Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably have noticed how video games have significantly impacted pop culture and modern technology over the last few decades. And their impact on the fashion industry is quite reputable if we do say so ourselves. Here at Game Goat, we absolutely love everything that involves gaming and fashion, that’s why we decided to list down who we think are the top 5 most fashionable icons in gaming! We bet you’ll never have guessed who’s in the number one spot.
5.CJ (GTA: SAN ANDREAS)
“Ah, sh*t here we go again…”
At first glance, gamers wouldn’t really consider CJ from GTA: San Andreas to be a fashion Icon. With his buzz cut, plain white tank top, and baggy blue jeans, you might actually even mistake him for an NPC. So how come this fan-favorite character made it to this list you ask?
It’s quite simple really. It is due to the fact that CJ was the first ever fully customizable character in the Grand Theft Auto Series. Simply walk into a clothing store of your choice and TA-DA your main character is now fully swagged out to the nines. What’s also cool about customizing CJ is that what you wear can actually affect the game. For example, if you wear green (which is CJ’s gang color) you’d get more respect points. Riding (or flying with a jetpack) around the streets never looked this good. Except until GTA V came out.
4. Cloud Strife/Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII)
The Emo Boys are at it again.
This was a tough one. We couldn’t decide who was way edgier than the other. But both of these characters brought a breath of fresh air to the Final Fantasy franchise. These boys would swing their massive swords with style and finesse and still look like K-pop idols after each fight. Cloud specifically had a major glow-up when Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children was released back in 2005.
When that happened, every gamer, anime fan, and emo kid wanted to look like him. it was every cosplayer’s dream to be Cloud Strife. The spiky hair, the monochromatic clothes, the flowing waist cape thingy. It was just majestic. Sephiroth on the other hand was just simply immaculate. The long silver hair, the one feathered wing on his back, the black coat, and the silver shoulder pads really carried him well. No wonder he was considered the most attractive man in the game. The gloves fully came off when Final Fantasy VII remake came out in 2020 and made the whole world fall in love with Cloud and Sephiroth.
3. Solid Snake (Metal Gear Series)
“Snake? Snake? Snaaaaaaake!!!”
When Metal Gear Solid came out a few years ago, Solid Snake was nothing more than some colored pixels mashed together. These days he’s known more for being that brooding guy who wears an eye patch and smokes cigars. His signature headband and beard combo are also what makes him such an iconic-looking character. Combine all of that with an arsenal of different camouflage and you’ll end up with a character who can literally blend in with his surroundings while looking like such a badass doing it.
On top of that, he also carries around a tuxedo in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Just in case he needed to look extra suave before taking down his enemies. Not even Revolver Ocelot could keep up with his suave. Solid Snake’s most iconic look however probably peaked in Metal Gear Solid 2 with his blueish-gray body suit. It was what his future looks would be based on and we’re all still here for it.
2. Link (The Legend of Zelda Series)
The protector of Hyrule
Much like Solid Snake, Link started out as an orange and green pixel blob. It wasn’t until 1998 that we first saw our hero in his iconic emerald garb that everyone knows and loves so much. From that point onwards, we just kept getting better and better versions of Link. From Majora’s mask all the way to Breath of the wild, Link has been sporting the craziest outfits.
Although one could argue that Link’s outfits all look the same and just had changes in color, Breath of the wild definitely changed that. In the popular Nintendo Switch game, he was actually shown to be wearing a new blue outfit which truly resonated with the game’s calm vibe. Another cool aspect of the game was the ability to customize your armor. Not only are you able to switch armor sets, but you can also visit a dye shop in Hateno village that allows you to dye different parts of your armor for even more customization.
Honorable Mentions
Before we get to the number one spot, we wanted to give these amazing characters a quick shoutout as these characters were also considered to be on this list for their excellent fashion senses.
Kratos (God of War Series)
The Ghost of Sparta originally had a single look in the early games where he simply donned his skirt and sandals alongside his iconic ashen skin and red tattoos. But when God of War (PS4) came around, his iconic look was upgraded to give him that good ol’ daddy vibes by rocking a solid new shoulder pad and he actually wears pants this time around. And that beard? Wow.
And although he did have alternate costumes in the previous games, it didn’t make quite an impact as his modern look did. Except maybe for the spud of war. That was just hilarious.
Lili (Tekken Series)
Who could ever forget the first time that they laid their eyes on Ms. De Rochefort? Once she starts her opening scene before the battle begins you’d just instantly fall in love. Her yellow hair, the pristine white outfit she wears so elegantly. All the while she’s kicking everybody’s asses. She is the definition of pure beauty and brawn.
Loba (Apex Legends)
Loba from apex legends was an absolute stunner from the get-go. Her silver staff, red hair, high heels, and white suit were so iconic that so many people including famous influencers tried to recreate the iconic look. She definitely brought the sass and fashion to the next level in Apex Legends.
1.Sora (Kingdom Hearts Series)
“My friends are my power”
The top spot of this list is taken by none other than the protagonist of the beloved video game series “Kingdom Hearts”. Sora and his iconic outfit have gone through a lot of changes over the past few years. In the original Kingdom Hearts, his outfit resembled the colors of his youth (White, Blue, Red, and Yellow) while in the later games, his outfit started to lose some of its colors in favor of a more monochromatic look. The outfit still looks pretty amazing and fitted his personality more as he matures throughout the series.
Aside from the fact that he has a great fashion sense with all the straps and chains and whatnot, the fact that he is also able to adapt his clothes in each world he visits is pretty darn amazing too. For example, his whole attire for whenever he visits the town on Halloween was just so spot on. And that Tron outfit from Kingdom Hearts 2? Sheesh. Sora wasn’t ever afraid to try different outfits and styles and that alone easily puts him on the top spot of this list.
So there you have it folks, our picks for the top 5 fashion icons in the world of gaming. Check out our previous article to learn more about the future of fashion in gaming. Don’t forget to check out all of our social media channels for more content like this!
