Video game characters have been with us for decades, and many have evolved into household names. That list of characters includes Pac-Man, Mario, Samus, Sonic the Heddgehog, and many more. But what does is take to create a memorable character? In the days before graphics chips could support photorealism and sophisticated animation, how did game designers breathe life into a handful of pixels? Ars Technica Gaming Editor Kyle Orland joins host Social Editor Cesar Torres and Ars Contributor Casey Johnston on this game-themed episode of the Ars Technicast. We go back to the days of a single square acting as a character in the first Atari games, as well as classics from the 1990s, including characters from games like Metroid Prime, Final Fantasy VII and Pokemon. We also discuss how some characters disappointed us when the technology finally allowed them to speak in a game. This show has so many characters bursting at its seams, that we are already working on a future episode of the Ars Technicast dedicated just to video game villains.