Despite what some may have you believe, women have been in video games from the start, and while not always the main stars, they have always left an impression on gamers. In fact, there have been so many famous ladies in gaming, that this list has caused quite a free-for-all here behind the scenes. So get out your flame shield while we cover the ground rules.

First off, we’re starting with the third generation and only counting home consoles, because that’s when characters became less abstract, allowing them to be more recognizable on their own, and gaming came back to life after the great video game crash of 1983. This is important, because iconic is a balancing act between fame, recognition, and excellence. Some characters may be from games that sold far better, and were of higher quality, but you wouldn’t be able to pick them out from a crowd, often by design, so they didn’t make the list. If you don’t like it, feel free to let us know in the comments section below. Furthermore, there can only be one most iconic female character per generation, and that character can only make the list once.

Remember, this list is just our opinion, so don’t get your jimmies too rustled as we go forward.