We rank the best facial hair in gaming.
Just about everyone that’s ever picked up a video game has at least one character they’d consider their favorite. Whether it be because of their in-game actions, the voiceover performance, or just how much fun you had playing them, there’s a character for everyone to latch onto. While those may be the usual metrics to determine a favorite or even the best character, there are some other odd metrics.
Gamers often argue about the best characters that fit into extraordinary narrow categories like the best from an open-world game or the best bald characters. Then there are gamers who argue about which characters sport the best facial hair. With countless beautifully bearded and magnificently mustached characters in existence, there are a few that manage to stand out above the rest.
Few series manage to be so talked about with so few entries, but Half-Life is one of those that people seemingly can’t stop mentioning. The game's main hero, Gordon Freeman, is someone that gamers have become attached to over the years, and he even sports some great facial hair.
He may actually be the most stylish theoretical physicist out there, so it’s a good thing the Black Mesa Research Facility doesn’t have any strict policies on facial hair. The style of his facial hair fits right in with a hero trying to survive against a group of beings from another dimension.
While many characters tend to sport full beards, Dr. Wily from the Mega Man series instead tends to appear as the typical mad scientist whenever he pops up. He represents team mustache and stands out as a character with one of the best mustaches in gaming.
His thick mustache and wild appearance make sense when you remember that Dr. Wily’s entire mission is to rule the world with the help of his robotic creations. While his appearance has changed over the years, one thing that hasn’t is his glorious mustache.
The second of the mad scientists to feature on this list is Sonic’s arch-enemy, Eggman. He sports the classic mad scientist mustache, but with a bit of a twist. His is typically portrayed as a bright orange or light brown, depending on the era.
The thing that makes his mustache so impressive is that, in most instances, it manages to defy all laws of physics. He must use a great gel or wax as it’s clearly grown well off of his face and yet somehow still manages to flare upward.
While many characters with the best beards and mustaches tend to sport what could be considered rather cartoony looks, Joel is held in such high regard due to the realism of his beard. It’s a great look, and it’s one that anyone who can grow a beard can strive for.
The slightly unmaintained look to the whole beard fits in with the apocalyptic setting of The Last Of Us perfectly. It’s the perfect look for a tough character who’s been through more hardships than the average person will ever face during their lifetime.???????
While some have said that the character lineup of the Borderlands games has declined in recent years, the first two games did have excellent lineups. One of the characters even sported an excellent beard, even if he decided to neglect any kind of mustache.
Rather than sporting something simple and uniform, Salvador’s beard is almost a representation of the Borderlands series. It’s familiar, but something completely different from most things you tend to see. Most people would likely give him bonus points for the volume and style of his dark beard.???????
Some beards are great because they’re full or unruly. Barret’s beard is great because it actually just looks like the type of beard many enthusiasts would love. While it may be shorter and simple, the sleek cut makes Barret one of Final Fantasy 7’s coolest-looking characters.
The beard also serves as a reflection of his character in a way most people who don’t think about beards wouldn’t have thought of. It’s rough, much like Barret, but it’s also well-groomed to show that he’s a leader that can pay attention to even minor details.???????
It may have taken Gouken quite a while to become a playable character in the Street Fighter franchise, but he’s been around in the lore for quite a while. People probably weren’t exactly clamoring to play as the ancient master, but everyone can agree he’s got one great beard.
It’s actually a difficult beard to describe without comparing him to Santa Claus, but Gouken’s beard is far more fierce than that. Rather than fluffy, the beard comes to a jagged point to help reflect Gouken’s serious nature. Many people have wondered how his brother Akuma would fair with a beard of his own.
Not only does Sir Arthur from Ghosts N Goblins have a great beard, but he’s also willing to sport it while running around in nothing but his boxers. Whether tucked in his armor or out for everyone to see, Arthur’s bushy beard is a great beard for anyone to strive for.
The thick beard helps to reinforce Arthur’s serious nature, which only makes it funnier to see him lose all of his armor. Regardless of his occasional goofy nature, Arthur’s beard is perfect for someone with enough resolve to go toe-to-toe with the literal devil to rescue a princess.???????
While Kratos did spend much of his existence in the God of War series with admittedly weak facial hair he has since upped his beard game by an incredible amount. Rather than a simple goatee, Kratos now has facial hair that would even make a lumberjack blush.
Many people have agreed that the more mature look actually suits Kratos more than his prior design ever did. It helps reinforce his serious nature, but it almost makes him more imposing, especially in his quieter moments. You would never know when he’s about to lose it, and he probably likes it that way.???????
No list of the best beards and mustaches could be complete without mentioning what is arguably the most famous game character of all time, Mario. While he doesn’t look cool or grungey, his simple but thick mustache has become iconic.
It’s possible that when the topic of facial hair came up, Mario was one of the characters your mind first jumped to. It helps that he’s been around for years, but most people simply praise him for the quality of his games rather than his appearance. Regardless, Mario has one great mustache.???????
Halo opens with a bang, then fizzles. There’s still a lot of potential to be unearthed though.
Cameron Miller is a writer with over five years of creative writing experience – both personally and for clients around the world. To date, has written four full-length novels ranging from 49,000 words on the low end to 99,000 words on the high end. Cameron is deeply involved in daily pop culture, and what he affectionately refers to as nerd culture.
