There’s no shortage of kingdoms in video games. The tale of saving the land from insurmountable odds is such a common story trope that you can apply it to many game settings. For this list, we are focusing on the people that rule those lands. Whether they’re good leaders, badass fighters, or charismatic speakers, it’s always great to see a strong royalty character. Here are the 10 best video game royals.
Best royalty characters in video games
Emily Kaldwin
Emily Kaldwin is the Empress of the Empire of the Isles in the Dishonored series. We first meet her as a young girl who is kidnapped following the assassination of her mother, Jessamine. In the sequel, she is grown up and a playable protagonist. Depending on how you play through both games, we can see Emily be a calm and collected leader or a ruthless killer who eliminates all threats voraciously. Hopefully, we will see a third Dishonored game someday and can see where her journey takes her next, even with the Outsider gone.
Hero of Brightwall
The Hero of Brightwall is your created character in Fable 3. Taking him or her on a journey that sees you escape your older brother’s tyrannical power to turn around and take over the throne for yourself was a really cool dynamic in the Xbox 360 days. You got to make very important decisions that affected Albion, plus you had all of the good and evil morality stuff that the Fable series is known for.
King Bob-omb
As much as Bowser and Peach are the definitive video game royals of the Mario series, we can’t help but love King Bob-omb. Making his debut in Super Mario 64, this was the first boss and star of that game. He stands on top of his hill in Bob-omb Battlefield, waiting to defend his star from Mario. One of our favorite things as a kid was throwing him from the top and seeing him leap unfathomable heights to get back up top. He’s made a few guest appearances, including in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and was a playable character in Mario Golf: Super Rush, so we’re not the only ones that enjoy seeing this large Bob-omb get more screentime.
Kitana
Kitana is the Princess of Edenia and the love interest for Liu Kang in the Mortal Kombat series. With how much Mortal Kombat likes to change up its timelines, her role has shifted a lot throughout the years. That said, she has always remained a ruthless fighter who knows how to cut down the competition with her bladed fans. The dynamic between her and her “sister” Mileena is always an interesting one we see play out in the games and seeing her actually take the throne and lead was a nice change in MK11.
Noctis Lucis Caelum
Noct is the heir to the Lucian Throne and the main playable character in Final Fantasy XV. While we think his combat skills are extraordinary and love his ability to warp around the battlefield when throwing his weapons, he wouldn’t make it on this list if we didn’t go on a massive journey alongside his party. His friends help raise him into the more confident leader he becomes by the end of the game, and he is definitely the person we see the most growth from on this list. We love seeing a royal who is willing to change for the better.
Prince of All Cosmos
The Katamari series Prince of All Cosmos might have it the roughest out of all the video game royals. His father routinely bosses him around to clean up all of his messes, including when he drunkenly destroys a bunch of stars. This small little lad then gets tasked with pushing a Katamari ball around to gather objects and other things that then get thrown into the sky and become stars. Regardless of the situation, the Prince always finds a way to roll up enough stuff to help out the cosmos.
Sidon
Sidon is the Zora prince of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Age of Calamity, and Tears of the Kingdom. He has a smile that will brighten anyone’s day, and his determination and willingness to help Link and protect his people is what earns him a spot on this list. We have seen Sidon’s bravery played out in various ways across all three games, and while it is unlikely we will see him again with this chapter of the series being closed, we will never forget him.
Wyll Ravengard
Wyll is Baldur’s Gate 3’s Warlock party member and the son of the city’s Grand Duke. When nearly an adult, he sacrificed his soul to the devil Mezora to prevent a group of cultists from summoning Tiamat and destroying Baldur’s Gate. However, his pact with Mezora prevented him from speaking about the cult, so he was banished by his father. Throughout the journey, Wyll is always looking to do the right thing, constantly willing to sacrifice himself for others, including being turned into a devil if he doesn’t kill Karlach.
Zagreus
Zagreus is the Prince of the Underworld and the main character of Hades. Highly charismatic and determined to escape the Underworld to be with his mother and the other gods of Olympus, he puts himself through tons of combat trials as he is continually killed and revived back in the House of Hades. Seeing Zagreus push through his father’s armies as he works his way through the various levels of Hell is a display of determination unlike any other.
Zelda
Princess Zelda is easily one of the notable video game royals. She’s so iconic, her series is named after her, even though Link is the hero who goes through countless journeys. We joke because every battle with Ganon requires both her and Link to be front and center for protecting whatever timeline version of Hyrule they are in. There are many versions of Zelda we have seen throughout the years, and just about everyone has a different favorite. Whether it is the cheery one in Skyward Sword, the curious one in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, or the one going under disguise as Sheik in Ocarina of Time, these princesses have been through it all.
