Video game characters frequently face antagonists, villains, and rivals of all shapes and sizes. It helps sell a story, create interesting conflict, and create an excuse for the player to get involved in the rivalry on a more personal level. Whether it’s a battle between two genetically cloned brothers or one man’s personal vendetta against a fascist ideology, the ground is ripe for good storytelling.
Some video game rivalries were one-off affairs, while others practically built entire franchises from the ground up. When two characters go head-to-head for every mile, it’s sure to cause mayhem, fireworks, and lots of serious button mashing.
10 Solid Snake Vs. Liquid Snake (Metal Gear Solid)
You could say that this rivalry with Metal Gear Solid is literally in the blood. Solid and Liquid Snake are both cut from the same cloth, uh…DNA, as both are clones of the infamous Big Boss. They were developed in secret by the villainous Zero as part of his Les Enfants Terrible project, which was designed to create the ultimate breed of super-soldier.
Although neither knew much about the other before they clashed in the Shadow Moses incident, their rivalry was instantaneous and practically instinctive. Liquid Snake knew a lot more about the global conspiracy than Solid Snake, but in the end he lost to his twin in a battle before the FOXDIE virus killed him for good.
9 Ryu vs. Ken (street fighter)
These two hotheads are best friends and fiercest rivals. Their competitive spirit was born from the fact that both trained under the same sensei, who taught them the secrets of Hadou. After their training ended, they remained friends but went their separate ways.
They would eventually reunite at Street Fighter tournaments where their rivalry would come to light. Both being considered equal in terms of skill, it all comes down to which one has more potential. As such, Ryu and Ken continue to fight to see who is the best in the world, holding no grudge against each other.
8 The Master Chief Vs. The Alliance (Halo)
The Master Chief is unlikely to harbor any particular hatred for the enemy force known as the Covenant, but he has certainly made it his ambition to kill as many as possible. In fact, the Halo franchise claims he was born and raised for this very purpose as part of mankind’s controversial SPARTAN-II program.
For the leader, combat is as easy as breathing, and the Pact makes great colorful targets to practice on. Although his attention has been drawn to the Forerunners in recent years, the Covenant still pose a fractured threat that Master Chief is watching. He’ll take on the Banished, a Covenant splinter group in the upcoming Halo Infinite, with the same zeal as always.
7 B.J. Blaskowicz vs. The Third Reich (Wolfenstein)
Nazis are a good game when it comes to fighting, but B.J. Blaskowicz has turned their hunt into a sport. Few guys on the planet hate the Third Reich with as much passion as BBlaskowicz, and he’s killed enough to make a name for himself as one of their greatest and most feared enemies.
Wolfenstein’s Blaskowicz has his reasons for hating Nazis, many of which are personal. He thwarted their occult, technological, and biological warfare plans on several occasions and helped lead the resistance movement in an alternate timeline when the Reich won the war and took control of America. If there’s a swastika around, Blaskowicz will sniff it out and squander it like it’s an instinct.
6 The Slayer Vs. Hell (DOOM)
It doesn’t matter if he’s a former force of destruction or a battle-hardened Marine – the Slayer is to hell what Raid is to a cockroach. Throughout the various DOOM games, this growl has ripped, tore, and torn demons to pieces with his bare hands or a host of punishing weaponry.
It’s one of those rare situations where the denizens of pure evil cower in fear at the sight of a burly guy in green. Shotgun in hand, the Slayer enters the blood storm and leaves only decimated corpses in his wake. When it’s all over, he’s not interested in a glass of whiskey and a cigar – he’s looking for the next demonic horde to waste.
5 Cloud vs. Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII)
Cloud Strife has many, many reasons to hate the villain known as Sephiroth. The latter intends to destroy the world to praise his alien “mother” known as Jenova. Cloud got in his way and became a target as a result. Sephiroth tormented him and shattered his life into a million pieces, only to start again when he murdered Aerith right before Cloud’s eyes in cold blood.
The two would face off on the eve of Sephiroth’s defeat, during which he was thwarted when Cloud launched a powerful attack that killed him outright. Sephiroth later resurfaced to threaten the world again in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, but Cloud once again managed to land a killing blow, banishing him for good.
4 The Belmonts Vs. Dracula (Castlevania)
The uber-vampire Dracula has terrorized Transylvania for centuries, and his connection to Hell has allowed him to amass huge armies of evil spirits and undead warriors. Fortunately, there has always been a Belmont to shape him up (pun well intended) and send him back into the abyss.
In the Castlevania storyline, Dracula is capable of being resurrected once a century, sometimes by human hands who wish to serve him as Lord of Shadows. Until he gives up the fight and resigns himself to the pits of Hell, the Belmont bloodline will continue to train new vampire hunters to infiltrate Castlevania and defeat him once more.
3 vs. Sub-Zero. Scorpion (Mortal Kombat)
Heaven help anyone who comes between these two Mortal Kombat rivals. Scorpion and Sub-Zero represent the deadliest foes, with a burning hatred that has resulted in a bitter rivalry. It all started when the Lin Kuei warrior named Bi-Han murdered the man who would later become the vengeful specter known as Scorpion.
The hatred for Bi-Han, who later became known as Sub-Zero, was relentless. Scorpion swore to murder his former killer and exact revenge, which he succeeded in doing. This led to Bi-Han’s younger brother, Kuai Lang, assuming the mantle of Sub-Zero and exacting revenge on Scorpion. Realizing the pointlessness of the cycle, the two managed to put aside their differences.
2 Link. Vs. Ganondorf (The Legend of Zelda)
In the Legend of Zelda franchise, the land of Hyrule has had to contend with the villainous Ganondorf for untold centuries, which is how it works when a guy is destined to return again and again to conquer the world. Luckily, various versions of Link have been there to stop him, usually with the power of a magic sword, fancy moves, and skill with a bow and arrow.
Ganondorf usually gets his hands on the mystical Triforce, which grants him immeasurable magical ability and power. He is also known to take on a repulsive, demonic boar-like appearance known as Ganon. Either way, Link is ready, willing, and eager to take him down.
1 Mario vs. Bowser (Super Mario Bros.)
Few rivalries are as old and bitter as this one, but the feud continues. Both Mario and Luigi faced off against the terrible Bowser in the original Super Mario Bros., only to have the character become a thorn in their side for years. Bowser’s plan to conquer the Mushroom Kingdom usually involved kidnapping the lovely Princess Peach, forcing the Italian plumbing duo into action.
Bowser has been thwarted by Mario countless times, even employing his children as pawns in his game from time to time. Despite Bowser’s swagger, size, and power, Mario continues to gain the upper hand. The question is whether Mario can hold out for long, until Bowser finally kicks the box or throws in the towel for good.
NEXT: The 5 Best (& 5 Worst) Mario Games Of All Time
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