Part of the joy of playing a video game is soaking in the variety the characters the playable lead encounters. From bosses to NPCs to sidekicks, different figures of varying importance add up to a complete experience. A more tertiary, yet still crucial, character type is that of the merchant.
Especially in adventure and fighting games, there is often a merchant that pops up at certain intervals. Their function is simple: provide the player with a buffet of weapons, health, and upgrades (all usually at wallet-busting prices). They generally have little to nothing to do with the actual story or any deep relationship to the main character. Yet some merchant characters have attained enduring popularity with players, often with personalities bigger than the wares they serve.
The best merchants in gaming are much more than convenient suppliers. Especially in games of great difficulty, they're like the cornerman waiting to tend to a battered prizefighter between rounds. With a few healing items, some weapons, and maybe a word of encouragement or two, the protagonist is ready to get back at it with renewed vigor. Here are the top four merchants who bring as much presence as they do necessary goods in their respective titles.
#4 Best Merchant in Gaming - Porkrind from Cuphead
There might not be a character who needs a trusty merchant every step of the way more than Cuphead. In a game as legendarily difficult as his, with 18 retry button-smashing bosses, he needs every last advantage he can get. As Cuphead progresses through the Inkwell Isles, Porkrind's Emporium is always standing nearby. Porkind himself is a man of few words, mostly just leaning on the counter as the player selects an upgrade. But his perfect design, similar to the shopkeeper from Wonder Boy III, makes him welcome company.
#3 Best Merchant in Gaming - Beedle from Windwaker
As the definitive adventure series, The Legend of Zelda has naturally been populated by a number of colorful salesmen throughout its many installments. None are more lovable than Beedle, who first appeared in The Wind Waker as a traveling salesman who sells items on his boat. When he says, "Ooooohhhh! THANK YOU!!!" in his warbled voice, it's as endearing as it is comical. He's showed up in other titles, including Breath of the Wild, but his first turn is still the best.
#2 Best Merchant in Gaming - Marcus Kincaid from Borderlands 2
Marcus Kincaid is the prototypical Borderlands character, a one-man embodiment of the game's cartoonish snark and bark, as well as its world's lawless ethos. As an arms dealer, he secured his business in the most brutally efficient way possible: killing his rivals or destroying their supplies. That, and a "no refunds" policy so strict that he might shoot a customer that asks for one. Best to take that overpriced gun and not ask any questions.
#1 Best Merchant in Gaming - Merchant from Resident Evil 4
The easy choice for first place, no Merchant (and honestly, few game characters in general) are as much of a treat to come across as this enigmatic ally in Resident Evil 4. Clad in a long trench coat and his face covered in a scarf, he reveals little to Leon Kennedy - except, of course, for a healthy dose of items (albeit ones Leon only has limited room for). He growls every line in a deliciously over-the-top accent. Even after putting the controller down, it's hard not to quote "What are ya buyin'? What are ya sellin'?" endlessly.