5 Video Game Academia I Wish Were Real

Hey there! This post is part of a game testing project I am working on. There’s a lot more to it than what is covered in this post so check out the full project here.

I haven’t had the best experiences with academia. That’s not to say they’re all bad. I simply was not impressed with the ones that I met. That being said, there are plenty of academia in the world of video games that I absolutely love. If more were like the teachers and scholars below, I might’ve actually stayed in college.

Gary the Gadget Guy

Anyone remember Club Penguin? I do. But I played it a long time ago. That’s why I consider Gary the Gadget Guy to be the lowest rung on this ladder. But he’s still a nice guy to have around! Acting as a sort of guide character, Gary appeared primarily in Club Penguin’s version of quests: missions.

As a member of the island’s spy network, he was responsible for creating all of the gear you took with you on your adventures. While his “guidance” did get me into the occasional bind, it was nice to have a friendly face to return to after a job well done. That job usually revolved around thwarting the plans of a very cranky polar bear.

I don’t remember much more about him. But what I do remember is that he was part of why I enjoyed Club Penguin’s missions so much. And that earns him a spot on this list. Sadly, Gary the Gadget Guy is also among my fallen comrades. Back in March of 2017, while I was enjoying The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild, Club Penguin was wiped off the face of the internet.

We salute you Gary.

Doctor Robbie

One of the reasons I love The Legend of Zelda so much is because of all the weird and bizarre characters you meet during your adventures. There are violent flower girls, talking sailboats, and even the occasional ghost hand that pops out of your toilet. Don’t think too hard about that last one.

That being said, it’s hard to find characters who are more academically inclined. Fortunately, Doctor Robbie from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild manages to be both weird and smart!

Fun fact: this guy is over 100 years old. Being a survivor of Hyrule’s great calamity, an apocalypse that occurred before the events of the game, Robbie is a beacon of optimism and vigor! If you visit him, he’ll provide you with ancient technology to aid you in your quest. For a price.

Robbie has other talents though! Like building friendly robots or making guitar shred sounds come out of nowhere when he points his finger towards the sky. His over-the-top personality may be a bit off putting to some, but I’ll always be glad to have him on my side in the face of ultimate evil.

Dr. Eggman / Robotnik

All of you Sonic the Hedgehog fans out there are probably wondering if I’m crazy right now. Yes, Dr. Eggman is an evil genius. Yes, he wants to take over the world. And yes, I am crazy. But no matter how many times this spherical tyrant almost accidentally destroys the world with his crazy schemes, I just can’t bring myself to hate him.

Being the primary antagonist of most Sonic the Hedgehog games, Dr. Eggman has earned his place on this list with his wide array of inventions. Most of them are evil robots or mechs. But he can get creative on the odd occasion. In Sonic Colors, he engineered an entire theme park as part of one his plans for world domination. Sonic blew it up shortly before it was opened, but that’s beside the point.

Everything about him exudes the feel of a Saturday morning cartoon villain. He’s sinister, but he also feels like a friend at the same time. But if you think I’m being too lenient, just know that Dr. Eggman has actually mellowed out over the years. During the events of one of my first Sonic games, he blew up half of the moon simply to prove a point.

Eggman and the sandwich

While Dr. Eggman is not the most pleasant company to keep, his intelligence can’t be denied. And let’s face it, he’d be very entertaining to have in the classroom. He’d probably fail everyone just for the fun of it or brainwash the entire class, but sacrifices have to be made.

Professor Layton

When I turned twelve my parents got me Professor Layton and the Curious Village as a present. I’d seen the game in the store multiple times and had no interest in it before. But once it was in my hands I decided to give it a try. And I’m glad I did! The game presented challenging puzzles and an intriguing mystery to solve. But the game would not have been complete without its gentlemanly protagonist, Professor Hershel Layton.

Imagine Indiana Jones if he were a refined gentleman instead of a rough and tough action hero. That’s Layton. A professor in archeology with a sharp mind and a love for puzzles.

That being said, Professor Layton spends a surprisingly small amount of time in the classroom. He seems to prefer traveling the world and solving all kinds of strange and bizarre mysteries. While he prefers to use his wits and charm to overcome obstacles, he’s not afraid to take up arms and defend himself when his foes get violent.

He’s also a quick thinker in the face of danger. In his first outing on the DS, Layton found himself trapped at the top of a collapsing tower. Instead of panicking, he simply constructed a glider out of random materials he found lying around and flew down to safety. Although this was made somewhat difficult by his nemesis’ attempts to shoot him out of the sky.

Despite this impressive resume, you’ll find no arrogance from the top-hatted hero. After all, Layton is a gentleman. He gives people the benefit of the doubt and tries to see the best in them. Even if they don’t return the courtesy.

Needing no other equipment than his signature top hat and red automobile, Professor Layton is still one of my favorite characters.

Professor E. Gadd

Being born on a shady Halloween afternoon, I’ve always felt a special connection with all things spooky. Perhaps that’s why the Luigi’s Mansion series resonates so well with me. For those out of the loop, Luigi’s Mansion has you guiding Mario’s younger brother through a manor full of ghosts. It’s awesome.

But you can’t beat ghosts by jumping on them or throwing koopa shells at them (usually). And an inventor Luigi is not. That’s why you’re going to need some specialized gear from the esteemed Professor E. Gadd.

E. Gadd is the crazy inventor friend everyone wishes they had. An inventor and ghost enthusiast at heart, this wacky old man helps Luigi locate his missing brother and fight ghouls like a professional. He’s credited primarily with creating the Poltergust 3000, a vacuum that sucks up ghosts and dust. But he also created Mario’s F.L.U.D.D. (Flash liquidizer ultra dousing device for those who are curious) from Super Mario Sunshine as well.

On a side note, he provides Luigi with communication devices all named after various Nintendo products. There’s the Gameboy Horror, the Dual Scream, and my personal favorite, the Virtual Boo. Nintendo made fun of themselves a bit with that last one by having E. Gadd state that they would fly off the shelves once in stores. A reference to the fact that Nintendo’s Virtual Boy sold very poorly.

As if that wasn’t enough, E. Gadd also managed to create life. That’s right. In Luigi’s Mansion 3, he introduced Gooigi, Luigi’s companion and assistant throughout the game. I’m still not entirely sure how he pulled that one off. Though it may be better if I never find out.