The Best Video Game Dads of All Time | Ode to Father’s Day
Not All Father's Day Heroes Wear Capes
Fatherhood in video games is usually either absent, traumatic, or deeply cursed. But every now and then, a digital dad rolls a nat 20 on emotional resilience and shows us what it really means to put family first (even if that family is an army of Koopalings or a mutated baby daughter).
This list isn’t about the strongest, coolest, or most meme-worthy dads (though some do check all those boxes). These are the ones who put their families first, made the hard choices, and sometimes *gasp* even learned to love.
Here’s our definitive ranking of the best dads in gaming, judged on emotional strength, selflessness, chaotic parenting energy, and the ability to throw hands when needed.
What Makes a Video Game Dad Actually Good?
“Good” is subjective, but it’s my damn list so I’ll use whatever criteria I want. BUT, just for transparency’s sake, here’s what I consider the qualities of a worthy video game papa:
Selflessness: Putting others’ wants and needs before their own.
Emotional strength: Not just brute force, but mental resilience.
Love in whatever form: Whether it’s a bedtime story or a war axe, love is love.
Sacrifice: When the world ends, they make sure their kid doesn’t go with it.
5. Lee Everett | The Walking Dead
Zombie apocalypse? No problem. Raising a kid who’s not yours? Legendary.
Lee wasn’t Clem’s dad by blood, but that didn’t matter.
He protected her, taught her, and died to make sure she could live. It’s rare to see a character arc go from “prisoner with a past” to “most emotionally available father figure in gaming,” but Lee nailed it.
Image: Lee Everett | The Walking Dead | Skybound Entertainment
He showed strength through patience, compassion, and an iron will that kept Clem safe even as the world fell apart. Forget headshots; this man made us cry in 1080p.
4. Bowser | Super Mario Bros.
Single dad. 8 kids. No child support from Peach. Absolute legend.
Yeah, Bowser’s technically the villain, but let’s talk real dad stats. He’s out here wrangling Larry, Morton, Wendy, Iggy, Roy, Lemmy, Ludwig, and Bowser Jr. – and while Nintendo may have tried to retcon the Koopalings into “minions,” any real fan knows that Super Mario World canonically made him a full-time dad.
Image: Bowser and Koopalings | Super Mario World | Nintendo
Sure, he kidnaps princesses and wages war on plumbers, but at the end of the day?
He’s building castles for his kids. Respect.
3. Barret Wallace | Final Fantasy VII
Eco-terrorist with a heart of gold (and a gun for an arm).
Barret fights Shinra with the fury of a father who’s trying to make the planet better specifically for his daughter, Marlene. His methods? Wild. His love? Undeniable. He’s rough around the edges, emotionally volatile, and occasionally negligent…but that’s what makes him real.
Image: Barrett Wallace | Final Fantasy VII | Square Enix
Barret reminds us that being a dad means fighting for a future your kid can live in, even if that means blowing up a reactor or two. It’s for the good of the planet, right?
2. Ethan Winters | Resident Evil 7 & Village
Just a regular guy…until someone took his baby. Then he became a walking nightmare for everyone involved.
Ethan doesn’t start out as a hero. He’s just a dude. But the second his family’s in danger, he goes full horror protagonist. Loses a hand? Glues it back on. Gets impaled? Shrugs it off.
Fights freakish monsters, undead villages, and literal mold gods just to get his daughter back.
Image: Ethan Winters | Resident Evil Village | Capcom
The Resident Evil universe may be full of bioweapons and lab-grown chaos, but Ethan’s dad energy cuts through it all like a chainsaw.
1. Kratos | God of War
From rage-fueled godslayer to emotionally stunted superdad who unlocks empathy.
Kratos is the poster child for emotional evolution. The man went from smashing Greek gods for fun to coaching his son Atreus through grief, survival, and growing up with divinity in his veins.
Image: Kratos | God of War | Sony Interactive Entertainment
He doesn’t always get it right, but that’s the point.
He’s trying. He’s present.
He’s painfully aware of his own past and dead-set on making sure Atreus doesn’t repeat it. Critics and fans alike praised his arc for turning a one-dimensional anger machine into a three-dimensional dad with depth, restraint, and fatherly wisdom tucked between some badass axe throws.
“Do not be sorry. Be better.” — Peak dad line. Frame it.
Honorable Video Game Dad Mentions
Rost (Horizon Zero Dawn) – Raised Aloy in exile, died so she could live. Literal top-tier tutorial dad.
Harry Mason (Silent Hill) – Walked through a waking nightmare to find his daughter. No notes.
Big Daddy (BioShock) – No words, just drills and undying protection.
Sojiro Sakura (Persona 5) – From “grumpy café man” to “actual support system.” Low-key MVP.
King Rhoam (Zelda: Breath of the Wild) – Okay, ghost-dad’s delivery was trash, but the sentiment was…fine, I guess?
Who’s Your Favorite Pixel Papa?
I think this list is pretty solid, but who did we miss? Who was done dirty by Nintendo lore?
Who’s your #1 dad and why is it Bowser?
Sound off in the comments, share with your group chat, or pretend to go call your real dad while he’s out getting the milk and tell him he could never solo mold monsters like Ethan.
And if your favorite didn’t make the list — maybe he’s still out there, glitching into parenting greatness.
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