Top 10 Greatest Nintendo Villains of All Time

Nintendo heroes are cool and all, but it's the villains who bring the spice. For every sword-swinging elf or platform-jumping plumber, there's some evil mastermind, mutant creature, or extremely cranky penguin just waiting to ruin their day.

And honestly, saving the world wouldn't feel nearly as satisfying if the bad guys weren't this creative. That's what this list is all about.

We're talking about the baddies who made you yell at your screen, reload your save, or search online for tips on how to win without throwing your controller. These aren't just the typical level-end bosses. They're the ones with wild plans, deep grudges, weird motivations, or just a love of destruction that made every game more exciting.

Some of them have been around for generations. Others only appeared once but still managed to leave a serious impression.

Who deserves to be remembered as the greatest Nintendo villain of all time? Who caused the most chaos, challenged your favorite hero the most, or secretly became your favorite character? Take a look, cast your vote, and give the villains a little spotlight today.

The Top Ten

Bowser (Super Mario)

Bowser is the main antagonist of the Mario Bros. franchise. From kidnapping Princess Peach to disrupting games in the Mario Party spinoff series, this king of the Koopas has become a recurring enemy in the series. He first appeared in the 1985 video game Super Mario Bros., in which he kidnapped Princess... read more

Aside from having some intimidating moments, like trying to destroy the entire universe in Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2, as well as some notable achievements like defeating Mario twice (Paper Mario and Super Princess Peach), Bowser is a villain with a personality that shows he is not a complete monster. For instance, he felt guilty when he was going to tell Bowser Jr. that Peach was not his mother, and he is somewhat caring about his army, the Koopa Troop.
In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Bowser can be seen crying for the loss of his home and Koopa Troop to Smithy. Also, in Paper Mario, it is hinted that Bowser's motivations for attempting to conquer the Mushroom Kingdom or the entire galaxy are driven by revenge against those who treat Koopa Troopas poorly (Kammy Koopa claims this is the motive for the Koopa Troop).
In the RPGs, Bowser is one of the main sources of comic relief, if not the main source. The RPGs also show a side of Bowser that is rarely seen. For example, in Super Paper Mario, he sacrificed himself to save Mario and company.
Ganondorf (The Legend of Zelda)

Ganon, referred to as Ganondorf in his human form, is a fictional character and the central antagonist of Nintendo's Legend of Zelda series. He is a power-hungry Gerudo who possesses the Triforce of Power and seeks to conquer Hyrule by obtaining the remaining pieces of the Triforce. Ganon has appeared... read more

Well, turning Hyrule into an apocalyptic wasteland in seven years deserves some merit. Becoming so powerful and unstoppable (in Link's absence) that the three goddesses were forced to flood the place afterward, killing the majority of the populace to foil Ganon's nefarious schemes, seems to me a good reason for putting this guy at #1.

There's no way you can put this guy lower than the top three villains in the series. He broke into the Sacred Realm and seized part of the Triforce.
He manipulated a powerful Twili sorcerer as his pawn. He can turn into a demonic beast at will. He ruled Hyrule for seven years.
At one point, he was so powerful that the gods themselves had no choice but to flood Hyrule.
Dimentio (Super Paper Mario)

Dimentio is a sinister, jester-like magician and the main antagonist of the 2007 Nintendo Wii game Super Paper Mario. He is known for his deceptive nature and reality-bending powers.
One of his key abilities is the creation of Dimension D, a realm he controls. He manipulates events throughout... read more

I think most of the other villains on this list, *cough cough* Bowser *cough cough*, have too little personality. Don't believe me? Look at his quotes: "Master of dimensions... Pleaser of crowds... I am... Dimentio!" Dimentio is the definition of a villain with personality.
He literally sends Mario, Peach, Bowser (yes, you can play as Bowser in Super Paper Mario), and even Luigi to hell. He literally has his own dimension. I don't get how Bowser and Dedede are on this list. Bowser is good at kidnapping the same princess a million times. What does Dimentio do? Have you played Super Paper Mario? If not, watch a let's play. You will know why he is a great villain.
Ridley (Metroid)

Ridley is a recurring villain in the Metroid series and also appears as a fighter in the Super Smash Bros. series. He is Samus Aran's lifelong nemesis, first appearing in the original Metroid game released in 1986. Ridley is a key member of the Space Pirates and is responsible for the death of Samus's... read more

I have a couple of reasons for Ridley being one of my favorite video game characters of all time.
1. His appearance. He looks intimidating. What better arch-nemesis to have than a fire-breathing space pirate dragon with a spear for a tail?
2. Unlike most Nintendo villains, he has killed and tortured millions of innocent lives.
3. He never stays down. He is so persistent and determined to kill Samus that he has come back from the dead multiple times. (I wonder if he has his own collection of phoenix downs.)
4. He has a history with Samus before the actual games. When Samus was three, Ridley murdered basically everyone she knew and loved with the help of his space pirates.
5. Did I already mention that he looks incredibly cool?
6. His boss fights are epic and fun.
7. He looks incredibly cool.
King Dedede (Kirby)

King Dedede is a fictional character and the primary antagonist in Nintendo and HAL Laboratory's Kirby video game series. He is typically portrayed as a rival to Kirby, though his role varies between games. King Dedede is recognizable for his hammer weapon and royal attire.

King Dedede is amazing because he has no evil goal like Bowser, Ganon, or Ridley. He just happens to get possessed a lot by more devious villains like Dark Matter, Yin-Yarn, and Taranza. He helps Kirby in some games and fights him sometimes just for the fun of it.
Also, his boss theme is much better than Bowser's or Ridley's (in my opinion anyway), even if he's not the hardest to defeat.

DIMENTIO!?
I mean... he's not a bad villain, but how can you put Dedede behind him? Dedede is more popular for a good reason. He has more appearances in games (like SSBB and SSB4, for example) and a better impact on gameplay or story since he can be an ally or an adversary.
He's more versatile as a character and honestly has a better design (whether it's his SSB4 design or in Kirby Star Allies, with Macho Dedede). I really liked Super Paper Mario, but again, it's just one game.
(My opinion: Don't judge me, but I find Dimentio really annoying, and he doesn't have as much personality! I seriously think that Fawful is way better, but not as much as Dedede!)
Wolf O'Donnell (Star Fox)

Wolf O'Donnell is a fictional character in Nintendo's Star Fox video game series. He serves as the leader of the rival mercenary team Star Wolf. Wolf is often portrayed as a complex antihero who opposes Fox McCloud while occasionally aligning with him under certain circumstances.

Wolf is very cool and sadly has not had a lot of games with him in it, but he is popular. This should have made 10th to 12th or something. I'm so glad they are making a new Star Fox game!

Wolf is my favorite villain. My favorite animal, best quotes, and is my favorite character in Brawl.

I need to watch Star Fox. I main him in Smash.
Bowser Jr. (Super Mario)

Bowser Jr., sometimes simply called Jr., is a video game character in Nintendo's Mario franchise. He is depicted as the son of Bowser, the primary antagonist of the series. Bowser Jr. first appeared in Super Mario Sunshine in 2002 and has since become a recurring character in both mainline and spin-off... read more
Wario (Super Mario)

Wario is a character in Nintendo's Mario series who was originally designed as an antagonist to Mario. His motives are driven by greed, and he will often side with whoever offers him the greatest reward. Although typically portrayed as selfish and mischievous, Wario has become a central figure in his... read more

He's a thief and a mercenary who only cares about money, but I don't see him as a hard villain. If being one of the good guys paid even a cent more, he'd join that side.

A great villain who deserves more recognition as one.
Mewtwo (Pokémon)

Mewtwo is a Psychic-type Legendary Pokémon. Designed by Ken Sugimori, it first appeared in Pokémon Red and Blue in 1996.
Created by Dr. Fuji through gene splicing to clone Mew, Mewtwo is known in game lore as one of the most powerful Pokémon. In later games, it can undergo Mega Evolution into... read more

Mewtwo deserves a higher spot. He is easily the strongest Pokémon of all time, except maybe Arceus. Also, if you think about it, Mewtwo has never been defeated canonically. In Mewtwo Strikes Back, he just gives up because he realizes he is wrong.
He also has his own charm, and he is hilariously grumpy sometimes. With all of his psychic powers and his pure malice, he deserves at least #5.

The most popular Legendary Pokémon and the third most popular Nintendo series.
King K. Rool (Donkey Kong)

King K. Rool is a fictional anthropomorphic crocodile and the main antagonist in Nintendo's Donkey Kong video game franchise. He is the recurring enemy of Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong, often appearing in various villainous roles such as pirate, mad scientist, and wrestler. King K. Rool is known for his... read more

Why... Why is this not at least at number 7? And why didn't he return in the new Donkey Kong game or in Smash? I don't know... Maybe as DLC in Smash?

For me, this guy is definitely in the top 5. The way he drastically changes from one game to another is probably my favorite ability!

A villain who tries something different in every entry he's been in, and twisted to boot. He should be higher.

The Newcomers

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Calamity Ganon (The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild)

Pure malice and evil. Ugh, I hate him.
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Kamek (Super Mario)

Kamek is a recurring enemy character in the Mario Bros. franchise. He frequently appears in titles such as the New Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. series, often casting spells to hinder the player's progress. He is a Magikoopa who typically serves as an assistant to Bowser.... read more

The Contenders

Pokey Minch (EarthBound)

I may be one of the only few people who doesn't hate Porky. Maybe because he is a villain and villains are supposed to be jerks. I kind of felt sorry for the kid. His brother hated him, his parents were abusive, and he had no friends. No wonder he became evil.
Then in Mother 3, Porky comes back as the main villain with his own pig-themed army. His only goal is to destroy the world so he can be alone. Then after he is beaten, Porky is given a fate worse than death: eternal imprisonment in an indestructible capsule forever.

Bowser: kidnaps Princess Peach, only to be defeated by Mario and Luigi once again.
Porky: spreads terror to the only remaining land of the world, reforms humans and animals as chimeras and cyborgs, tears Lucas' family apart (his mother was killed and his brother, who also ended up dead, was brainwashed), and tries to destroy planet Earth (and was really close to doing so).
I dread to think of what would've become of the world if Lucas hadn't pulled the final Needle.
Dark Samus (Metroid)

It seems like nobody here knows Dark Samus' capabilities. Dark Samus, formerly the Metroid Prime, is an incarnation of Phazon (the most dangerous radioactive substance in the universe), Samus' Phazon Suit, and the essence of the Metroid Prime. This grants Dark Samus an insane arsenal and skill set.
It took Samus many attempts to kill her. Dark Samus is invulnerable to almost all forms of damage most of the time. She can even regenerate after losing her physical form. She caused a huge issue for Samus in Metroid Prime 3 by almost killing her and corrupting her right at the beginning. This corruption slowly affected Samus throughout the game until the end when she was extremely close to losing.
Fawful (Mario & Luigi)

Fawful, known in Japan as Gerakobits, is a fictional character from the Mario and Luigi series of role-playing video games developed by AlphaDream. He first appeared in Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga in 2003. Known for his eccentric speech and memorable quotes, he became a recurring villain in the series... read more

This funny guy is one of the best Nintendo villains ever. He is so funny and has funny catchphrases like I HAVE FURY! and I HAVE CHORTLES! So far, he is the funniest Nintendo villain.

With Fawful's funny lines and great intellect, it's hard not to love this guy.

With his funny dialogue and great intellect, it's hard not to love this guy.
King Boo (Super Mario)

In the Super Mario series, King Boo is the leader of the Boos and serves as a recurring antagonist. He is a ghostly figure depicted as a large white Boo wearing a crown, resembling the one worn by Princess Peach. King Boo often allies with King Bowser in attempts to thwart Mario and his friends.... read more

That purple lighting is ridiculously awesome, plus he has captured Mario twice.

If he destroyed a radioactive moon, he could also probably crush the Dire Moon.
Marx (Kirby)

Marx is my favorite Nintendo character of all time, along with Skorupi, Pit, and Kirby.
Ghetsis (Pokémon)

Ghetsis Harmonia Gropius, commonly referred to as Ghetsis, is the primary antagonist in Pokémon Black, White, Black 2, and White 2. He is one of the Seven Sages of Team Plasma and the secret mastermind behind the organization's plans to liberate Pokémon from their trainers. Ghetsis is also the adoptive... read more

No offense to anyone, but I think most villains are easy to outsmart. Ghetsis is very smart. He had a huge plan beyond just kidnapping someone or killing a bunch of people to take over the world.
He went insane after being beaten by a mere child. If he had managed to silence him, Alder, and Cheren, he would have won.

I like this guy! He wants to erase you from existence for knowing the truth.
He lies to people to release their Pokémon to let them be free and happy, but he actually wants to use them as tools to conquer the world. He also manipulates the heart and mind of his son N.
Most of all, his theme rocks.
Ghirahim (The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword)

Ghirahim is the central antagonist of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. He is the spirit of Demise's sword who takes on a humanoid form and holds the title of Demon Lord. His primary goal is to capture Zelda, who is the mortal reincarnation of the Goddess Hylia, so he can use her to resurrect his master... read more

Never before has a villain been as motivated as he has been flamboyant, insane, cynical, and funny. Nintendo brought out their best in this one.
Eely-Mouth (Super Mario Sunshine)
Birdo (Super Mario)

Birdo is a dinosaur-like character from the Mario franchise who is known for her ambiguous gender identity. In the North American manual for Super Mario Bros. 2, Birdo is described as a male who believes he is female and prefers to be called Birdetta. In later appearances, this backstory was largely... read more
Giygas (EarthBound)

Giygas, also called Giegue, is the main antagonist in the video games EarthBound Beginnings and EarthBound.
He is an alien being with immense psychic power who opposes the main characters in both titles. His presence influences many of the events in the games, making him one of the most iconic... read more

Giygas is no doubt one of the most powerful video game villains. Giygas isn't just an ordinary antagonist. Because of Giygas' influence on the world, many people were driven insane, and good people committed terrible crimes!
This monster is the definition of evil itself. So evil that even its own body and mind were destroyed! If that doesn't sound scary, then what does? Jeez, and they call Nintendo a kiddy company! If you lose in its Earthbound fight, you can't get a second chance. Ness, Paula, Jeff, and Poo are the only ones who can stop its evil intentions. Without them, Giygas will be able to dominate or even destroy the entire universe!
Meta Knight (Kirby)

Meta Knight is a fictional character from the Kirby series of video games created by Nintendo and HAL Laboratory. He is often portrayed as one of Kirby's rivals, although he sometimes allies with Kirby to battle common enemies.... read more
Hades (Kid Icarus: Uprising)

First of all, Hades is a god, which already makes him awesome. He is an expert strategist, starting a full-scale war between humans in order to use their souls to grow his army. He also possesses the ability to turn himself into a living tornado, fire huge lasers, and provide amazing comic relief.

Hades, the God of Trolling. Man, do I love this guy. Not only is he insanely powerful, but he also has a pretty cool evil plan. One of the best traits of this guy is his humor. He is almost never serious.

Hades is a damn evil villain, killing humans and eating souls. But what makes him an incredible villain is just how likable he is, making jokes and cracking wise remarks towards Pit.
Andross (Star Fox)

What the heck is wrong with this list? CHARIZARD is above Andross! Andross, in my opinion, is the best Nintendo villain.

What? He's the main antagonist of the Star Fox series. Why is he this low?
Petey Piranha (Super Mario)
Waluigi (Super Mario)

Waluigi is a tall, self-centered, and rough-around-the-edges character who is often portrayed as Luigi's rival. He frequently causes chaos in various Mario spinoff games, usually paired with Wario. While he acts antagonistically, Waluigi is not truly evil and often shows loyalty and affection, especially... read more

The only game where he was the antagonist was in Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix. So technically, he is a villain.

I wouldn't exactly call Waluigi a villain, but that doesn't mean he isn't awesome.