The video game industry is advancing by leaps and bounds with each generation, which has created fantastic opportunities for new releases and old franchises. There are countless video game franchises that have permeated fans over the years, many of which have established styles that have become their trademark. Consistency can be crucial in video games, and a believable setting and characters are often just as important as a strong story or gameplay.
Video games also love to do big jumps, which can lead to abnormal characters that break the mold. These offbeat characters can become forgotten footnotes or find unexpected fandoms. It’s always a shocking surprise when a dark and intimidating character ends up in a funny and likable series, where his intense evil is even more unusual.
10 The Vortex Queen is an aquatic alien lord who gives HR Giger vibes in Genesis
ecco the dolphin
Sega has brought up some unusual mascots, some of which have long since been forgotten, like the heroic Ecco the dolphin. This unique take on the action-adventure genre takes place underwater, where Ecco attempts to save his species and the planet as a whole. Games from here they’re reassuring, which makes the final boss of the Genesis original all the more shocking.
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The Vortex Queen is a horrifying alien that looks directly inspired by HR Giger’s iconic Xenomorph design from Alien. Ecco must defend the future against this gargantuan creature on his home planet, turning the serene experience into a horror game.
9 The Dragon Of The Ruined Kingdom Is A Next-Level Threat To The Platformer’s Plumber
Super Mario Bros.
Nintendo’s Super Mario platform franchise is full of bright and colorful worlds that often spill over to its characters as well. Mario occasionally flirts with scarier characters, like Shadow Mario, but they still feel like they belong in the Mushroom Kingdom. On another side, Super Mario Odyssey Nintendo Switch offers more spectacle than ever, including a realistic dragon.
The Ruinous Dragon, also known as Lord of Lightning, looks more like a creature straight out of Monster Hunter or even a FromSoftware game. Mario looks completely overwhelmed, and it’s a terrifying encounter that shows what the Switch can do.
8 Majora Is A Nightmarish Parasite
The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
The Legend of Zelda has a legacy that spans over three decades and has been able to survive this long because of its willingness to experiment and mix its formula. Majora’s Mask on Nintendo 64 is still considered not only one of the best games in the franchise, but also one of the darkest.
Majora, the game’s final boss, evokes intense body horror. Masks are a recurring theme, but Majora’s disturbing quality is nightmarish in a way that surpasses every other character in the universe. Majora’s compulsion to possess others and make them his vessel of destruction is also frightening.
7 Sonic The Werehog Is A Troubled Transformation For The Speedy Mascot
sonic the hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog is in the midst of a renaissance following the success of sound borders and live action movies. Sonic had a lot of ups and downs, and Sonic Unleashed incorporates one of the weirdest mechanics in the franchise. sonic Unleashed it is divided into day and night phases, the latter transforming the adorable hedgehog into a hulking abomination.
Sonic’s Werehog state places more emphasis on brute force than speed, making the transition tricky. Sonic the Werehog is the result of Sonic absorbing some of Dark Gaia’s power. Some of the heads of Sonic they are surreal monsters and aliens. However, this whole Jekyll/Hyde angle on Sega’s mascot is going too far.
6 Eternatus Is An Incomprehensible Alien Threat
Pokemon
Pokémon, the monster-hunting RPG series, has come a long way from its humble roots, and its 151 unique creatures have steadily grown into four figures. Over time, Pokémon has radicalized and redefined what counts as a creature. Legendary Pokémon are often treated as apocalyptic juggernauts, but Eternatus may be too dark for its own good.
This Poison-type and Dragon-type Pokémon made its debut in the Galar region of Generation VIII, but its roots date back over 20,000 years, when this alien entity first crashed on Earth in the interior of a meteorite. Eternatus is in a perpetual state of overload due to the way it absorbs energy from Galar.
5 Morphina Is An Increasingly Horrifying Living Corpse
Gex
Gex it was a comic take on the platformer genre featuring a couch potato Gecko who suddenly finds himself caught up in the TV series he loves so much. Each level of the franchise Gex ridicules another television or film genre. First GexMorphina is a boss that roams the graveyard and is inspired by the horror classic The Exorcist.
The morphine becomes more and more skeletal and decomposed. He rises from a pile of skulls, which he also uses as a shield. Morphina then launches a vomit projectile as an attack. It’s a very dark twist on a platformer series based on silly jokes and parodies.
4 Akuma Unleashes Unprecedented Power On Reploids
mega man
Video game crossovers aren’t new, but Capcom’s Street Fighter X Mega Man originally started out as a fan-made game before receiving official support and enhancements. The title uses the basic structure of Mega Man, but the Blue Bomber faces Street Fighter characters instead of Robot Masters.
Blanka is a terrifying change of pace for Mega Man that puts the robotic rebels of Wily and Sigma to shame. That being said, Akuma also appears as a secret boss. Mega Man is used to fighting his way through a dystopian robotic apocalypse, but this fierce and unstable demon is a far more terrifying threat.
3 Necrodeus is a mass of evil energy in Dream Land
Kirby
Kirby is another of Nintendo’s most famous franchises, and its super sweet atmosphere has naturally allowed the franchise to smartly shapeshift over the years. Necrodeus is the final boss of Kirby: Mass Attack and the game treats him as the franchise’s God of the Dead, which is a morbid role that should never appear in something like Kirby.
Necrodeus is the leader of the skull gang and scares with his skeletal design. However, his motives are even more disturbing, as he wants to plunge the world into darkness and extinguish the light of Planet Popstar.
2 Kruller Is A Scary Version Of The Boys In Blue
luigi’s mansion
Luigi got used to always being in his brother Mario’s shadow, but luckily he was able to find some independence through ghost hunting in The Mansion of Louis. The Manor of Louis it’s darker than typical Luigi adventures, and his abject fear of ghosts is part of the fun. However, some poltergeists are scarier than others, and Luigi’s Mansion 3 has some seriously scary specters.
Kruller, a mall ghost cop, is one of the first bosses to be fought exclusively as Gooigi. A ghost cop is an oddly terrifying concept, and this supernatural form of security takes it a bit too far to Luigi’s mansion. The ghost prison would be a disturbing destination for Luigi.
1 Mingy Jongo is an evil killer robot
Banjo-Kazooie
Banjo-Kazooie started life as a rejuvenated version of the action platformer genre for Nintendo before Rare was acquired by Microsoft. Banjo-Kazooie is generally cheerful and colorful, but has darker influences when it comes to the strength of Gruntilda’s fearsome enemies. Banjo Tooie features Mingy Jongo, a cyborg bounty hunter who doubles as the franchise’s friendly warlock, Mumbo Jumbo.
Mingy Jongo is like a Terminator suddenly invading the franchise Banjo-Kazooie , who defends herself with a lightsaber and lets out green liquid when pinched. It’s a dark and futuristic twist for the series.