It’d be impossible to truly capture all those vocal moments in a short-written piece, but we are going to jog the memory banks of many of you out there as we celebrate some of the greats.
Duke Nukem 3D
Duke Nukem may be the perfect example of the hero outliving their legacy and becoming the villain. In an era of compassion and understanding, his machismo and political incorrectness have led down a road he may never recover from, but one thing he had in spades was character… And IP theft maybe? This line was adapted from the 1988 movie “They Live,” but as a gamer, it belongs to the king in my books.
It’s time to kick ass and chew bubble gum… and I’m all outta gumDuke Nukem
Mario – Various
There’s something strange in the mushroom kingdom. Mario is seemingly able to do the undoable is literally incapable of navigation. It is inferred by the comment to follow that he simply lacks an understand of which place he should visit first. However, I am sure all gamers have heard this one before.
Thank you Mario! But our princess is in another castle!
BioShock
Bioshock is a series that needs no introduction, its success is truly great, and the franchise lauded by fans and critics alike. The story is one of its strong points and one phrase keeps rearing its head and ultimately plays a massive part in a massively successful game.
Would you kindly?Various, Atlas
Diablo
One of my oldest recollections of a popular catchphrase, this time uttered by an old and wise soul, that of Deckard Cain. Perhaps the older technology made it so that this line was so powerful in its repetition, perhaps it was the sense of trust we build with Deckard or his survival through the fall of Tristram, but none can debate that one of the most recognisable of all lines belongs to the Horadric Scholar.
Stay a while and listenDeckard Cain
Skyrim
Ok, we all know what is coming and we all knew it was coming anyways… Paarthunax’s… No OK for real we all know what’s coming, but what you might not know, is that you are quite possibly saying it wrong as it is frequently misquoted, the correct version is;
I used to be an adventurer like you, then I took an arrow in the kneeVarious Skyrim Guards
God Of War
I may be stretching my list of memes a bit far here, but this one is for real. Kratos was reborn in God of War, in a manner that was able to achieve the unbelievable and reinvent a blood thirsty, relentless terminator-like killing machine into a dad. Although it’s generally followed by something that gives it far more value, us gamers loved him for the consistent use and for being Dad-of-Boy.
BoyPapa Kratos
Street Fighter
Ryu is one of the most recognisable characters in gaming. He is one of the few characters that are likely to be recognised by and elderly individual who has never even played a game before. His translations haven’t always been spot on though and one translation has lived on infamously.
You must defeat Sheng Long to stand a chanceRyu
Mass Effect 3
Commander Shepard has his fair share of ups and down in the Mass Effect series, but the most incredibly dark and real comment does not belong to him. Javik does not have near the same amount of fame as Commander Shepard, but his story is tragic, complex and memorable and his doomed existence unnerving at times.
Stand in the ashes of a trillion dead souls and ask the ghosts if honor matters. Their silence is your answer.Javik
Far Cry 3
I love the fact that Far Cry has an arsenal of devastatingly good characters at its disposal throughout all their games, but Vaas was one that we all couldn’t get enough of. Although he isn’t even the main villain in the game, he was the one that will come to mind whenever we speak of Far Cry 3, by the way…
Did I ever tell you what the definition of insanity isVaas
Final Fantasy 8
With the Final Fantasy 7 release just around the corner, many Final Fantasy fans will be enjoying a giant I told you so as they brag about Final Fantasy 7 being the best (it is.) It’s not without real competition though, as Final Fantasy 8 is a constant contender to its throne and would make for an amazing remake. The protagonist Squall holds his own as brooding protagonist, but it’s his sensitive moments that you never quite forget, here is one you can tell a loved one today still.
I'll be here. I'll be waiting for you. If you come here, you'll find me. I promiseSquall Leonhart
There are so many other great one liners that still send shivers down my spine and we can make endless lists about it and each one be just as fun and lovable, but these ones deserved remembering.
