This edition of our video game villain countdown will take us more than halfway through our list and will, I hope, bring back some wonderful memories for you.
Dracula from Gamexeon
#15: Dracula: Evil is seductive.
You’ve heard of this guy, right? Prince of Darkness, Vlad the Impaler, put Transylvania on the map, probably inspired the Count from Sesame Street, etc. This notoriety alone makes him worth mentioning, but the Dracula of the Castlevania series is memorable because he proved to be one of the first vampires to show sparks of human emotions. He has a soft spot for his son Alucard, despite their rocky relationship, and through game play you understand that the root of his evil stems from the loss of two women he truly loved. He’s also a crafty villain who loves to teleport across the screen during battles, and because you can only defeat him with blows to the neck, he’s difficult to beat. But if I’m being honest, the real reason I made sure to include Dracula is because of his excellent fashion sense! He most assuredly gets extra points for his cape, ruffled shirts, and lovely locks of hair!
#14: M. Bison: Never underestimate a dictator with delusions of grandeur!
M. Bison from Street Fighter Wiki
Serving as the primary antagonist of Street Fighter II, M. Bison (or Vega, as he is known in the Japanese version) is the head of the crime syndicate Shadaloo and the host of the Street Fighter II tournament. In addition, he dreams of becoming dictator over the entire world and wields an evil energy known as Psycho Power. What solidifies M. Bison’s position on this list is his villainous personality. He fights for selfish interests, is openly cruel and mocking, and has no qualms about sacrificing friend or foe to get what he wants. Not only does he have no mercy for beaten enemies, whom he sees as weak and unworthy of life, but he fully endorses human experimentation and brainwashing to further his aims. Of course, he’s an incredibly difficult final boss, but in this case, it’s the personality and not the gaming mechanics that make him so memorable.
Mike Tyson from the Daily Wii News
#13: Mike Tyson: Death in one punch!
Mike Tyson’s Punch Out!! is one of Nintendo Entertainment System’s best games, and one of the reasons for this ranking is its undeniable difficulty. While not a traditional video game villain, Mike Tyson brings just as many shudders and cringes from players as any demon or super computer. What makes this fight brutal is that for the first minute and a half of the match, one hit from Tyson will result in your immediate death. It’s just “Game Over.” Surviving requires excellent reflexes and knowledge of Tyson’s somewhat predictable movements—he always starts each match with the same sequences of punches, and sometimes his winks give away which hand he’ll punch with next. In 1990, Tyson’s contract with Nintendo expired and he was replaced with the fictional character Mr. Dream, but who can forget the hair-trigger dodges and frantic button smashing that accompanied a fight with Mike? Tyson deserves a spot here for the sheer frustration he caused many of us.
Dr. Robotnik from Wikipedia
#12: Dr. Robotnik: Not your average Teddy Roosevelt clone!
A character who can claim to be both a mad scientist and a genius has the makings of a classic villain. Dr. Robotnik, the main villain of the Sonic the Hedgehog games, exhibits both of these important traits—he is considered the foremost authority on robotics and he boasts an IQ of 300. With a face modeled loosely on that of Teddy Roosevelt, complete with handlebar mustache, and a body shaped like a giant egg (hence his nickname, Dr. Eggman), Dr. Robotnik doesn’t come across as scary. However, he is a constant force to be reckoned with, as he has a seemingly endless army of robots at his command, as well as chess-like strategies that always include numerous back-up plans. What I love most about him is his almost dual personality. He passes himself off as an analytical scientist and polite gentleman, but he is also prone to throwing childish tantrums whenever Sonic foils his plans.
Mother Brain from Wikitroid
#11: Mother Brain: Some villains are too cool for bodies!
Unlike some villains, the main antagonist of the Metroid series is exactly what her name implies—a giant brain—but she also has a huge eye and some awesome cybernetic spikes. She works with a group of Space Pirates who wreck havoc across the galaxy and are famous for their ability to raid a vessel one minute and vanish the next. What? Did you think a huge brain would be content to just sit around in her glass jug all day? Mother Brain holds a particularly special place in my heart, as I remember watching the TV series Captain N: The Game Master, which included characters from a myriad of video games such as Kid Icarus, Mega Man, Castlevania, and Donkey Kong. Mother Brain served as a representative from Metroid and was the foremost villain of the series, and while she appeared a trifle more incompetent on television, compared to way she came off in the games, I still fell in love with her wit, diabolical schemes, and evil laugh. Plus, she’s really hard to beat!
Only 10 more villains to go! Has your favorite made the list yet? Make sure to check back for the next five!