From Mario to Donkey Kong: the gaming icons who dominate the web

Decades since certain video game characters saw the light of day. Et, however, their popularity does not weaken in the hearts of players around the world. Between the unparalleled notoriety of Mario, the icons of an era that are less visible today and the emblems of modern times, discovery of the 10 most popular characters on digital platforms.

 

The studio Galaxsys a dévoilé in January 2026 and rapport on video game charactersanalyzing 25 icônes of the sector. The studyWho relies on multiple online platforms, followed hashtags Instagram for fan content, posts TikTok for viral trends, videos and channels YouTube for creator activity and monthly online searches for general interest. Characters earned an overall engagement score based on their combined popularity across these platforms.

 

Mario, the video game icon

 

Mario is undoubtedly the most popular video game character. After being a simple guest in Donkey Kong (1981), Nintendo’s mascot must wait Mario Bros. in 1983 – first game in which he is the hero – to become a true symbol of pop culture. He generates 19 million Google searches per month. On Instagram, the Italian mustachioed plumber appears in 6.6 million publications, and on TikTok, users have shared 2.5 million videos around his adventures. YouTube is not left out: 1.6 million videos and 330,000 channels are dedicated to it. A true source of inspiration, Mario oscillates between nostalgia and modern creation and is appreciated from generation to generation. This finds itself in 2026 at the heart of a second animated film – after Super Mario (2023), Super Mario Galaxywhich is directly inspired by the video game launched in 2007.Â

 

 

If Mario dominates searches, Pikachu also reigns on social platforms. The Pokémon mascot counts 9.6 million hashtags on Instagram and 3.1 million on TikTok. The Pikachu phenomenon can be explained by a long-term strategy: an accessible universe, endearing characters and an ability to appeal to several generations. Even on YouTube, Pikachu is omnipresent with 1.1 million videos and 256,000 channels.

 

Sonic the Hedgehog (le hérisson) comes in third position, with 13.4 million Google searches per month. Le hérisson bleu a réussi à maintenir une présence constante grâce à sa capacité à se réinventer. On InstagramSonic totals 5.5 million hashtags, an angry TikTok, 2.3 million videos are dedicated to him. YouTube, for its part, has 1.2 million videos and 314,000 channels dedicated to the character.

 

 

“Pac-Man has remained iconic, but it has not evolved in the same way…

 

Pac-Man occupies a special place in this ranking. Far from viral phenomena, this 1980s character stay most searched on Google with 83.8 million monthly searches. A figure which underlines the historical impact of the game and its place in popular culture. On Instagram, Pac-Man appears in 1.7 million posts, but he is less present on TikTok (218,300 hashtags) and YouTube (147,000 videos).

 

“Younger readers may not recognize Pac-Man in this ranking, but it’s one of the most beloved video game characters of all time. It was one of the first games to reach the general public, not just gamersand everyone loved its simplicity and fun. Mario followed a similar path afterward, but Nintendo continued to build on its franchise for decades and made it into something even bigger. Pac-Man has remained iconic, but it has not evolved in the same way… a commenté Hayk Sargsyan, PDG de Galaxsys.

 

 

In fifth place, is located Kratosheroes of the saga God of War. With 1.4 million searches per monthit doesn’t reach the numbers of the retro icons, but it displays a strong presence on social platforms. The character is mentioned in 1 million Instagram posts, 764,700 hashtags on TikTok, 671,000 YouTube videos and 119,000 channels dedicated to his adventures.

 

Jinx, Arthur Morgan, Kirby…

 

The ranking is completed by Jinxiconic figure of League of Legendswhich boasts 2.3 million Google searches per month and a strong social presence with 1.3 million Instagram hashtags and 1.9 million on TikTok. Its popularity can be explained by a striking visual universe and a very active community on YouTube (211,000 videos, 63,000 channels).

 

Seventeenth, Arthur Morganheroes of Red Dead Redemption 2embodies the rise of narrative gaming with 597,000 monthly searches and 796,300 TikTok hashtags, while it has 407,000 videos on YouTube.

 

Kirbythe pink mascot of Nintendoappeals to all generations with 2.6 million searches and 1.7 million Instagram hashtags, but also 202 000 vidéos YouTube. 

 

En neuvième position, Lara Croft, l’cult adventurers from the saga Tomb Raider stay tuned (10.8 million Google searches per month) and maintains a solid presence on Instagram (856,000 hashtags) and YouTube (172,000 videos). The upcoming release of a new series adaptation on Prime Video with the British Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones, X-Men…) in the title role may also have something to do with it. Filming is also expected this spring.

 

 

Finally, the barrel-throwing monkey, Donkey Kong – visible in the previous animated film Super Mario – closes the top 10 with 5.7 million monthly searches, and lasting popularity on social networks (782,000 Instagram hashtags, 157,000 YouTube videos).

 

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Featured Photo: Unsplash