For game enthusiasts everywhere, the ultimate fantasy, Tomb Raider's Lara Croft (1967-) can totally transform one million realities. A British heiress, the fantasy maiden is a cross between James Bond and Indiana Jones.

At the age of 21, returning from a skiing trip, her plane crashes in the Himalayas. She learns wilderness survival and craves more adventure. A writer turned to world exploration, Croft has the Ark of the Covenant in her living room and visits exotic locations for more treasures... provided the person pushing the game buttons is good enough.

A femme fatale, with ample breasts, tiny waist, and short shorts, Croft was created by Toby Gard, a 21-year-old graphic artist. "The perfect girl" debuted in 1996. Stunning, she does her trademark sideways back flip, climbs mountains, and kills killers. As artist Andy Warhol once observed, "Fantasy love is much better than reality love."

Eidos Interactive executive Gary Keith explained that both men and women like Croft. "The core audience, males in the 13-35 age bracket, love to see this beautiful, buxom woman running around." He adds that women, too, enjoy Croft "because they perceive her as a role model: she's not only adventurous but very well-educated."

In 1997, the Uzi-packing digital version of Croft gracefully leaped off the video screen and appeared on tour with rockers U2, interacting with lead singer Bono. "The fact that Lara is synthetic does not lessen her appeal. Indeed, her fans would have it no other way." explained a 1997 Economist article.

Lara Croft, Angelina Jolie on the big screen, is a digital dream, a cartoon, and a solitary fantasy, if one is lucky.

A solitary fantasy can transform 1 million realities.