Favorite Games with Alternate Costumes by Ian Sims, Kyle Brown, and Bailey James

When all the pumpkins have been carved, the only thing that remains for a successful October is a night of treats and trickery. Whether you’re going to spend the night gathering candy as a sexy Mario, avoiding the police as an almost literal Naked Snake, or starting fights in the street as Chun-Li, there’s any number of costumes for fashionable gamers.

But it’s not just the gamers who like to slip on a new outfit for special occasions. Even popular characters enjoy a diverse wardrobe, so below we’ve compiled a short list of some of our favorite games with alternate costumes.

Happy Halloween!

Tales of Symphonia (2003)
Namco Tales Studio

On a comet high above the diametrically opposed worlds of Sylvarant and Tethe’alla, the ancient angel/god Yggdrasill looked out upon his challengers; before him stood a youthful pirate wielding paper fans, a little boy in a cat costume, a Playboy Bunny-esque hotel hostess and a shackled chef, and they had just delivered him the ass-kicking of a lifetime.

The journey to reunite their fractured world follows Lloyd Irving and his friends through beach days, noble soirees, cooking contests, and ancient ninja rituals. Collette’s skills as an expert waitress surely help her to navigate the chaos of battle, and there’s little doubt that Presea’s mascot outfit gives her the strength to wield her giant squeaky hammer. Even in a tense story about world-splitting racism and genocidal maniacs, sometimes you just need to slip on your sandals and Speedo and smack a robot with a baseball bat.

And besides, what could be more embarrassing to your enemies than defeating them while you stumble around the stage in flippers?

– Ian Sims

Resident Evil 4 (2005)
Capcom

“Leon!,” screams Ashley as a swarm of zombie-like Ganados surround her, their faces twisted in cruel sneers. Moments later, Ashley lets out a scream when one of the Ganados picks her up and slings her over his shoulder. The scream is short-lived, however, as both Ganado and girl tumble to the ground under the weight of Ashley’s cumbersome suit of medieval armor. Leon, decked out in a 3-piece suit and fedora, whips out his tommy gun and lays into the stunned Ganados. The enemies fall quickly to the barrage of gunfire. With a smirk, Leon casually adjusts his fedora.

Resident Evil 4 is an excellent addition to the long-running horror series, known for its terrifying and grotesque monsters as well as its equally terrible voice acting. And while Resident Evil 4 doesn’t skimp on the horror, unlocking the alternate costumes dramatically changes the stakes.

Both characters have a few delightfully goofy alternate costumes that make the game more interesting to play. The R.P.D. outfit and the pop-star outfit aren’t anything to write home about, but the gangster and suit of armor outfits are delightful. The armor makes the most dramatic change to the gameplay, as it makes Ashley invulnerable to damage. No more babysitting the President’s daughter while you run off in search of more handgun ammo. This over-the-top costume is the ultimate in practicality and fashion. While the game may not feature a huge quantity of alternate costumes, Resident Evil 4 certainly makes up for it in quality.

– Kyle Brown

Final Fantasy X-2 (2003)
Square

When discussing alternate costumes, one game stands head and shoulders above the rest — Final Fantasy X-2. Featuring an astounding 45 unique costumes, Final Fantasy X-2 is the role-playing game for the fashion-forward gamer. There are 14 different “dresspheres” (or jobs, as they were called in lesser titles) for each character, and equipping a “dressphere” completely changes that character’s outfit. Plus, each “dressphere” is styled differently depending on who uses it! Yuna’s Black Mage is fashionable, with a knee-length purple dress and kickin’ tights, while Paine’s Black Mage dons a tight black top and purple leather pants that would get her kicked out of most establishments.

Functional as well as fashionable, each “dressphere” serves a different purpose for gamers as they make their way through the game. Feeling the pain every time a boss hits you? Swap Rikku into the Warrior “dressphere” and watch her shrug off blows with her colorful leather armor. Need a quick boost? Songstress Yuna will take care of your needs in style.

While some may be quick to call Final Fantasy X-2 fan service, real gamers know the truth. These ladies aren’t just dressing up for fun; they’re kicking ass and looking great doing it. After all, there’s no rule that says you can’t save the world and look gorgeous while doing so.

(Just kidding; this whole game is fan service.)

– Kyle Brown

Tomb Raider: Legend (2006)
Crystal Dynamics

Lara Croft has never been anyone’s idea of a style icon. Most often spotted in a tight-fitting baby blue tank top, stiff brown boots, and the kind of minimal-coverage booty shorts my mother still tells me not to buy, she’s dressed (debatably) for function and not for fashion. It makes sense—she spends most of her time in damp burial chambers and arid deserts, and it’s an eventful day when she happens across any human at all (the lethal animal predators are more her scene).

But Tomb Raider: Legend, the series’ seventh installment, is a delightful departure from the jungle casual look. A quest for the separated pieces of an ancient sword bring her to countries all around the world including Bolivia, Japan, England and Nepal, each of which requires a completely different outfits. Legend has always been my favorite of all Lara Croft’s adventures, and I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t partly because of the dazzling array of wardrobe choices. For tropical, moist climates, the classic look has a sporty new backpack and a slightly more chaste belly shirt. For cold mountaintops, there are thick khaki pants and a luscious fur-lined coat (that later catches fire and is tugged off to reveal a cozy blue cable-knit sweater). A trip to England necessitates snazzy motorcycle pants and a two-toned leather jacket. Best of all, when Lara wears an elegant evening gown to a party in Japan that turns dangerous (it isn’t really a soiree until someone pulls out an AK-47), she has seconds to turn her impractical attire into more comfortable ass-kicking garb. It’s a magic trick of a costume change that exemplifies Lara’s versatility and effortless elegance.

And the unlockables! Discovering hidden rewards and completing time trials garner a dizzying array of new clothes in the wardrobe. A Union Jack T-shirt, a cream-colored pantsuit, a burnt-orange mountain sweater, a slick black catsuit, an insubstantial bikini and so many more can be discovered, donned, and discarded at the player’s leisure. The wardrobe is a playground, but Lara is so much more than a doll to be dressed. Her clothes show how masterfully and comfortably she blends — she’s always somewhere different, yet always at home.

– Bailey James