Video Game Mt. Rushmore: Villains

One of the great things about opinions is the fact that everybody has one.

With that in mind, I reached out to some of my Game Time friends and asked them to participate in a series of articles that will force them to dig deep into their gaming memory banks to come up with their Top 4 (fill in the blank)s.

This week, we focused on the Mt. Rushmore of the bad guys. Let us know in the comment section below who you would submit as your own.

Ryan (@ryannoble66)

Inky, Blinky, Pinky and Clyde – Pac-Man
Might not be the first villain to come to your mind but the ghosts of Pac-Man could be the most iconic villains in the video game universe. Because they have been seen not only on home consoles, but also seen in TV, Movies and pretty much everywhere else. Not only are they easily recognizable to non gamers, they are also pretty strong. Like, they touch pac-man and he wastes away to nothing. A pretty strong bad guy. (I realize there is 4 but I don’t care. I am counting them as one so suck it)

Mr. Dream – Punch Out featuring Mr. Dream
Remember that time in 1990 when Mike Tyson lost all those titles? Well that also cost him his spot as the final fight in Mike Tysons Punch-Out. They couldn’t have a looser in that spot. When Nintendo decided to not re-new ‘Iron Mikes’ deal they needed a new, more stronger person worthy of that spot. Or, just to change the final characters ethnicity and head and name him Mr. Dream. He was the same right down to the fighting style but he remains a very difficult opponent. He is the only character who’s move set changes each time you face him and because of his speed and strength he is a VERY difficult opponent.

Hulk Hogan – Wrestlemania
I don’t think I have ever beat Hulk Hogan in Wrestlemania for Nintendo. He was impossible. AND, he is the ultimate villain. From that time he turned on WCW to the time he said the N word. Not like the time Booker T called Hogan the N word. It is different… Anyways, Hogan is a bad dude and backs it up in that game!

Koopa Troopa – Super Mario Brothers
Okay, why would someone not pick Bowser if they are going to pick a heel from Mario games? Well, for one Koopa’s are never ending. Always there and there is always a bunch behind him. Also, he is arguably as recognizable as Bowser. Lastly, he is not only a pain in the face for Mario alive but also in death. I would be scared to see the total number of times I have kicked a dead Koopa off a wall and right at myself.. Such an ass.

Mart (@only1mart)

Tyrant - Resident Evil
[from the editor] Zombies are terrible. Tyrants are terrible-----er. According to the Resident Evil Wiki page, only one in 10 million people exposed to the T-Virus that caused the zombie outbreak in Raccoon City and eventually everywhere else would turn into this vicious thing that was so difficult to beat. It wasn't like Resident Evil needed any more frightening enemies. But, honestly, if only 1 in 10,000,000 would turn into a Tyrant, how did Umbrella Corporation mass produce them?

Abobo - Double Dragon
[from the editor] Abobo is a Double Dragon mainstay. His oversized muscles and trademark mohawk made him a memorable first-level boss character throughout the series of games, even if he was made to be a complete doofus in the 1994 movie featuring Alyssa Milano as Marian.

Joker - Arkham Asylum 
[from the editor] He's The God-Damned Joker

Ganon - The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time
[from the editor] If you've not played Ocarina of Time, I'm going to spoil it for you. Ganondorf is bad-ass and in OoT, and had collected all of the TriForce except one. Link still had the Trifoce of Courage. Unfortunately for Link, Ganondorf uses just about every power move imaginable - and some that are not - to attempt at getting the final piece from him. it makes for one hell of a battle.

Ryan (@Ham0nRy)

Dr. Wily - Mega Man series

You have to admire Dr. Wily’s perseverance, he’s been trying to take over the world for 28 years but is always foiled by his greatest creation, Mega Man. The evil genius has built some of the most memorable bosses in video game history: Cut Man, Napalm Man, and even something called Pharaoh Man.

Bowser - Super Mario Brothers series

Bowser hates Mario so bad that he enlists his kids to help him stop the lovable plumber. You’ve gotta respect that kinda parenting.

GLaDOS - Portal series

Claiming that she wants nothing more than to test you, this homicidal AI’s dry sense of humor and passive-aggressive personality make her one of the most enjoyable villains in video game history.

Mecha-Hitler - Wolfenstein 3D

It wasn’t that surprising that the baddest Nazi of them all turned up as the final boss in Wolfenstein 3D, but nobody expected him to be in Robocop cosplay and weilding four chain guns. Unbelievably difficult to defeat, it was so satisfying to finally turn him into a pile of red goo and escape Castle Wolfenstein.

Paul (@Evil_Shero)

Bowser - Mario

Ganondorf - Zelda

Ghosts - Pac-Man 

Yourself - Grand Theft Auto
[from the editor] From its humble beginnings, Grand Theft Auto has required the player to be anything but. In the first game, released in 1997, you had to steal anything and everything to get from Point A to Point B. In fact, just to reach a new city, you had to amass one million dollars, which, in 1997, was still a lot of money.

Brian (@ToonsBrian)

Sephiroth - Final Fantasy VII
When you look at the box art for Final Fantasy VII, the first thought you have is "Jesus Christ! That sword is huge!" As you play the game, you quickly find out that while Cloud Strife's iconic Buster Sword is indeed large, the game's end boss's blad is a little more foreboding. Scaled out, Sephiroth's kitana would likely be 512 feet long. He has an over the top god complex, coupled with an Oedipal complex coupled with the ability and desire to summon a meteor capable of destroying an entire world.

The Reapers - Mass Effect series
Mass Effect took its time telling a great story. That story wouldn't have been nearly as good without The Reapers. Just imagine a universe in which a race of sentient machines not only has the ability to wipe out all life in the universe, but do so on the regular.

Time and Music - Tetris
I would argue that there is no game that utilized music better than Tetris for the NES. It wasn't enough that as you progressed through the levels, the colors of the Tetromino would change or that they would speed up making Time your enemy as well. No. That damn music would get so intense, so quickly that it would trigger an involuntary emotional response that made the game even harder. Screw you, Tetris Music.

The Oracle - Indigo Prophecy
Hands down, Indigo Prophecy is one of my favorite non-mainstream games of all time. Known as Farenheit outside of North America, the game was billed as an interactive film. The Oracle was the primary baddie in this game and, as you would find out, was actually a Mayan priest.  You never see his face - just his shrouded silhouette - and somehow, in the opening scene even, he was able to have you murder somebody in a very public diner. That alone would be enough to put him among the elite villains. Nevermind his ability to fly, teleport and use telekinesis. No wonder Lucas Kane thought he was crazy for the entirety of the game.

I really hope this becomes an actual movie someday.

That does it for our first Mt. Rushmore list. Let us all know what you think and submit your own by commenting below.

Thanks for reading.

Photoshop credit: Mt. Rushmore background in title image - FancifulDancingStar.tumblr.com