KFC pitchman Colonel Sanders is joining the dating scene, in the latest example of how brands are trying to appeal to new generations of consumers.

The real Colonel Harland Sanders, known for sporting browline glasses, a black Western bow tie and snow-white hair, died in 1980 at age 90. The iconic persona of the 67-year-old fast-food chain has lived on in various forms, though, including in a series of ads since 2015 starring a rotating cast of celebrities.

More youthful and fit than ever, he now stars in a new videogame released Tuesday that invites players to try to win his heart.

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In “I Love You, Colonel Sanders! A Finger Lickin’ Good Dating Simulator,” made by New York and Los Angeles studio Psyop Inc., the Colonel is a lanky cartoon chef who could pass for a millennial hipster. Players answer a series of questions that determine their fate as they navigate a virtual kitchen in hopes of impressing him with their chicken-frying savvy.

The project targets fans of both anime and dating simulations, said Jarrod Higgins, creative director of KFC’s advertising agency, Wieden+Kennedy. In April, KFC introduced a computer-generated, chiseled male model inspired by the poultry pitchman in a series of campy Instagram photos.

“We’ve definitely strayed from the original recipe here,” said Adriane Pontecorvo, a 29-year-old radio DJ in Bloomington, Ind., of the chef’s new, sexy persona. “I’m very into it.”

Others aren’t amused. Dianne Klein, who worked at a KFC restaurant in Fair Oaks, Calif., as a teenager in the 1970s, can’t stomach the notion of dating any version of the Colonel. The eatery, at the time, had a large, plastic statue of the elderly entrepreneur outside its doors that reminded her of Santa Claus, she said.

“Obviously this is not my demo they’re going after,” said Ms. Klein, chief of staff at the University of California’s investment arm.

The Colonel isn’t the only mascot to age in reverse. In 2012, Quaker Oats gave its venerable Quaker man “Larry” a shorter haircut and more exposed shoulders to look burlier, though not sexy. Procter & Gamble Co. ’s Mr. Clean and Georgia-Pacific’s Brawny man have also had makeovers to help those brands appeal to younger consumers.

Nailing down the right new look can be challenging. In the early 2000s, Leo Burnett executives spent months studying a refresh of Pillsbury Co.’s famous doughboy Poppin’ Fresh, said Cheryl Berman, former chairman and creative chief at the ad agency, a unit of Publicis Groupe SA . They considered giving the mascot a girlfriend, as well as making him larger and more agile, among other possibilities. Ultimately no changes were made to the decades-old pudgy brand ambassador, Ms. Berman said.

“Research said don’t touch him, so we freshened and evolved his stories, but not him,” said Ms. Berman, now head of Chicago creative firm Unbundled LLC.

The stakes are high. Many people weren’t lovin’ it when McDonald’s Co. gave Ronald McDonald a hip, urban look with cargo pants and a red jacket in 2014. Critics took to social media, calling the iconic clown “Ronald McDouche,” for example, while Esquire at the time said the new look resembled a “serial killer’s church outfit.”

Rolling out new versions of the Colonel is serious business for a chain that is trying to maintain sales growth, while battling competitors like Chick-fil-A Inc. and Restaurant Brands Inc.’s Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. In various ad campaigns over the years, the pitchman has been played by celebrities such as actors Reba McEntire and Ray Liotta.

“Our strategy has been to find new, interesting and provocative ways to make the Colonel a part of pop culture,” said Andrea Zahumensky, marketing chief for KFC U.S., part of Yum Brands Inc., in a statement. “He’s always our north star.”

Using videogames and social media to reach consumers is a popular method for advertisers since more people, especially younger audiences, are watching less traditional television and aren’t exposed as much to TV commercials, said Allen Adamson, co-founder of Metaforce LLC, a New York marketing agency. But it isn’t a guaranteed recipe for success.

“There isn’t always a direct correlation between getting noticed and selling a product,” Mr. Adamson said. “The question remains, will they sell an extra bucket of chicken or not?”

Tyler LeBeau, a 31-year-old IT worker from Chicago who also wrestles and regularly plays videogames, said KFC’s new dating game isn’t appealing. “It doesn’t spark my fryer,” he said.

Write to Sarah E. Needleman at sarah.needleman@wsj.com