Nintendo has always had a very family-friendly image among the major video game companies. Flagship series like theSuper Mario Bros.,Kirby, andDonkey Kongproduce games that both children and adults can enjoy, and the company has built both its brand and its reputation on that philosophy.
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However, just because the company’s titles are frequently innocent and accessible to children doesn’t mean that there aren’t some frankly terrifying things in Nintendo games. Some of these releases feature frightening villains that would creep out even fully grown adults. Here are thescariest Nintendo villainsthat have appeared in the company’s games.
10King Boo (Luigi’s Mansion)
King Boo is the main antagonist of theLuigi’s Mansiongames, and true to thehorror-game nature of the series, is quite terrifying compared to many of the plumbers' usual antagonists. He is a cruel and cunning individual that only wishes to see Mario and Luigi suffer for his own pleasure.
King Boo is much larger than the usual Boo and has the ability to create copies of himself and trap people in paintings. While King Boo is merciless towards his enemies, he does show care for his fellow Boos.
9Giratina (Pokemon)
Legendary Pokemon tend to serveas the final boss ofPokemongames, but none are as horrifying as Giratina is. A dual-type Ghost/Dragon Pokemon, Giratina served as the ultimate boss ofPokemon Platinum, and it is one of the most powerful creatures in that game.
Giratina also served as a secret boss inPokemon Arceus. In both games, Giratina is feared for its immense power and violent nature. Of course, since Giratina is a Pokemon, it can be caught by the player, making it potentially a powerful ally as well.
8Hades (Kid Icarus)
The God of the Underworld is one of the main antagonists of theKid Icarusseries and a constant thorn in Pit and Palutena’s side. He is a powerful being with the ability to use the souls of the dead however he wishes, and he is a master of both martial and magical arts.
In general, Hades presents a rather playful and mischievous demeanor. However, that is merely a facade that hides his cold, unfeeling real personality. He cares only for himself and is a constant threat to the world.
7Julius (Fire Emblem: Genealogy Of The Holy War)
Once the kind-hearted son of the Grannvale Emperor Arvis, Julius was one day possessed by the evil dragon Loptous, transforming him into a cruel and ruthless ruler, tyrannically ruling over the empire with an iron fist and committing atrocities like the child hunts.
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Julius’s malevolent personality is only magnified by the tome of Loptous, which grants him protection against nearly all weapons and attacks in the game. With the might of the Dark God’s cult and the Grannvale Empire behind him, Julius is one ofFire Emblem’s most terrible villains.
6Void Termina (Kirby Star Allies)
As a god worshipped by the Jambastian religion, Void was expected to lead its believers to paradise. However, in his quest to reincarnate the god, the religion’s founder Hyness became warped and consumed by revenge. Hyness used a Jamba Heart infused with negative energy to revive Void, but doing so turned it into Void Termina instead.
As the final boss ofKirby Star Allies, Void Termina is an intimidating beast-like figure with the power to shapeshift his body into various shapes and weapons. While it is innocent at its core, the negative energy used to create it causes it to go out of control.
5SA-X (Metroid Fusion)
Samus Aran isone of the greatest bounty hunters in the galaxy, and few are her match in battle. However, she once nearly lost her life to an X Parasite, a horrific organism with the ability to transform into those it absorbs.
While the X-Parasite is terrifying on its own, the SA-X is even more frightening. A copy of Samus Aran at her most powerful, the SA-X terrorized the weakened Samus at every turn, forcing the renowned bounty hunter to hide until the danger had passed.
4Dragon (Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade)
Throughout the entirety ofThe Blazing Blade, players mostly fight other human soldiers. There are no beasts or creatures to battle, and even the emotionless morphs are merely copies of other humans.
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That’s why the appearance of the fire dragon as the final boss ofThe Blazing Bladeis so impactful. Its burning breath ignores defense, and its hard scales make it so that only the most powerful weapons will work against it. It is easily one of the most terrifying bosses in theFire Emblemseries based on its impact alone.
3Calamity Ganon (The Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild)
Ganondorf is well known for being a constant presence as the main villain in mostZeldagames. In terms of reputation, Ganondorf is just as famous as Link and Zelda,and his role in the series is equally important.
Calamity Ganon is easily the most terrifying version of Ganon in the series yet. While Ganondorf usually exists as a human being in mostZeldagames, inBreath of the WildGanon is a force of nature that cannot be stopped with normal weaponry. Great mobile fortresses called Divine Beasts and mechanical weapons called Guardians were needed to hold back this incredible threat.
2Mother Brain (Super Metroid)
The leader of the Space Pirates normally cuts a grotesque figure, due to being a giant spiked brain residing within a glass jar. Mother Brain is the mastermind behind the many acts of the Space Pirates, and her cunning is unparalleled.
While she is normally immobile, Mother Brain has a second form that allows her to move about. This form is even more terrifying than the last and grants Mother Brain some more combat abilities. No matter what form she is in, this Nintendo villain is surely a force to be reckoned with.
1Giygas (Earthbound)
The main antagonist ofEarthbound BeginningsandEarthbound, Giygas is an alien force that was once raised by humans. However, he was forced to attack Earth to keep them from learning about PSI but fails due to the efforts of Ninten and his friends.
InEarthbound, Giygas returns and begins spreading his influence over the world. Having now lost his mind, Giygas became a mass of pure evil incapable of reasoning, and his evil began to infect the people of Eagleland. Giygas iseasily the most terrifying Nintendo villain of all time, as well as the most disturbing.
