Pink Video Game Characters for Breast Cancer Awareness

It's been a couple years now since my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was a miracle they found it so early (especially since they were serving their mission in Northern Canada at the time). So now I make a pink-related blog post every year in October. My mom isn't the geeky type, but then again she's already aware of the risks of breast cancer anyway. This year with my kids loving the Super Mario Galaxy movie, I thought pink video game characters would be a good place to go this year.

Princess Peach

Naturally, I have to start with Princess Peach. The kidnapped princess of the Super Mario Bros games. She's the subject of the quote "Your princess is in another castle". In North America, she was originally known as Princess Toadstool to fit the mushroom theme. We finally got in line with Japan when Princess Peach returned in Super Mario 64. She's become more than a damsel in distress in the years that followed. In the Mario Kart games, she's a formidable racer. In Super Smash Bros, she became a melee fighter, armed with a frying pan, an umbrella, and a Toad. In the two animated Mario movies, she's a sassy and fearless heroine with a mysterious past, finally learning of her older sister Rosalina.

Pinky

I'd heard before that the Pac-Man ghosts have names, but I'd forgotten. In preparation for this post, I was reminded that the only pink enemy of the dot-muncher is literally named "Pinky". Obviously there isn't much backstory in the original Pac-Man arcade games, but spin-off games and material have built on Pinky's character. That's getting pretty deep into a two-dimensional character (literally) even for me. 

Kirby

The pink copycat alien was once my go-to on Super Smash Bros. The fact that he inhales his opponent to copy their powers is almost comical. He's a whimsical pink blob (not to be confused with Jigglypuff) who basically flies around space on a shooting star. In the cartoon series, his main foe is King Dedede in "monster of the week" episodes. Back to Super Smash Bros, one of my favorite Kirby forms (at least in the original) is probably Samus.

Birdo

First appearing in the late 80s, Birdo could be a pink Yoshi at a first glance. Unlike the lovable green dino, Birdo is not friendly to Mario and his friends. At least not usually. While Birdo is often an unique character, like Yoshi, the term can also be used to refer to the species. In addition to throwing eggs as projectile weapons, Birdo can sometimes suck an enemy towards her and steal their energy, kind of like a Yoshi/Kirby mashup. While not a playable character on Super Smash Bros (yet), the pink dinosaur has made plenty of cameos in the crossover franchise. However, she is a playable character on Mario Kart and other Mario spin-off games. Final note: Birdo made a cameo among the minor villains in the Mario Galaxy movie.

Amy Rose

Though only a brief cameo at the end of the third Sonic movie, Amy Rose is set to appear in the fourth movie (voice by Kristen Bell). The pink hedgehog has been part of Sonic's crew since the early 90s. In her first appearance, she was kidnapped (not unlike Princess Peach) by Metal Sonic. Since then, she's been a playable character in spin-off games and she's a major player in many of the Sonic cartoons. She's Sonic's self-appointed girlfriend and will hammer smash anyone who says otherwise. My first-grader already can't wait to see her in the next movie.

Jigglypuff

Any number of pink Pokemon could go on this post (see my previous post for more of those). However, Jigglypuff has become iconic enough to be mentioned again. As a recurring character in the Pokemon anime for a long time, she was a comical addition to the show. And as I said before, my respect to anyone who plays Jigglypuff in Super Smash Bros and extra respect for anyone who plays her well (except this one guy in my ward--he's evil when playing Jigglypuff).

I'm sure there are plenty of other video game characters that could be spotlighted. I'll leave the list there for now (maybe do more next year) but in the meantime encourage those you love to keep alert with their health. the American Cancer Society recommends women start screening for breast cancer in your early 40s. If your family has a history of breast cancer, you can often start earlier. And men, it's possible for us to get breast cancer too. Rarer, but possible. So hug your loved ones and all the prayers to any of you going through the cancer battle (personally or with a family member).