Highlights
- Dark Samus: The terrifying Dark Samus from Metroid Prime 2: Echoes is an underrated villain who poses a real threat to the protagonist, Samus.
- Miror B.: In Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness, the flamboyant and corrupt Miror B. becomes a prime enemy for aspiring Pokemon trainers.
- Rahu: The mysterious villain in the underrated game Custom Robo turns out to be more powerful than anticipated, but the hero and their allies manage to defeat it.
The Nintendo GameCube is home to some of the most iconic video games ever made, whether they were published by Nintendo or made by third-party developers. There aren't many video games in which players aren't confronted with conflict, usually at the hands of an evil character, such as Ganondorf from The Legend of Zelda or Bowser from Mario.
10 Nintendo Villains Who Have Caused The Most Devastation
Despite Nintendo's penchant for making family-friendly games, these franchise villains have caused some serious destruction and mayhem.
Some of these games may be underrated by fans, but even more underrated are the game's antagonists. These characters are etched into the memories of GameCube players, for better or worse, because of how they enticed fear out of the protagonists of each game. Thankfully, none of these six underrated GameCube villains got to win in the end.
6 Dark Samus
Samus Is Her Own Worst Enemy
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
- Platform(s)
- GameCube , Wii , Nintendo Wii U
- Released
- November 15, 2004
- Developer(s)
- Retro Studios
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter , Metroidvania
Dark Samus was perhaps one of the more underrated villains from the Metroid franchise, prior to being included as an Echo Fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. However, Dark Samus definitely takes the cake for being one of the most terrifying creatures from the series, even compared to legendary Samus rivals like Ridley, Kraid, or Mother Brain.
Appearing in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes on GameCube, Dark Samus is a being made of pure Phazon who takes the form of Samus after her suit merges with the remains of the titular Metroid Prime. Evil versions of characters appear frequently in Nintendo games, but few are as menacing and threatening to the protagonist as Dark Samus is to Samus.
5 Miror B.
An Evil Pokemon Trainer Never Looked So Stylish
The Pokemon franchise has seen its fair share of terrifying villains, from Gen 1's Giovanni to characters like Lusamine from Sun & Moon. However, only those who played Pokemon Colosseum and Pokemon XD remember the character Miror B., a flamboyant yet fearsome Pokemon Trainer who reveals himself to be one of the more corrupt Pokemon figures.
In Colosseum, Miror B. is responsible for taking over Pyrite Town and handing Shadow Pokemon out to winners of colosseum battles. In Pokemon XD, Miror B. has organized his own evil team, with the sole purpose of capturing every Pokemon in the world, making him a prime enemy for any aspiring Pokemon trainer, including the protagonist.
4 Rahu
Mystery Gives Way For Menace
Custom Robo is one of Nintendo's most underrated franchises, not seeing an entry release since 2006 for the Nintendo DS. The series' most notable title is probably the GameCube's Custom Robo: Battle Revolution, in which main characters become Robo Commanders, building titular robot soldiers to battle other Commanders in Pokemon-esque arenas.
In the GameCube title, a villain emerges in Rahu, a mysterious enemy that takes the form of a robot toy. Although some human characters attempt to control Rahu for their own nefarious purposes, the being turns out to be more powerful than anticipated. Thankfully, the hero and their allies use their own fully-powered up Custom Robo to defeat it.
3 Dark Raven
Billy Hatcher's Nemesis And Leader Of An Army Of Crows
Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg
- Platform(s)
- PC , Nintendo GameCube
- Released
- September 23, 2003
- Developer(s)
- Sonic Team
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg was an attempt from Sega's Sonic Team to recreate the magic of their beloved blue-colored hedgehog. Unfortunately, the series never took off beyond its one title for the GameCube. However, the game did create one of the more interesting villains Sega has ever produced in the Dark Raven.
In the story of Billy Hatcher, Dark Raven invades the peaceful Morning Land by covering the terrain with a never-ending night. He leads an army of Crows, who become the main enemies for Billy Hatcher to fight against throughout this 3D adventure. Plus, Dark Raven has an even more fearsome final form known as Ultimate Raven, the game's final boss.
2 The Black Knight
Zeligus Commits Some Despicable Acts That Lead To His Rivalry With Ike
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
- Platform(s)
- GameCube
- Released
- April 20, 2005
- Developer(s)
- Intelligent Systems , Nintendo SPD
- Genre(s)
- Tactical , RPG , Adventure
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance is notable among Nintendo fans for introducing the character of Ike, who has appeared as a playable character in the Super Smash Bros. series since the Wii's Brawl. However, the GameCube game also produced a significant villain in the Fire Emblem universe: Zelgius, a.k.a. the Black Knight.
18 Best Fire Emblem Games Of All Time (According To Metacritic)
Fire Emblem is a tactical RPG franchise. Including spin-offs, here are the best Fire Emblem games of all time according to Metacritic.
The Black Knight does a lot to establish himself as one of the most personally terrifying foes in any Fire Emblem game. In pursuit of Ike and his group of mercenaries, he (spoiler alert!) kills Ike's father and becomes the protagonist's main rival. In a surprising turn of events, however, Zelgius re-appears in the Wii sequel Radiant Dawn as a playable unit.
1 Captain Blue
Joe's First Ally Turned Evil Mastermind
Viewtiful Joe
- Platform(s)
- GameCube , PlayStation 2
- Released
- June 26, 2003
- Developer(s)
- Clover Studio , Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Platformer , Beat 'Em Up , Adventure
Viewtiful Joe is widely regarded as one of the more underrated titles for the Nintendo GameCube due to its poor sales upon initial release. Thankfully, the game has retained a cult following thanks to its cheeky movie reference-filled plot. Players control Joe, a movie-lover who teams up with his favorite superhero, Captain Blue, to rescue his girlfriend from villains.
In a twist ending, however, it's revealed that Captain Blue is the real mastermind behind the entire game's turmoil. Joe must face off against his own hero, who transforms into the robotic King Blue, and defeat him. However, Captain Blue remains a sympathetic figure, simply corrupted by his own love for movies, just like Joe.
6 Underrated Hero Characters of the Nintendo GameCube Era
The following characters showed great potential but struggled to make an impact on audiences and didn't get their deserved recognition.