legends, commemorate the era that laid the foundations of the industry and transcended into popular culture
They’ve never all appeared together at once, except on lists of video game legends., surely, in the dreams of some gamers. They would certainly make a peculiar group: a mustachioed plumber, a fearless archeologist, a lightning-fast hedgehog, a warrior and a princess, a monkey in a tie, a marsupial in jeans and a strange yellow rodent. Outlandish, to those unfamiliar with them. But for those who know of their existence, these creatures are global icons.
In 2026, they’re celebrating with milestone birthdays: Mario and Donkey Kong are turning 45; ZeldaLink will be 40; Sonic turns 35, while members of a younger generation will be 30: Pikachu, Lara CroftCrash Bandicoot. Indeed, this year is a true tribute to an era of unbridled creativity – the one that invented the first icons of consoles and computers. It’s also a reminder of the industry’s progress to this day., incidentally, it’s an opportunity to ask how they transcended the screen to leave their mark on popular culture… and why other video game celebrities have barely managed to do so since then.