Video game characters come in all shapes, sizes and colors, and most of them sprung from the imaginations of various creative designers who wanted to make them stand out. Sometimes, that meant gifting, or cursing them with crazy hairstyles that defy all sense of logic.
Some of these hairstyles are so iconic that they've become inseparable from their respective characters, and any attempts to modify the formula would be met with a backlash. Others are caricatures that push the creative envelope in terms of design, and actual gameplay mechanics, proving just how fertile video games are for the imagination.
Guile (Street Fighter)
Guile's haircut is largely a play on the 1980s flattop styles worn by action movie heroes like Arnold Schwarzenegger, yet far more exaggerated. The sheer length of the cut is astronomical, which is odd, considering that Guile is a U.S. Air Force Major.
While he's not busy beating up his opponents in order to get to M. Bison, Guile keeps the haircut in tip-top shape with his trusty pocket comb. Despite the threat of blood, sweat, dirt and helmet hair, he has maintained the style throughout several Street Fighter video game installments, proving just iconic it is.
Jackie Welles (Cyberpunk 2077)
The world of Cyberpunk 2077 is all about ever-persistent Cyberpunk game glitches, outlandish hair styles, body modification and makeup. Therefore, it's no surprise to see Jackie Welles sporting such an interesting haircut. The lower sides are shaved clean off in order to make way for a head of hair with particular trimmings, and a knot in the back.
The standout feature of the hair style is the patterned cut on top of his skull, with a single tuft of hair standing out just above the forehead. In some ways, it looks like Mo from The Three Stooges, if the character existed in the Cyberpunk age, and decided to get creative with his full head of hair.
Blue Suede Goo (Clayfighter)
Elvis had some wild hair, but Blue Suede Goo from Clayfighter attempted to one-up the icon that the character was based on. Obviously, the hair style in question was grossly exaggerated to cartoonish levels, much like the newspaper funnies, but it's worth a mention, regardless.
Blue Suede Goo epitomizes Elvis in his later, more eccentric years, and the hair style is icing on the cake. It extends about two feet out from his forehead, breaking the laws of physics in the process. That, combined with the suede suit perfects the ensemble.
Dr. Wily (Mega Man)
As far as mad scientists go, Dr. Wily is definitely up there, and he's got a hairstyle to match. The evil doctor has went bald on top, with two Captain Picard-style sides that have grown out to epic proportions, giving him his unkempt and off-kilter appearance.
Wily's personality tends to take center stage in the Mega Man games, which means his haircut is more of a cherry on top. Then again, with plans as ambitious as his, there's probably little time left to visit the barber for a trim.
Sindel (Mortal Kombat)
This powerful Mortal Kombat fighter sports a hairstyle that is out of this world, and it was even used as a weapon in the games. In Mortal Kombat 3, Sindel could use her hair as a throwing mechanism, and was shown capable of growing exponentially at a moment's notice.
Other moves include the Mane Squeeze, which grabs an opponent and yanks them towards her, so she can kick them back, plus a few hair-related Fatalities for good measure. It's easily her signature character trait, alongside her deadly scream.
Maester Seymour Guado (Final Fantasy X)
It's a mystery as to how Maester Guado managed to perfect his particular haircut, but either way, it's one of the craziest in video game history. His powder-blue hair has somehow been twisted into several large blades that protrude from the sides, and front of his head, making for one instantly recognizable character.
The character is an antagonist in Final Fantasy X, so it's obvious the designers tried to give him a somewhat wicked look. As such, the bladed hair protrusions resemble horns in some way, giving the character an ominous aura, which contrasts the rather bright colors he's adorned with.
Paul Phoenix (Tekken)
It could be argued that Paul Phoenix took inspiration from the characters of Ken and Guile, from Street Fighter. Indeed, he's got a mixture of both their traits, from Ken's red outfit, to Guile's hair. It's the latter that really makes him stand out against the other Tekken characters, however.
Nobody knows how much hair gel is necessary to keep his reach-for-the-stars hair that vertical, but it does set him apart from the rest. In fact, the hairstyle alone makes him instantly recognizable among fighting game characters, even if it's a bit too derivative of Guile's haircut.
The Survivor (Ark: Survival Evolved)
The Survivor from Ark starts out with relatively short, or no hair, depending on player preference, but that soon changes. Whether male or female, the Survivor must forage for the basic necessities, whilst their hair grows at a geometric rate.
Within the span of a few hours, players will run around looking like they just walked out of a prehistoric cave. Luckily, scissors can be crafted in order to deal with those impossible manes, but only a specific tweak to the game's INI settings will prevent the hair from growing back to full length in such a short space of time.
The Masked Ninja (Revenge Of Shinobi)
The mysterious Masked Ninja is the final boss of Revenge of Shinobi, for the Sega Genesis. It's one of the most challenging levels in the game, forcing players to race against time in order to save the life of the damsel in distress. In order to save her from being crushed to death, players need to wipe out the Masked Ninja before it's too late.
The character is also featured on the box art for the original game with a long flowing white mane. It's not just for show, either. The Masked Ninja whirls his hair around like a weapon, dealing immense damage. He can even spin his hair right off of his head like a boomerang, catching players off guard after they land a successful hit.
Daryan Crescend (Apollo Justice)
Rock guitarists have sported all sorts of wild hairstyles over the years, and Daryan Crescend merely builds on the foundation they created. The hairstyle resembles a fox tail with a painted white tip that seems to jut straight out from his head like a bullet.
The hair also seems to have a mind of its own, reacting to Daryan's specific emotional states. When he's shocked or agitated, the stuck-out hair tends to bob up and down, only to fold neatly back into place once the tension is over. Either way, it's one of the wildest in video games.