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Domestic | Feature

Feature: The 47 Most Diabolical Video-Game Villains of All Time (Page 6 of 7)

Feature by Hugh Sterbakov | 03/05/2008 | 16:44:55 PM PST

5. The Ghosts (Pac-Man series)

The Ghosts (Pac-Man series)

At the sunrise of video game history, you weren't human unless Pac-Man fever was driving you crazy. And it didn't matter if you were a carpenter, a politician or a kid with dreams of a virtual future, your life's goal was to escape those wascally ghosts-Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde-long enough to get a new high score.

They never rested, never slowed, and just got faster and faster. Even kids crafty enough to learn the fabled patterns (many of which could be found on the inside record sheath of Buckner & Garcia's Pac-Man Fever album) realized there was a point at which the ghosts became impervious to Pac's power pellets. The things that really got eaten in this game? Your quarters.

4. Ganon (The Legend of Zelda series)

Ganon (The Legend of Zelda series)

Like teenyboppers returning to the mall as their ritual Mecca, gamers flock back to the land of Hyrule every few years to experience a new epic adventure as Link, the young hero who must save a world freshly corrupted by the evil Ganon. Almost every Legend of Zelda game pits you against Ganon, or Ganondorf in some cases, a vicious tyrant who has corrupted the magical powers of the legendary Triforce of Power and unleashed darkness upon the land.

Usually depicted as a humanoid powermonger who also takes a boar form, Ganon is given different backstories in every Zelda game. As the wielder of the Triforce of Power, Ganon has caused mayhem in his mad thirst for power, and the young hero Link must follow his footsteps and uncover his path while collecting the remaining two Triforces (Courage and Wisdom), and then confront Ganon in a battle for the fate of the land. The series' consistently strong writing keeps Ganon fresh in each tale, while introducing new mythologies and plot devices, including time travel in titles like A Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time.

3. Psycho Mantis (Metal Gear Solid)

Psycho Mantis (Metal Gear Solid)

This brilliantly-designed villain was crafted to be so powerful that he could break the fourth wall and reach out to the player, transcending the barrier between player and game avatar. This is the kind of out-of-the-box game design that propels titles like Metal Gear Solid to become classics.

In an eerie twist, Psycho Mantis, a shady telekinetic and telepath with roots in both the FBI and KGB, seems to take over your game console during your confrontation. He reads your memory card, analyzing which games you've been playing and how many times you've saved, and then even makes your screen go blank in a way that feels like your VCR has gone awry. This chilling effect makes it feel like Psycho Mantis is watching you, the gamer, and the battle takes on a far more personal gravity. If only more game designers gave thought to breaking the fourth wall or challenging our standards for interfacing with games-then those inebriated college kids would really have something to ponder.