Favorite Heroes & Villains - 1980s

Gaming's Greatest Heroes and Big Bads

The 1980s was a decade that finally saw video games get more characters, worlds, and stories, going beyond just getting a high score. We got some iconic heroes, including the one that has become the face of the industry. We also got some of the first major villains, some who are still with us to this day. So I looked at twelve heroes and twelve villains that I considered the most important in the decade.

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Top 12 Villains

12 - The Nazis

Castle Wolfenstein

“Kommen sie!”

The Nazis are regarded as the greatest villains of modern human history, and rightfully so. While we will see many incarnations and interpretations of the evil movement in many video games, it makes a strong impact in Castle Wolfenstein. The enemies are not ones you want to deal with too much, and you feel a real sense of danger as you try to creep past them early on. This would only be the start of one of the world’s most evil groups as the antagonists in a video game.

11 - The Ghost Gang - Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde

Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man

What makes Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man so fun isn’t eating the dots and getting a higher score, although that’s definitely part of it, but it’s really the ghost gang. If these four didn’t chase you, it wouldn’t make the game fun now, would it? That sense of satisfaction when you get the power-up to be able to eat them is one of the best in gaming history. These ghosts are also among the earliest video game baddies with actual character and would go on to appear in more Pac-Man games and adaptations of the character, including animated television shows.

10 - Mother Brain

Metroid

A super-intelligent computer created by the Chozo, Mother Brain, was supposed to be the ultimate tool for the peaceful civilization of Planet Zebes. However, Mother Brain became increasingly intelligent and developed a personality and ideas it knew better than the Chozo, eventually going crazy and taking over the planet by using the parasitic Metroid species. Mother Brain is the final boss in Metroid, and she establishes herself as one of the series’ first primary antagonists. While she didn’t go on to become the primary rival for series heroine Samus, she would come back or make cameos in several more games and adaptations.

9 - Centipede

Centipede

1981’s Centipede plays out with a simple premise, but an addictively fun one. You play as an insect-like creature who shoots at a segmented centipede monster coming towards you. One of the first memorable gaming monsters, the centipede and its advancement is reminiscent of a classic movie monster that slowly approaches the heroes and/or victims. While the game may be seen as a part of a bygone era, the centipede remains memorable.

8 - Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!

“They say I can't lose. I say you can't win!”

The original Punch-Out!! tends to be forgotten these days due to the NES version, which tweaked the name and some elements to capitalize on the popularity of prime Mike Tyson. In this one, the controversial and legendary boxer plays out as the top boxer for Little Mac to take down. Luckily, if you lose, it’s just a video game, so you won’t have to worry about pieces of your body being bitten off or getting gutted like a fish. While the game’s Tyson version didn’t last long due to contractual and licensing rights, it’s still the most famous version of the small series, and it’s primarily due to Mike.

7 - Dr. Wily

“You always interfere with me”

Mega Man 1, Mega Man 2

A brilliant mind whose jealousy of his college friend, Dr. Light, led to his ambitions for world domination, Dr. Wily emerged as one of the first truly memorable villains in gaming. The scientists created robot masters and unleashed them to defeat Mega Man. Much like his cohorts in the villain space (Bowser and Dr. Robotnik), the constant losses to Mega Man don’t deter him from trying again and again.

6 - Giegue / Giygas

“Foolish one, you cannot do a thing with your meager powers... Powers worthy of a lowly insect”

Mother / Earthbound Beginnings

One of the most evil villains put in video games, Giygas (or Giegue as it’s known in the original Mother release), is an alien-like, unknown entity that seems to be the embodiment of evil incarnated. It seeks to take over Earth and is immensely powerful. Luckily for the Earth, a young boy named Ninten and his friends put a stop to it. While not as memorable as other villains of the decade, there’s no doubt Giygas is one of the most powerful villains in all of gaming history.

5 - Dracula

Castlevania, Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse

“What a horrible night to have a curse”

Castlevania is all about the Belmonts and their family legacy of taking on and defeating Dracula when he awakens. Dracula is already infamous in many forms of media, from literature to movies, so it was only a matter of time before he made his presence in a video game. The vampire is the main antagonist of the series, but his appearances in the first and third Castlevania games set the precedent for this version of the character, including the disagreements between him and his son, Alucard.

4 - Ridley

Metroid

One of the highest-ranking Space Pirates, Ridley, makes his debut in Metroid. The space dragon’s look and rivalry with Samus Aran start here. Later lore and backstories would paint Ridley as a bigger influence in Samus’ life, including wiping out her home when she was young. The dragon constantly seems to be taken down by the bounty hunter, but always finds a way to re-emerge, even in a mecha suit. There’s definitely a slight influence here with Godzilla’s archnemesis, King Ghidorah, even if he only has one head. Also, a fun fact, Ridley was named as a tribute to the Alien franchise Metroid was inspired by choosing the last name of the franchise’s iconic hero.

3 - Donkey Kong

Donkey Kong

Before King Koopa, before Dr. Robotnik, before Dr. Wily, before Ridley, before Dracula… there was a huge escaped gorilla pet that established it all. Donkey Kong is the first villain to set the precedent for many future classic video game antagonists. Before the character (or his son/grandson, according to potential lore) became a hero, the ape stole Pauline and forced Jumpman (or Mario) to make the save. This incarnation of Kong is still remembered today, especially among the first gamers of Generation X and late Boomers.

2 - Ganon

The Legend of Zelda

“Grumble, Grumble“

A pig-like monster that has imprisoned Princess Zelda and seeks the Triforce, Ganon is the final boss of The Legend of Zelda. Little did we know at the time that Ganon would become the main antagonist of the series, later taking on a more personable, human-like form as Ganondorf. The backstory and lore around Ganon (or Ganondorf) would take multiple games to flesh out, but his debut put him squarely as a final monster for the hero Link to slay and complete his adventure.

1 - Bowser / King Koopa

Super Mario Bros. 1, Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario Bros. 3

"Yo! I kidnapped the princess while you were running around. She's here in my castle, if you dare to try and rescue her. Ha ha ha... King of the Koopa."

There is no villain in video games that is as recognizable and famous as Bowser, or as he was called in many North American releases originally, King Koopa. The turtle-like menace has a simple goal - kidnap Princess Peach (or Toadstool), take over the Mushroom Kingdom, and crush his nemesis, Mario. Bowser may be simple, and I’ve seen arguments that people would like to see a new villain, but he’s still around for several reasons; he’s just too iconic and perfect in his role. Ask any non-gamer who they think of when you ask them to name a video game villain or boss fight, and Bowser will always pop up; he is just as memorable as Mario is to non-gamers. Every boss fight, villain, and enemy from a game creator today came from their memories, taking on the Koopa King, and he’s not going anywhere any time soon, especially with his son soon to be at his side.

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Top 12 Heroes

12 - Sir Arthur

Ghosts 'n Goblins, Ghouls 'n Ghosts

The brave knight looking to rescue his princess, Sir Arthur, isn’t afraid to enter the demon realm and fight horrible monsters. The knight is part of one of the hardest games of the 8-bit era, and the sequels don’t get much easier. Either way, many players didn’t give up, and Arthur reflects that in his backstory. He may be a little goofy, but he still ventures forth to do what’s right and rescue the princess.

11 - Princess Peach / Toadstool

Super Mario Bros. 2 / Super Mario Bros. USA

While mostly remembered as the damsel in distress, Peach does make a playable appearance in the United States’ version of the second Mario game, which is a re-skin of Yume Koujou: Doki-doki Panic. In fact, I would argue she is the best character in the game! She floats for a few moments using her dress, which leads the series to adopt that in future playable versions, and I would argue she can be overpowered as a result in some platforming elements.

10 - Donkey Kong Junior

Donkey Kong Jr.

Following the success of Donkey Kong, Nintendo went in a different direction for the sequel as Jumpman (or Mario) caged up the big ape after his reign of terror. This time, his son, Donkey Kong Junior, has come to rescue him. There’s a whole discussion to be had about whether this is the Donkey Kong we know and love, but hey, Nintendo isn’t super great at organizing canon. Either way, Junior is the first sign of a good version of Donkey Kong, and it shows Nintendo knew the character couldn’t stay in a heel role forever.

9 - Erdrick

Dragon Quest

“May the light shine upon thee”

The hero of the third Dragon Quest set the stage for the Erdrick trilogy, which encompasses the original three games in the series. Setting out to save Alefgard, the hero or heroine, depending on your selection, saves the land from Zoma and is then bestowed the title of Erdrick. The series has referenced the legendary hero, especially in the first and second entries. While we would go on to have different heroes in the franchise, Erdrick continues to be the most recognizable face of the series.

8 - Dirk the Daring

Dragon’s Lair

“Lead on, adventurer. Your quest awaits!”

Out to save Princess Daphne, Dirk is a clumsy knight, somewhat similar to Sir Arthur in some ways, but a brave knight that you play/help in Dragon’s Lair. Dirk became a face of cel-shaded and art direction-focused video games for years. The resurgence in its popularity led to a new version for the PS2-era consoles. Dirk has also influenced many future protagonists, and his impact is much more widespread than you would think.

7 - The Warriors of Light

Final Fantasy

“The world is veiled in darkness. The wind stops, the sea is wild, and the earth begins to rot.”

You play as four young warriors looking to bring light back to the elemental crystals they possess. The warriors become known as the Warriors of Light. These four are the first protagonists of the iconic Final Fantasy series, a series filled with some of the most famous heroes and villains in the history of gaming. Many of the original elements of the series are established here , and while the warriors aren’t at the level of a Cloud or Tidus, this is where everything starts and establishes the rich history of the Final Fantasy protagonists.

6 - Simon Belmont

Castlevania, Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest

“Send the evil spirits back to the darkness”

The Belmonts are originally banished from Transylvania, but they were allowed back to fulfill their duty of defeating Count Dracula. Simon is the main hero of the first two games, facing Dracula despite rumors that the vampire had become extremely powerful. After defeating him, he was cursed and would embark on another adventure to cure the curse placed upon him. While the Belmonts have been the primary clan to confront the count, Simon remains the most famous of the family and has appeared in numerous crossovers.

5 - Samus Aran

Metroid

“Pray for a true peace in space!”

Receiving a distress signal, the bounty hunter Samus Aran goes to Planet Zebes, once the home of the Chozo civilization, and finds herself fighting the Space Pirates and monsters while discovering the parasitic species known as Metroids. She eventually defeats Ridley, Kraid, and Mother Brain, temporarily bringing peace to the galaxy. Samus is an important heroine, as she is a badass female character in video game history during a time of “save the princess” plot points. Before Lara Croft took gaming by storm, there was, and still is, Samus.

4 - Mega Man / Rockman

Mega Man 1, 2

“But as Mega Man, you've also grown in power and ability”

Dr. Thomas Light created Mega Man (or Rockman in Japan) as an assistant. However, former college friend Dr. Wily sets out to take over the world by controlling robots. Mega Man volunteers to receive combat upgrades, including the mega buster cannon, to confront Wily and his robots. Like other heroes and heroines of the era, Mega Man has become a staple of 1980s gaming, and fans are still waiting to see a resurgence of the character today.

3 - Pac-Man & Ms. Pac-Man

Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man

“Waka-waka-waka”

Created to target female consumers, Pac-Man became the first popular character designed from the ground up for video games. We also got Ms. Pac-Man, who built upon the success of the original. Pac-Man became a pop culture phenomenon known as Pac-Man Fever, including mentions from the President of the United States and a song. The yellow, puck-shaped characters are still icons today and are referenced by gamers of all ages.

2 - Link

The Legend of Zelda

“Its Dangerous to go alone. Take this.”

A young boy is told to save Princess Zelda, and he goes into a cave, where he picks up a sword and begins a world-sprawling adventure in the land of Hyrule. Link, with his green tunic that was inspired by Peter Pan, has become one of the most infamous characters in gaming. He is one of those characters that even non-Nintendo fans and a good number of non-gamers know (even if they most likely misname him Zelda). The boy in the tunic’s grand first adventure was only the start, as he and his lineage have gone on several adventures, each growing the character and franchise.

1- The Super Mario Brothers / Mario & Luigi

Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros. 1, 2, 3

"Thank you Mario, but our princess is in another castle!"

After making his debut (somewhat) in Donkey Kong, Jumpman became Mario, and Miyamoto debuted his brother Luigi in the multiplayer title Mario Bros. This time around, we have the two plumbers teaming up to save Princess Peach (Toadstool in some regions) in one of the most consequential titles in history. The two returned for the sequel, including an American version, and the third entry that built upon the world of Mario even more.

Mario himself became so big by the end of the 1980s that surveys had him more popular than Mickey freaking Mouse. You know what I’m going to say… Mario has become the face of not just Nintendo, but video games in general. Talk to anyone that’s never played a game, and they know who Mario is. This will not be the last time you see him on these lists.

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