Top 10 Most DISAPPOINTING Unlockable Characters in Video Games

Lizardman

“Soulcalibur II” (2002)

The characters in “Soulcalibur” games are often pretty wild, and different regions have often featured different fighters. Europe and the Americas got Lizardman. This generic reptilian fighter has a moveset that’s a combo between Aeon’s, a fighter who is also often called Lizardman, and Cassandra’s. And that’d be fine, if you could just unlock this generic Lizardman after an easy task. However, to get Lizardman you need to beat every stage in Weapon Master mode, including the extra missions! The audacity of the developers to call this a reward! Like Lizardman, it’s absolutely “cold-blooded!”

Zero“Bayonetta” (2009)

In this fabulously over-the-top hack and slash game, if you complete every Alfheim chapter, you’ll unlock Lost Chapter: Angel Slayer. This gauntlet of 51 fights, features increasingly difficult challenges, until you face off in a mirror match against Bayonetta herself. Your reward for completing this challenge is Zero, King of the Little Devils. Zero plays just like Bayonetta, except he’ll die after only 2 hits. He’s effectively a hard mode in the form of a new character. Technically you can also unlock him with a cheat code…and 5 million halos, but that’s not really worth it either. At least the cutscenes during Zero’s playthrough are funny though - mainly because the camera’s not designed for him.

Cloud Strife“Final Fantasy Tactics” (1997)

Hold on! Put away the Buster Swords “Final Fantasy” fans! Hear us out! Everybody loves Cloud, so the revelation that you can play as him in this tactical spin-off had us initially excited. But timing, as they say, is everything. Cloud is only unlocked after completing the Secrets Beneath Goug sidequest in the game’s fourth and last chapter. And sure, secret characters being introduced late into a game is par for the course. Except, Cloud is recruited at level ONE! So, while leveling him up isn’t technically impossible, it is extremely inconvenient! They fix it in later entries, but for this one, you’re better off not using him or even unlocking him.

Han Solo in Carbonite“Lego Star Wars” series (2005-)

The “Lego” games are famous for the absolutely ridiculous number of playable characters they have. One of the most absurd of these is Han Solo…but when he’s frozen in carbonite. In the older “Original Trilogy” and “The Complete Saga” games, this version of Han can be unlocked easily and is playable on certain levels. However, all he can do is hop around, and he has no weapons and special abilities. Is it funny? Definitely. But the inability to do any damage at all is very disappointing. Thankfully, “The Skywalker Saga” rectified this, allowing you to kick Stormtroopers to the curb with an inanimate Han. However, the letdown continues, since it costs an arm and a leg to unlock him.

Tofu“Resident Evil 2” (1998)

Despite being a horror franchise, the “Resident Evil” games have long featured some comedic elements. One of the funniest unlockable characters is in a minigame from “Resident Evil 2” called the Tofu Survivor. In this mode, you play as a large, animated chunk of tofu. Despite how silly it is, it’s the hardest mission in the game, since you’ve only got a knife and have to escape to a helicopter and are timed and ranked based on how well you do. While the remake makes unlocking the mode relatively easy, the original game had you complete any combination of 6 scenarios, or the same one repeatedly, with a flawless ranking every time. It’s a lot of effort for killer tofu.

Fred Durst“WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It” (2001)

There have been many bizarre musician cameos in games, but this is perhaps the most underwhelming. If you defeat 15 opponents in SlobberKnocker mode with the Undertaker, you’ll unlock Fred Durst, lead singer of Limp Bizkit. While the early 2000s were the height of the nu metal band’s popularity, it does seem like an odd choice, particularly since he’s the weakest fighter in the roster. Most agree that it’s probably a licensing agreement with the games, since Undertaker’s theme song is the Limp Bizkit song, “Rollin,’” and Durst also appears in several other games that use the music.

Pichu“Super Smash Bros. Melee” (2001)

The “Super Smash Bros.” roster becomes vast over time, but one of its second entry’s fighters is considered particularly bad. Pichu, the pre-evolution of “Pokémon”’s mascot Pikachu, is unlocked after playing 200 Vs. matches, or else by beating the 37th Event Match. Pichu is one of the first clone or echo fighter characters in the series. It plays exactly like Pikachu, except with the added benefit of being lighter…and therefore more easily KO’d. But wait! Pichu’s electric moves also damage itself…making it more easily KO’d. Given that it’s just Pikachu, but worse, can you blame “Smash” fans who wished they’d included another character instead?

Mokap

“Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance” (2002)

Along with over-the-top finishing moves, “Mortal Kombat” features many wild character inclusions. The most disappointing of these is Mokap, who’s just…the motion capture guy covered in sensors. He doesn’t have any fatalities, or unique moves. Is the character a nice tribute to one of the motion capture actors, Carlos Pesina? Sure. Is it worth doing everything you need to do to unlock him? Absolutely not! To get him, you need to beat Konquest mode with every other character besides him. And all that effort and time for a subpar fighter in a goofy outfit - oh joy.

Is there a disappointing unlockable game character you were disappointed we forgot? Roll on down to the comments to tell us your favorites!