From the original Super Mario Bros. to Elden Ring, video games have always primarily served as power fantasies. They allow people to control characters with incredible strength and are tasked with overcoming any and all obstacles that stand in their way.
Sure, most of the time, people play as grown adults that have manifested and trained their abilities, but sometimes games feature children who are powerful beyond belief. The world of Pokemon is known for sending young kids out to capture powerful creatures, but there are more than a handful of other games where absurdly powerful kids are the heroes of the story.
8 Ness (EarthBound)
Most modern gamers know Ness as the annoying kid in the striped t-shirt from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, but the 13-year-old is rather impressive outside of the world of arcade brawlers. Ness is originally from the EarthBound games, where he serves as the main protagonist.
He acquires several abilities, which end up including teleportation, improved strength, a move called PK Flash, healing, regeneration, and another attack called PSI Rockin. Don't let his red baseball cap and adorable outfit distract from the fact that this kid is marked as one of the Chosen Four and is absurdly powerful.
7 Spyro The Dragon
Since Spyro is a dragon, it often gets lost on people that he's simply a kid looking to save the world around him. Canonically it's unclear what his actual age is, but based on the idea of dragon eggs in the world of Spyro games being brought to the Dragon Realms everywhere 12 years, a safe assumption is to believe he is around that age.
Shows like Game of Thrones have described how dragons are essentially living weapons of mass destruction, and Spyro's ability to fly and emit flames is just a taste of what he'll be capable of as a full-grown dragon.
6 Atreus (God Of War)
Now, this entry will have spoilers for 2018's God of War, so please stop reading if you wish to avoid them.
By the time credits roll on God of War, fans have learned that Atreus isn't exactly who he appears to be. Through historical revelation, it is revealed that Kratos' son, the boy he's had at his side from the beginning of the game, is actually the Norse Trickster God, Loki. Sure, Atreus is learning how to use a bow and is still a kid, but Kratos recognized what the boy will be capable of, and considering Atreus is indeed Loki, the exponential growth that will happen in the years to come is all but inevitable.
5 Max Caulfield (Life Is Strange)
Life Is Strange is a game that presents itself as a coming-of-age drama that pits the player in the middle of it as they experience the story from the perspective of a young photography student named Max Caulfield. Removing her from the context of the game and simply looking at her powers puts into perspective just how powerful she is.
Not only can she rewind time, but she has also jumped back in time, stopped the literal flow of time, and even transferred her consciousness back in time. This isn't even including the precognitive visions she sees that allow her to make decisions based on deductions derived from said visions.
4 Pokemon Trainer
Most Pokemon trainers start their journey when they're just 10 years old. This is when they get to choose their starter Pokemon and head out on their journey.
Sure, the kids themselves are just kids, but the team of Pokemon they build lifelong bonds with can become super powerful. Also, it's important to take into account that these kids are mentally and emotionally strong enough to set out on a region-wide journey to find themselves and catch Pokemon despite only being the age of 5th graders. That's rather impressive and terrifying at the same time.
3 Sora (Kingdom Hearts)
Kingdom Hearts has become a bit of an internet meme in large part due to its convoluted narrative. At the center of the beloved trilogy is the main protagonist named Sora. When players are introduced to him in the original game, he's believed to be around 14 years old.
That's rather young for a kid tasked with helping Disney characters overcome the Heartless. Sora's youthful positivity and hope come in handy when others feel all hope is lost. Being a younger character also went a long way in making him relatable and likable to a younger demographic. Each of them put themselves in his shoes as a powerful Keyblade wielder who could do anything imaginable.
2 Mega Man
It's rather ironic that a character named Mega Man is simply a child. Well, technically, the 10-year-old is actually a robot created by Dr. Light. The blue bomber sadly served as a surrogate son to the scientist inventor, who never made time to form a family of his own.
Outside of simply being evil, a lot of Dr. Wily's motivation for causing chaos and trying to take down Mega Man comes from his scorned relationship with his ex-friend Dr. Light. By ruining the one thing Dr. Light loves, Dr. Wily knows he can cut his old friend the deepest. This is what makes the triumph of Mega Man so uplifting, as every time he vanquishes evil, he knows he would have made Dr. Light proud.
1 Link (Majora's Mask)
The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask both have players taking on the role of a young Link, as well as an adult version of the character. In Majora's Mask, it is understood that the younger version of the Hero of Hyrule is 10 years old. This is confirmed in both the descriptions found on the official Nintendo Amiibo as well as the player's guide for the game. Link has never been as flashy and over the top as other video game mascots, but he's had to overcome some of the most powerful forms of evil and has done so every single time.