Summary
Like many big video game companies,Segahas a lot of beloved franchises under its belt. And like many other popular game series, those franchises pit players against many nefarious villains. However, most lists ofpopular Sega villainswill consist mainly of villains fromSonic The Hedgehog,Like A Dragon, orPersona.
But with such a huge stable of games,Segahas many more villains that deserve just as much attention as the ones from Sega’s most popular series. Whether they never got the exposure they deserved or fans just couldn’t appreciate them at the time, these villains have been unfairly ignored for too long.
ThoughCaptain Onishimaisn’t the main antagonist inJet Set Radio, he’s certainly the most persistent.A cop obsessed with order, Onishima is the perfect nemesis for the rebellious protagonists. Unfortunately, his reaction to teenagers leaving graffiti is to fire his revolver, send in the SWAT team, and eventanks.
His constant presence, comical design, and absurd sense of escalation have certainly helped him remain memorable toJet Setfans. He’s also the complete antithesis of the heroes, making him a thematically perfect villain. With better handling, Onishima could have been as synonymous with theJet Set Radioname as protagonists Beat and Gum.
9Nef (Altered Beast)
A Dark Wizard Who Gets His Hands Dirty
Many players expect to meet the game’s main villain at the end of the game, especially in an ‘80s arcade game likeAltered Beast. Refreshingly, big badNefsubverts this by showing up at the end of each level. He also won’t fight the player until they’ve achieved their powerful beast form.
This twisted sense of chivalry certainly elevated Nef above the cackling evil wizard stereotype he appears to embody. The fact that he shapeshifts into a different form for each of his fights helps keep him interesting. If Sega ever revisitsAltered Beast, Nef could become their next great villain.
8Dark Harrier (Space Harrier 2)
A Mysterious Character Whose Mere Existence Puts A Damper On The Story
While theSpace Harrierfranchise isn’t known for its narrative, an exception is made forSpace Harrier 2’sfinal boss, theDark Harrier. Appearing at the end of the game with no buildup or warning, the Dark Harrier leads to a bittersweet ending, even though he’s defeated. In the epilogue, Harrier laments that there’s someone out there with his powers, but he’s using them for evil.
This leads to a slightly downcast ending, causing a sense of vague dread in the player. Thoughevil clones of the protagonistare common in video games, the ramifications of their existence don’t usually carry the same pathos. While this intriguing plot thread never went anywhere, there is the possibility that could change.
Skies Of Arcadiais home to many unique and colorful villains, butRamirezreally stands out. The party fights him multiple times, but he can only be beaten in one of those fights – specifically inthe final bossfight of the game.
His power, dashing good looks, status as the final boss, and foils with main character Vyse make Ramirez a stand-out villain in a stand-out game. If Sega ever makes a long-awaited follow-up, Ramirez has the potential to beSkies Of Arcadia’sanswer to Sephiroth.
When most gamers think of great villains from zombie games,Resident Evil’sAlbert Wesker is a popular topic of conversation. However, the zombie genre owes a great deal toHouse Of The Dead’sDr. Curienfor kickstarting the events of this legendary series. Even among the franchise’s fans, his own creation, the Magician, tends to get more attention than him.
Dr. Curien has a tragic backstory that makes him more deserving of attention. He started his zombie outbreak in a misguided attempt to save his terminally ill young son. While he’s best known as acackling mad scientist, exploring his more sympathetic qualities is bound to make him more popular.
5Ninja Master (The Revenge Of Shinobi)
A Cackling Villain Who Raises The Stakes
Also known as the leader of Neo Zeed, theNinja Masteris the final boss ofThe Revenge Of Shinobi. He orchestrated the murder of Joe Mushashi’s whole ninja clan and kidnapped his fiance Naoko. It’s little wonder Joe wants revenge.
The Ninja Master has an awesome look, even appearing on the game’s box art, and an awesome evil laugh that appears on the game over screen. He raises the stakes of his boss fight by placing Naoko in a timed death trap, encouraging players to beat him quickly. Such a devious villain deserves more than just one game.
4The Vortex Queen (Ecco The Dolphin)
A Monstrous And Unexpected Enemy
With thalassophobia being a popular theme in games, many gamers probably expected some frightening moments inthe underwater adventureEcco The Dolphin. Very few probably expected the game’s main antagonist to be the terrifyingVortex Queen. This alien monster is so big that only her massive head is visible.
The fact that players never see the rest of her body only adds to her horrifying mystique. And this is on top of the fact that players already know she’s abducting Earth’s marine life, including Ecco’s pod, for food. Such a terrifying villain deserves to be talked about much more than she already is.
The recurring villain of the belovedStreets Of Rageseries,Mr. Xis a crime boss whose influence stretches to nearly every corner of Wood Oak City. In the first entry, it’s even possible for him to corrupt one of the protagonists, leading to a fight between the two players.
From his persistence to his stylish appearance and the fact that he uses a Tommy gun in a beat ‘em up game, Mr. X is exactly the kind of great villain a series likeStreets Of Ragedeserves. His increasingly elaborate evil plans, many of which involverobots and cyborgs, cause many fans to feel he should be at least as popular as Dr. Eggman.
2Wizeman (NiGHTS Into Dreams)
A King Of Nightmares Who Lives Up To The Name
ManyNiGHTS Into Dreamsfans assert that the main antagonist,Wizeman, is one of the most evil villains Sega has ever put out. As King of the nightmare world, Wizeman wants to rule over both the dream and waking worlds. To accomplish this, he traps dreamers in eternal nightmares and ruthlessly murders his own henchmen.
It’s little wonder that one of his henchmen, NiGHTS, became a hero to stop him. In an otherwise beautiful and light-hearted game, Wizeman stands out as a truly vile monster. His sheer level of villainy has earned him many fans who would love to see him get more recognition.
1Death Adder (Golden Axe)
A Being Of Pure Evil Who Inspires Hate From The Entire Cast
One thing theGolden Axecharacter bios make clear is thateveryonehas a grudge against the main villain,Death Adder. In his campaign to conquer the world, he razed entire kingdoms to the ground and casually murdered the loved ones of all three of the protagonists. Even death has proven to be a minor interruption in his quest for world domination.
His callousness and wickedness have made him the most popular villain in the entire franchise. With his long list of diabolical achievements, incredible appearance, andawesome boss fight music, manyGolden Axefans lament the fact that Death Adder isn’t a household name.
