November is one of the busiest months of the year. As well as Thanksgiving and the Black Friday sales, it's also the time when most people tend to start gearing up for Christmas. It also happens to be a great time for gaming, with plenty of big games usually being released around this time of year. On top of all of that, it's also the month of Movember; a fairly recent addition to the calendar.
Movember is a time when men are encouraged to grow out their mustaches in order to raise awareness of men's health issues. It's a worthy cause and one that usually leads to some mighty fine mustaches. Few can compare though to some of the ones found in gaming. Throughout the medium, there are many wonderful examples, with just about every shape and style of 'stache represented.
Updated November 8, 2022, by Tom Bowen: The right mustache can completely change the way that a face is perceived in a variety of different ways. Some can paint a person as being sinister or sketchy, while others are able to make their owners appear wise, kind, or even regal. This is just as true in the world of gaming as it is in the real one, with the best video game mustaches often defining a hero or villain and helping to set them apart from some of the other characters in their respective games. With Movember once again in progress, what better time to take another look at some of the best mustaches in gaming?
12 Alakazam (Pokemon)
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Despite many Pokemon being based on real-world creatures, there are surprisingly few with noticeable hair or fur. Fewer still have facial hair, making Alakazam one of the more unique Pokemon in the franchise. Of course, the fact that it also happens to be one of the strongest Psychic-type Pokemon that the series has to offer also helps a lot when it comes to Alakazam's notoriety.
One of the things that makes Alakazam's mustache so cool is that it often appears to be floating; likely because of the psychic aura that presumably surrounds the iconic Gen 1 Pokemon. Mega Alakazam's facial hair is even more impressive, with his mustache becoming gray and bushy and being accompanied by a majestic beard. Sadly, however, with Mega Evolutions seemingly no longer a thing, Mega Alakazam is somewhat rare these days.
11 Master Onion (PaRappa the Rapper)
There's perhaps an argument to be made that PaRappa the Rapper was a game that was a few years ahead of its time. Granted, similar games were already growing in popularity in arcades all over the world when it was released in late 1996, but the home console market had very little to offer in the way of rhythm games when Masaya Matsuura's legendary title arrived on the scene.
In the PS1 game, players learn from and rap with a variety of rap masters, one of whom is a talking onion with one of the best video game mustaches of all time. Master Onion sports the iconic Fu Manchu mustache which blends perfectly together with the lines of his eyebrows and nose. Some of the game's other rap masters include Prince Fleaswallow and the somewhat questionable Instructor Mooselini.
10 Mario (Mario)
When it comes to mustaches in gaming, few are as iconic as Mario's. Ever since his 8-bit days, he has worn it proudly on his upper lip. Its distinctive shape and thick texture convey the plumber's strength while its longevity, his unwillingness to bend to society's expectations.
While there are certainly some other great mustaches in the Mario universe, none of them even come close to matching the original's style. The same can't be said however of the many mustaches outside of the Mushroom Kingdom.
9 The King Of All Cosmos (Katamari)
It takes a lot of courage to sport a pencil mustache. Not only is it an acquired taste, but also a look that not many people can convincingly pull off. As such, the potential for ridicule is so high that few people even try. Thankfully, this isn't something that the King of All Cosmos need ever worry about.
Due to his omnipotence, there are few people alive who would be brave enough to mock the cosmos King. Given how well the look suits him though, there are fewer still who would actually want to. Together with the rest of his facial hair, it creates an incredibly sophisticated look that really is befitting of a King.
8 Revolver Ocelot (Metal Gear)
Although Solid Snake did sport a 'stache during his twilight years, its subtlety was such that it was completely overshadowed by Ocelot's. Players have watched the gunslinger mature throughout the series and although his relationships with the games' protagonists have varied, his commitment to having fantastic facial hair has never once wavered.
In his younger days, his mustache was fairly reserved, but as he has aged it has grown with him to become one of his defining characteristics. Not only does it make him look more distinguished, but it also draws attention to his face and contributes to his sinister appearance.
7 Peppy Hare (Star Fox)
Whether or not animals can even have mustaches is a matter of debate. Assuming that they can though, Peppy's is mightily impressive. It's one of the thickest walrus mustaches in gaming and helps to fill the unusually large gap between his nose and mouth. It also helps to portray his age, which may not otherwise be apparent to those who are unfamiliar with the series' lore.
Interestingly, Katsuya Eguchi, the man who inspired Peppy's character, is not known for his facial hair. Peppy is also the only member of the Star Fox team to have a mustache. As such, giving him one in the series' later games seems to have been a purposeful decision rather than something that was done simply on a whim.
6 Dr. Wily (Mega Man)
It's amazing just how effective good character design can be at portraying a character's motivations. The Mega Man series is a great example of this. One only needs a quick glance at Doctors Light and Wily to be able to tell which of the two is the evil scientist. Facial expressions also play their part, but a lot of this is down to their hair.
The unkempt hair on Wiley's head and face paints a picture of a man who is unstable and unyielding. That he seemingly cares so little for how others perceive him could also hint at sociopathic tendencies. At the very least, it shows that his work is more important to him than personal grooming. The wildly overgrown mustache serves as the icing on the cake and is the most iconic part of his look.
5 Sir Hammerlock (Borderlands)
Sir Hammerlock has shown himself to be a man who knows how to handle a rifle, but his perfectly sculpted handlebar mustache suggests that he's pretty handy with a straight-edge razor as well. His body is covered in scars and he's missing several of his limbs, but his face remains free of the nicks and cuts that one might expect to acquire while shaving.
Not only is his mustache a near-perfect specimen, but it's also very much in keeping with his Victorian-inspired attire. As an added bonus, it helps to draw attention away from his robotic eye too. He'll need to grow it out quite a bit more though if he wants to stop people from staring at his robotic limbs.
4 Tellah (Final Fantasy IV)
Given the sheer size of Final Fantasy's cast of playable characters, it's perhaps a little surprising that so few of them have facial hair. Prominent characters like Barret and Cyan may suggest otherwise, but it really does feel like there should be more. Thankfully, there's one character who more than makes up for this.
Tellah's facial hair is hugely impressive, with his glorious mustache serving as the set piece of an incredibly well-defined face. It makes him appear both distinctive and distinguished as well as signaling his advancing years. What's more, knowing that his facial hair probably helped him to burn up much faster makes his death just a little less tragic.
3 Captain Price (Call of Duty)
Captain Price is a man of many skills, but also a man of many mustaches. Throughout the years he's had some impressive facial hair showing himself to be a master of grooming as well as a master at arms. When it comes to his best-ever mustache though, there can only be one winner.
Price's oversized handlebar is, to put it simply, glorious. It helps to give him a dangerous look that's befitting of such an accomplished soldier and commands respect in every environment. It may be against military regulations, but there are few men alive who'd dare to order him to shave it off. Chances are he wouldn't listen even if someone did.
2 Dr. Eggman (Sonic the Hedgehog)
His name may have changed, but one thing that's always remained true of Dr. Eggman (né Robotnik) is that he's the owner of a great mustache. Its wild and uninviting appearance says a lot about who he is as a person and makes him appear incredibly intimidating. The latter is particularly useful, given that his bumbling nature can often suggest otherwise.
He's failed more times than he'd like to admit, but he's always looked good doing so. It's possible that his mustache is an attempt to compensate for his baldness, but, regardless of his motivations for growing it, it remains one hell of a mustache. It's so big, in fact, that one might be forgiven for thinking that he'd just inhaled Tales.
1 Jinpachi (Tekken)
There may be some debate as to who is the most accomplished martial artist in the Mishima family, but when it comes to who has the best facial hair, there really is no contest. Compared to many, Heihachi's mustache is incredibly impressive, but his father's facial hair really puts it to shame.
Its length is such that Jinpachi's mustache is able to extend far beyond the boundaries of his face. What's more, its rigidness allows it to stand vertically where most would fall flat. On any other character, it could only be described as godly, but given that Jinpachi is possessed by the devil, that adjective might not be entirely appropriate.