Magic always has a home in video games. All fantasy games have some degree of magic involved in their gameplay or narrative, and the characters that wield such power are usually called sorcerers, mages, or wizards.
Now, wizards are known as powerful magic users who can harness arcane and other types of magic on a whim and are considered to either be protectors or threats on their respective realms. This is due to their quest for power and how to use it for whatever they want. But which are the best video game wizards? Here are some of the iconic and notorious characters who are adept at controlling magic.
8 Agahnim — The Legend Of Zelda
One of Link’s earlier mini-bosses to conquer, Agahnim is a wizard who possesses powerful magic that he used to quell the disasters that the Hyrule kingdom was experiencing. This feat made Agahnim a hero and had the King’s trust. Agahnim took advantage of this by brainwashing the Hyrule soldiers, deposing the King, and banished six of the Seven Sages into the Dark World.
During his duel against Link in a Link to the Past, Agahnim uses magical beams and lightning to shoot at Link. He also cannot be damaged by physical means: Link had to imbue his Master Sword with magic and deflect Agahnim’s attack back at him. Eventually, once Link defeats Agahnim, it is revealed that he is just an alter ego of Ganon, and his remaining essence escapes back to his original form.
7 Doctor Strange — Various Marvel Games
Stephen Strange was once a promising surgeon who got into a horrific accident that caused his hands to be severely damaged. This led him to search for ways to fix his hands. Conventional medicine didn’t work, so he had to resort to the mystical arts. That’s where he discovered his aptitude for the arcane, and thus became Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme.
With deep knowledge of various mystic arts, Doctor Strange has appeared in different Marvel games such as the Marvel Ultimate Alliance titles, Midnight Suns, and the Lego Marvel series as a powerful ally. He can summon and wield Eldritch Magic as energy constructs he uses to attack opponents, access the Mirror Dimension, Astral Projection, and other spell-casting feats on a whim. He even had some stints in fighting games such as the Marvel vs Capcom titles to show how a wizard can throw down with the best brawlers and fighters.
6 Ripto — Spyro The Dragon
Ripto is one of Spyro’s constant antagonists ever since his first appearance in Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage. He is a small orange dinosaur who has a major Napoleon Complex and is always trying to prove that his size is nothing because he is all-powerful.
He despises dragons, and his hatred for them fuels his quest to attain more power. He can wield and cast various magic spells with his scepter. This includes fireballs, acid blobs, and protective barriers that block enemy attacks and redirect it to them for a short time. His ultimate spell lets him transform into a giant, oafish dinosaur with his scepter transformed into a club.
But despite his magical prowess, Spyro always manages to get the best of Ripto during their encounters. This led Ripto to become a persistent enemy to Spyro in subsequent games, always trying to one up his rival by any means necessary.
5 Solas — Dragon Age
Originally an Elven Hedge mage who is highly knowledgeable with matters concerning the Fade, Solas is the surprising villain across the Dragon Age games. Also known as Fen’Harel, he is responsible for all the tribulations the modern Elves have been experiencing when he destroyed Elvenhan by manipulating the Elven pantheon and the Forgotten Ones and trapped them in heaven and the Abyss.
Solas’ power comes from his orb: this vessel has been building up power ever since he was awoken when he was in the Fade. He uses his orb as his Foci to concentrate his powers which he can use to bend and create realities. He is also a master manipulator who managed to trick the Inquisitor and his allies about his nefarious schemes and ambitions for the Envanuris.
4 King Mickey — Kingdom Hearts
Mickey Mouse seems like an odd entry, but in the Kingdom Hearts games, he is a powerful wizard. Trained by the Master Yen Sid, King Mickey is considered to be a great Keyblade Master who prefers to fight using swordsmanship rather than magic.
But make no mistake, King Mickey is also a formidable spellcaster who can cast various supportive and offense-based magic. King Mickey is well-attuned with the Light, which means most of his magic spells revolve around banishing the Darkness and healing his allies. This includes Pearl, Cure, Healing Light, and Holy. Mickey also possesses strong time magic like Stopza that can freeze multiple targets for a long duration. Enemies of the Light beware, King Mickey is an adversary that shouldn’t be taken lightly.
3 Jaina Proudmoore — World Of Warcraft
Trained by Archmage Antonidas, Jaina Proudmoore is one of the strongest mages and powerful sorceresses in Azeroth. She is a master in transmutation and abjuration, she can mass-teleport armies across huge distances with ease, and during battles she can cast an assortment of defensive spells for herself and allies such as Ice Barriers against enemy attacks. Offensively, she prefers to use an assortment of ice magic such as Ice Lance, Frostbolt, and Cone of Cold. These attacks often slow or freeze opponents in their tracks.
First appearing in Warcraft 3, Jaina was once a calm and calculating strategist, often looking for non-violent ways to resolve conflicts. However, throughout the various games and expansions in World of Warcraft, she has seen her fair share of setbacks and betrayals. Seeing Arthas Menethil fall to the will of the Lich King and become his avatar and the destruction of Theramore has made her show her more aggressive side. Jaina’s allegiance always lies with the Alliance, but in times when the Horde and Alliance have to join forces, Jaina sees the greater good and will fight for the side of good.
2 Yennefer Of Vengerberg — The Witcher 3
The youngest member of the Council of Wizards, Yennefer of Vengerberg is a formidable sorceress who can more than hold her own against the vile beasts and even viler men in The Witcher games. She can conjure portals which she uses to traverse regions with ease, seal bastions with powerful defensive barriers, and can cast various elemental attacks against enemies.
During the events in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, it was revealed that she was part of the Wild Hunt which razed across all regions. Geralt managed to rescue her, at the expense of him losing his memory. While trying to regain her memories as well, Yennefer came to serve Emperor Emhyr var Emreis who was looking for Ciri. After Geralt got his memories back, he sought for Yennefer, and eventually he, Yennefer, and Ciri reunited and Yennefer became a mother figure for Ciri. Strong-willed, intelligent, and headstrong, Yennefer always pursues her goal with much purpose and resolve.
1 Vivi — Final Fantasy 9
When it comes to mages and wizards in Final Fantasy, Vivi stands out among all the playable characters. Vivi has one of the simpler yet compelling arcs in Final Fantasy 9 which made him an endearing character that players just had to cheer for.
As a wizard, Vivi is a Black Mage who harnesses the power of elemental magic. He can cast various levels of Fire, Blizzard, and Thunder spells, and often wields a staff to better focus his magic. Being a Black Mage, Vivi is rather weak defensively, but he can tap into some supportive magic to help shield himself for physical and magic attacks.
Vivi starts off as a timid character who lacks self-confidence and also battling existential crises, but throughout the game, he steels his resolve and becomes one of the most essential members in Zidane and Garnet’s party.