There are plenty of animal protagonists found in the world of video games, but there are also plenty of villainous animal antagonists who are just as memorable as their heroic counterparts.
Here’s a look at some of the best animal villains in gaming, but a few rules are going to be bent to narrow down who is qualified for the list. First off, mythical animals are allowed, despite not being real animals. They are based on real animals after all, so it only seems fair to let them in. Anti-heroes and animals that appear as boss fights are also fair game, especially those that are particularly iconic.
8Shadow the Hedgehog
Edge Lord
First up is a character that isn’t really a villain per se, but more of an antihero. Shadow the Hedgehog appears here as he is often known as the antithesis of Sonic the Hedgehog and his morals can be a little questionable since he is willing to do whatever is necessary to achieve his goals.
Shadow first appeared inSonic Adventure 2in 2001, and he was originallyintended to be a pure villainto Sonic, but the positive fan reaction to his dark and brooding nature changed the way his character developed, becoming a rival of sorts to Sonic rather than a straight-up bad guy. His original design as a villain and his continuing feud with Sonic make him a compelling antihero to add to the other, more villainous characters listed here.
7Oggdo Bogdo and Spawn of Oggdo
Space Frogs from Hell
Next are two characters that are put together, because even though they are separate boss battles across two games, they are pretty much the same, even though Spawn of Oggdo ismore difficult than the original Oggdo.
The first Oggdo Bogdo is a giant, frog-like predator, and boss fight found on the planet of Bogano in the Outer Rim that players can face while playingStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. He is then avenged by his child, Spawn of Oggdo, in the second gameStar Wars Jedi: Survivorin a boss battle that is even more difficult (and causes a lot of rage quits around the world). These frog boys are some of the most frustrating animal boss fights in gaming.
Alduin is one of the major antagonists from across theElder Scrollsfranchises, and he makes the cut despite being a mythical dragon. As well as being known as the World-Eater, Aludin also has a reputation as the Twilight God and the First Dragon.
Although he is referenced inThe Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind, it is inThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimwhere he becomes a major threat, as he is themain antagonist of the gamethat the player will eventually need to defeat during the main questline. His huge stature, demonic dragon design, and major role inSkyrimmake Alduin a prominent animal villain in gaming.
5King Dedede
Penguin Perpetrator
King Dededeis another character that was originally designed to be a villain but has since developed into more of a playful rival and even a friend to Kirby in the latest games. King Dedede is a giant blue penguin-like creature who wields a hammer and wears a fancy red and white royal robe.
Despite no longer being a villain in theKirbygames, Dedede still makes it onto our list as he did spend his first few appearances being a villain, such as in his first appearance inKirby’s Dream Landwhere he stole the food from the residents of Dream Land simply to cause sadness among the people. Even though he has since turned over a new leaf, some - unlike Kirby - cannot forgive and forget his crimes.
4Dingodile
Dastard from Down Under
There are all sorts of animal villains/minions in theCrash Bandicootseries, with some beingmore villainousand others converting to the side of good at some point in the series. Dingodile makes the cut for this ranking, as he is primarily an antagonist throughout theCrashgames.
Dingodile is a half-dingo, half-crocodile hybrid, and by the time the events ofCrash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Timerolls around, he has retired from his role as a villain to open up his own diner (which serves only the worst possible food). When the diner is destroyed, he ends up pulled into an interdimensional rift and eventually teams up with Crash and his sister Coco along with an alternate version of Tawna Bandicoot.
Dingodile is an iconic animal villain thanks to his unusual hybrid design, iconic flamethrower weapon, and his thick tail, which he also uses against enemies. He was once simply a villain but is now more of a contractor (and a small business owner) who will offer help to friends and foes alike if it benefits him.
3King K. Rool
Cruel Kremling
Some of the animals here have been morally gray rather than straight-up evil, but the same can’t be said for King K.Rool. As his little golden crown suggests, he is the ruler of the Kremlings (a crocodile-like species) from the Donkey Kong series. His name is also a dead giveaway when it comes to what type of ruler he is, as the Kremlings aren’t particularly fond of K.Rool because of his cruel nature, even to his own people.
K.Rool is a large, obese Kremling with an eye-catching golden belly, golden bracelets, and a red cape. He enjoys terrorizing his people, but his main role in the series is to play the villain to the Kongs. His hobbies include stealing the Kong’s bananas, likely to try and starve them, and kidnapping. K.Rool is a particularly volatile villain, with an unhinged nature that makes him unpredictable. His huge, misshapen, and somewhat crazy eyes only hint at the insanity that this Kremling is willing to impose on Kong and his subjects, making him a particularly noteworthy animal villain.
2Donkey Kong
Bananarama
Donkey Kongmight be known as an ally to Mario and a standalone hero in his own right by gamers today, but he began life way back in 1981 as the title antagonist of theDonkey Kong arcade game. Mario was the protagonist of the game, and players would dodge barrels thrown by Donkey Kong to reach him and rescue his kidnapped victim Pauline.
All Donkey Kong did was throw stuff at Mario, but the game and his character were so popular that he ended up getting a fully fleshed-out backstory, his own game series, an animated television show, and even a family of fellow Kongs who would also get their own video games. Donkey Kong is much more than just a villain all these years after his initial conception, but his role as one of the first major animal antagonists in a game makes him one of the most iconic animal villains in gaming history.
1Bowser
King Koopa
Arguably one of the most iconic villains in gaming,Bowser wins the top spotdespite being from a fictional species of turtle-like creatures called Koopas. In this ranking, he counts as a mythical animal of sorts, as despite his turtle-like traits, he also has various similarities to a dragon, such as his ability to breathe fire and certain elements of his appearance.
As mentioned, Bowser is not only an iconic animal/creature villain, but he is generally one of the most well-known and well-received bad guys in video game history. Following his debut inSuper Mario Brosin 1985, Bowser has gone on to become a staple in theMariofranchise. His endgame goal usually revolves around kidnapping Princess Peach, conquering her kingdom, and making her his queen, which sounds a lot weirder than it actually is. It’s a simple premise, but one that connected well with gamers.
Bowser became even more popular after the release of the animatedSuper Mario Bros Moviein 2023, as the writers doubled down on his desire to make Peach his queen to the point where the character sings a song proclaiming his love for her (sung by his VA Jack Black). The song made it into the charts around the world. It’s clear that Bowser has become much more than a simple video game animal villain. He has become a pop culture icon in his own right, and because of this, he has more than earned his place as number one.
