Bruce Lee is one of the most iconic actors the world has ever seen. Not only did he affect the way everyone sees martial arts movies, but he also changed combat sports in general with the invention of Jeet Kune Do and his philosophy that the best martial artists should be able to adapt to any style.
While there have been many tributes to Bruce Lee in all media, nothing has taken to him quite like video games. There are countless characters that are based on the legendary man, so let's see who captured the spirit of the Dragon the best.
10 Hitmonlee - Pokemon
While there are many Fighting-type Pokemon based on different styles of martial arts, the first generation features two that are inspired by specific people: Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee.
While the former's name is a reference to Jackie Chan, Hitmonlee's name is clearly based on Bruce Lee. However, this tribute is only seen in certain regions since his design is actually based on kickboxer Tadashi Sawamura. Either way, they're loving homages to all of the figures involved.
9 Oolong - Yie Ar Kung-Fu
Launched in 1984, Yie Ar Kung-Fu is one of the earliest inspirations for fighting video games. While its predecessor Karate Champ is more based in reality, Yie Ar Kung-Fu was more fantastical and introduced the use of a health bar instead of a point system.
This is also the first time in video games a character was based on Bruce Lee. The main character Oolong sported Lee's signature haircut and white tanktop/blue pants combo. While he is obviously not as detailed as other characters on this list, it's still fascinating to see that Lee's tributes date back to some of the earliest arcade games.
8 Hon-Fu - Fatal Fury
Hon-Fu from Fatal Fury is a Hong Kong detective who is investigating a case about the illegal drug trade in Asia. Unfortunately, he is incredibly clumsy and interested in women, which makes him lose sight of the criminals.
Hon-Fu isn't higher on this list because even though it says he is a tribute to Bruce Lee, his character takes a lot more inspiration from Jackie Chan, both in appearance and the type of roles Chan plays in his films. While you can see remnants of Lee in his fighting style and use of nunchucks, he's much goofier and played for comedic effect.
7 Dragon Chan - Super Punch-Out!
Dragon Chan is one of the boxers you'll face in Super Punch-Out! and he is a deadringer for Bruce Lee. His determined expression and black pants with a red belt are a clear tribute to the little dragon.
What really separates Dragon Chan from the other boxers you'll face is his signature move: a flying kick. Seriously, Chan will jump to a corner of the ring and leap foot first at you. This is undoubtedly cheating, but it's a very cartoonish game so it can be forgiven.
6 Maxi/Li Long - Soul Calibur Series
While Maxi may look more like Elvis Presley than Bruce Lee, a lot of his character is taken from Lee. This includes his use of nunchucks, his incredible speed, and his high-pitched attacking yells.
But fans may be surprised to hear that Maxi is not the Soul Calibur series' first tribute to Lee. That honor belongs to Li Long, who was introduced in Soul Edge. While he was replaced by Maxi and essentially has the same fighting style, his appearance is much more similar to Bruce Lee.
5 Fei Long - Street Fighter
It was only a matter of time until Street Fighter showed up on this list, and the franchise make its presence known with Fei Long. He's an action film star based in Hong Kong who enters fighting tournaments in order to test his skills as a martial artist.
However, there are some major differences as well. Unlike Bruce Lee, Fei Long never went to the United States, doesn't seem to have any familial relationships, and doesn't use nunchucks. So while Fei Long touches on most of the big facts about Bruce Lee, he also misses out on a lot of the finer details.
4 Liu Kang - Mortal Kombat
The second fighting game character to be based on Bruce Lee, Liu Kang from Mortal Kombat has the same looks and combat prowess as Lee. He dresses the same, is proficient with nunchucks, and lets out the same yelps. He can even transform into a dragon! The only real difference is that Kang has shoulder-length hair.
The most surprising thing about Liu Kang is that he wasn't originally a reference to Bruce Lee. He was originally Japanese and was named Minamoto Yoshitsune, but that idea was scrapped because of the long name. It was then decided that he'd be a traditional Shaolin monk, but the actor portraying Kang didn't want to shave his head. And thus, Liu Kang was born.
3 Kim Dragon - World Heroes
While most people probably don't remember the World Heroes series from SNK, it has the distinction of being the first fighting game to feature a character based on Bruce Lee. And the developers completely hit it out of the park with Kim Dragon.
Like every other character on this list, Kim Dragon looks and has a similar style to Lee while also being a famous movie star. However, his World Heroes 2 ending takes Kim in a different direction: singing! While this may seem like a strange choice, it's actually a nice homage to Bruce Lee's family since his father was a famous opera singer and his brother is a singer who released an album dedicated to Bruce after his death.
2 Marshall Law - Tekken
With his high-pitched cries, fast strikes, and awesome backflips, Marshall Law has been a fan favorite since his introduction in the original Tekken. Although he's a chef instead of an actor, Law perfectly captures Bruce Lee's appearance as well as many of his most famous moves including the flying kick and one-inch punch.
What solidifies Marshall Law as a great tribute to Bruce Lee is his relationships. Not only do Law and Lee have sons that are equally skilled, Brandon Lee and Forest Law respectively, but they both also know a powerful American who serves as a rival and friend, Chuck Norris and Paul Phoenix.
1 Jann Lee - Dead Or Alive
The reason there are so many different fighting games that pay homage to Bruce Lee is because the creators are all fans and deservedly so. He's an incredible figure and a global icon. So it only makes sense that the best character based on Lee is a fan as well.
Jann Lee from Dead Or Alive lost his parents early on in his life and was left an orphan. He lived in poverty and would wander the streets for food. However, he still needed to learn how to defend himself so he mastered Jeet Kune Do by watching Bruce Lee films. He eventually became so skilled that he would eventually become a two time champion of the Dead Or Alive World Combat Championship.
Jann Lee's ferocity, dedication, and love of Bruce Lee make him the perfect tribute to Bruce Lee in all of video games.