But now, SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has been made into a video game – based on Sega classic Sonic the Hedgehog.
The game, Nicola, was created by an SNP-supporting Reddit user, who has adapted the original game to put a graphic of the politician wearing a red outfit in place of the usual prickly blue character. The game allows players to navigate the usual Sonic landscapes and collect rings, which in this version have been replaced by SNP logos. The first landscape, usually called the ‘Green Hill Zone’, has been renamed “Both for SNP”.
The game, which can be played or free on a Sega Megadrive emulator, also features a fight between Nicola and Dr Bojotnik – a not-very-subtly-renamed Dr Robotnik, who sports a shock of blonde hair and a Union Jack on his hovercraft, as well as parliamentary committees and a hostile media.
Reddit user Lower_Gas2349, who created the game, wrote on the social media site: “Me and some pals figured, with this election being mostly online, we'd show our support in a different way. After many hours of technical and artistic work, we present to r/Scotland the latest game for the SEGA Mega Drive. Both Votes SNP to put Green Hill Zone's future in Green Hill Zone's hands.”
The game has been welcomed by Scottish Reddit users.
One wrote: “As both an snp activist/would-be candidate, and a totally nerdy geek, bloody fantastic.”
The game can be downloaded here.