Every year, Women’s Month is officially celebrated throughout March. Originally a tradition that started to remember women's works and contributions to society, it evolved into what it is today: a way to observe and highlight the importance of women in our lives.

What better way then is there to celebrate such an occasion than to remember the heroines in the games we love so much? Below, we’ll be listing games and series where their different heroines have made a lasting impact in gaming history. These games make for the perfect gaming experience to celebrate Women’s Month.

Tomb Raider Series - Lara Croft

Most people will know of Lara Croft one way or another. The older generations will remember her iconic time on the stage when the original Tomb Raider games were released on PS1 back in 1996. Sleek, stylish, and unique, the older Tomb Raider games have been remastered for those willing to try them. They feature a confident, headstrong Lara Croft diving into abandoned tombs and squaring dinosaurs and monsters. Tomb Raider: Remastered has all three original PSX games and is available on Steam, PS Store, Xbox, and the Nintendo Switch.

Tomb Raider Remastered | Courtesy of Steam

By comparison, newer audiences will remember Square Enix’s Tomb Raider reboot series instead. The first game, Tomb Raider, features a greener, more inexperienced Lara thrust into a dangerous survival situation where she is alone and underequipped. Unlike her original counterpart, this version of Lara Croft is more grounded in its portrayal, showing off a gritty side to the heroine as she struggles to survive. Later games in the reboot series, Rise of the Tomb Raider and Shadow of the Tomb Raider, still have this same Lara, now =better equipped to deal with the world-ending calamities she faces.

Rise of the Tomb Raider | Courtesy of Steam

Both are solid interpretations of Lara Croft and show that no matter what you prefer, Lara is still a bad-ass heroine out to uncover treasure and save the world.

Metroid Prime - Samus

Who can forget this iconic character? Metroid’s Samus is another fan-favorite heroine out to save the universe and fight off the alien menace she encounters. The original Metroid was so popular it spawned its own genre, the Metroidvania. Featuring tight platforming, a thorough focus on exploration, and level design that encouraged backtracking, Metroid was a smashing hit for the NES.

Metroid | Courtesy of gifer

Is it any wonder that people were curious as to who was behind the mask? In one of the endings of the original Metroid, Samus sheds her armor and waves at the player, revealing that the character they’d been playing as the whole time wasn’t your typical rambo-esque protagonist but a true run-and-gun heroine who could fight with the rest of them.

Metroid | Courtesy of Termian Hero

Metroid’s popularity is undeniable, both as an enjoyable game and as a tribute to an iconic character. Its popularity still remains strong to this day, with the latest game in the Metroid series, Metroid Dread, reaching critical acclaim. Samus’s history as an icon lasts long and reaches far, and based on her continued popularity, she’ll likely remain in the public eye for a very long time to come.

Samus | Courtesy of Nintendo

Resident Evil - Jill Valentine, Claire Redfield, Ada Wong

Who can forget the beloved horror series Resident Evil? While Alone in the Dark created the survival horror genre, Resident Evil popularized it. Zombies, bio experiments, monsters, and more lurked behind the doors of Spencer Mansion, leaving the STARS team unprepared for the dangers to come.

Resident Evil | Courtesy of Capcom

Of course, Resident Evil isn’t just known for being scary. It’s also known for having some kickass heroines. STARS member Jill Valentine remains the series' most iconic heroine, appearing in the original Resident Evil and in later games, Resident Evil 3 Nemesis, Resident Evil 5, and Resident Evil: Revelations. Cool, calm, and collected, Jill Valentine’s survived horrors people can barely comprehend and looks good doing it, too.

Jill Valentine | Courtesy of Capcom

Of course, we can’t count out the other heroines of Resident Evil either. Resident Evil 2’s Claire Redfield and Ada Wong aren’t to be forgotten, being the next most prominent heroines in the series! 

Claire Redfield appears in Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil Code Veronica, and Resident Evil: Revelations 2. The sister of hero Chris Redfield, Claire isn’t afraid of monsters and sticks up for her friends and her family. She’s survived zombies before and isn’t afraid to take the lead when it counts.

Claire Redfield | Courtesy of Capcom

Meanwhile, clandestine spy Ada Wong appears in Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 4, and Resident Evil 6. While seemingly shifty, Ada’s altruistic side comes out when it comes to dealing with hero Leon Kennedy. She’s the cool spy in his rookie cop routine, and while their relationship is rocky, she never fails to leave an impression.

Ada Wong | Courtesy of Capcom via Shirrako

These fantastic heroines take center stage in their various games and showcase that when the going gets tough, the women get tough and kick some ass.

Final Fantasy Series - Tifa Lockhart, Lightning, Terra

Final Fantasy is a series with a whole slew of memorable female heroines to choose from. It only makes sense when the series has had more than 16 titles and is still going strong. However, these three come to mind as the series' most iconic heroines.

Little needs to be said about Tifa Lockhart. Being one of the main love interests of Final Fantasy 7’s Cloud, Tifa’s a brawler who’s not afraid to let her fists do the talking when they need to. While she does exude a headstrong attitude, she’s also got a softer side to her, reserved only for her friends and family.

Tifa Lockhart | Courtesy of Square Enix via Reddit

The same can be said of Final Fantasy XIII’s Lightning. While she may be named after lightning, she’s more of a cool and collected ice queen who hides her emotions behind a mask of fatality. Always ready for battle, Lightning rushes into combat with her sword, outwardly cold and detached but slowly opening up to her companions.

Lightning Farron | Courtesy of Square Enix’s Final Fantasy 13: Lightning Returns

What makes Lightning notable isn’t just that she’s the star of two games and appears in at least; it’s that she herself has appeared in a Louis Vitton advertisement. It turns out that this heroine isn’t just a fighter but also a fashionista.

Lighting Farron | Courtesy of Square Enix and Louis Vuitton

And of course, if we must talk about heroines, we should talk about Final Fantasy 6 as well. While this game has a brilliant, diverse cast of characters, the first one you play is also one of its strongest.

Heroine Terra Branford takes center stage in Final Fantasy 6. She is initially a mind-controlled soldier who breaks free from her chains. While she wants nothing more than a peaceful life, she isn’t afraid to fight for it and wields sword and magic to beat her foes into the dust. She remains the heroine of the first half of the game and is instrumental in starting the revolution. While she has a kind heart, she’s never afraid to put her life on the line.

Terra Branford | Courtesy of Square Enix

Lethal Wedding - Joanna

If these types of heroines interest you, why not check out Lethal Wedding? This new top-down RPG shooter for the Sega Genesis and Mega Drive features the bride, Joanna, who is out to save her darling-in-distress future husband. If the premise sounds interesting, follow the campaign on Kickstarter and try the demo out for yourself. 

Lethal Wedding

Hopefully, the discussions of these games and their heroines have piqued your interest and encouraged you the games out for yourself. They’re icons of their series, and their games perfectly celebrate Women’s Month.

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This article was written by Alexander Cuaycong.