Welcome to Character Creator, we review in detail, all the best creation games that feature in depth character creation and development. The games range from online character builders right through to the best pc and console games where you can create your character then play with him/her or it, immersing yourself in fun situations and epic storylines. Whether that be part of a family in games like the Sims or more simple artistic drawing games.
Many of games offer a wide variety of storylines and role play which are dependant on the type of character you design both physically and mentally. Character development is immensely important in role playing games today and without these key attribute a game would wither and die. Lasting and fully enjoyable experiences are only delivered to passionate gamers when a character's creation and development is left in your hands and not the developers. We are here simply to help you decide which game to spend your money on, we hope you enjoy are reviews.
The internet is now social. Gone are the days when everyone wanted anonymity. With the growing strength of social networking websites, more and more people are trying to place more of their own selves on the internet. More personal information is shared, more thoughts and opinions are posted, and more importantly, personal photos are uploaded.
But if your current gallery of headshots and profile pictures are not making you happy, or you simply want something new that stands out a little, or says a little more about you than a typical snapshot would, then you might want to try out one of these websites to help express yourself a little better.
We compiled a top 17 list (as it stands) of some intriguing character creation and social connectivity sites and games that will provide you with a wide range of options for creating your own online avatar. Of course our number one choice out of the seventeen picks is the game that can be played above - ourWorld. We thought it would be best to place this character creator world at the top of the page in case any of you guys wish to revist this site later to play the game again. ourWorld is not for everyone, it's a character creator and game designed for children and teenagers but anyone else can play if they wish.
IMVU is currently one of the largest and most widely used social networking sites. There are plenty of users and pretty decent content, but overall the social networking service still lacks a bit of depth.
The game (if the term applies) feels a lot like the SIMs in the visual department, and for the most part, concentrates on getting players to pay up for more features. The initial membership fee will remove the "guest" tag from the user name as well as access to additional content and capabilities. Further payments will open up special features - targeted for adults. While we will not go into detail about that feature, parents should be advised that this is not exactly safe for minors to play around in.
From IMVU's (roughly) anatomically correct characters, we move on to the slightly cartoony, yet oddly stylish looking "Meez". Pronounced exactly as it is spelt, this little virtual online community allows you to create your own online persona in terms of avatar and domicile.
The avatar creation function is pretty straightforward and easy to understand. The first option that players have to decide on is the gender. More often than not, the rule of thumb is that you select the gender you actually are - of course, nothing would prevent you from playing the opposite gender should you prefer to try something different. We point this out because of all the character options players get to choose, gender is the only one that cannot be changed.
Without a doubt, the Japan-made anime genre is taking the internet culture by storm. And with avatar creation, it is without much surprise to see some of these wide-eyed characters becoming a major attraction. We have taken up an independently developed, standalone character creator over many others thanks to its simple and easy to use interface, quick loading menus and most importantly, because it actually makes avatars that pay homage to the anime genre.
The Anime Character Maker by Anon-D is a classic entry and provides players with a menu driven character editor. There are simple text based descriptions of parts which are used for selecting the clothes and facial details you place on the character. While the UI lacks any thumbnails and icons, the fast loading preview image on the left of the screen provides instant feedback on your choices.
Much of the tool has been created in flash - making many of the character details look like solid masses of color, but the overall effect makes one think of classic 90's PC-based Japanese role playing games. The slight character animations (mostly with the eyes) gives the editor a less static feel as you decide on what your character should look like.
Speaking of looks, there are plenty to choose from. There's the pre-requisite school girl outfit, casual clothes, shrine maidens, knight armors, military camo and more. Clothing choices allowing you to add outer and inner tops, pants, shoulder accessories, waist gear, and even weapons, which will certainly encourage players to get creative and experiment with the many choices available.
The only thing holding this entry back is the lack of body editing options (no size and height adjustments), the lack of feet and the inability to save the character you made. Sadly it seems that further development on the tool's next version has been put on hold. The developer announced last year that a revision is in the works, but no updates have been made since then making any chance of a version 3 bleak.
For more than half a decade ago, the internet has already enjoyed those cute and oddly stylish looking WeeMees. Now, the game has been expanded from a standard create your own avatar game into a full on social creation game networking experience complete with custom player owned rooms, social hubs and even a whole new world for your WeeMees to explore - hence the new title, WeeWorld. But is the move an improvement? Or will players wish it was still the old avatar creation tool?
The simple answer, WeeWorld is a definite improvement over the original character creator. The reason for this is that it retains all that is good and simply adds more content for users to tinker around with. Much of the old system remains; you get a cartoonish character model (which reminds us of rounded Lego figures) and you dress them up. These WeeMees can be given a wide range of facial details, hairstyles and clothes. While the range of options for the physical appearance of the character is similar to what you would find in many other avatar-making games, the clothes add a whole new dimension in sheer quantity.
WeeWorld literally has hundreds of tops to choose from, the same goes for the rest of the clothes as well. Without a doubt, it will still be hard to find that perfect nylon hoodie you always dreamt about, but with all the choices made available, there will certainly be some clothing options that will tickle your fancy. And the clothes have been made with a wide range of users in mind. There are the usual shirts, jackets, and sportswear, and then there are the slightly extreme costume-like add-ons, complete with gigantic headgear. Players can even add in items like a stuffed toy, or carry a large weapon in their hands. If its expressiveness and personality you want, WeeWorld certainly delivers.
For its great new world, many active users, amusing mini-games and in-depth character creation options, we have no doubt that the WeeWorld is the perfect direction for this classic avatar making tool.
This is a tremendously cute and fun game to play for people who love to chat and mingle. Sign up for an account and you will be dropped right in the middle of a very active chatting community. At first glance, the game world looks a little rough, with oddly drawn characters representing each user. But as you progress through the game, and customize your own avatar, you will start to notice all the little details that make each character unique.
The thing we really like about Migoland is that is has no daily limits on how much you can earn. It also makes the games quite accessible for the player at any point in the game - thanks to the ever useful games button on the side of the screen, earning a few extra game credits is made easier. Of course, expect to grind a little as each game will only net you a certain amount for each round you play. While winning certainly earns you a lot more, there are no penalties for losing and you still make a few points for even trying.
The avatar creation feature is as simple as clicking the wardrobe button and browsing through the available clothing menus. It is a little hard to discern some of the designs due to the pixel-style artwork, but thankfully, there is a preview window of your character that allows you to see what it would look like once you put it on. A few minor changes to your existing clothes (such as changing colors or designs) will only cost a few in-game points. If you choose to buy something completely new, expect to shell out a lot of cash.
Your home will be as significant as your own avatar. This will be the place where you can invite your in-game friends over and have "parties". These parties allow players to get a lot of users in a single location. It is the perfect way to mix and mingle in Migoland and at the same time, by proving to be a good host, you can create a good reputation for yourself - which means getting invited to parties at other people's homes.
Facebook users using the Pet Society app will find Moshi Monsters to be quite a familiar game to play; after all, the two are very similar in delivery. This adopt-a-monster takes one step further from your own identity and allows you to venture into a make believe world where you have to take care of your own monster. There's a wide variety to choose from ranging from imps to zombies. The bottom line here is that you get to express your choices when it comes to choosing what you would want to take care of - and in a way, represent you as well.
The Moshi Monsters world makes use of Rox. This online currency can be earned either by purchasing it with real money, or earning it daily from the Puzzle Palace. In the Palace, players are provided with timed puzzle challenges (mostly number based puzzles). Successfully complete the challenge and you will earn Rox to spend on your monster. There's a daily limit to how much you can earn - which helps provide long term sustainability to the game.
Newgrounds has always been a favorite site for up and coming flash game developers and there are plenty of old school works that until today are still pretty good. Kevicus' Sonic character creator was pretty slick looking when it was released back in 2004 and while the aesthetic value of the user interface is not that good, we have to commend the amount of detail that went into this work.
For the most part, the menus are easy to use and creating a custom Sonic character takes only a few minutes, the options are written in small text fields with navigation arrows that allow you to choose between different options for your avatar. While there are no icons or thumbnails, the main avatar screen changes immediately to reflect your selection. The character creator may be a little too simple and raw for some, but we have to admit that it works pretty well.
There is a degree of limitations in terms of what you can put in and what you cannot, but fans of the Sega game (and the comics) will enjoy many of the accessories and parts that come from the many characters of the series. The Mecha-Sonic parts are all available and despite Knuckles being an echidna, his gloves and signature gear are also present. You will not be able to make Dr. Egg/Robotnik which is a bit of a letdown, as well as the fact that Tails' double foxtail is unavailable. Aside from that, players still get a wide range of choices for the custom hedgehog.
So far, we have seen some pretty psyched-out designs from Sonic fans (and since the tool has been around for a while, there are plenty to see). These range from subtle color variations of the titular hedgehog, while some take on totally bizarre alterations such as having three huge tails and a dizzying array of colors from head to toe. If you are a big fan of the Sonic the Hedgehog series, then this tool is definitely worth at least fifteen minutes of your free time.
The custom Southpark character creator at customsouthparks is one of the most well equipped avatar creation tools we have ever seen. As you would expect, you can edit the basic features such as the eyes, face, hair, clothes and even add on accessories. What makes this character creator unique is that it allows you to alter the positions of the items you add and even enabling multiple parts (such as using two hairstyles at once). Being able to flip and rearrange the content of the features will allow you to truly customize a character you can call your own.
Of course, this is a Southpark page, so expect to see some pretty interestingly funny content as well as some crude humor too. Fans of the TV series will be able to enjoy an immense number of choices that include many familiar looking eyes, hairstyles and accessories. There are also options for more Southpark-inspired content such as weapons, word balloons and yes, even Mr. Hat. While we did not notice anything that resembles Kenny's hoodie (or the usual Southpark dosage of dismembered limbs and bloody appendages), parents should still be aware that this site is not made for kids.
What we really enjoyed about this site is that you could actually make your own modified versions of the existing characters (though you will have to build them from scratch). There are parts that will allow you to easily recreate Kyle, Cartman and many of the series characters. Thanks to the standardized stiffness of the actual TV animation, the standard front facing character you create will fit in nicely with the show - which is something that fans of the series will really love.
If you are a big follower of this hilariously politically incorrect TV series (obviously we are!), or you are just curious at what the buzz is all about, then you might want to head on over to the site in order to create your own super-swearing social misfit.
Marvel's Create Your Own Superhero is a pretty good site for fans of the comic book characters. But for those looking for a more in-depth avatar creation site, you might want to pass this up.
The site is slow and the menus load individually, first time visitors will take a while to make their first character. Selection choices are limited and the character pose looks pretty stiff - especially for a super hero. We would have enjoyed a base body that had a dynamic or exaggerated pose - much like what you would expect to see in a comic book cover. Normally, because of downsides like these, a site would never really make it up to the top 10 on the list.
However, one cannot forget the fact that Marvel Comics have their charm, with many costumes and accessories for iconic marvel characters at your disposal; you can make some of the silliest mash-ups of costumes. This is not the avatar site for creating a virtual superhero-fied self portrait (which is what we were hoping for), but it is worth a short visit for those who want to play around with some interesting comic-character options.
There are three main body types: heroic male, heroic female and muscle bound giant man (such as Hulk). While these may seem limiting, it is the perfect canvass for creating some really tongue-in-cheek humor inspired stereotype heroes. Of course, you can go all simple and dress up your character in everyday clothes (or torn everyday clothes), or you can get really heroic and slap on some tights, a cape and a flashy mask.
There are pre-existing character packs for major Marvel leads such as Elektra and Spiderwoman, but you can also choose to start from scratch. Most of the features can be edited in terms of visibility and color (there is a very handy pen and eraser tool for users). We even tried to make an invisible, character with floating clothes and all, which turned out oddly okay.
For the most part, this is definitely a site for hardcore fans of Marvel comics. With most of the costume selections being only parts of the whole, those who are not familiar with the iconic characters will not be able to identify (least of all, appreciate) the various options made available.
Every now and then we find a really good character creation game that gives you no fuss, no required sign ins, no bother some ads and just a straight forward create a character app. Solo developer Rasterboy knows this formula well and has delivered. His creation, Unique, is a simple, flash based character creation site that any web user would love.
So you need a quick image file of a cartoon-like avatar? This is where you go. The site takes only a few moments to load (depending on your connection), and once it is up, you are ready to go. Of course, users will be selecting a gender for the character they are making. Afterwards, you get to go about your creation business in any way you want.
You can skip straight to clothes and accessories before you even choose which pair of eyes you would want. This level of freedom in selection is the perfect way to get into the mood of creating your own image. While there are no alternative choices in body form, you can make up for it with the clothing selections. Girls get to have a few extra options more for facial features but all in all, both genders can get to make some pretty well-made self portraits. There are even word balloons, accessories and pets that go along with the character designs.
Speaking of design, the art for Unique is very well made. The only issue we have seen is with a few oddly positioned mouth/lip options, but aside from that, everything has been designed to fit so well together. Rasterboy has also made provisions for users to remember a code for their character creations so that they can come back and edit their existing avatar (which is great for those with very active sites or blogs that would want to have an online character that represents them consistently).
Running straight right out of the Simpsons official movie site is the "create your own Simpsons character" tool. This little flash based program is large, clunky and takes a while to get used to. But considering the kind of final character you can make, the effort you put in will be well worth it.
The actual creation process scores low in terms of fun factor. Users will have to move back and forth between option pages as they look for the matching features for their own character. Following the order of the site, you will be building your character from the head down. While this is the common practice for many, having it forced on you is a little unsettling. Sure, you can go back to previous selections in order to preview your later choices to see if the pieces match. But this takes a little more time than it should.
In return however, the site provides users with a giant library of Matt Groening style artwork for creating your character. All the details are provided for users as they create the perfect facsimile of their Springville-styled-selves. From Marge's towering hair to Flanders's signature moustache, fans of the decade old cartoon series will see some pretty familiar features. Of course, there are enough new features that will allow you to create something completely new.
While there is plenty of focus on the body type and the facial features, you do not get as many choices in terms of clothes - particularly for the legs and feet. The clothing colors can be selected, but the actual style is limited to just one for pants and shoes, and two for the top. At least the shirt gets plenty of decal choices - mostly images that refer to a lot of content seen in the Simpsons movie (we would have loved a nice big Duff Beer shirt logo).
Nintendo made a really good console based avatar system with its Miis (which comes in second only to the Toro Station Nyaavatars and the PS Home users), and for those who love playing the motion control system, having one's own Mii is a must.
Now, PC owners also get a chance to get their own Mii-type custom character with a flash based Joystiq-made application: Mii Characters. This entire system looks, feels and plays a lot like the actual Mii creator on the Wii - only you get to do it on the computer. It also allows current Wii players to play around with the settings and get creative.
The option for creating your Mii is best started off with the head shape. There are several options ranging from smooth rounded faces to pointed chins to really angular jaw lines. After selecting one, players can adjust the overall height and position of the head on the neck as well. Once done, you can add in eyes, nose, hair, mouth and even some unique facial features such as facial hair, moles and eyeglasses.
The great thing about this system is like the actual character creator on the Wii, players can adjust various settings for the position and size of each part that is selected. This could lead to some pretty impressive Miis that look a lot like their owners, and in some cases Miis that look completely out of this world. The system allows players to flip around features such as the hair, nose and other facial details resulting in some slightly bizarre looking characters. But if adjusted properly, an upside down hairstyle can be made to look like a bandanna-mask, a mouth can be made to look like a hat and eyebrows can be made to look like horns. Much like the variety of characters that can be seen on the official Mii Channel, only imagination limits what you can create with the Joystiq Mii Characters.
Normally, we would not even consider ranking an expansion pack as a solo entry. But this one makes a solid exception for its extensive range of character creation options. The Creepy and Cute Parts pack for Spore provides players with a huge range of new parts for your custom made spore creatures. These parts can be used to edit an existing Spore creature - if you are already playing the game, or be used to make an entirely new one.
The great thing that EA did with this expansion pack is that they separated the content that has been added from the content that was already present. We appreciate knowing exactly what new things have been added as opposed to sifting through an already large number of options that the original game provided. This way, players get to see exactly how much new content has been installed - and it also makes you appreciate the value of the game add-on. As with the original spore game, these parts are all aesthetic. There are about a dozen or so heads, arms, legs, eyes and accessories that have been placed in. The heads in particular are really interesting as they provide players with new snouts, antennae and other odd choices.
The level of variety that this pack adds is pretty vast, but it does fail to live up to its name of being Creepy and Cute. Considering all the spiky spines, eyestalks and claws that have been made available, there is certainly a lot more "creepy" in this game pack than there is cute. Not to say that the devs at Maxis did not even try; there are some fluttering eyes (complete with batting eyelashes) and furry paws that will soften up a creature's overall look - which contributes to the 'cute' factor of the game. What makes this creepy is that you can combine these with fluttering eyestalks and large clawed paws - even the new model animations scare us a bit. At the end of the day, you will most likely end up with a bizarre creature that is able to perform the moonwalk or wiggle its hind side at you.
Prior to the release of Spore, the developers at Maxis have decided to provide users with a self-sustaining mini game focused on the creature creation portion of Spore. The Spore Creature Creator contains all the tools, options and settings of the original game, but without the whole bacteria to galactic conquest story going on. Instead, players are instantly provided with the game's built-in creature editor to mix and match together a wide range of parts and pieces to create what is supposed to be the ultimate form of evolution.
Aside from its standalone launch, a limited version of the Creature Creator was packed into the SimCity Box. This version of the game is much like the original, except that it has far less options available (counting it all, there is only a fourth of the original content that has been added in).
The Creator tool works exactly the same as the one in the main game. It lets you choose and combine various parts ranging from the head, eyes, body, arms, legs, add-ons, and more in order to create the creature you want. Some parts are required to enable certain skills for a creature - such as wings and similar parts to enable gliding capabilities. Of course, if you are not planning to play the main game this becomes more of an aesthetic choice than functionality. On the same note, players should be aware that the main game does not make your creature stronger just because it is bigger nor does it make you more mobile just because you have multiple legs. There is a degree of counter-intuitiveness when it comes to the creature design and the actual application of parts.
Spore is great as an overall game, it has plenty of replay value and the Sporepedia online community encourages players to be creative and appreciate their work. The Creature Creator based on Spore helps enrich the experience further. If you are on the fence about Spore, this little tool might help you make that decision.
Will Wright is at it again, and this time, instead of creating a Sim based on you, you get to mold a creature from the earliest stages of its biological growth to the pinnacle of its evolution. Spore takes you in control of a race, from its origins as a micro-organism to its dominance in the known galaxy. It is a vast game with a complex structure and has plenty to offer to those who love to create custom characters.
Unlike the typical character creation game or tool, Spore provides you with a build and explore scenario. You are provided with a basic cell and depending on how you control and what you eat, it will affect how your creature slowly evolves. The game grants you DNA points that can be spent modifying your creature as it grows. After spending some amount of time in this mode, players will be given an option to move on to the next phase of the creature's development and evolution. While there is no limit to how long you can stay as a microbe, the real fun starts in the next stage.
The creature stage is where all the real customization happens. Once your microbe earns legs and you get to step on dry land, you can equip your creature with new parts and skills. Now, this is where the design and function levels of the game take complete different directions that are un-related to each other. Adding more legs will not necessarily make you faster or able to jump higher. Attributes such as speed and jump strength are determined by stat factors. Also, adding wings do not provide flight capabilities, all you need to learn glide is some DNA points to spend.
While this does feel a little counter-intuitive, it also provides freedom. Too often, players have to sacrifice aesthetics over function. But with Spore, that consideration is a moot point and players can create the exact look of the creature they want.
Once you are done creating your land-form creature, you can continue with the game but this does not mean that your creation part is over. Throughout the course of the creature stage, players are able to find ways to evolve even further. There are two ways to do this, first is through the conventional use of DNA points in order to get specific capabilities and parts. The other is through finding bones of other creatures. As you explore the world as a land creature, you will find the other animals, both living and dead, from whom you can obtain more parts to add. Directly fighting and killing special creatures will make new evolution options appear (though players may choose to ally with said creatures for the same effect). On some occasions, players will stumble upon skeletal remains which can be studied.
After three major evolutionary steps, the game moves players on to the more social aspect of the creature's development. As one would expect, the character editing part ends with the creature stage (and many spore players tend to spend the most time at this point). The character creation portion of Spore already makes it a great game, but to be able to further play the race of creatures you made you need to build them up to galactic supremacy, which is definitely the icing on the cake. For those who truly want to get a serious gaming fix from a custom character beyond the creation phase, Spore is a definite must-play.
At first, we thought that the character creation site from NY Zoos and Aquariums (with cooperation from Wildlife Conservation Society) would be a very simple tool. However, once we got to try it out, we were delightedly surprised at what we could create.
The Build Your Wild Self tool literally does as it says: it lets you turn wild. And by wild, we meant wildlife. The selection options for characters are plenty and well detailed. And since this is made by the experts, you can expect each animal part to be recreated as accurately as possible. Also, it also helps that the artwork is absolutely well made.
The graphics are a mix of hard pencils, soft colors and inked line art. The result is an impressive sketchbook style approach to a custom character with anamorphic body parts of your choosing. As with the rest of the other character creation sites, users get to choose and determine the usual set of facial features (hair, eyes, mouth, etc). Adding in extra body parts is where the fun begins.
There are special backsides that allow users to add wings, a turtle shell and even Manta fins on their back. Tails are quite expected and attach to the back of the character. There are a few tail choices that completely replace the lower half of the body such as the Madagascar Boa and the Sea Lion. Headgear provides users with a wide range of horns, antlers, crests and antenna to choose from. Those who want to go a little further will enjoy adding more parts to their face such as snout beak or even multiple spider eyes. Once you are done with your character, you can choose a fitting wildlife background (such as the sky, deep inside a cave, the Savannah, and even deep inside a forest).
One detail users will love is the fact that much of the content has subtle animations - the arms of the character will move around every now and then, and all backgrounds have subtle animations that give life to the image. When you are done, you get to name your character and the site will provide you with an option to print, share or even create a desktop wallpaper of your custom character.
What we loved in particular is the small summary window that provides you with a quick list of all the unique animal parts you chose and provides you with a bit of background information as well as insightful trivia about the choices you made. For being an amazing character creation site with its easy to use user interface, impressive artwork and for having plenty of useful, educational content, the Create Your Wild Self has secured its place in the second slot.
Social networking, avatar creation, plenty of impressive in-game playable content and a highly active social network; these are just some of the many impressive things about OurWorld that has us simply raving it. When it comes to creating an avatar in game, players get free reign on a wide range of facial details and clothing apparel - limited only by how much you play.
Right off the bat, new users can create an instant character just to get a feel of the world. There are plenty of pre-set characters for both male and female users. While you might want to be choosy, the only thing you should look out for are the hairstyles. Be sure to choose one that you like the best and ignore the rest of the features. The preset character's clothes, face, skin color and other details can be changed easily. As for the hairstyle, you will have to play a little more and spend a little more to earn enough credits to purchase new options.
Once a player is in, changing the look is as simple as clicking on the character profile tab and going into the appearance options. From here, a nice, easy to understand user interface provides players with a good view of their character and tabs to determine how each part of the body would appear. As always, there are options for the eyes, nose, head shape, eyebrows, mouth, hair and skin color (sadly, no ears options). Just as we mentioned, the only thing limited at this point is the hair settings which will require the player to purchase new styles.
Aside from being able to select a form and shape for the above facial and body options, the game provides players with additional tools for controlling the length, height and thickness of the various parts - which allows OurWorld avatars to look a lot closer to their users than other flash based online communities. The game allows players to change the body type in terms of overall width and height as well as determining the length of individual limbs.
Another joy we found in OurWorld is the collection of free games to play and interactivity of the system. There is a huge selection of Flash based games for people to play and you get plenty of points just for playing. Your character levels up through the use of a unique experience system based on Flow points. Flow is earned by dancing, playing games and participating in various activities. The ingame currency, gold is earned through mini games and achieving quests.
With plenty of locations to visit, lots of games to play and a large community of active users to talk to, we highly recommend OurWorld to character creation enthusiasts. While this service is not entirely free (there are significantly better bonuses for paid members), it is a worthwhile investment for anyone who wants to take their custom characters to a whole new level.
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