History RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething / VideoGames

* [[VideoGame/ChronoTrigger Marle]], AKA, Princess Nadia of the kingdom of Guardia, the first person to join Crono's party, who actually proposed the idea of taking down Lavos. And that's only the start.

* Played with in CrusaderKings. There is nothing stopping you (or the CPU, who does it regularly) from appointing your ruler as head of your army (in fact, the game does it by default for troops raised from your demesne), but the effectiveness of this depends heavily on your ruler - not to mention that this is one of the better ways to get your character killed. The same goes for any other members of your family - [[HeirClubForMen excluding females]] (usually anyway), even they happen to be [[FridgeLogic the ruler of the country]].

* The ''Franchise/{{Ultima}}'' series: The only reason Lord British isn't joining your party (without cheating) is to maintain some pretense at game balance. Nonetheless he aids you constantly, offering equipment, aid, room and board, and free heals and resurrections for both you, your party and the occasional collateral-damage NPC. Shamino, who can and usually does join you in practically every game, is also a king, although he's been stranded in Britannia since the breaking of Sosaria during the time of Exodus. And they're both Richard Garriott.

* The Prince of All Cosmos from ''Main/KatamariDamacy'' has saved and/or rebuilt the cosmos numerous times. Sadly, his father gets all the credit, even though [[NiceJobBreakingItHero he's usually the one who endangers the cosmos to begin with]].
* ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' has MickeyMouse. He's the king of Disney Castle, a badass and powerful Keyblade Master, and one of the main characters in the series, acting as a BigGood (though he defers to Bigger Good [[{{Disney/Fantasia}} Yen Sid]]).

** The Zora royal family is very much this in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Breath of the Wild]]''; Prince Sidon and King Dorephan are renowned warriors, while Princess Mipha was one of the four Champions selected to help Link and Zelda defeat Calamity Ganon.

* Franchise/TalesSeries:

* ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' and other similar titles from Creator/NipponIchi have them in spades. ''Disgaea'' stars the overlord-to-be (and eventually Overlord proper) Laharl. Many of his opposers also are Overlords from other Netherworlds.

*** Zetta from ''VideoGame/MakaiKingdom''.

*** In ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Breath of the Wild]]'', Zelda is an AdventurerArcheologist [[spoiler:who's spent her entire life trying to unlock the divine power needed to help defeat Calamity Ganon; after awakening said power, she's been busy keeping Ganon sealed up in Hyrule Castle for the past 100 years]].

*** In ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Breath of the Wild]]'', Zelda is an AdventureArcheologist [[spoiler:who's spent her entire life trying to unlock the divine power needed to help defeat Calamity Ganon; after awakening said power, she's been busy keeping Ganon sealed up in Hyrule Castle for the past 100 years]].

* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda''
** Princess Zelda has fought alongside Link in several of the games in the series, particularly ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker Wind Waker]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]].'' As well as ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'', when Zelda becomes Sheik. She also stars in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaCDiGames Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon]]'', one of the [[CanonDiscontinuity non-canonical]] Philips [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaCDiGames CD-i games]].
** From the same game, we have King Harkinian. Once he hears that his brother, Duke Onkled, is in danger, he runs off to Gamelon ([[MemeticMutation after dinner,]] [[WebAnimation/YoutubePoop of course]]). He even comes prepared with the Triforce of Courage. Granted, nothing comes of it, but he tried, after all.
** King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule from ''The Wind Waker''. For the majority of the game [[spoiler:he's Link's boat, serving as his only transport form island to island and giving him vital information for his quest]], and just before the final battle [[spoiler:he cheats Ganondorf out of his wish on the Triforce by making his own wish: to have Hyrule, and Ganondorf with it, washed away forever. Of course, being Ganondorf, he'll be back again in a couple of centuries or so, with Hyrule being washed away being [[ThePlan part of his plan]]. Although it hasn't happened so far]].
** In the beginning of ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks Spirit Tracks]]'', Zelda has her soul separated from her body by the BigBad. She then joins Link as his ExpositionFairy, giving her the largest role she's ever had in canon. And within the tower she has the power to possess a suit of animate armor, becoming a sword-wielding badass made of metal and ghost that far outranks Link himself in strength.
** Hell, Ganondorf himself may count. He did start out as King of the Gerudo, after all.
** Minor character example: When you defeat the undead swordsmen in Ikana Castle (Majora's Mask), the king himself jumps up from his throne without a word, pulls out a sword and shield, and proceeds to continue where his generals left off.

** [[spoiler:''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOracleGames Ralph, heir to the throne of Labrynna.]]'']] [[TheScrappy Not the most endearing sidekick ever]], but he does have his [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome moment]].
** Queen Gohma, King Dodongo, Stallord, and tons of other bosses qualify.

* ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' has Jarvan IV, son of the King of Demacia, taking a commanding role in the military and subsequently, the League of Legends. More than merely competent, he is one of the greatest troops at his city-state's disposal. So is his ArchEnemy Jericho Swain, ruler of the LawfulEvil city state of Noxus. A cunning mastermind and a competent leader, he is also a formidable mage with a very hands- on approach to battle.

* King Helseth from ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind The Elder Scrolls: Tribunal]]'' is the Imperial "puppet" king of Morrowind. His predecessor, King Llethan, was a mere figurehead who did little and had almost no real authority. Helseth, however, is [[MagnificentBastard far more ambitious, ruthless, and crafty]]. He's also an accomplished alchemist (with poison being his specialty). In fact, it is heavily implied that he poisoned King Llethan in order to ascend to the throne. The main quest of the ''Tribunal'' expansion pack centers around a power struggle between Helseth and the Tribunal Temple (among other things).
** In ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]'', Martin leads a bunch of people to the safety of Kvatch's chapel; helps you fight off the people attacking Weynon Priory; calls on all his knowledge of Daedra worship to get the Amulet of Kings back; leads the defence of Bruma; and even sacrifices himself in order to stop Mehrunes Dagon. Most of this he even does while trying not to believe that he's actually an important person of any sort, much less the son of the Emperor.
*** Well, technically, he hadn't been crowned ''yet.'' But certainly he would have ''become'' the living embodiment of this trope [[spoiler:had he not sacrificed himself to save Tamriel.]]
** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim's]]'' in-game lore reveals many personalities of royalty in Tamriel's history being warriors and monster slayers, with the ultimate example being Tiber Septim (aka [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence Talos]]), the founder of the Tamriel Empire and the Septim Dynasty, who was also one of the most legendary of the Dragonborn. Titus Mede II, the current Emperor, is stated to have been a very skilled general who managed to successfully fight off the Thalmor during the Great War.

** MinnieMouse qualifies when needed. She's got {{Holy|HandGrenade}} on her side.

* In ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite'' Team Plasma's King [[spoiler:N]] is a fighter first and foremost, and a king second.

* Every princess in ''VisualNovel/PrincessWaltz'' is some form of BadAss. The Princess Waltz tournament of the titular VisualNovel allows the strongest princess in the land to marry the Emperor, giving them good reason to not just sit around. Most notable are Princesses Liliana and Angela, who both fight in their Kingdom's navy and army respectively. Princess Liesel, on the other hand, is a noted inventor and smith.

* ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' has MickeyMouse. He's the king of Disney Castle, a {{Badass}} and powerful Keyblade Master, and one of the main characters in the series, acting as a BigGood (though he defers to Bigger Good [[{{Disney/Fantasia}} Yen Sid]]).

** Prince Fluff from ''VideoGame/KirbysEpicYarn'' also counts.

** Prince Noctis, the hero of ''Videogame/FinalFantasyXV'', is protector of Lucis (which happens to be in the middle of a MobWar), presumably due to his father the king getting old and having diplomatic matters to handle.

** ''VideoGame/HeroesOfMightAndMagic V'' has [[UnwittingPawn Isabel]] ([[BaseBreaker arguably]]), [[CoolOldGuy Godric]] and [[RebelliousPrincess Freyda]], as well as [[WisePrince Zehir]].

* King K. Rool from ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'', who serves as the FinalBoss of the first four games (including VideoGame/DonkeyKong64) and is a real pain in the ass to defeat.

* ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}}'', especially ''Warcraft III'', has several royal heroes fighting on the frontlines, including Arthas, Muradin Bronzebeard (and his brothers in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', to an extent), Kael'thas and Anub'arak (ancient king-turned-traitor of Azjol-Nerub).

** ''Warcraft II'' rather inverts the trope, with legendary and/or royal heroes who when they appear on the field need to be kept away from the front lines at all cost, being weaker than regular units.

* Victoria from ''{{Agarest Senki}} 2''. She's of the opinion that one should lead from the front-lines rather than behind and is a general via AsskickingEqualsAuthority. Mostly gets it from her father Wolfgang, who himself is a ReasonableAuthorityFigure who admits the only reason he isn't fighting is because of old age.

* Royalty in ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' tends to have earned their position, not inherited it. Gwyn, Lord of Sunlight, from the first game was one of the most active and successful warriors in the war against the Dragons, and [[spoiler:personally and knowingly sacrificed his life in an effort to save the world.]] In ''VideoGame/DarkSouls2'', King Vendrick is remembered as a mighty ruler who lead his kingdom of Drangleic into a golden age, until the war with the Giants brought it all down. When the player learns more about Vendrick, they learn that [[spoiler:he spent most of the last part of his life desperately researching a cure for the Undead Curse. He was ultimately unsuccessful, but is implied to have come closer than anyone ever has before.]] The Giant Lord in the same game is revealed to have personally lead his troops on the front lines of battle, and it was his death that turned the tables and finally lead to the defeat of the Giants.

* King Cailan in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' is determined to be one of these, insisting that he fight on the front lines against the darkspawn army. [[spoiler:It backfires spectacularly as he is killed in the ensuing battle]].

** Also played straight with King Maric and his mother, the Rebel Queen Moira, who were leaders of LaResistance during the Orlesian Occupation. Later, Maric accompanies a group of Grey Wardens into the Deep Roads to fight Darkspawn despite Loghain's objections. One of the reasons Cailan wants to fight on the front lines is because he has heard stories of his father doing the same.