In video games, the player character is usually the most powerful. That's the whole point. The heroes are meant to excel, since gamers use them to save the world or accomplish some other impossible task. That said, certain side characters can emerge tougher still.
Some characters are strong even by normal video game standards. No matter the genre, members of this archetype are always as strong as an ox and just as imposing. They can act as a tank for a particular team, or simply pose an extra challenge to players bored with normal foes. Either way, these powerhouses often show their strength by clobbering countless mooks, leaving a gargantuan impact on gamers as a result.
7 Murray — The Sly Series
The self-professed "brawn" of the Cooper Gang, "The Murray" takes pride in that title. The only thing he loves more than showing off his hard-earned muscles is putting those skills to use in helping his friends. This makes him a valuable part of every heist.
Murray is practically unstoppable in a physical scenario. Not only can he clear an entire roomful of thugs with just his fists, but he regularly acts as a human (or hippo) bulldozer. He lifts, smashes, or throws any obstacle in his way. There's no one Sly Cooper would rather have by his side in a scrap.
6 Taiga Saejima — The Yakuza Series
Series star Kazuma Kiryu is a strong contender for this spot, as he and Saejima are about equal in strength, but the latter ultimately has less finesse and more ferocity. He shrugs off enemy blows like rain and pays them back with charge attacks capable of knocking the toughest foes off their feet. Case in point, he punches out a bear.
That talent for combat is how he ascended to legendary status among the yakuza. Saejima took out 18 experienced enforcers as a young up-and-comer, and he's only grown stronger in prison. Now, he can mop the floor with entire armies. In the end, the Tiger of the Tojo Clan lives up to his reputation in every Yakuza tale.
5 Knuckles — The Sonic Series
The name says it all. While Sonic the Hedgehog likes to outrun his enemies, Knuckles the Echidna prefers to fight them head-on. He supplements the usual speed and platforming with a healthy helping of melee. He's the brawler of the group, a role which becomes more instrumental as the series moves more into combat. In Sonic Heroes, for instance, players rely on him to reduce robots to scrap. That's not his first choice, though.
Knuckles mostly dedicates his strength to guarding the Master Emerald. He doesn't like interfering in affairs beyond his island, but he'll go to the ends of the Earth if his sacred stone is threatened or stolen. That outsider quality makes him cooler than many of Sonic's furry companions. While his place as the rogue has been somewhat usurped by Shadow, fans still remember the original renegade. He's the one whom Sonic can truly rely on in a pinch.
4 Carver — The Dragon Quest Series
Carver is surely a striking sight when he walks onscreen in Dragon Quest 6. A martial artist with muscles on top of muscles, he has an upbeat attitude and endless enthusiasm for a good fight. One might think he stumbled in from Akira Toriyama's other big franchise, Dragon Ball, but fans will be glad he's a party member here.
Throughout his series appearances, Carver demolishes villains with his strikes. His punches and kicks have a booming impact, and they're essential against the imposing creatures that players encounter. Whether in the turn-based strategy of the mainline series of the real-time combat of Dragon Quest Heroes, Carver accomplishes more with his fists than others can do with the deadliest weapons or flashiest spells.
3 Steiner — Final Fantasy 9
A knight of Alexandria, Steiner is stalwart in his duties. He protects Princess Garnet and those around her with ironclad devotion. Said devotion is matched by his sturdy stature.
The party relies on Steiner in battle for much of Final Fantasy 9. He can take a lot of damage and give back even more. Considering many characters here are either thieves or mages, the knight's brute strength is all the more apparent and appreciated. He can also combine his sword attacks with magic, amplifying their efficacy further. Though he may be a stick in the mud, players will be grateful for a brother in arms like Steiner to face the vast unknown.
2 Terra — The Kingdom Hearts Series
The Kingdom Hearts games have seen many young Keyblade wielders, but Terra is easily the most imposing. Part of the main trio of Birth by Sleep, he specializes in heavy physical attacks. His offensive combos make short work of monsters which his peers have trouble with, and his finishers often use earth-based magic for extra impact. These all suit his approach to safeguarding the worlds.
Terra strives to overcome threats through sheer strength. Sadly, this causes him to fall victim to his darker tendencies. On the upside, it makes him more powerful, leading to shadowy power-ups and lethal new abilities. No wonder Xehanort chooses him as a vessel.
1 Goro — The Mortal Kombat Series
Goro's challenge is obvious from his Herculean frame. His solid foundation is hard to shake, even for the most skilled combatants. Good luck getting him to recoil from attacks. Then again, players don't get much chance to do anything.
The four-armed man is a freight train to normal fighters. His strikes inflict catastrophic damage, and his extra limbs let him juggle opponents endlessly and fling them around like rag dolls. Ultimately, Goro is wasted as a lowly grunt; he could win the whole Mortal Kombat tournament in his sleep.