Code Red

After enlisting into the Army of Red Mist, Mogul Khan rose through the ranks and established himself as a reliable warrior. While many of his enemies had supernatural abilities to fall back on, Axe relied on strength and rage alone. He could effortlessly tear through opposing armies, but his meteoric rise was equally attributed to his willingness to decapitate his superiors. By the time the war was over, all of the troops had been slain and Mogul stood alone as a proverbial one-man army. With no other candidates on the horizon, the savage warlord declared himself the Red Mist General and took the ultimate title of “Axe.” He was a commander without troops, but this didn’t bother him in the slightest. Much in the same way that his honorific title reflects his fighting style, his red skin is indicative of the blood-soaked carnage he creates.

Most of the characters on this list are naturally red, but there is a more interesting explanation for Hakan’s unusual color. Incidentally, the Turkish strongman is a proud practitioner of oil wrestling. As you may have guessed, this pastime requires him to apply liberal amounts of oil to his person. While there are many benefits to having a slippery body, there are also potential drawbacks. The hot Turkish sun effectively bakes the oil into his exposed skin, leaving him with a tomato-red complexion. While his opponents occasionally reference his unusual tan, Hakan doesn’t let it dissuade him. Oil wrestling is the national sport of Turkey, after all, and Hakan wants to promote it around the globe. He happens to own one the largest cooking oil companies in the world, so he can literally bathe in the stuff without breaking the bank.

Pikmin are mysterious creatures with plantlike features. After they’re plucked from the ground, they become loyal companions and willing foot soldiers. Whether they’re locating essential equipment, unearthing hidden treasure, or battling fantastic beasts, there’s no task too tall for the little guys. They may be small in stature, but they’re big on adventure! Pikmin are most effective when they work together, and the series is constantly reminding us that there’s strength in numbers. There are different types of Pikmin too, and they each have their own traits. Red Pikmin are resistant to fire, for example, and they’re much stronger than their blue and yellow counterparts. They’re also the first Pikmin that we were introduced to, so they’ll always have a special place in my heart. When I envision a Pikmin in my mind, I invariably think of the Red Pikmin.

The central premise of Angry Birds involves launching wingless birds at various structures in order to retrieve stolen eggs. Nothing about the game was especially innovative, but it came around at a time where smart phones were just starting to take off. The masses were clamoring for simple games that utilized touch-screen controls, and this help turn Angry Birds into a multi-billion dollar franchise. Although the series includes birds of various colors, Red was the first bird that gamers were introduced to and the only one that was available in the earliest levels. He was also prominently featured in most of the marketing materials, and he has been specifically described as the angriest bird of them all. No color is more strongly associated with anger than red, so it makes sense for a red cardinal to be chosen as the face of the franchise.

Among Us is a social deduction game that could be likened to popular tabletop games like Mafia and Secret Hitler. The object is to identify suspected imposters who are trying to sabotage their crewmates on an interstellar spaceship. Roles are randomly assigned at the beginning of each game, and there are no visual cues that make the impostors stand out. The astronauts are virtually identical aside from their colors, and the game makes no effort to establish unique personalities. Red happens to be the default color, however, and this gives them a higher level of visibility both in and out of the game. Red impostors are more common than any other color, and this is reflected by the countless Among Us memes that were generated after the game exploded in popularity during the pandemic. The red impostor was everywhere in 2020.

The star of Konami’s Parodius series is known by many names. In Japan, he’s Tako, but some international fans know him simply as Octopus. He’ll also answer to Mr. Parodius, and he likes being recognized for his heroic deeds. Although Tako is largely defined by his eccentricities, his story is fairly typical. Like so many others, he pursued a career in comedy, fell flat on his face, and then decided to make a name for himself on the other side of the galaxy. Along the way, he became the sworn enemy of a cosmic entity that had the power to devour dreams. Tako enlisted help from other Konami characters to protect these dreams, and he has been held as a hero ever since. His children eventually became the focal point of the series, but Tako always finds a way to stay in the spotlight. He also makes frequent guest appearances in other Konami games.

The Red Arremer from Ghosts ‘n Goblins was the first video game character who inspired rage within my soul. It was impossible to decipher the winged demon’s erratic patterns as he flew around the screen. Although they were ostensibly minor enemies, a Red Arremer named Firebrand was given his own spinoff series, dubbed Gargoyle’s Quest. It’s no fun to be on the receiving end of his attacks, but his various abilities made him a versatile protagonist. We’re talking about an ancient gargoyle who can fly, breathe fire, and latch onto walls with his claws! Red Arremers were originally intended to steal quarters from children, but at least one of them turned out to be a compelling hero in their own right. He might have been ranked even higher on this list if not for the fact that he’s sometimes depicted as orange rather than red.

Blinky (known as Akabei in Japan) was one of four ghosts who pursued Pac-Man in his first outing. Although the ghosts were pallet swaps of one another, they each had their own programming. Blinky was the most aggressive antagonist by far, and he’d always target Pac-Man directly. While the other ghosts had a tendency to meander around, Blinky kept his eyes on the prize, and his speed would actually increase in lockstep with Pac-Man’s progress. Blinky was painted as an ill-tempered bully in later appearances, and he was also depicted as the leader of the ghost gang. Although he’s not especially complex, nobody on this list has appeared in more games than he has. Blinky was also the first red video game character who made any real impact, and I’d be hard-pressed to think of any red character who preceded him.

Kazooie is a red-crested breegul who resides in Banjo’s backpack. Although she’s often viewed as a mere sidekick, she’s clearly the brains of the operation. Banjo is well-mannered and agreeable, but he’s a little slow in more ways than one. Kazooie keeps things balanced with her razor-sharp tongue, and she’s constantly cracking wise. Their personalities compliment each other perfectly, and the same could be said of their abilities. Banjo has remarkable strength, but the bear and bird are most effective when they work in tandem. Kazooie can fly, climb steep slopes, and attack enemies with her wings. She can also shoot eggs out of both ends! Not everyone will appreciate her sarcastic personality, but it’s hard not to admire her virtuosity. Banjo and Kazooie are the greatest duo in gaming history, but they also deserve individual recognition.

I had mixed feelings about Knuckles when he was first introduced. I had no idea what an echidna was (or how to pronounce it), and I hated the way he’d laugh after catching Sonic in a trap. My respect for him was diminished even further when it was revealed that he was being manipulated by Robotnik. At the same time, I was intrigued by his gliding abilities and thought it was cool that he could scale walls with his spiked gloves. Even though he was a idiot, he proved to be a worthy rival. Much in the same way that red and blue are contrasting colors, Knuckles was all-but-destined to bump heads with Sonic. The color red is often associated with wild tempers, and this is certainly true of Knuckles. Strangely, he would have been purple if not for the fact that focus groups overwhelmingly favored red. Maybe democracy isn’t so bad after all!