In the 1990s, the video game industry was in the midst of a mascot craze, with companies vying to create the next iconic character to represent their consoles and franchises. While some mascots, like Mario and Sonic, went on to become enduring pop culture icons, others were not so fortunate. This article explores the stories of three forgotten gaming mascots – Polygon Man, Gex, and Croc – and how their rise and fall reflected the changing landscape of the industry.
Uncovering the Forgotten Mascots of Gaming's Past
Polygon Man: The Edgy Experiment That Missed the Mark
As the PlayStation prepared to make its global debut, Sony's North American representatives grew concerned that the console might not resonate with Western audiences. Their solution was to create Polygon Man, a giant polygonal head designed to represent the PlayStation brand. The idea was to give the North American launch of the PlayStation an "edgy" face, both in terms of Polygon Man's constant quips about PS1 games and the competition, as well as the literal edges of his design.However, the public's reaction to Polygon Man's E3 1995 and advertisement appearances was overwhelmingly negative. Viewers found the character fundamentally disturbing and a poor representation of the console's supposedly advanced graphics. Sony's Ken Kutaragi also suggested that no mascot should be bigger than the Sony brand, a stance that seemed at odds with the company's subsequent embrace of mascot characters. Ultimately, Polygon Man was instantly scrapped and didn't make another appearance until the release of 2012's PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, where he was met with a lukewarm reception.
Gex: The Charismatic Lizard with Flawed Execution
If Bubsy isn't the poster child for the failed gaming mascots of the '90s, that honor would have to go to Gex. Developer Crystal Dynamics originally intended for Gex to be the 3DO's biggest mascot, but no mascot could have saved that console from its entirely deserved demise. Gex's nightmarish development resulted in a highly flawed platformer, but when a version of the game was ported to the PlayStation, it drew at least cautious praise from those who appreciated the game's humor, creativity, and style, and saw the potential for the franchise to grow into something great.However, that potential never fully materialized. Gex's humor lent itself well to the magazine ads of the time, including one that famously featured Playboy model Marliece Andrada, but the games themselves continued the original's spirit by being conceptually clever and fundamentally flawed. Despite this, Gex became a kind of icon in his own right, with his meta-style humor appealing both ironically and unironically to multiple generations of gamers. Yet, the diminishing returns of his games hurt both the long-term prospects of the character and contributed to the growing stigma towards the mascot concept.
Croc: The Borrowed Reptile That Stood Out on PlayStation
After a run of hits that notably included Star Fox, developer Argonaut Games decided to pitch a technically and conceptually ambitious 3D Yoshi title to Nintendo. When the deal fell apart, Argonaut decided to go their own way, sever their relationship with Nintendo, and continue working on that prototype. Of course, Yoshi would need to be replaced with a spiritually similar (but legally distinct) reptile known simply as Croc.The results were mixed. Croc doesn't break the genre mold, and its borrowed ideas from other N64 platformers often exemplify the slightly derivative design of its lead character. However, Croc was released on the PS1, a console notably devoid of N64-like 3D platformers. It stood out on that console and was reportedly one of Argonaut Games' most financially successful projects. Yet, the relative modern obscurity of the game and the struggles to produce a proper sequel suggested that Croc may have been significantly more impactful in the long run as a Yoshi title. It was a reminder that an elite few mascots had secured their cultural status and that the window for new characters to join that pantheon was either closing or simply already closed.
