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Video games are chock-full of heartwarming stories about amazing dads, from Joel in The Last Of Us to Kratos in God of War. It's a much rarer moment to find an example of a spectacular mom in games, and even rarer to find a mom who is also the protagonist. More often than not, the "moms" of video games are relegated to the sidelines, if not as merely the root of the protagonist's tragic backstory.
We are lucky to have a smattering of strong, and often untraditional video game ladies who make us appreciate our own moms. To give us some inspiration for better mom representation, here are some of the best moms in video games.
Updated June 10, 2022 by Shailyn Cotten: Moms may still be massively underappreciated in the gaming world, but that only makes it doubly important to celebrate the examples we have. We have updated this list to include some more amazing women that deserve all the cards and flowers every day of the year, not just Mother's Day.
13 Mom From Animal Crossing
One of the few unseen (and likely the only other human) NPCs in the Animal Crossing games, our "Mom" is always looking out for us. Though you, as the "Villager," have ventured far from home, your in-game mom is a constant presence in Animal Crossing life.
She sends you letters and handmade gifts to let you know that home is never far. While it is true that Mom is not exactly a prime example of active motherhood, our Animal Crossing mother does provide a lovely example of how unconditional love can be given even when we are apart.
12 Mia Winters From Resident Evil
Though we might not actually get to see Mia Winters do any mothering in the Resident Evil franchise, seeing as she was being impersonated at the start of Resident Evil 8, her dedication to her daughter still stands out. Even after being imprisoned and experimented on by Mother Miranda, her first concern after being rescued is for her daughter and Ethan. It is pretty clear the type of mom Mia was to her daughter, considering what a strong woman Rose proves herself to be in the game's final cutscene.
11 Mama From Cooking Mama
If you have ever had a parent riding shotgun while you practiced driving, you know that learning new skills from your parents can be painful at times. We could all use a mom as patient and ever cheery as Mama to teach us more about the art of cooking.
We might not know a lot about Mama from the Cooking Mama series, but we know that she is very serious about cooking and just as passionate about teaching you how to cook. Gentle when you make mistakes and enthusiastic when you succeed, Cooking Mama shows a supportive example of motherhood.
10 Elena Fisher From Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Elena Fisher from the Uncharted series teaches us that motherhood and a life of adventure do not have to be antonyms. A tried-and-true investigative journalist and adventurer to rival her husband Nathan Drake, Elena is not only a kick-ass character, but shown to be a nurturing mother in the epilogue of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End.
The beauty of Elena's story is that she is not forced to give up her dreams of adventure in order to be a "good" mother. Instead, by forming the "D&F Fortunes" salvaging company at the end of Thief's End while she and Nathan raise their daughter Cassie, Elena shows us that we do not have to choose between being a mom and having our passions.
9 Yennefer from The Witcher 3
Some moms are not made but found. The mother-daughter bond that Yennefer from the Witcher 3 shows to Ciri even though they are not related by blood is a lovely testament to how moms appear in our lives in many ways.
Because Ciri is Geralt's charge, Yennefer takes it upon herself to care for Ciri as any mother figure would. Yennefer trains Ciri in the ways of magic, how to use the power of "chaos," and even helped Ciri with her nightmares.
8 Freya From God Of War
Being a mother can be... complicated at times. The tragedy of Freya and her son Baldur from God of War exemplifies how sometimes our love for those we care for most can be their own undoing. Once the Queen of Asgard (and the Valkyries), and now the ex-wife of Odin, Freya cherishes her son Baldur as one of the few good things to come out of her relationship with Odin. So when she hears a prophecy predicting Baldur's death and yet decreeing it preventable, she takes every measure to protect her son.
By placing a spell of invulnerability on Baldur however, she cuts him off not only from death but from any sensation, even pleasurable ones. Enraged that she will not remove the spell, Baldur's fury leads him to try and kill his own mother. Kratos and Atreus attempt to protect Freya, but in doing so, the spell of invulnerability is removed from Baldur, and Kratos kills him. Freya swears revenge on Kratos over Baldur's murder. No one can question Freya's love for her son, but the true tragedy of their story is that in the end, it was her stifling love that ultimately led to his demise.
7 Your Mom From Pokemon
Sure, you may be on a quest to "catch 'em all," but who could ever hope to achieve such a feat without the support from their mom? A staple in the Pokemon games, the player's Mom might change in appearance slightly from game to game, but she is always there to see you off on your adventure after you have obtained your Starter Pokemon.
Mom even has the ability to heal your party when you speak to her. Sometimes the best gift a mom can give us is the knowledge that they will always be there for us if we fall on hard times.
6 Clementine From The Walking Dead
Clementine may be yet another "untraditional" mother figure in gaming, but her relationship with AJ in The Walking Dead "A New Frontier" and "The Final Season" perfectly encapsulates how messy parenting really is. Clem is far from a perfect parent, but she is also only a teenager herself and living in a zombie apocalypse at that. Her bond with AJ shows us that the best thing we can do as parents is to keep growing and learning from our mistakes.
5 Joyce Price From Life Is Strange
Poor Joyce. It is never easy, being a single mother, especially after the loss of a beloved partner. It is even harder when the trauma of that loss has led your daughter to resent you despite all your best efforts.
Tensions between Chloe and her mother Joyce might be high throughout the Life Is Strange series, but on the whole, Joyce proves herself to be an incredibly patient and caring mother, capable of extraordinary unconditional love. Her efforts to do her best by Chloe, even though they might not always get along, are certainly inspiring.
4 Grandma From The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker
On the topic of untraditional moms, we cannot forget about Link's Grandma. Caretaker of Link and his sister Aryll in The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Grandma is the one who gifts Link his "hero's clothes" for his birthday, setting him up for his adventure. When Aryll is kidnapped, Grandma is grieved to see Link leave as well but gives him the Hero's Shield to aid in his quest to retrieve his sister.
Later on, Link learns that Grandma has fallen ill due to depression, and only Link can help her. Grandma's deep sadness is understandable, seeing as Link's mother was also a great hero and part of the Knights of Hyrule. To lose not only her children but now potentially her grandchildren is a grievous blow. Grandma is truly a hearty woman, deserving of her grandkids' love.
3 Nyx From Hades
Nyx, or Mother Night, is a mom to both the Fates and to twin gods Hypnos and Thanatos, but most of us know her as the best foster mom ever. As Zagreus struggles to escape the Underworld, we learn that after Persephone left, Nyx began to care for Zagreus as if he were her own. Without Nyx, Zagreus would never have obtained the Mirror of Night to aid in his escape. Though on the other hand, Nyx's relationship with her biological son, Hypnos, is more than a little rocky, even her shortcomings clearly are born from a place of maternal affection.
2 Naru From Ori And The Blind Forest
The gut-punch felt from meeting Naru at the offset of Ori and the Blind Forest compares to few other losses told in gaming. A strange fuzzy and large creature, Naru finds Ori after they were split from the Spirit Tree during the Great Storm at the start of the game. Naru cares for Ori as though they were her own child, sharing her food and shelter, and acting highly protective.
However, as the forest continues to die, food grows more scarce. Naru gives Ori the last of their food, sacrificing her own wellbeing. Before Ori can return in time with more food, Naru becomes unresponsive, dying of starvation. The unconditional love that Naru shows Ori is truly astonishing.
1 Toriel From Undertale
How can you not love Goat Mom? She saves you from the nefarious "Flowey" at the start of Undertale and guides you through the Ruins to her home. Toriel loves puns and baking butterscotch-cinnamon pie, making her a quintessential mom figure. She is also fiercely protective, insisting that you as "The Child" remain with her in her home. She even has a full school curriculum that she is prepared to teach you.
Just like any good mom, Toriel stands in your way if you decide to try and leave her home and the Ruins, refusing to let you walk toward your certain doom. Because Toriel is the best Goat Mom, she lets you proceed once you prove that you are determined.