4 Gaming Mascot Makeovers That Literally No One Liked August 28, 2025

Gaming mascots, or mascots in general, are commonplace in media, representing the face of a company in either the eyes of the corporation themselves or in how the audiences grow to associate them with. A key flavor to a dish, something that is not easily forgotten, they’re important to have. With a couple examples being Nintendo with their flagship series, Super Mario, or Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse.

While they represent a lot of good in the name of these gaming studios, sometimes transitions happen that go unfavored. Changes to the formula that represent more of the bad than the good, damaging the positivity these loveable characters have given to the world. Here are just a few notable examples of gaming mascots that went horribly wrong.

These Gaming Mascots Are Here For A Good Time And  A Long Time, So Lets Get It Together!

#1. Sonic

Though he appears to be thriving now, there was once an era of Sonic that was dreadful to fans of the beloved blur blur. As SEGA would announce the Sonic Boom line, that would go on to redesign a lot of the main cast and virtually reboot the world into something… different. Giving off a more Crash Bandicoot or Ratchet & Clank sort of look, removing a lot of the flair Sonic had as a creation of both Japanese and American workers.

This would become associated with a lot of bad the series was damaged with, releasing the terrible Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric, and having an infamous yet somewhat funny TV series that at least was a lot more fond to remember. It did a lot to ruin the brand, yet somehow would last what felt like a decade but was really only from 2014 until 2016. It would become a side show that even SEGA would wish to forget in favor of promoting the more beloved Paramount films.

#2. PAC-MAN

While he is getting to tag along with the blue blur for a collab these days, the yellow pac had a very distinctly disgusting period. Featuring a design that would be featured in the Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures TV series, our beloved jolly sphere sported a rather hideous design. With a rebooted story and characters that felt rather off to the more iconic visuals of the past.

Many fans at the time wanting, and thankfully getting a more return to the days of PAC-MAN World with the original look many are familiar with. The Ghostly Adventures design would only be featured in a small handful of games, with a couple platformers released for the Nintendo Wii U that were rather by the numbers boring titles.

Unlike many, it can be said this did not really impact the brand all that much given the series has been more widely viewed as a novelty arcade experience with a pizza puck and pixel graphics–those that cared immensely for the series were distraught at the thought this would last any longer. Even in the case of PAC-MAN’s appearance to Super Smash Bros., developer Masahiro Sakurai had even considered dropping the character entirely if Namco were to insist on the redesign.

#3. Crash/Spyro

Both featuring rather similar eras as each other, almost like fate that maintains these two share similar lives, both received a redesign during the mid-PS2 era to PS3 that have otherwise largely been forgotten. With Crash’s redesign coming from Crash of the Titans in 2007, and Spyro’s with in 2006 in The Legend of Spyro. Featured in fairly underwhelming gaming experiences, these two video game stars were doomed to be shelved after the failure of these makeovers–not receiving a return until their respect remakes.

Though, unlike Crash, at least Spyro would continue for a little longer as a remembered character in Skylanders–being another redesign that has turned off Spyro the Dragon fans as well. These two would not have it together as Crash has been deemed dormant ever since the failure of Crash Team Rumble, and Spyro having not seen a game after the Reignited Trilogy.

#5. Banjo & Kazooie

This could be counted as the fifth, but since his story is a little different from the orange marsupial and purple dragon, its fair to consider this the fourth major gaming mascot makeover no one liked. Though there has been interest from the developers of Crash Bandicoot 4 towards the existence of a Banjo-Kazooie revival.

The release of Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts would go down in infamy for so many reasons. As at the time it would mark the first substantial Rare release after the Microsoft purchase in September 24, 2002, taking away Banjo’s initial home with Nintendo. It would also stray from the traditional formula of Rare’s hits on the Nintendo 64, focusing on building and driving vehicles around a town. While it would also make fun of itself, deeming the original two entries as something of a joke–almost demeaning to fans of those classics.

Ever since the release of that game too, the series has continued to remain dormant. While the others have at least had a chance of some revival to even straight up revitalized altogether, the bear and bird duo are still waiting for a chance to go on another adventure. At the very least, they would reunite with their Nintendo family in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as well as re-releases of the N64 titles on the Nintendo Switch Online service.

While an honorable mention could be made to a certain devil hunter or even blue robot, they were not nearly as damaging to the core of the series as the ones listed above. With many deeming the former’s appearance in gaming to not be too bad in the grand scheme. In an age now where old gaming mascots are strangely returning from the grave, even those not well liked to begin with, maybe future makeovers can prove a better success.