Lara Croft has been named the most iconic video game character of all time at the 20th Bafta Games Awards.

Tomb Raider's Lara Croft has unearthed a new treasure: the title of most iconic video game character of all time! BAFTA's recent player poll, held to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the BAFTA Games Awards, saw Lara Croft emerge victorious, beating out legendary contenders like Mario and Agent 47.

The 20th BAFTA Games Awards ceremony wasn't just about celebrating Lara's win. Shelley Blond, the original voice actress who brought Lara to life in 1996, even presented an award! This reunion between Croft and her voice is a delightful cherry on top for fans.

"She's gone from being very pointy and childlike in drawing to very filmic," says Shelley Blond, the actress who voiced the original Lara, speaking to the BBC.
"What is so iconic about Lara Croft is the fact that she is a female lead in a video game,"
"She's all about girl power and female empowerment. She's at the forefront, she is what the adventure is."
"The direction I got in the studio was she's a female Indiana Jones,"

In a fan face-off, Lara Croft triumphed over gaming icons like Mario and Sonic to claim the title. The original Tomb Raider game sparked a massive franchise, encompassing numerous sequels, blockbuster films featuring Angelina Jolie, and even an upcoming Netflix series.

While the speedy blue blur, Sonic the Hedgehog, came in fourth, Mario wasn't far behind, landing the second-place spot. Following them were Agent 47 from Hitman at number three, and LittleBigPlanet's adorable Sackboy rounding out the top five.

Rounding out the impressive top 10 were gaming legends like Link (The Legend of Zelda), Master Chief (HALO), Kratos (God of War), and the newcomer Shadowheart from Baldur's Gate 3. According to BAFTA, over 4,000 passionate gamers worldwide cast their votes through the organization's website.

BAFTA Top 10 Most Iconic Video Games Characters, TOP 10

Lara Croft, Tomb Raider
First introduced to the world in 1996 in Tomb Raider for the Sega Saturn, Lara Croft has appeared in over 15 games, three films, multiple novelisations and comic book adaptations, and an upcoming Netflix animated series.

Mario, Super Mario
One of the most senior characters on this list, Mario was created in 1981 - not as the star of his own series, but as a player character in the first instalment in the Donkey Kong series. From humble beginnings, he has appeared in over 200 video games, two films, and numerous other multimedia adaptations.

Agent 47, Hitman
A genetically-enhanced clone with a penchant for murder, Agent 47 made his video game debut in 2000's Hitman: Codename 47. Since then, he's killed his way across screens both big and small, appearing in over ten games, two novelisations, and two live-action film adaptations.

Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic
Sonic the Hedgehog sprinted his way into the hearts and minds of fans worldwide in 1991 as the star of Sonic the Hedgehog for the Sega Genesis. He has appeared in over 100 video games as both a main character and supporting cast, as well as starring in several TV shows and two films, with a third slated for release in late 2024.

Sackboy, LittleBigPlanet
One of the most customisable characters on this list, Sackboy made his video game debut in 2008 as the star of Sony's LittleBigPlanet to instant critical acclaim. He's since starred in all six LittleBigPlanet mainline games, as well as making an appearance in numerous other game franchises as everything from a playable character to an adorable easter egg.

Pac-Man, Pac-Man
This little yellow hockey puck has appeared in over 50 games and has made appearances in innumerable other trans-media properties.

Link, The Legend of Zelda
The silent protagonist of the Legend of Zelda franchise, Link has appeared in 20 games in the series, as well as starring in his own animated series and multiple comic book and manga adaptations.

Master Chief, HALO
Full name Master Chief Petty Officer John-117, this Spartan super-soldier appears in six games in the HALO franchise. He appears as the main character in three of the 19 HALO novels, as well as in the 2012 film Halo 4: Forward Until Dawn and the 2022 HALO television series.

Kratos, God of War
From murder-hungry Spartan warrior to protective parent, Kratos has appeared in eight games in the God of War franchise. He's also made appearances in two comic series, three novels, and in several games outside the God of War franchise.

Shadowheart, Baldur's Gate 3
One of the youngest characters on this list in terms of release date, Shadowheart charmed her way into the hearts of players worldwide with the release of 2023's Baldur's Gate 3.

Lara Croft through the years

28 years on, Tomb Raider has evolved and the Lara Croft character is noticeably less sexualised - the hotpants have gone and her breasts have shrunk.

Check out some Tomb Raider cosplay.

Tomb Raider beat expectations

Ian Livingstone CBE, who launched Tomb Raider when he was executive chairman of Core Design's parent firm Eidos, said nobody expected the game to be as successful as it was.

"I think we had budgeted 100,000 units... and we ended up selling 7.5 million units of the first Tomb Raider. Lara Croft became arguably as iconic as James Bond did in films."

Lara Croft Way, Derby UK

Part of a ring road in Derby was named after Lara Croft in 2010