Top Female Videogame Protagonists

'Cuz why not?

RULES:
~Tell why (obviously) - pros, cons, etc.
~Protagonists only - no side characters (i.e. Blaze from Sonic Rush onward)

4. Samus Aran (Metroid series - Nintendo consoles)
Skills: Arm Cannon, Grappling Beam, Morph Ball, bombs, various suits
Pros: Iconic status - very recognizable (the first Metroid released in 1986).
Cons: Not much personality, mainly due to silent protagonist status. On the subject of personality, when Team Ninja tried fleshing her out with Metroid: Other M, Samus became annoying rather quick.

3. Shantae (Shantae series - Nintendo consoles, Steam, and iDevices)
Skills: Magic dances (currently disabled), hair whip
Pros: Adorably energetic and very relatable.
Cons: Somewhat ineffective at times (lost the Steam Engine and the Elemental Stones in the original game, as well as the Lamp and her own genie half in Risky's Revenge), which causes self-doubt.

2. Bayonetta (Bayonetta series - HD consoles)
Skills: Magical dark powers granted by the Umbra Witches
Pros: Lovably snarky and a hilarious parody of oversexualized heroines. Runs with the amnesia plot very well, unlike Shadow from Sonic.
Cons: Some of her Torture Attacks are a bit cringe-worthy, which may turn people away from the game.

1. Kat (Gravity Rush - PS Vita only)
Skills: Gravity manipulation via her cat, Dusty
Pros: Doesn't let her own amnesia take her over, unlike most other characters (the amnesia's more of a side-story in this game).
Cons: Slight self-doubt, but that's all I can find. Plus, I'm pretty sure it gradually disappears over the course of the game.

BTW, if you have a PS Vita, I highly recommend Gravity Rush. Seriously, it's like the game for the system right now.

ShantaeVocaloid wrote:3. Shantae (Shantae series - Nintendo consoles, Steam, and iDevices)
Skills: Magic dances (currently disabled), hair whip
Pros: Adorably energetic and very relatable.
Cons: Somewhat ineffective at times (lost the Steam Engine and the Elemental Stones in the original game, as well as the Lamp and her own genie half in Risky's Revenge), which causes self-doubt.

A few more that I feel should be mentioned.

Skills:
*Is very quick to learn and master new techniques (genie dances, magic items, hand-to-hand combat, pirate weaponry)

Pros:
*Very loyal to her friends and family (she chose them over becoming a full genie at the end of the first game)

Cons:
*A bit lazy when not actively working (slacking off on dance practice, forgetting Sky's egg and causing it to go rotten)
*Can be a sucker for sweet-talk (how Risky connived her out of the stones in the first game)

Maetch wrote:A few more that I feel should be mentioned.

Skills:
*Is very quick to learn and master new techniques (genie dances, magic items, hand-to-hand combat, pirate weaponry)

Pros:
*Very loyal to her friends and family (she chose them over becoming a full genie at the end of the first game)

Cons:
*A bit lazy when not actively working (slacking off on dance practice, forgetting Sky's egg and causing it to go rotten)
*Can be a sucker for sweet-talk (how Risky connived her out of the stones in the first game)

Oh yeah...don't know how I glossed over those. ^^;

WAAAAAA SONICSTAR Y U STEAL ALL THE OBVIOUS ONES

In all seriousness, yeah, you posted most of the ones I can think of, except for these two lovely ladies. =P

Lilac the Dragon Girl (Freedom Planet - Windows/MAC/Android/XBOX/etc.)

Skills : Speed, agility, lots of physical attacks, and more moves I don't know the names of. XD
Pros : Energetic, lively, enthusiastic, fun, and all around hawt. *bricked*
Cons : I'm a blind fanboy and madly in adoration of this character, so I say she has none. =P *bricked*

Lara Croft (Tomb Raider Series - Playstation/Nokia N-Gage/PC/PS2/PS3/XBOX/GBA/DS/BLARRGH TOO MANY PLATFORMS.)

Skills : Unmatched marksmanship, athletic, great with stunts, is better versed in history than most college professors.
Pros : A compassionate and generally lovable personality; more than just a hawt body with guns. Very passionate about history as well as mythology.
Cons : Dem camera angles, *bricked* and can't take a one story fall in most games. (Oh wait, this is kinda realistic in some ways!)

Terra Branford (Final Fantasy VI)
Skills: Various magic spells, proficient with swords, morph into Esper to boost power
Pros: Lovable personality, tons of character development, and very pretty.
Cons: Can be naive and/or a bit of a scaredy-cat.