1. Pac-Man
There's a Japanese legend about a creature that eats monsters to keep children safe, and Pac-Man is its virtual incarnation. The 1980 game is set in a labyrinth and your Pac-Man creature must eat all the energy dots in order to complete a level. Unfortunately, ghosts roam the maze and threaten our valiant hero. Only an ephemeral power particle can make Pac-Man stronger than the ghosts.
The great achievement of the game was that the character personalised the entire video game industry. Pac-Man merchandising rivaled Star Wars , with the yellow creature plastered on clothes, toys, food, and stickers.