The lovable dummy trope, which TV Tropes has officially dubbed the “Kindhearted Simpleton”, has got to be one of my favourite tropes in media. I think there should be more of these lovable dummies in video games.
The kindhearted simpleton is not exactly rare when it comes to video games. Most recently, the early access release of Sons of the Forest introduced the world to Kelvin, your companion in the game that has suffered a brain injury and is now in a permanent silly goofy guy mode. Everybody loves Kelvin, for he brings a little bit of light to a rather horrifying experience and tries to help out the best he can.
But can we define Kevlin, who is bleeding from the ears regularly and is probably not in the best state, as a kindhearted simpleton? I’m not 100% sure we can. The circumstances of his kindhearted simpleton-dom comes from brain trauma, so it’s not really a definite label. However, it is his eagerness to help the player while also being a little dim that would lead him to fall into that category.
When I think of kindhearted simpletons in video games, I think of some of my favourite characters in video games. Let’s look at Raphael from Fire Emblem: Three Houses. He is somehow 17 years old at the start of the game, despite being a Huge Fucking Dude. He’s not particularly bright, but he cares deeply for his friends and family. It’s endearing.
And then there’s Detective Himbo himself Dick Gumshoe from Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. Sure, he isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed and often bumbles his way through cases, but his childlike personality and loyalty to his friends make him almost impossible not to like.
The kindhearted simpleton is not just exclusive to human characters either. Big the Cat from Sonic the Hedgehog is easily one of the most obvious examples of this trope in video games. He’s a simple guy that loves his friend Froggy, and is definitely the comic and stress relief of Sonic Frontiers. I love Big the Cat.
The lovable dummy brings a unique charm to any video game that they’re in. They can work as a friend, as comic relief, or as a sprinkle of simplicity in what could be a complex or dark world. To some, they may be annoying or unnecessary. But to me, they are everything.
But of course, this is just my opinion. How do you feel about the kindhearted simpleton trope? Are there any other tropes you’d want to see more of in video games? Or maybe you even have a favourite? Let us know!
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