George Washington
With this holiday originally instituted to honor the birthday of the first President of the United States of America it is only right that this list gets kicked off by Mr. Washington himself. George Washington is no stranger to the world of gaming. He’s appeared in over a dozen video games including Bill and Ted’s Excellent Video Game Adventure, Age of Empires III, and Day of the Tentacle. But, it’s his appearance in Assassin’s Creed III that takes the birthday cake.
Assassin’s Creed III places you in 18th century America as the Revolutionary War is underway. You end up meeting quite a few historical figures, but over the course of your adventure you’ll run across George Washington himself. The developers at Ubisoft added a twist to history though in the DLC: The Tyranny of King Washington.
George Washington goes from a president to one of the greatest villains in gaming as he lets the Apple of Eden’s power corrupt his once respectable soul. The dark tones and amazing artwork helped push the first president to the top of an exclusive list that includes only the most sinister of enemies in all of gaming. To think that all it took was an apple to twist the very man that is celebrated today is enough to send a chill down anyone’s spine.
JFK and Richard Nixon
The zombie mode in recent Call of Duty games quickly grew to be one of the most loved multiplayer modes in gaming. There is just something special about teaming up with up to three friends to take down hoards of the living dead. Blasting away at anything that gets to close and unlocking some amazing weapons were only part of the charm though. The developers also included some interesting playable characters in order to mix things up and help form some pretty neat stories to lend to the mayhem.
It was only a matter of time before you were able to play as a president of the US of A. In the level “Five” you’ll able to control not only two famous U.S presidents, John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon but also Fidel Castro and Robert McNamara. It is now up to four of the most influential figures of the 60s to push back the best gun fodder in gaming as you try to defend the Pentagon.
It’s always cool to see historical figures in gaming, even if they do usually end up being an enemy. But, to be able to not only play as them but also blast the heads off of some zombies with none other than Fidel Castro at your side is nothing short of a gaming blessing.
Abraham Lincoln
When you think of Abraham Lincoln there are probably a few things that come to mind. Some may get a vision of one of the most recognized beards in history. Others may remember the absurdly tall top-hat and smile. There are many who will undoubtedly remember his stance against slavery and how he among many others helped to change the nation. But, how many will think of Abraham Lincoln and say he is one of their favorite gaming characters?
It turns out that there may be more people who feel that way than you’d probably believe. Abraham Lincoln happens to appear in a lot of video games, both as a NPC and in very special circumstances a playable character. He’s present in Civilization games, Fight Club as an unlockable character (but we can’t talk about that, first rule and all), Scribblenauts as a summon, and he is even the founder and leader of S.T.E.A.M., from the upcoming 3DS title, Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. But, none of his appearances can possibly bring a bigger smile that when you get to play as him in The LEGO Movie Videogame.
Flying around in your monumental seat, tossing your iconic hat and basking in your presidential awesomeness is sort of amazing when you’re in the form of a bright yellow mini-fig. The LEGO games are gaming greatness, so Abraham Lincoln gets an extra dose of cool points by extension.
You
Playing as an actual past president is great and all, but what about actually being the president? Sure there are games that allow you to form nations and in essence be the leader with whatever title you choose, but how many allow you to kick aliens in the testicles while leading the free world? Can’t think of one? Allow us to help you out by mentioning the over-the-top, presidential, alien hunting, Saints Row IV.
The Saints Row series put you in the shoes of your created gangster as you rise through the ranks and become the boss. When being the boss of a now world famous gang wasn’t enough, obviously the next logical step was president of the entire country. Of course the hard working folks over at Volition weren’t going to allow your presidency to go smoothly. Enter Zinyak and his destructive ways and you now have one the ultimate battles in gaming history as you fight to save your city and of course, the rest of the world.
What makes this particular president extra worthy of being on this list is the fact that it is really you. The customization puts many other games to shame allowing you to create an avatar you’d be more than proud of leading a nation with. Putting your stamp on the game and on history makes you the best president in gaming ever.
Are there any presidents in gaming that you feel are deserving of a spot on this list? If so feel free to share below.
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