Every narrative needs a good villain; be it the philosophical human versus themself, nature, society literary tropes, or the mustache-twirling ne'er-do-wells of Saturday morning cartoon shows, there can be no plot without a figure or entity driving some kind of conflict.
While gaming tends to portray the latter far more often than the former, plenty of games are elevated by their dynamic, dastardly villains. From the nightmarish machinations of SHODAN in the System Shock games to the habitual hijinks of Super Mario's Bowser, gaming is made great by its many iconic villains.
GlaDOS (Portal)
Though she plays coy for most of the first installment in the Portal series, GlaDOS is as malicious as they come. With the single-minded goal of advancing her own experiments and no regard for anything else, she's willing to dispose of anyone who gets in her way.
2011's Portal 2 fleshed out the character, explaining her origins and even forcing series protagonist Chell to form an uneasy alliance with her. While GlaDOS eventually turns the other cheek and frees Chell from Aperture's subterranean complex, she still isn't to be trusted.
Andrew Ryan (BioShock)
Portrayed as the primary antagonist during the beginning hours of BioShock, Andrew Ryan is a billionaire idealist so committed to his philosophies that he built an underwater city to be free of societal restrictions. Though he sought to create a utopia, his need to remain in power eventually doomed both himself and his city.
Ryan certainly isn't a good guy by any stretch of the imagination, but his role as series big bad is eventually handed off to another after a shocking mid-game twist. Still, his self-indulgent monologues and over-the-top ideas make him unquestionably memorable.
Mike Tyson (Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!)
One of the most recognizable boxers of all time, Mike Tyson may seem like an odd inclusion. He's no all-encompassing evil entity bent on global destruction, nor is he a malignant force hiding in the shadows. However, he was one of the most difficult video game bosses in NES history.
The NES was known for its many difficult games, and Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! was among the most challenging. Requiring some serious precision and an outrageous amount of practice, it may be easier to go toe-to-toe against Iron Mike in real life than take him on in this 8-bit classic.
Giygas (Earthbound)
An unfathomably powerful Lovecraftian being determined to send Earth into a state of infinite darkness, Giygas is easily one of the most horrific enemies to appear in a Super Nintendo game. The primary antagonist of the cult classic RPG EarthBound, he is an ever-present threat to Ness and his party.
While he only appears as a primary villain in Earthbound and Earthbound Beginnings, he has haunted the minds of gamers for decades, setting an unreachably high standard for many other RPG baddies.
Gwyn, Lord of Cinder (Dark Souls)
After claiming a Lord Soul and learning the secrets of the Everlasting Dragons' longevity from Seath, Gwyn overthrew the land's rulers and established a new age of fire. Though not an outright antagonist, he is willing to sacrifice anything to preserve his rule and acts as a ruthless enemy to those looking to advance the Age of Dark.
While he is only encountered during the final boss fight in the game at the very end of Dark Souls, Gwyn's presence can be felt by way of the burdened, blighted citizens of Lordran. He's also a formidable threat to players who failed to master the intricacies of the game's parrying mechanic.
Pyramid Head (Silent Hill 2)
The titular town itself may serve as a more significant antagonist in Konami's horror franchise, but Pyramid Head is a far more recognizable villain. Theorized to represent the guilt with which James Sunderland lives, his grotesque appearance and violent nature make him a fearsome foe.
As intimidating as they come, Pyramid Head is encountered at several points throughout the second Silent Hill game. Meant to be an omnipresent threat lurking in the darkness, he's become a symbol for the series as a whole, and his recent inclusion in the multiplayer horror game Dead by Daylight is a testament to his status as one of the greatest adversaries in gaming.
Albert Wesker (Resident Evil)
Masquerading as the leader of the S.T.A.R.S. squadron in Resident Evil, Albert Wesker is a cunning genius willing to subvert and betray anything and anyone to further his own goals. An agent of the nefarious Umbrella organization, he began his career as a promising virologist, and his manipulative nature allowed him to advance his position within the company.
Revealed to be a secretive puppetmaster by the end of the first Resident Evil game, he transforms into the superpowered final boss in 2009's Resident Evil 5, and he is only thwarted by the unmatched brawn of Chris Redfield and the intellect of Sheva Alomar.
SHODAN (System Shock)
The spiritual predecessor to the BioShock franchise, System Shock was a series of two cyberpunk-influenced '90s action RPGs developed by LookingGlass Technologies. Taking place on a far-future space station called Citadel, the player assumes the role of an anonymous hacker tasked with destroying SHODAN, a rogue AI system.
In many ways, SHODAN's character influenced later gaming baddies like GlaDOS and Andrew Ryan. Constantly taunting the player from afar and scheming behind the scenes, SHODAN is as intelligent as she is terrifying, and she deserves recognition for shaping the course of gaming history.
Ganon (The Legend Of Zelda)
The perpetual antagonist of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series, Ganon appears in just about every installment in the franchise, originally debuting in the 1987 NES title. Often depicted as a bipedal orc-like being, he's the embodiment of the prototypical video game villain motif.
His origins and motivations were further fleshed out in the 1998 game Ocarina of Time in which he is introduced as the leader of the Gorudo people questing to corrupt the land of Hyrule. A key player in every villainous act in the series, Zelda's Ganon stands among the worst of the worst in gaming.
Bowser (Super Mario Bros.)
Originally introduced in the 1985 NES classic Super Mario Bros., Bowser is the eternal enemy of the Mushroom Kingdom and its many citizens. A central figure in almost every title starring the portly plumber, Bowser will likely remain in pursuit of Princess Peach and one step ahead of Mario and company until the medium ends altogether.
The baddie lying in wait at the end of every castle and platforming course, he's the Platonic ideal of a villain. While he's teamed up with Mario on occasion, it's safe to assume that the two will remain mortal enemies in perpetuity.