Shack Chat: Which video game character would you draft number one overall?

There are a number of sports/entertainment drafts coming up this week. Between the NFL Draft and WWE Draft, we’ve got ourselves plenty of star players moving around. That gave the Shack Staff a moment of pause. If there was a video game character draft, who would be our number one picks? With that in mind, the staff each share their prime candidates and why. Check it out below!

Question: Which video game character would you draft number one overall?

Link - Ozzie Mejia, On the Clock

I had to think hard about this, because the criteria for the best player on the board is not only who has the best skill, but who has the most potential. Based on what I've seen out of Tears of the Kingdom, I remain convinced that there's just no beating Link, the hero of many generations. He's saved time, he's fought the moon, he's conquered his nightmares, and he's saved Hyrule dozens of times over. He's even shown the potential to do so in different ways through games like Hyrule Warriors and he's shown the potential for complete reinvention through Breath of the Wild.

He's still the greatest hero that gaming has ever seen. Nobody should go ahead of Link.

Augustus Cole - TJ Denzer, Still on that Cole Train

Listen, it was really, really hard not to pick Bowser for this one. Putting aside the fact that he’s a bruiser that’s great for Defense and could probably carry the ball and two or three defenders into an end zone on his back, I just can’t let this list go without AAA gaming’s best sportman-turned-soldier. I don’t really have to tell you how good Gear's of War's Augustus Cole was at Thrashball; he’ll tell you himself at any given opportunity.

That said, I’m not just putting this man down as my pick because he knows how to brag. Did you see his return to the Thrashball field in his flashback scene in Gears of War 3? It’s there we saw the montage of his meteoric rise to stardom on the back of his sweat, blood, and perseverance… All to have it taken away by war. And yet he didn’t just call it quits. He turned his athleticism into the skills necessary to be a soldier and save what remained of the world taken from him, and damn if the skills didn’t translate well. The man can juke, block, run, and just as easily saw a Locust Grub in half while looking after his teammates.

He’s not just any old video game sportsman. He’s Hanover’s Favorite Son, Number 83, Cole Train.

Sonic - Morgan Shaver, Gotta go fast

I thought about this one for a bit, and could come up with no better first draft pick than Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic is fast, clever, and cool. Plus, Sonic has experience with sports games from Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, to Sega Superstars Tennis, to unreleased titles like Sonic Extreme (not to be confused with Sonic X-Treme) which was basically Sonic meets Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. The point is, Sonic has shown us time and time again that he can do absolutely anything. I mean heck, before there was a Mario movie, there were two Sonic movies that were impressively successful in their own right. And who knows, maybe Sega will actually give us a Sonic football game in the future.

Phantom Train (Final Fantasy 6) - Blake Morse, I Choo-Choo-Choose You

The Phantom Train already has a job carrying the souls of the dead to their final resting place, but I think it would make a great draft pick whether we’re talking NFL or WWE. A living train could play solid offense or defense on a Football team. You could hand it the ball and watch as it chugged its way into the endzone or put it on D and look on as it ran over the competition. It could play the psychological game too, perhaps using a ghost of an opponent’s dead grandma to trash talk or intimidate them.

If we’re talking WWE draft, this train already has some wrestling experience. As some may recall, you could use Sabin to deal the train a brutal suplex. So, we know that it has the potential to put on a show for an audience. I’m sure a giant, living ghost train would make quite the bombastic entrance into an arena as well. Perhaps it could roll in to the tune of Quad City DJs’ classic Ride the Train?

Master Chief - Sam Chandler, Flies like a brick

Master Chief might not be the fastest or the strongest, but he’s the luckiest. Sometimes when it comes down to the big game, you need luck on your side more than anything else. But more than lucky, John is a great leader. When you’re down and your chances don’t look good, you want a leader that can rally the troops, raise morale, and lead your team from behind straight into a clear victory. I want Master Chief on my team, regardless of what I’m doing.

Bo Jackson from Tecmo Bowl - Asif Khan, CEO/EIC/EIEIO

After thorough research and consideration, Shacknews is drafting Bo Jackson from Tecmo Bowl. He's a five-tool player who can help our team move the ball. Already a Shacknews Hall of Famer and a Pro Football Hall of Famer, Bo Jackson is a dynamic player who will help the team in a variety of different video game situations. Bo knows how to deliver results better than anyone else on our draft board.

My Guardian in Destiny 2 - Bill Lavoy, Conqueror

The more I think about this the more it makes sense, but I’m drafting my Guardian in Destiny 2. Think about it, even if my Guardian dies they can be resurrected, and they can wield powers of both light and darkness. My Guardian has killed gods, and wiped out almost the entire family tree of the Hive, which is what the Hive tends to do to others. My Guardian is also capable of invisibility, and can call a grappling hook out of thin air. If we’re talking about the NFL here, my Guardian can simply grapple onto an opponent streaking down the field to close the gap. There’s no better choice.

Akuma - Dennis White Jr., Community Manager

There’s nobody seeking to be the best with more dedication than Akuma. I originally considered Sonic but Morgan beat me to it! Ryu is also dedicated to seeking strength, which I appreciate, and he does have solid leadership skills but he doesn’t have the demon level of competitive drive that I would appreciate on my team.

I need a savage! That killer’s edge is important to closing out a game. Also I feel like Akuma would intimidate the other team pretty easily just by stepping on the field or court. And I know y’all have seen this man’s hangtime. The Satsui no Hado is the kind of competitive edge and commitment that I want on my squad. He’s so competitive that he even took over Tekken 7 and became a top tier character. Also, the Wrath of Raging Demon is better than any crossover or spin move so who’s stopping this man on the field? Hand us the trophy!

Deoxys - Donovan Erskine, Hoenn Champion

Deoxys has some of the highest stat distributions of any Pokemon, depending on which form it chooses to take. For the purposes of my football team, we’re going to rock with its Speed Form. Coming in at 5' 07" and weighing 134 pounds, Deoxys will probably be the smallest player on the field, but their speed will be unmatched. They’ll shoot out of the backfield like a cannonball and absolutely nobody will be able to catch them.

Super Mario - Steve Tyminski, It’s a me, the number one pick!

The NFL draft is this week and it makes you think what video game character would I draft first overall? It has to be someone who can build a company/team from the ground up and Nintendo has had a few folks like this. It’s close between Link and Super Mario but I have to give the nod to my guy from Brooklyn, Super Mario.

I have to compare Mario to a rookie quarterback in terms of saving a franchise. Super Mario Brothers came out at a time when video games needed it. Going into a tough situation and turning it around is like when a young quarterback goes to a bad team and finds a way to turn the franchise around. Mario has also been shown to be a multiple sports athlete so he could go first overall in just about any sport. He also has a good head on his shoulders, being able to open a plumbing business and star in a fun movie. I’d be on the clock for about two seconds if Mario was there at number one!

These are our #1 video game draft picks, but what are yours? Hit us with your answers in the Shacknews Chatty section below!

Shack Staff

Shack Staff stories are a collective effort with multiple staff members contributing. Many of our lists often involve entires from several editors, and our weekly Shack Chat is something we all contribute to as a group.