1. Lara Croft (Tomb Raider)

The original queen of video games, Lara Croft has spent years exploring ancient temples and abandoned islands, all while rocking a pair of short shorts and a pair of *ahem* guns. She has shot her way through pirates, monsters and even dinosaurs in her never-ending quest for treasure, saved the world a few times, and made a glorious comeback in 2013 to cement her place as the number one woman in games.

2. Samus Aran (Metroid)

Nintendo’s most badass bounty hunter, Samus’ gender was originally a well-kept secret at Nintendo. Disguised in her suit of intergalactic space armour, it was only after the game’s completion that her helmet was removed and gamers were shown that they had just blasted space pirates and saved the universe as a woman, which in 1986 was unprecedented.

3. Chell (Portal)

The silent protagonist and puzzle-solver extraordinaire, Chell’s ability to remain calm under pressure, as well as the intellect she displayed in order to bring down the computer that was imprisoning her, quickly won her a place among the greatest heroines in games. What she lacks in speech, she more than makes up for in raw ability, success against adversity and for being the player’s guide throughout the Portal experience.

4. Elena Fisher (Uncharted)

e most dangerous journalist around, Elena began her relationship with Nathan Drake as a simple documentarian looking for her big break. She is quickly swept along in the gun-toting, globetrotting adventures that Drake gets himself into. Later games show her as a hard-hitting investigative reporter tracking down a dangerous criminal in a civil war-torn Nepal, and even later, as the woman who eventually helps Drake settle down.

5. Princess Peach (Mario)

Th e original damsel in distress, Peach has grown out of her habit of being kidnapped and has shown that she can hold her own among Mario and his friends. Over the last decade or so, games have shown her to be an adept athlete in many sports, as well as a solid driver and a professional partier. While she has yet to truly set off on her own adventure, her continued growth indicates that perhaps the time has come for her to step up and save the Mushroom Kingdom herself.