who was the first real person depicted in a game?

[Ed Oscuro]

The first game that popped into my head was One on One (Bird vs. Dr. J).

1986, isn't it? I've got that one lying around somewhere (PC version), thrift find...About the same time as Bad Dudes vs. Dragonninja, maybe a year later (another real person reference, or two, as one version has Ronnie and another has Bush).

I'd like to find out more about this Fonz.

Just one off the top of my head: the British Group THE THOMPSON TWINS released a Sinclair game on an LP. I kid you not. Link: link. Great for originating the lines "And, what a surprise, having deafened my family recording it onto tape on our dodgy stereo, when the game finally worked, it was crap. Bloody stupid Eighties floppy haired inumerate Chesterfield talentless ponces."

As for Hitler no Fukkatsu/Bionic Commando with SUPER JOE!!!1 - Kung Fu was a much earlier FC title anyhow, with (again) Bruce Lee in it as the title character. There's a bunch of PC-Engine games with real likenesses...er, Bruce Lee and that game about poop jokes with the two Japanese comedians, and...well as you can see, that's a whole ton!

Sanshiro Segata SHIKENYUGI may be way at the end of this list, but somehow that game seems like it should be the daddy of all real-person games. Come on, it's like Mr. T became Japanese and started selling video games and recording his own music. How bad is that?

[Ed Oscuro]

Actually I think it was Prince of Persia to capture human movements, which was based of a classic "Nights of Arabia" 1930's flick

Well, Jordan Mechner's own game Karateka used rotoscoped slides of his karate instructor doing various moves (I believe he used a Super 8 camera) - whoever that guy was.

[Aswald]

It could be Larry Bird and "Dr. J." in "One-On-One Basketball."

[Ed Oscuro]

It could be Larry Bird and "Dr. J." in "One-On-One Basketball."

Not to be rude, but that's already been mentioned in at least two posts.

I think that one possibly counts for first licensed use of sports figures...I read something along those lines a while back; it's certainly the first well known one. But first person used in a game? Nah.

[NeoZeedeater]

The first game that popped into my head was One on One (Bird vs. Dr. J).

1986, isn't it?

I don't know about every port but it first came out in 1983.

[allsport11]

Yeah, I'd have to go with Journey Escape too. Sweet game. I wish they made a console version of it. I used to play that game alot in the arcades. Journey was the hottest band there was at the time around here. You always had to stand in line to play that game, and you always had people breathing down your neck when you played it, but it was totally worth it.

Actually there is the Atari 2600 version of it such as it is.

[Aswald]

It could be Larry Bird and "Dr. J." in "One-On-One Basketball."

Not to be rude, but that's already been mentioned in at least two posts.

I think that one possibly counts for first licensed use of sports figures...I read something along those lines a while back; it's certainly the first well known one. But first person used in a game? Nah.

Sorry- just got back. I generally like to answer a question after just reading a question, so your "first hunch" isn't forgotten.

[Ninja Blacksox]

i'm not sure i would count hitler anymore, he's essentially become an iconic figure more than a real person. its almost like saying the devil represents a real person, i know there was a real hitler but he's been so...you know what i mean.

now the fonz, hmm thats pretty damn good. obviously the fonzie was only real in the sense that he was played by henry winkler. still though it was a living person at the height of their fame. historical figures i just dont see having the same situation..

Wait wait wait.

Adolf Hitler, a real person who lived and walked on this earth doesn't count...

...But Fonzie, a television character, does?

Wow.

Wrap your head around THAT, people.

-A Boy

[christianscott27]

i dont doubt the reality of a person named hitler, although personally i prefer the fonz both suffered from short man syndrome anyways.

[Iron Draggon]

i'm not sure i would count hitler anymore, he's essentially become an iconic figure more than a real person. its almost like saying the devil represents a real person, i know there was a real hitler but he's been so...you know what i mean.

now the fonz, hmm thats pretty damn good. obviously the fonzie was only real in the sense that he was played by henry winkler. still though it was a living person at the height of their fame. historical figures i just dont see having the same situation..

Wait wait wait.

Adolf Hitler, a real person who lived and walked on this earth doesn't count...

...But Fonzie, a television character, does?

Wow.

Wrap your head around THAT, people.

-A Boy

! Haven't you heard? Hitler is like Jesus now. Alot of people believe that he was a real person, but many people have their doubts about whether it's possible that such a person could've actually existed. Yeah, there's the relics that would seem to indicate that he did indeed exist, but those could all be any guy with a funny moustache, alot of people had them, they were a fad.