Favorite Failed Mascot Character?

[SpaceHarrier]

For every Mario, there is a Plok. For every Sonic, there is a Radical Rex.

I'm going with just a general definition of "failed" here, it doesn't mean a game did or didn't reach a particular sales figure, just that the character was obviously meant to latch on to a particular trend and never really caught on. Also by "mascot character" I mean anything created to be iconic of it's particular development or publishing company. (Not so much Polygon Man.) Some characters, such as Megaman, have become indelible parts of our gaming culture. Many others have faded away, lost to popular culture, though maybe even after a sequel or two...

So who is your favorite failed mascot?

[Sergeant Sega]

My favourite has to be Croc, I would love a sequel to the next-gen consoles :)

[-_-Nintendo-_-]

Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel was pretty damn awesome.

[Deadpixels]

Dynamite Headdy is a favorite of mine.

Also, Sparkster from Rocket Knight Adventures is a very overlooked character.

[lanemeyer]

Not sure Headdy was ever supposed to be a mascot. Don't get me wrong though... he kicks ass... Not sure Treasure even has a mascot... maybe one of the Gunstar Heroes.

How about Blinx (Xbox). I'm pretty sure they were pushing him for mascot material. That cat never really caught on.

[captainfrieza]

Croc and Crash Bandicoot.

[Nophix]

Mega Man... Seriously, have you seen what has been coming from that franchise as of late??

Otherwise, VooDoo Vince was pretty cool.

[Matt-El]

Aero the Acrobat I believe is one of the more significant third party games that wasn't quite as developed for. We've got 1 and 2, Zero, and the remakes for GBA. But not too much in the way of it really catching on.

[skaar]

Captain Commando!

[diskoboy]

KC Munchkin for the O^2.

He wasn't necessarily a failure... But the Atari lawsuit destroyed his chance of true success.

Fortunately, he managed to make one comeback, then rode off into the sunset, never to be heard from again.

[Deadpixels]

Not sure Headdy was ever supposed to be a mascot. Don't get me wrong though... he kicks ass... Not sure Treasure even has a mascot... maybe one of the Gunstar Heroes.

How about Blinx (Xbox). I'm pretty sure they were pushing him for mascot material. That cat never really caught on.

Yeah, I agree, though after seeing many nods for characters like Croc and others, I felt him a fitting choice.

[ronclon]

Captain Quazar.

[Aussie2B]

That's hard to say since most mascots that didn't catch on met that fate because their design and their games weren't that great to begin with like Bubsy and Awesome Possum and what have you.

But in terms of a likable character with a great game, I'd say Sparkster takes the cake.

[Push Upstairs]

I don't know if he failed (he had 3 games) but I'm partial to Ty the Tasmanian Tiger.

[plastic]

Banjo Kazooie / Crash Bandicoot.

[Sword_Of_Vermilion]

Bonk, Zonk, and Keith Courage.:rocker:

[Sudo]

I'm going to go with Sparkster.

[BobaFettHotep]

i really liked ristar

[ryborg]

Captain Commando!

What he said.

[djbeatmongrel]

He didn't have a game but he should have stuck around:

Segata Sanshiro

[ssjlance]

By far Sparkster from Rocket Knight Adventures. Kickass game, kickass character, kickass everything. And if Heddy was supposed to be a mascot, double for him.

[Cryomancer]

He didn't have a game but he should have stuck around:

Segata Sanshiro

Oh yes he did. Final game released for the Sega Saturn, it's a minigame collection. You can unlock the commercials by playing the game.

[SpaceHarrier]

Well, to answer my own query: Bubsy the Bobcat. I really enjoyed his first game. He was yet another 'mammal with attitude' but had some potential. I still wouldn't mind a come-back of sorts with level layouts similar to the first game. In 3-D. But not Bubsy 3-D.

From a purely design-standpoint, however I have to say Sparkster as well. Oh and a runner up for design to Game Freak's Pulseman.

[djbeatmongrel]

Oh yes he did. Final game released for the Sega Saturn, it's a minigame collection. You can unlock the commercials by playing the game.

i must acquire this game

[Battlehork]

Is Crash Bandicoot really "Failed"? They've likely sold more copies of Crash games than just about everything else mentioned combined.

[Poofta!]

sackboy.

[Kitsune Sniper]

Is Crash Bandicoot really "Failed"? They've likely sold more copies of Crash games than just about everything else mentioned combined.

Back in the old days, Crash was pretty much -the- mascot for the PS1, wasn't he? But nowadays... he's not. So while he was good at promoting the PS1, they stopped using him when he turned stale. I think he fits as a failed character.

As for Sparkster, he's back in the spotlight. He's in that Track and Field DS game!

[shivers]

General Custard from Custer's Revenge

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a6/CustersRevenge.jpg

[Tron 2.0]

;) http://www.emulationzone.org/projects/pixelwarehouse/sprites/ristar/ristar_walk01.gif

Ristar great game what could have been.

It's just a shame it came out at a time when the genesis was near the end of it's run.

Maybe if the game came out sooner it would became a serise.

[Famidrive-16]

Aero the Acrobat I believe is one of the more significant third party games that wasn't quite as developed for. We've got 1 and 2, Zero, and the remakes for GBA. But not too much in the way of it really catching on.

What's Zero?

[-_-Nintendo-_-]

What's Zero?

Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel, a spinoff from the Aero the Acro-bat series.

[Sudo]

What's Zero?

Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero_the_Kamikaze_Squirrel) It was a spinoff of the Aero games.

edit: Wow, how did I not see that post above mine. *_*

[Wraith Storm]

My favourite has to be Croc, I would love a sequel to the next-gen consoles :)

I completely agree!!! Croc was incredible when it was released. I remember getting it on Christmas for my Saturn. It had the perfect blend of Mario's moves and platforming gameplay and Sonic the Hedgehogs Ring Collecting\ Energy. By combining the best of both Mascot games they created an original and VERY well done game of their own.

I'm not sure why it never caught on. Probably because Croc 2 sucked balls.

[TonyTheTiger]

I realize I'm bending the rules a bit...but:

http://www.siliconera.com/news/0610/captainn.jpg

Hey, he was in a video game.

[Little Samson]

The Cheetahmen!

[BrYaN55]

Sparkster for me, by far!

Gimmick! for the Famicom wasn't supposed to be a mascot, but I find this character very lovable.

[James8BitStar]

Though sometimes I feel alone in this, I have always had a soft spot for Aero the Acrobat and Bubsy.

Seriously I don't get the hate--the first Bubsy game was actually pretty good, and Aero never once starred in a bad game. He just starred in too few.

[B - Mark]

My favorite Failed Mascot Characters:
- Alex Kidd
- Pit ( Kid Icarus )
- Sparkster ( Rocket Knight Adventures )
- Wonder Boy
- Opa Opa ( Fantasy Zone )

[RCM]

Neo from Super Magnetic Neo and NiGHTS, if I understand thread correctly.

[scooterb23]

Izzy from the 1996 Olympics. Even had the Izzy and the Quest for the Olympic Rings video game, but the second the games started...did you really see Izzy anywhere?

THat was a huge failure. It may only be tangentially related to the topic, but I think it fits.

[Ruudos]

Sparkster
Rad Gravity
Mr. Nutz

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

I've gotta split my vote between two examples of cocksure corporate hubris from the 80s here...

Kozmik Krooz'r - Midway was so sure we'd love this little guy that we got two games starring him simultaneously. Neither game was terrible, but neither game really took off either.

Winky - Exidy was so sure that Venture was going to be a hit that the attract mode screens are littered with (TM) trademark symbols next to everything - Winky, Hallmonsters, etc. Even the promotional literature for Venture stated that Winky would appear in future Exidy games (he didn't - guess a Hallmonster [TM, pat. pend.] got him!). Don't get me wrong, I love me some Venture, but it wasn't the kind of game that made me expect to see a lot more of Winky anytime soon.

There were lots of attempts to "manufacture" the next Pac-Man-sized success story in the '80s, but these two stuck out as a couple of the most blatant.

[Flashback2012]

Sparkster (Rocket Knight Adventures)
Opa Opa (Fantasy Zone series)
Ristar (Ristar)


There's others, but those are all that I can think of off the top of my head.

Edit: Woo, 100th post!

[darkhades]

Bonk and Sparkster

[j_factor]

Chuck Rock.

[tcv]

Is Crash Bandicoot really "Failed"? They've likely sold more copies of Crash games than just about everything else mentioned combined.

By the same token, is "Bonk" really a "failed mascot?" It was quite successful. NEC was not, however...

Anyway, my vote is for Frogger when he was reimagined into some kind of Hipster Doofus Amphib.

[MrSparkle]

gex all the way. never played any of the new 3d ones but the first one rocks.