As a lover of anything cute, I’ve spent some time compiling a list, in no particular order, of some of the cutest mascots in gaming. Be it because of their design or mannerisms, these are the absolute sweethearts that deserve to live in the limelight. I tried to limit my choices to company mascots but got confused along the way, so if you don’t see your favourite, maybe they’ll show up in a later article!
This is a personal list; there has been no official ranking (that I know of), and if your opinion differs, I’d love to hear why.
1. Sackboy – Sony Interactive Entertainment
LittleBigPlanet just exudes charm with its handmade visuals. Perhaps its most charming facet is its main character, and the mascot of the PS3, Sackboy. Sackboy has plenty of attitude, plenty of facial expressions, and quite honestly, unremarkable style. Sackboy is cheeky, his dance moves cannot be rivalled, and he is just a bag of sunshine.
As a crafter myself, I wholeheartedly appreciate the love put into creating Sackboy’s design. This guy has made me want to learn how to knit on numerous occasions. Unfortunately, knitting hasn’t quite clicked with me yet—though I did buy some new knitting needles to try again today—but I do have a crochet pattern for him. Maybe I’ll make him one day and share it on our Discord.
2. AstroBot – Sony Interactive Entertainment
Sony KNEW they did something right with Sackboy. That’s probably why their next mascot looks incredibly similar to him, albeit a bit more robotic. Maybe it’s the square-ish head and big round eyes, maybe it’s the dangly arms and legs, maybe it’s Maybelline… Whatever it is, the design makes me squee whenever I see him doing something that’s not just standing straight. Who am I kidding? I find joy in his neutral pose, too!
I’ve been intending to pick up the AstroBot games, purely so I can see how sweet he is in-game. Our Riley is a big fan of this little guy, and one of his games actually made it on their Game of the Year list in 2024. But because I haven’t played his games yet, I’m not sure if his personality lives up to the likes of my baby Sackboy. I really shouldn’t compare the two, it’s just hard not to when they’re so similar visually and were birthed from the same company.
3. Inutamago – HAL Laboratories
A show of hands, please. Who knew the dog with eggs had a name? Not me! Even though I wasn’t aware it had a name, I always had a soft spot for the little doggy, and funnily enough, I didn’t see it on a Kirby game, but Pokémon Snap. Anyone who knows me personally knows how much I adore Pokémon Snap, so whenever I saw the little dog on the screen, I knew we were in for a good time.
There is something so endearing about seeing a dachshund sleeping with and taking care of a bunch of eggs. I cannot think of a more perfect surrogate mother than a sleepy doggy. Or did it lay the eggs? Who knows? Maybe the designer does. Maybe you do! If you do, please let me know in the comments.
4. Nyabraham Lynnyahn – Koei Tecmo
I don’t know who this man is. I came across him whilst researching for this article, but he is absolutely adorable. A red and white cat with a blue blazer, top hat, and a green bowtie? Yes, please. Give me 100. Apparently, he’s the mayor of the official product website, Gamecity, as voted for by the members of Koei’s fan club.
He’s designed like the Samurai Cats, which are characters in the game of the same name. This game wasn’t released in the West but is a mobile and browser game in Japan, Taiwan, and China. I don’t know, guys, he’s really cute. He gives me Jibanyan vibes, and I love Jibanyan… I should’ve put Jibanyan on this list. Oops!
5. Hachisuke – Hudson Soft
… It’s a bee. Bees are cute.
The bee is the mascot of Hudson Soft, who developed games like the Mario Party series, Bomberman, and Excite Bike. Hachisuke is also the mascot for Hachisuke TV, a Japanese television channel that is currently owned by Konami, who, unsurprisingly, make video games, so the bee stays.
Like you’ll see in my next entry, I am an enjoyer of plants and by proxy, I love little buzzy bees, which makes this mascot perfect to grab my attention. What I didn’t know before researching Hachisuke was that his design, and the company’s name, were inspired by the Hudson Hornet car.
6. Chuck the Plant – LucasArts
I know plenty of you will argue that the mascot for LucasArts is the gold guy, but can you get anything more endearing than a houseplant? Some people say yes… I say nay, you cannot! As a lover of anything and everything green (besides fuchsia), Chuck the Plant is a great mascot to put in front of my eyes. What started as a joke in the LucasArts office, Chuck has made many cameos in the company’s creations, usually having a change in appearance but always taking the form of a potted houseplant.
Next time you play a LucasArts game, see if you can spot Chuck in the background somewhere… Actually, next time you play ANY game, see if you can spot a form of him somewhere. Many games have paid homage to Chuck the Plant, some of which are the Ace Attorney series, TES III: Morrowind, and Psychonauts.