Most remember
nintendo
for all the joyful pleasure brought by the likes of
mario
and
Pokemon
. However, Nintendo-related games extend much further than that. Over the years, many Nintendo games have produced characters sporting an average streak and a darker side.
RELATED: The 10 Scariest Video Game Villains Of All Time, Ranked
Sometimes this streak appears in a character who acts like a bully or has a rough behavior, but it can turn into really antagonistic intentions or actions. There are plenty of villains who attack just for fun, but it’s the Nintendo characters with darker motives that strike with extra impact.
ten
Tharja can be cold and unpleasant
Among the playable characters in
Fire Emblem Awakening
, Tharja remains one of the most complex. This dark mage can be kind to her allies, who treat her the same. However, her interest in Robin seems frightening, especially when paired with her meticulous stalking and studying.
Tharja won’t hesitate to lash out, physically or verbally, if she feels someone is being too intrusive. The fact that she’s considered a villain if the player doesn’t recruit her highlights Tharja’s need for guidance and direction. She can be mean, but she can be extremely loyal when given the love she deserves.
9
Bowser is never up to snuff
The
mario
The franchise has accumulated many villains over the years, but Bowser will always stand out as the most notable. The leader of the Koopa race, he is often seen trying to enact ridiculously evil plans. Bowser looks intimidatingly villainous, but pursues him with a pettiness and obsession that normally revolves around the kidnapping of Princess Peach.
RELATED: The 10 Strongest Mario Villains Who Aren’t Bowser
mario
games in recent years have featured Bowser as a playable character, whether
Smash Bros.
,
Mario Kart
Where
Mario Strikers
. This does not change the character’s overall badness, even if it sets it aside for friendly athletic competition.
8
Mido has a burning grudge against Link.
Ganon is perhaps the undisputed villain of the
Zelda
series, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other unlikable characters in the franchise.
Ocarina of time
introduces Mido, the rude leader of the Kokiri. Mido resents Link and goes out of his way to insult or disrespect him. He even blames Link for the Great Deku Tree’s death.
Mido later apologizes to Link, hinting that he may not be as bad as his initial grudge suggests. Still, Mido remains one of many annoying and unnecessarily rude characters littered throughout the
Zelda
franchise.
seven
Dr. Andross looks particularly intimidating in a space setting
Dr. Andross is the main antagonist of the
star fox
series. He’s usually depicted as a disembodied head, making him a horrifying villain. The space background only adds to the ominous aesthetic, as the void emphasizes Dr. Andross’ gruesome features.
As a character, Andross doesn’t have much complexity going for him, beyond being the big baddie with an eye for experimentation. Either way, Dr. Andross is a villain worthy of multiple iterations and appearances, forever remaining one of Nintendo’s most iconic antagonists.
6
Silver is one of many Pokémon characters to choose from on the player
Game Freak and Nintendo brought
Pokemon
games to the masses since
Blue red
released in 1996. Each generation had its new species of Pokémon, as well as new heroes and villains. For a villain to leave a mark, they often antagonized the player, but this behavior was not limited to villainous organizations.
RELATED: 10 Ways Pokémon Gold & Silver Are Still The Best Games In The Series
The rival of
Gold Silver
, known as money, exemplifies the average rival stereotype. Blue wasn’t particularly nice in the previous generation, but Silver took it up a notch. Not only does he steal a Pokémon from Professor Elm’s lab, he constantly insults the player. This persists throughout his losses, until he begins to soften in the final battles, having learned his lesson.
5
Despite appearances, Porky Minch is a horrible villain
Earthbound
also known as
Mother
, has produced several powerful antagonists over the years. While Giygas remains one of the most feared and iconic villains of all time, there’s another one with an unassuming mean streak that deserves more recognition. Pokey Minch is just a mischievous kid in
Earthbound
but at the moment
Mother 3
happens, he transforms into a full-fledged villain.
Known as the Porky Minch, he pilots a large spider mech and orchestrates a lot of mayhem. He may not look intimidating, but his actions have had disastrous consequences for countless people. He ruins and takes lives, whether through mind control or simpler methods of destruction.
4
Ganon is the persistent antagonist of Zelda
Ganon, also known as Ganondorf, is the main antagonist of the
Zelda
series. He has been featured or mentioned in nearly 10 different games within the franchise. A powerful Gerudo wizard, Ganon simply desires absolute power and calamity.
Ganon’s wickedness knows no bounds, using his wits to enact plans of pure evil. The lack of any form of moral compass makes him even more dangerous, especially when paired with his destructive tendencies. Ganon’s cynical mindset can make his words as deep as his sword, making him dangerous on many levels.
3
Dimentio plays everyone in Super Paper Mario
Dimentio is the main villain of
Super Paper Mario
, though he seemed like a mere henchman to Count Bleck for most of the game. Dimentio proves to be the truest and most manipulative puppeteer in all of Nintendo games. The magician picks his moment to reveal his true personality and ambitions, patiently setting his plans in motion from the start.
RELATED: Every Paper Mario Partner, Ranked By Utility
Dimentio aims to become the ruler of all dimensions and finds himself comfortably ahead of everyone at every turn. Even in his eventual defeat, he tries to leave some of his power behind in order to carry out the destruction of the universe, a small act of pure evil and malice.
2
Ridley ups the ante in Metroid
Ridley is an intimidating and futuristic pterosaur-like creature known for being the
metroid
main antagonist of the series. As terrifying as he looks, he backs him up with his gruesome plans. Ridley travels across multiple galaxies, exterminating anyone who gets in his way, with no regard for innocent life.
Ridley enjoys inflicting pain to an extreme degree. The comics even confirm this, with the rep bragging in front of Samus’ face that he ate her mother. Ridley’s monstrous appearance pairs well with his villainous tendencies.
1
Hades loves carnage and suffering
Greek mythology depicts Hades residing in the underworld, making him a popular figure on which to base villainous characters. This is certainly the case with Hades in the third game of the
Child Icarus
series,
Uprising
. Hades relishes the suffering of others, whether physical or mental.
Hades’ wicked nature makes him a terrifying foe that Pit must challenge. He loves death and destruction, especially when the resulting souls satisfy his hunger and help create monsters for his army. The prospect of Hades getting stronger while having more supporters makes him the perfect video game villain.
NEXT: 10 Nintendo Games That Bombed But Became Cult Classics

Most remember
nintendo
for all the joyful pleasure brought by the likes of
mario
and
Pokemon
. However, Nintendo-related games extend much further than that. Over the years, many Nintendo games have produced characters sporting an average streak and a darker side.
RELATED: The 10 Scariest Video Game Villains Of All Time, Ranked
Sometimes this streak appears in a character who acts like a bully or has a rough behavior, but it can turn into really antagonistic intentions or actions. There are plenty of villains who attack just for fun, but it’s the Nintendo characters with darker motives that strike with extra impact.
ten
Tharja can be cold and unpleasant
Among the playable characters in
Fire Emblem Awakening
, Tharja remains one of the most complex. This dark mage can be kind to her allies, who treat her the same. However, her interest in Robin seems frightening, especially when paired with her meticulous stalking and studying.
Tharja won’t hesitate to lash out, physically or verbally, if she feels someone is being too intrusive. The fact that she’s considered a villain if the player doesn’t recruit her highlights Tharja’s need for guidance and direction. She can be mean, but she can be extremely loyal when given the love she deserves.
9
Bowser is never up to snuff
The
mario
The franchise has accumulated many villains over the years, but Bowser will always stand out as the most notable. The leader of the Koopa race, he is often seen trying to enact ridiculously evil plans. Bowser looks intimidatingly villainous, but pursues him with a pettiness and obsession that normally revolves around the kidnapping of Princess Peach.
RELATED: The 10 Strongest Mario Villains Who Aren’t Bowser
mario
games in recent years have featured Bowser as a playable character, whether
Smash Bros.
,
Mario Kart
Where
Mario Strikers
. This does not change the character’s overall badness, even if it sets it aside for friendly athletic competition.
8
Mido has a burning grudge against Link.
Ganon is perhaps the undisputed villain of the
Zelda
series, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other unlikable characters in the franchise.
Ocarina of time
introduces Mido, the rude leader of the Kokiri. Mido resents Link and goes out of his way to insult or disrespect him. He even blames Link for the Great Deku Tree’s death.
Mido later apologizes to Link, hinting that he may not be as bad as his initial grudge suggests. Still, Mido remains one of many annoying and unnecessarily rude characters littered throughout the
Zelda
franchise.
seven
Dr. Andross looks particularly intimidating in a space setting
Dr. Andross is the main antagonist of the
star fox
series. He’s usually depicted as a disembodied head, making him a horrifying villain. The space background only adds to the ominous aesthetic, as the void emphasizes Dr. Andross’ gruesome features.
As a character, Andross doesn’t have much complexity going for him, beyond being the big baddie with an eye for experimentation. Either way, Dr. Andross is a villain worthy of multiple iterations and appearances, forever remaining one of Nintendo’s most iconic antagonists.
6
Silver is one of many Pokémon characters to choose from on the player
Game Freak and Nintendo brought
Pokemon
games to the masses since
Blue red
released in 1996. Each generation had its new species of Pokémon, as well as new heroes and villains. For a villain to leave a mark, they often antagonized the player, but this behavior was not limited to villainous organizations.
RELATED: 10 Ways Pokémon Gold & Silver Are Still The Best Games In The Series
The rival of
Gold Silver
, known as money, exemplifies the average rival stereotype. Blue wasn’t particularly nice in the previous generation, but Silver took it up a notch. Not only does he steal a Pokémon from Professor Elm’s lab, he constantly insults the player. This persists throughout his losses, until he begins to soften in the final battles, having learned his lesson.
5
Despite appearances, Porky Minch is a horrible villain
Earthbound
also known as
Mother
, has produced several powerful antagonists over the years. While Giygas remains one of the most feared and iconic villains of all time, there’s another one with an unassuming mean streak that deserves more recognition. Pokey Minch is just a mischievous kid in
Earthbound
but at the moment
Mother 3
happens, he transforms into a full-fledged villain.
Known as the Porky Minch, he pilots a large spider mech and orchestrates a lot of mayhem. He may not look intimidating, but his actions have had disastrous consequences for countless people. He ruins and takes lives, whether through mind control or simpler methods of destruction.
4
Ganon is the persistent antagonist of Zelda
Ganon, also known as Ganondorf, is the main antagonist of the
Zelda
series. He has been featured or mentioned in nearly 10 different games within the franchise. A powerful Gerudo wizard, Ganon simply desires absolute power and calamity.
Ganon’s wickedness knows no bounds, using his wits to enact plans of pure evil. The lack of any form of moral compass makes him even more dangerous, especially when paired with his destructive tendencies. Ganon’s cynical mindset can make his words as deep as his sword, making him dangerous on many levels.
3
Dimentio plays everyone in Super Paper Mario
Dimentio is the main villain of
Super Paper Mario
, though he seemed like a mere henchman to Count Bleck for most of the game. Dimentio proves to be the truest and most manipulative puppeteer in all of Nintendo games. The magician picks his moment to reveal his true personality and ambitions, patiently setting his plans in motion from the start.
RELATED: Every Paper Mario Partner, Ranked By Utility
Dimentio aims to become the ruler of all dimensions and finds himself comfortably ahead of everyone at every turn. Even in his eventual defeat, he tries to leave some of his power behind in order to carry out the destruction of the universe, a small act of pure evil and malice.
2
Ridley ups the ante in Metroid
Ridley is an intimidating and futuristic pterosaur-like creature known for being the
metroid
main antagonist of the series. As terrifying as he looks, he backs him up with his gruesome plans. Ridley travels across multiple galaxies, exterminating anyone who gets in his way, with no regard for innocent life.
Ridley enjoys inflicting pain to an extreme degree. The comics even confirm this, with the rep bragging in front of Samus’ face that he ate her mother. Ridley’s monstrous appearance pairs well with his villainous tendencies.
1
Hades loves carnage and suffering
Greek mythology depicts Hades residing in the underworld, making him a popular figure on which to base villainous characters. This is certainly the case with Hades in the third game of the
Child Icarus
series,
Uprising
. Hades relishes the suffering of others, whether physical or mental.
Hades’ wicked nature makes him a terrifying foe that Pit must challenge. He loves death and destruction, especially when the resulting souls satisfy his hunger and help create monsters for his army. The prospect of Hades getting stronger while having more supporters makes him the perfect video game villain.
NEXT: 10 Nintendo Games That Bombed But Became Cult Classics