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From ancient gods to galactic bounty hunters, gaming has gifted us with some truly unforgettable feuds. Join us as we count down our picks for the most iconic hero and villain rivalries in video game history! Whether it's brothers fighting over dark power or a plumber saving a princess for the hundredth time, these legendary clashes have defined gaming for generations. Which rivalry reigns supreme?
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00:07Welcome to WatchMojo, and today, we're counting down our picks for the most iconic rivalries
00:13between the heroes and the villains across video game history.
00:23Number 20 Kratos vs. Zeus God of War series
00:36The gods, as presented in Greek mythology, are often violent, petty, scheming characters,
00:42something perfectly captured in the God of War franchise. Just as he was in those myths,
00:47the ruler of the Greek gods, Zeus, was one of the worst offenders, using and betraying series
00:53protagonist Kratos. A Spartan soldier who ascended to become the new God of War during the events
00:59of the first game, Kratos set out to take revenge on the king of the gods. While Zeus would kill
01:04Kratos and turn all of Olympus against the Spartan, Kratos literally rewrote fate to fulfill his quest.
01:11Their final battle would culminate in the third of the original God of War trilogy,
01:15with Kratos finally taking his bloody vengeance.
01:27Number 19 Dante vs. Virgil Devil May Cry series
01:31Unfortunately, our souls are at odds, brother. I need more power.
01:40And we're supposed to be twins.
01:42Their names, a reference to Dante's Inferno, twin brothers Dante and Virgil were born half demon,
01:49each with the capacity for great good or evil. Dante embraced the human heritage inherited from their
01:55mother, becoming a demon hunter, seeking to rid the world of evil. However, the elder twin went the
02:01opposite direction, becoming corrupted, seeking to obtain the power of their demonic father. Many of the
02:07villains that Dante came into contact with were revealed to be Virgil in some way or another,
02:12proving that there really is no rivalry like a sibling rivalry.
02:25Number 18 Cloud vs. Sephiroth Final Fantasy Series
02:38Although nearly every game in the Final Fantasy series features a new setting and cast of characters,
02:44arguably the most memorable hero is the buster sword-wielding Cloud Strife. On the other side of
02:51the coin, Sephiroth, Cloud's nemesis, is perhaps Final Fantasy's most renowned villain. Cloud, a young,
02:57brash revolutionary, is perfectly opposed to his older, calculating and scheming former superior Sephiroth.
03:04Mind games and manipulation are in full swing as the former fights to save the world from the latter
03:10in Final Fantasy VII. Their feud would even spill over into other game franchises, as both would
03:16become important figures in the Kingdom Hearts series and were also playable fighters in Super
03:21Smash Bros. Ultimate. Number 17 Doom Slayer vs. The Legions of Hell
03:33Doom Series
03:43Little, even his name, is known about the protagonists of Doom, as the player takes control of a space marine
03:49in his quest to hunt down the abysmal forces of Hell. While the early games in the series were
03:54sparse in terms of story, the rivalry between Doomguy and the demons, undead, and other unholy monsters
04:01wreaking havoc on the moons of Mars could not be clearer. The game established the genre of first-person
04:07shooters, making Doomguy an avatar for players. Seeing through his eyes gave them a stronger connection to
04:13his peril at facing off against the denizens of Hell, all while seeing his face represented as a health bar
04:19becoming more battered and bruised whenever we took a hit.
04:29Number 16 Chris Redfield vs. Albert Wesker Resident Evil Series
04:35Since when have they been slipping you a paycheck?
04:40I think you're a bit confused.
04:44I've always been without power. Initially introduced as an advisor and helpful character for
04:49Starz member Chris Redfield, a now iconic twist in the very first Resident Evil was Wesker's betrayal
04:56and deception. Revealed to be a eugenicist and mad scientist working for the nefarious umbrella
05:02corporation, he primarily plagued Chris from the shadows in cutscenes. Despite his apparent death,
05:09he would reappear in nearly every single Resident Evil game that featured Chris as the protagonist,
05:14growing stronger each time due to horrific experimentation. His final showdown with Chris
05:20came in five, planning genocide and acting as a nearly unkillable boss, defeated for good by being
05:26thrown into an active volcano.
05:36Number 15 Crash Bandicoot vs. Dr. Neo Cortex Crash Bandicoot Series
05:50Meant to be the answer to Nintendo's Mario and Sega's Sonic, Sony introduced their new mascot
05:56Crash Bandicoot in the emerging genre of 3D platformers. But every good icon needs a foil
06:02just as interesting, and for Crash that was Dr. Neo Cortex. An evil scientist with designs on world
06:09domination, Crash, once a regular Bandicoot, genetically enhanced by the Doctor before
06:14escaping and setting out to stop his sinister plans. Despite having created him, Crash and Cortex
06:20could not be more different. Crash is brave, Cortex is a coward, Cortex is well-spoken, and Crash uses
06:27gibberish. Crash is selfless, while Cortex is self-absorbed. And most importantly, Crash is good,
06:33and Cortex is an evil mastermind. Must we keep going around and around like this? Tell me, Crash,
06:41is this all there is? Forever?
06:45Number 14 Simon Belmont vs. Count Dracula Castlevania Series
06:56The Castlevania series tells the story of the long-standing feud between the world's most famous
07:01vampire and the Belmont clan. Over the centuries, many Belmonts have faced down Dracula. However,
07:07the dark sorcerer seems to always find a way to be revived. None of his clashes with the Belmonts,
07:13however, were as legendary as when he faced down Simon. Twice, in fact. The first Castlevania game saw
07:19Simon battling Dracula's forces and ultimately defeating the Count, a storyline retold in multiple
07:25games. The sequel revealed that Dracula placed a deadly curse upon Simon, and he needed to revive
07:31and again defeat his greatest foe in order to break it.
07:43Number 13 Snake vs. Ocelot Metal Gear series
07:48Revolver Ocelot
07:56I've been waiting for you Solid Snake
07:59Fully explaining the complex lore of Ocelot and Snake would certainly require one of
08:04Hideo Kojima's signature hour-long cutscenes, but it's safe to say they have a long and very
08:11complicated past. In fact, there have been multiple characters named Snake, all with their own complex
08:16and complicated interactions with Ocelot. However, the clashes between Solid Snake and Revolver Ocelot
08:23are without question the most memorable in the franchise, beginning in Metal Gear Solid. From there,
08:28he would be an antagonist in each of the Metal Gear Solid games, before culminating in their final
08:33showdown in MGS4.
08:44Number 12 Ratchet vs. Dr. Nefarious Ratchet & Clank series
08:49You again? You will pay for your insolence, you miserable rodent!
08:56The light-hearted sci-fi series follows the titular cat-like alien Lombax, Ratchet, and their mechanical
09:02sidekick Clank, in their quest to save the universe. More often than not, they have to do
09:07so against Dr. Nefarious, a robot bent on galactic domination. In stark opposition to the robotic,
09:14inorganic pair of protagonists, Nefarious despises non-mechanical beings and treats his
09:19own subordinates with little to no respect, despite the fact that they are more competent than him. Surprise, surprise!
09:25It's in large part because of the teamwork of that pair that they are able to defeat the doctor time
09:30and time again.
09:38Number 11 Chell vs. GLaDOS Portal series
09:41All aperture technologies remain safely operational up to 4,000 degrees Kelvin. Best assured that there
09:50is absolutely no chance of a dangerous equipment malfunction prior to your victory incandescence.
09:56Taking control of the silent protagonist Chell, players must use their portal gun to solve puzzles
10:01and make their way through the Aperture Science building. While doing so, the comforting yet
10:06sinister robotic voice of the artificial intelligence, GLaDOS, is ever-present, promising cake if Chell is
10:12able to move forward and survive. However, like much of what GLaDOS, short for genetic lifeform and disk
10:19operating system by the way, has said, the cake is of course a lie. With her control of the Aperture
10:24Science
10:25building, she's always watching and attempting to kill Chell, who is getting closer and closer to her
10:30physical body. This comes to a head in a final confrontation where Chell faces off against the
10:35supercomputer at the conclusion of the game. Well, you found me. Congratulations. Was it worth it?
10:41Because despite your violent behavior, the only thing you've managed to break so far is my heart.
10:46Number 10, Mega Man vs. Dr. Wily, Mega Man series.
10:58A former colleague of Mega Man's creator, Dr. Light, Wily grew envious of his old friend and
11:04reprogrammed Light's robots in an attempt to take over the world. Standing in his way was Light's
11:10greatest creation, rechristened Mega Man, and equipped with a blaster on his arm, the Blue Bomber would defeat
11:16the mad scientist multiple times over, while attempting to usher in peace between robots and
11:21humans. Wily's schemes for global domination even extended to the Mega Man X spin-off franchise,
11:27as after his death, his evil plans still infected the world.
11:31Now go. Destroy him. That's an order.
11:35What? Wait!
11:38Number 9, Master Chief vs. The Covenant Halo series.
11:41You vermin. Cowering in the dirt, thinking, what? I wonder. That you might escape the coming fire?
11:51No. Your world will burn until its surface is but glass.
11:57Comprised of a collection of alien species, the highly religious Covenant declared humanity to be
12:03heretical, and attempted to wipe them off the face of the galaxy. However, the aliens had one big problem.
12:09The human super soldier known as Master Chief. In his quest to save humanity, the Chief faced off
12:15against all manner of the Covenant, from the weak and minuscule grunts and jackals to the imposing
12:20brutes and hunters. The most evenly matched and recurring member the Chief encounters are certainly
12:26the elites, true physical rivals for him. However, all the other members of the Covenant were controlled
12:31by the Prophets, the true big bads of the first Halo trilogy.
12:36Salvation for all.
12:38And begin the great journey.
12:40Number 8, Samus Aran vs. Ridley Metroid series.
12:49The rivalry between the galactic bounty hunter wearing a power suit and the space dragon pirate
12:55that murdered her parents is one of Nintendo's most memorable. One of the coolest bosses in the
13:00first Metroid, Ridley, was subsequently killed off in the sequel, yet was popular enough to return
13:06several times in various forms. Because of both his fearsome appearance and the character's personal
13:11recurring history with Samus, the battles featuring him have always been epic. Even those that haven't
13:17played Metroid are familiar with their rivalry, as Ridley has frequently appeared as a foe related to
13:22Samus in Super Smash Bros. games. After being one of the most requested players for years,
13:28Ridley finally made his playable debut in Ultimate.
13:36Number 7, Ryu vs. Akuma Street Fighter series.
13:45Introduced as a secret final boss in a later iteration of Street Fighter 2, Akuma made an immediate
13:51impact when he quickly defeated main antagonist M. Bison, before facing off with the player.
13:56While little was known about the demonic fighter at first, eventually details including his
14:01connection to Ryu were revealed. The younger brother of Ryu's master Gouken, Akuma defeated Gouken,
14:07leading to him becoming Ryu's sworn enemy. However, in doing so, Ryu learned that he himself had the
14:13same dark power inside him that Akuma possessed. Thus, his rival served as a dangerous reminder to
14:19what he might become.
14:28Number 6, Jin vs. Kazuya vs. Haihachi Tekken series.
14:39The Tekken franchise is well known for having a number of rivals fighting for the King of Fighters
14:45title, but none are more iconic than these three within the Mishima clan. The main protagonist of
14:51the franchise, Jin Kazuma, has clashed with his hero-turned-villain father, Kazuya Mishima,
14:56a number of times. However, both Jin and Kazuya have a greater common enemy, the man who threw
15:01Kazuya off a cliff and killed Jin's mother, Haihachi Mishima. Father to Kazuya, and thus Jin's
15:08grandfather, Haihachi appears in every Tekken game, often as the main villain. His brash,
15:13relentless power and military might clashing with Jin's Mr. Hyde-esque devil gene.
15:23Number 5, Red vs. Blue Pokemon series.
15:38While rivals in more modern Pokemon games are little more than a friendly speed bump for you to overcome,
15:44the original was the real deal. As Professor Oak tells the player, you and his grandson have been
15:50at odds since you were babies. At every turn, your rival attempts to thwart you right from the very
15:55start, as he will always pick the starter that is super effective against yours. A thorn in your side,
16:01slowing you down and insulting you, Blue was always a step ahead, even when it came to beating
16:05the Indigo League. However, thanks to you, his reign would be short-lived. In a rare move for the
16:11franchise, both Red and Blue would appear in multiple later games, their rivalry still intact.
16:23Number 4, Sonic vs. Dr. Eggman Sonic the Hedgehog series.
16:34The spiky blue hedgehog that loves to go fast and makes quips is one of the best-known characters in
16:40video games, even transcending the medium altogether. As such an iconic hero, Sonic needs a villain just
16:46as memorable, and he has one with Dr. Ivo Robotnik, better known as Eggman. As intelligent as Sonic is
16:54fast, but also self-obsessed, Eggman seeks to conquer the world using his robots and advanced tech.
17:00Despite being beaten over and over and over again, the evil genius harbors a secret respect for his rival,
17:06with the pair even teaming up a number of times to destroy a greater threat.
17:11You're pretty persistent for a hedgehog, aren't you? You're still alive, huh?
17:14Just letting Knuckles pilot the shuttle on the way over here was more dangerous than you could ever be.
17:20Number 3, Scorpion vs. Sub-Zero Mortal Kombat series.
17:30Due to the original Mortal Kombat's memory limitations, a palette-swapped version of a
17:35ninja was used to create three distinct characters in the game, including two that would go on to
17:41become the franchise's greatest rivals. Despite their visual similarities, the characters were
17:46completely distinct, Scorpion being an undead warrior and Sub-Zero a master of ice. While Scorpion has his
17:52signature rope dart, which he uses to impale enemies before shouting his signature,
17:57get over here, Sub-Zero hurls ice shards that freeze his opponent. Their backstories too are
18:02intertwined and have developed a deep lore over the course of several games, with Scorpion seeking
18:08revenge for the brutal deaths of his family. You never learn. A man's never too old to learn.
18:14Number 2, Mario vs. Super Mario series.
18:23The plumber in the overalls and red cap has saved the Mushroom Kingdom, along with its ruler Princess
18:29Peach, from the dastardly King Koopa countless times to say the least. However, their rivalry extends
18:34far beyond just Mario thwarting Bowser's plans for domination and saving his love interest. In dozens of
18:41spinoffs Mario and Bowser have competed in everything from tennis to kart racing and even one of the
18:47most intense board games of all time. Just as Mario has become a mascot for Nintendo, and famous around
18:52the world of course, Bowser gained renown as one of the most recognizable bad guys ever.
19:14Before we continue, check out this single from Sound Mojo's album current,
19:18EDM Transformed. Check out the full track and album below.
19:35Number 1, Link vs. Ganon The Legend of Zelda series.
19:46While Link represents courage and selflessness, Ganon represents power and greed.
19:51With one attempting to save the land of Hyrule, and the other subjugating it. Over the centuries,
19:56and through different timelines, many different incarnations of Link have actually faced down the
20:01Demon King. The villain too has had a number of incarnations, as a humanoid desert king or as a
20:07beastly monster. He often is the main antagonist, sometimes even being revealed at the end of a
20:12story having pulled the strings all along. Nevertheless, the silent yet brave hero time and time again has
20:18facedown Ganon. Slaying him, saving Zelda, and bringing peace to Hyrule. Their bouts becoming the stuff of legend.
20:30So, which of gaming's rivals do you love to see duke it out? Let us know in the comments below.
20:36...
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