Game characters are, by their very nature, unrealistic. But what if they were more real? Like, if Lara Croft was less athletic vixen, more, well, archaeologist? Let's find out.

Artist Tom Rhodes has come up with a series of paintings showing his own, personal take on many of the bigger names in gaming. We've got a grumbly plumber, some banged-up, poorly-dressed martial artists from the early 90's, a drug-dealing Duke and possibly the cutest little proper hedgehog you'll see today.

Below are some highlights, but Tom's site has plenty more.

Old Game Characters [Plan To Fail, via Go Nintendo]

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