Sometimes, it’s the mainvillains in the video gamethat garner all the attention, and other times, it’s the smaller villains that steal the show. Over the years, every developer has tried to bring creativity into the smaller enemies that they add to their games, but only a few of them manage to successfully make something as iconic as these seven enemies.
10 Video Games Where You Play the Boss
Get motivated and ready to dance, because it’s time to check out some of the most iconic bosses in video games that became playable.
Note that the enemies mentioned here aren’t bosses or the main villains of the game, but rather the smaller grunt enemies that appear multiple times in a single playthrough.
7Necromorphs
Necromorphs embody everything that’s wrong in theDead Spacegames, and with the recent remake of the first entry, they’re all the more terrorizing. While there are numerous games that have grotesque zombies, dismemberment and horrifying aliens, none can stand in the way of how unique the Necromorphs are.
Originally a human being that gets so corrupted by the power of the Maker, these enemies take on the form of multi-limbed monstrosities that the player has to strategically dismember before killing. There’s nothing like gettingjumped by a Necromorphwhen Isaac is at only one health bar and trying to aim at one of its constantly moving limbs, which gets the adrenaline pumping and establishes the Necromorph in the player’s mind forever.
6Big Daddy
From Bioshock Games
The firstBioshockgame was a treat to play, and that isn’t because thesequels were bad, but because the whole concept of an underwater city like Rapture, as well as other unique concepts that the game brought to the table, was so fresh at the time that it’s no surprise that people still talk about the game today.
Among the many unique enemies in the game, Big Daddy has to be the most memorable. These huge, lumbering behemoths clad in armor and holding massive drills look intimidating, and rightfully so, as they can make short work of any player foolish enough to infuriate them without proper preparation. But surprisingly enough, unless evoked, they’re completely harmless to the player, something that’s in stark contrast to how they look and are only there to protect the little sisters while they collect Adam.
From the Last of Us Games
There’s no shortage of creative enemies in the Last of Us duology, but the one enemy that stays in the minds of every player is the Clicker. These are the humans that have been infected by the Cordyceps virus for so long that the spores have now spread to their faces and eyes, taking away their vision.
But they don’t let that stop them, and instead of normal vision, they use echolocation to see their environment by emitting a signature clicking sound that has been known to instantly give players goosebumps and send shivers down their spines. If not for how difficult they are to defeat, their erratic movement and their terrifying design, it’s their clicking sound alone that makes them unforgettable.
4The Shadow Heartless
From Kingdom Hearts Games
The Shadow Heartless is the most basic form of the Heartless in Kingdom Hearts, and yet it’s the simplicity and sinister charm of this enemy that has made it iconic. With its pitch-black body, glowing yellow eyes and fluid, shadow-like movements, the shadow heartless is the perfect embodiment of the darkness that threatens the game’s various worlds.
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Unlike some of the other enemies in this list, the Shadow Heartless are easy to defeat. That’s why they appear over and over again, in every Kingdom Hearts game, and in huge numbers to try to overwhelm and distract the player while other, stronger enemies dish out damage. Still, they’re instantly recognizable and on top of being iconic, also one of the most annoying enemies in a video game.
From Dragon Quest Games
The Slime is perhaps the most cheerful and enduring mascot of any RPG series. With its adorable teardrop shape and wide grin, it’s hard to believe this enemy is often the first challenge players have to face in theDragon Questgames.
Over the years, Slimes have become more than just cannon fodder, evolving into iconic symbols of the franchise. Their design has been incorporated into merchandise, spin-offs and even as powerful variants like the King Slime, cementing their place in gaming history.
From Pac-Man
The four ghosts fromPac-Man, Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde, are just as legendary as Pac-Man himself. They aren’t an enemy in the typical sense, since they simply respawn on the same map a few seconds after Pac-Man devours them after eating a Power Pellet, but they’re only one place shy of being the most iconic video game enemy.
Each of the ghosts has a unique movement pattern, and the interplay between getting chased and chasing them is unique almost entirely to the Pac-Man games. Their bright colors and simple yet instantly recognizable shapes help cement them in the memories of gamers and non-gamers alike.
From Mario Games
When talking about iconic video game enemies, the one enemy that instantly comes to mind is the Goomba from Mario games. It’s probably the simplest video game enemy and does nothing but moves sideways, but since it’s the first enemy players encounter in the very first Mario game, and almost every Mario game since, the Goomba and its scowling face has ascended to become more than just an enemy: it’s an icon.
It’s hard to find a gamer who cannot recognize a Goomba, and even more importantly, many people who don’t play games regularly will nearly always recognize Goomba or that it’s an enemy of Mario games.
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