Top Ten Video Game Villains

The top ten video game villains may not share the same goals of world domination or societal destruction, but each one has left a mark in gaming history that cannot be forgotten.  While these villains intimidate or oppress the worlds they inhabit, heroes must rise up to face the challenges imposed by these malevolent characters. Whether they are annoyingly difficult to defeat or intriguing to your idea of villainy, here in no particular order are the best ones that video games have to offer.

1. Ganon ("Legend Of Zelda" series).  Link's nemesis is one of video game's greatest villains.  Once the leader of the Gerudo, Ganon obtained the Triforce of Power and has terrorized the kingdom of Hyrule again and again.
2. Bowser ("Mario" series).  One of gaming's classic villains, King Bowser is notorious for kidnapping Princess Peach and menacing the Mushroom Kingdom. Time and again, the Italian plumbers Mario and Luigi have been called to thwart "King Koopa" and his evil plans.
3. Sephiroth ("Final Fantasy VII").  The main villain in one of the most cherished video games of all-time, Sephiroth was a former Shinra warrior who is driven insane by his lust for power and his loss of identity when he discovers the secrets of his past.
4. Diablo ("Diablo" series).  One of the three Prime Evils and the titular villain of the series, the Lord of Terror corrupted the soul of the hero who slayed him in the original game and took over his body in the sequel.  The games are dungeon-crawling fun for PC gamers, but the boss battles make Diablo one of the top video game villains.
5. Psycho Mantis ("Metal Gear Solid" series).  One of the most diabolical villains of all-time, Psycho Mantis went so far as to break the fourth wall and speak directly to players, disturbing the screen and game controller before his defeat at the hands of Snake.
6. Mother Brain ("Metroid" series).  General of the Space Pirates in the center of the planet Zebes, Mother Brain was the final boss at the end of the original "Metroid."  Samus Aran defeated the monstrous supercomputer, but Mother Brain remains one of the greatest video game villains.
7. M. Bison ("Street Fighter" series).  One of the toughest villains of all fighting games, Bison is the evil leader of Shadaloo bent on world domination.  His array of signature moves have mesmerized and frustrated gamers since his first appearance in "Street Fighter II."
8. Dr. Robotnik ("Sonic The Hedgehog" series).  The main adversary from the Sega Genesis flagship series, this mad scientist controlled hordes of robotic monsters in order to conquer the world.  Only Sonic and his team of confidants stood in the way of one of video game's top villains.
9. Mike Tyson ("Mike Tyson's Punch-out!!").  The final fighter in Little Mac's quest for the title, Tyson was the undisputed heavyweight champion.  While not an ambitious world dominator, Tyson nonetheless intimidated players with his uncanny ability to knock Little Mac out with one punch.  The only thing that could stop him (besides an obsessive gaming prowess) was "Iron Mike's" contract with Nintendo expiring, as he was later replaced in the game by "Mr. Dream."
10. Dr. Wily ("Mega Man" series).  A colleague and rival of Dr. Light, he turned against his partner and reprogrammed his robots into his evil followers.  He was defeated by Mega Man but has returned repeatedly to terrorize mankind as one of the world's greatest video game villains.