10 Video Game Characters That Are In NOBODY's Top 10

Wario

“Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3“ (1994)

Ah, Wario, the anti-hero we never knew we needed. While Mario is busy being a Mushroom Kingdom celebrity, Wario quietly runs his empire, WarioWare Inc., rocks a convertible, and even rides a motorcycle (take that, Mario, bet you can’t get third-party content insurance on Yoshi). Sure, he’s greedy and a little dopey, but his accomplishments are no joke. *Wario Land* delivered some of the best games in the Mario universe, and *Wario Land 4* specifically delivers platforming gold with shoulder charges and ground pounds that would inspire indie hits like *Pizza Tower*. And let’s not forget *WarioWare*, a whirlwind of microgames that invented chaos as a genre. Even a garlic-loving, treasure-hoarding goofball deserves a bouquet now and then, and finally we get to give it to him. Ugly? Sure. Fun? No doubt.

Guybrush Threepwood

“The Secret of Monkey Island” (1990)

There is one name that instantly screams “90s LucasArts adventure game gold,” and that name is Guybrush Threepwood, which also happens to sound completely randomly generated. If you were a computer game nerd back then—or a modern-day retrogamer—you know this guy like the back of your hand. Guybrush is the ultimate geek: lanky, awkward, and somehow charmingly nerdy. Somehow, this dork manages to stumble into absurd situations, survive five minutes underwater without turning into a prune, and annoy a zombie skeleton into submission. He is the video game equivalent of a kid walking across a busy highway staring at his Game Boy, dodging every single car by accident, while all of us stare, going “OH NO! AAHH! OH JESUS! How did he do that?”

Earthworm Jim

“Earthworm Jim” (1994)

Earthworm Jim was pure, wacky brilliance, a game packed with absurd humor, slick gameplay, and a plot that was surprisingly engaging for 1994. And the hero? Jim. A worm. And this is sometimes why he doesn’t get the love he deserves. He’s so weird and odd that he rarely ends up in anyone’s top 10s, but he is a special little dude. He’s a snarky, surprisingly heroic guy in a robotic suit, and yes, technically a worm. He had funny one-liners, cool powers, and a touch of humanity that somehow made us care about (YES) a literal worm. His fame even earned him a Saturday morning cartoon! After a few sequels, though, Jim disappeared faster than you could say “worm with attitude.” He’s such a beloved 90’s icon that some fans are shocked he didn’t reach Mario-level fame.

Cate Archer

“The Operative: No One Lives Forever” (2000)

Lara Croft, Jill Valentine, Samus, Ellie, Tifa, Clementine, Princess Goddamn Peach—any list about the best female protagonists in video games is going to include these names, and one character almost ALWAYS gets snuffed because of it, and that character is Cate Archer. Cate Archer stars as the lead in The Operative: No One Lives Forever. She’s a classy secret agent, smooth and cunning, earning comparisons to a female James Bond. But beyond clichés, Cate is an early example of a strong, empowered female protagonist navigating a male-dominated world, constantly underestimated despite her skills. Before 2000, there were few women leading games; alongside the previously mentioned Lara Croft and Jill Valentine, Cate stood out, arguably as the most nuanced of the trio.

Johnny Klebitz

“Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony” (2009)

Johnny Klebitz sits awkwardly in the GTA protagonist canon. He’s not a mainline hero, but he’s more than a side character. GTA IV’s The Lost and Damned DLC puts him front and centre, and he left a warm spot in the hearts of everyone who met him. True to GTA form, he’s a cold-blooded biker with a shred of humanity, and fans grew attached during his brief ride. But Rockstar threw a wrench in his legacy: by the time he pops up in GTA V, Johnny is a meth-addled wreck who gets casually stomped to death by Trevor. Veteran fans were left squinting at the screen, muttering, “Wait… who was that guy again?” Tragic, pathetic—it’s not the legacy we wanted for Johnny, especially since it was the majority of players' first experience with him, and it’s a true shame.

Abe

“Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee” (1997)

Abe occupied so much of my childhood; I have fond memories of walking into a room where my brothers were playing PS1 and yelling “All of ya!” to get their attention. You might forget this, but Abe dominated the late ’90s before he went from beloved hero to retro obscurity—a once-celebrated icon now mostly remembered by die-hard fans. This grey-skinned, bug-eyed alien starred in Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee and Abe’s Exodus, leading an enslaved alien race in their fight for freedom, proving that the little guy can do SO much to help the world. And if you thought saving your species was impressive, just wait until you hear his dialogue, equal parts hilarious, weird, and endearing. Abe may not have made it into the mainstream hall of fame, but he definitely earned a spot in the “cult classic legends” club—and this list.

Conker

“Conker’s Bad Fur Day” (2001)

I’ve talked about this ad nauseam, because everyone seems to have this idea of Conker’s Bad Fur Day being like GTA 3—everyone was playing it and talking about it at school. This is the weirdest collective history change, as it was NOT a commercial success; it was a flop, so much so that getting a copy of the game today is a pricey endeavour. This was probably due to one main factor: it was released in 2001, RIGHT at the end of the N64 lifecycle, and its cult classic status is why Conker never hits lists for best video game protagonists. Controlling a tiny, drunk degenerate never felt so satisfying. The game’s world matches his chaos: hilariously written, wildly crude, and packed with jokes that land somewhere between clever satire and full-on potty humor. If you’ve graduated past middle school giggles but still enjoy a bit of irreverent chaos, Conker’s antics are a riot—go play it if you haven’t.

Razputin Aquoto

“Psychonauts” (2005)

Razputin “Raz” Aquato is the pint-sized psychic hero of the Psychonauts series—basically every precocious kid you knew who thought they could outsmart adults before lunchtime. Clever, daring, and always sticking his nose into grown-up business, Raz is the kind of kid you root for because he actually can chase his dreams of becoming a Psychonaut, unlike the rest of us stuck in office chairs (thank you, WatchMojo, for this job—I appreciate it greatly). Sure, he’s talented, but what makes him shine isn’t just his psychic powers, it’s that he faces mind-bending psychic worlds and existential questions far beyond a ten-year-old’s pay grade. And somehow, this hasn’t stood out in people’s minds. We’re all so focused on loving a coffee-infused bandicoot instead of a 10-year-old legend with a heart of gold. Poor Raz.

Lee Everett

“The Walking Dead” (2012)

The zombie apocalypse is basically a writing cheat code for exploring humanity at its absolute worst…and Lee Everett from Telltale’s The Walking Dead nails it, and RARELY gets his dues. He’s a strong guy stretched thinner than a zombie’s patience, making impossible choices to survive while trying to protect those around him. What makes Lee special is he’s a real character with quirks, moods, and tastes; he’s not some blank slate for players to project onto. You don’t become Lee—you guide him, and this might be why he doesn’t end up in people’s top 10. You almost feel like you’re watching someone else’s story without feeling totally immersed, but this doesn’t make it bad—it works.

Zach Fair

“Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII” (2007)

I’m so glad that Zack Fair is finally getting a resurgence and a new chance to enter the minds of gamers, but even still, with his own *Crisis Core* remaster for modern consoles and his larger role in the Final Fantasy VII remakes, he isn’t getting the love he deserves. Let’s be real: Cloud wouldn’t be half as iconic without his mentor, Zack Fair. Zack is criminally underrated. He’s the guy Angeal trusted with the Buster Sword, the detective who uncovered all of Shinra’s dirty secrets, and basically the poster child for “caring too much.” He fought, he bled, and he died so others could survive—talk about a tough mentor’s job description. The final act of *Crisis Core*? Heart-wrenching doesn’t even begin to cover it. Zack deserves all the love, and I’m here to give it.