Village Gamer

Guinness World Records, the global authority on record-breaking, announce the Top 50 Video Game Villains of All Time as voted for by over 5,000 of their readers.  The list, which is revealed in its entirety in the new Guinness World Records 2013 Gamer’s Edition book, sees the iconic Nintendo Boss Bowser crowned king, with Portal’s GLaDOS in the runner up spot. A total of 5,699 total votes were cast on the Guinness World Records website, which placed Assassin’s Creed’s Borgia family at #7 and “The Readers” from Mass Effect at #21. I don’t remember The Readers from ME, but I do know The Reapers.

Bowser, from one of the most iconic and best-selling video game franchises of all time, Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo, 1985) landed top spot with over 20% of the vote.   Mario’s arch enemy is nothing if not persistent: few enemies would attempt to kidnap the same princess twice, let alone eight times during the past 28 years!  It seems his malevolent persistence has paid off with the ‘King of Koopas’ becoming the king of the videogame villains.

The runner-up comes courtesy of the recent Portal series (Valve, 2007). Only a small share of the vote kept GLaDOS, the ominous, AI computer system off top spot. The ever-present computer voice that follows players throughout the game, acts simultaneously as a guide, narrator, and final boss. The doyenne’s sinister wit and monotone delivery keeps players constantly on edge.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZz6NWQfQok]

Rounding out the top three is a giant in video games, comics, and film. The Joker’s performance in Batman: Arkham Asylum (Rocksteady, 2009) was deemed suitably unhinged as he stalks Batman through the disgusting, titular sanatorium.

Kevin Lynch, writer for Guinness World Records 2013 Gamer’s Edition said: “It was really interesting for us to put the vote out to our readers and see who their favourite villain was – Bowser’s top place is no big shocker, but there certainly are surprises in there.  I think what this list really reflects is that video game villains tend to be a lot cooler than the heroes they’re pitted against.”

The remainder of the Top 50 shows just how diverse video game villains can be. The Great King of Evil Ganon (The Legend of Zelda – Nintendo EAD, 1996), corporate experiment Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII – Square, 1997), and lovable-yet-infuriating ghost Inky (PAC-MAN – Namco, 1980) all make the Top 10, and demonstrate that the creativity behind making an antagonist can be just as deep as concocting a hero. Other notables to make the list include Donkey Kong (#14), the Police in Grand Theft Auto (#24), and Mortal Kombat’s Shao Kahn (#41).

50. Hades	Kid Icarus
49. Atlas	BioShock
48. Jacqueline Natla	Tomb Raider
47. Shepherd	Call of Duty
46. Herobrine	Minecraft
45. Solidus Snake	Metal Gear Solid
44. Diablo	Diable
43. Dr Robotnik	Sonic the Hedgehog
42. Dr Neo Cortex	Crash Bandicoot
41. Shao Kahn	Mortal Kombat
40. Zoran Lazarevic	Uncharted
39. Tabuu	Super Mario Bros.
38. Kaos	Skylanders
37. Wheatley	Portal
36. Mother Brain	Metroid
35. Ghirahim	The Legend of Zelda
34. Dr Nefarious	Ratchet & Clank
33. Xehanort	Kingdom Hearts
32. Kessler	Infamous
31. The Flood	Halo
30. The Locust Hordes	Gears of War
29. Vanitas	Kindgom Hearts
28. Darth Vader	Star Wars
27. Dr Wily	Mega Man
26. Team Rocket	Pokemon
25. Kefka Palazzo	Final Fantasy
24. Police	Grand Theft Auto
23. Zombies	Call of Duty
22. Aliens	Space Invaders
21. The Readers (Should be Reapers)	Mass Effect
20. N	Pokemon
19. Zeus	God of War
18. Alduin	Skyrim
17. M Bison	Street Fighter
16. The Covenant	Halo
15. Andrew Ryan	BioShock
14. Donkey Kong	Donkey Kong
13. Psycho Mantis	Metal Gear Solid
12. Albert Wesker	Resident Evil
11. Vladimir Makarov	Call of Duty
10. Creeper	Minecraft
9. Liquid Ocelot	Metal Gear Solid
8. Inky	PAC-Man
7. The Borgias	Assassin’s Creed II
6. Sephiroth	Final Fantasy VII
5. Gary Oak	Pokemon Red/Blue
4. Ganon	The Legend of Zelda
3. The Joker	Batman: Arkham Asylum
2. GLaDOS	Portal
1. Bowser	Super Mario Bros.