The ’90s were pivotal years for the gaming industry’s push into mainstream media. The release of the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation 1 was significant, as gaming flawlessly transitioned from 2D to 3D in style, with games likeSuper Mario 64andThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Timeleading the way.
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The decade was particularly notable for its use of mascot characters who made excellent marketing tools, with heroes likeMario,Crash Bandicoot,andSonic The Hedgehogbecoming recognizable faces worldwide. However,for every hero, there’s a villain, and the ’90s were also home to some of the evilest, charismatic, and ultimately memorable villains in gaming history.
6Doctor Eggman
Doctor Eggman is the arch-nemesis of Sonic and has been a prominent figure inthe blue hedgehog’s franchisesince the very first game hit stores in June 1991 on the Sega Genesis. Eggman is today one of gaming’s most iconic villains, with his egg-shaped body, signature yellow and black clothing, and emphasis on using machines to stop Sonic all being recognizable features.
The classic villain may be on the verge of some design changes, however, as the recentSonic The Hedgehogfilm was a huge commercial success, Sega may alter Eggman’s design in the future to be closer to Jim Carrey’s portrayal of the character in the movie.
5Doctor Neo Cortex
From one evil doctor to another, Doctor Neo Cortex is the nemesis ofCrash Bandicootand has appeared in every single one ofthe orange marsupial’s main series adventures, almost always as the leading villain. Neo Cortex created Crash Bandicoot with the intent of using him and other genetically enhanced animals to take over the world, though Crash managed to escape and has been trying to stop the evil scientist’s plans of world domination ever since.
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In 2004’sCrash Twinsantiy, Cortex was redesigned to have a more comical role. This comically incompetent but still villainous interpretation of Cortex has stuck and was how he was presented in the series' latest main series entry,Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time.
4Ganon
Ganon, also known as Ganondorf in his humanoid form, is the main antagonist of theLegend of Zeldafranchise. Ganon appears as the main antagonist in two of Link’s ’90s adventures, namelyA Link to the PastandOcarina of Time- which are still considered to be not just two of the bestZeldagames but two of thebest action-adventure gamesof all time, period.
Although Ganon often only appears at the end ofLegend of Zeldagames, he is a looming presence that is always built up as being a major threat in the story and through conversations with NPCs. This sense of danger and foreboding is key to manyZeldaadventures, and rarely being able to see Ganon until the end of the game wonderfully builds tension, likewaiting to see the shark inJaws.
3SHODAN
SHODAN is a looming threat to players like Ganon, but unlikeThe Legend of Zelda’s antagonist, SHODAN’s presence is constantly felt. LikePortal’s GLaDOS, SHODAN is a female A.I. that watches over the player and ensures that they never feel safe, with nowhere to hide from the A.I.’s all-seeing eye.
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SHODAN is from theSystem Shockseries, a pair of cyberpunk games that were highly influential to both the first-person shooter and role-playing genres. Although many video games and movies have tackled the subject of artificial intelligence gone wrong, it’s hard to beat SHODAN in terms of menace.
2Sephiroth
Sephiroth is the main antagonist ofFinal Fantasy 7and is a key antagonist in the franchise’s extended universe.
Sephiroth became a celebrity war hero and a poster child of the Shinra Electric Power Company’s SOLDIER program following his success in battle. However, Sephiroth would join the other characters on this list in deciding that his destiny was to take over the world after discovering the shocking truth that he was the result of a Shinra experiment as they injected him with extraterrestrial cells as a fetus.
Sephiroth’s unique combination of a god-like aura, calm demeanor, and frighteningly aggressive actions make him an enigmatic villain that is tough to forget.
1Bowser
Bowser’s appearance on this list should come as no surprise, considering that he is gaming’s most recognizable villain by quite some distance. Bowser appeared as the main villain inSuper Mario WorldandSuper Mario 64, which were both released in the ’90s and are considered to be two ofthe greatest platforming gamesof all time.
Today, Bowser has been beaten by players so many times that it’s difficult to think of him as a threat. However, back whenSuper Mario 64was released, the 3D model of Bowser was genuinely intimidating, and the developers did a great job of building up to his appearance with numerous unsettling appearances from him throughout the adventure, such as in the painting that changes from Peach to Bowser before a surprise drop and the endless staircase.
