A whirlwind tour of video games past and present demonstrates that some of the best characters over the years have sported distinctive eyewear, whether this is laser firing glasses or the classic ‘nerd’ specs. Below, we run down some of our favorite glasses-wearing characters and why they’re so memorable – and cover customizing your avatar in Animal Jam, Roblox, or Minecraft with some nifty eyewear to take your character’s style to the next level!
Gordon Freeman – Half-Life (1998)
Getting into the realm of vintage gaming, 1998 saw the release of the iconic video game, Half-Life. This first-person shooter was originally developed for Windows; players take the role of scientist Gordon Freeman, who needs to escape the Black Mesa Research Facility after a botched experiment leads to the compound becoming overrun with aliens.
This character may be your quintessential nerd, complete with oversized, thick-rimmed black eyeglasses, but he’s also badass, gunning down aliens and setting off huge explosions as players guide him in an attempt to get clear of the facility.
Otacon – Metal Gear Solid (1998)
Clearly a great year for gaming, 1998’s Metal Gear Solid is an action-adventure game developed for PlayStation by Konami. The game features a motley crew of characters, many of whom have been genetically engineered or who boast an array of intriguing – and deadly – body mods. Hal Emmerich, also known as Otacon, is one of the few ‘regular’ and unaugmented humans. He’s an engineering and hacking genius, a lover of anime, and is prone to developing a crush!
Otacon’s standard uniform is a tan shirt and a pair of round full-rim glasses with thin metal frames. He’s also partial to the odd oversized duffle coat.
Crimson Viper – Street Fighter IV (2008)
Crimson Viper, also known as C.Viper or Maya, her alias, first appeared in the fourth installment of the popular Street Fighter franchise. An undercover CIA agent, Viper fights using an array of weapons built into her suit, as well as deploying an optic laser built into her goggle-like, clear-framed glasses.
As part of character development, researchers at Capcom focused on creating the sort of character that American audiences would most enjoy playing. Then-executive producer Yoshinori Ono later went on to say that Viper was one of his characters in the game.
Auron – Final Fantasy X (2021)
Auron is one of the most popular characters in the wildly successful Final Fantasy franchise. He’s a sword-wielding, slick shades-wearing warrior monk who keeps watch over Tidus while keeping his past a mystery. For the Final Fantasy X HD Remaster version of the game, Auron’s character was remodeled for enhanced realism. This included making changes to his skin tone and hair, adding sharper details to his clothing and accessories, and increasing the transparency of his signature sunglasses.
What About Characters with Glasses in Roblox?
The beauty of Roblox is that there are near-infinite ways that players can customize their avatars. One way to do this is with glasses. There are literally thousands of digital eyewear styles to choose from for your Roblox character. Some of the most popular choices include ‘Nerd Glasses,’ which can be purchased for 30 robux, and the ‘Vintage Glasses,’ which have already been purchased over two million times. There’s also the Harry Potter-inspired ‘Secret Kid Wizard Glasses,’ which first appeared for sale in 2010, and the fanciful ‘Heart Shaped Glasses’ that are a bargain at just 16 Robux.
Can I Buy Glasses in Animal Jam?
As with Roblox, Animal Jam offers plenty of fun ways to customize characters with clothing, hairstyles, accessories, and eyewear. And if you’re looking for something a little more unusual to make your Animal Jam avatar really stand out? Look out for rare spectacles in the game – these may cost a premium but will boost your character’s unique style credentials!
Examples of rare glasses to be discovered in Animal Jam include ‘Rare Nerd Glasses,’ which were released in 2013, and ‘Rare Eclipse Glasses,’ which appeared in 2017.
Customized Glasses-Wearing Character Skins in Minecraft
If you’re looking for a custom-made Minecraft skin of a character rocking glasses, then you’ve got a tonne of choice! Some of the most popular glasses-wearing skins are Sweater Girl, who wears a long striped sweater, ripped jeans, and stylish specs, and Street Fashion Girl, who looks great in a pair of oversized tinted sunglasses, a long-sleeved black tee and a pair of yellow cargo pants.
Looking for something a little more unusual? How about the Cool Melon skin? This avatar is, literally, a watermelon wearing a pair of old-school 3D glasses. What’s not to love?
The Takeaway: Glasses in the World of Video Games
Many iconic video game characters have worn glasses over the decades, and now, with the advent of platforms such as Minecraft and Roblox, the ability to customize avatars with a dizzyingly wide range of accessories such as clothing and spectacles has added a new dimension to gameplay. With the spotlight moving firmly towards immersive experiences, it surely won’t be long before our avatars are perfectly rendered digital reflections of our true selves: including the specs we wear.
