If you’re like me, you love to get your hands on any games that pit one character against another in the ultimate showdown of strength, endurance, and wits. From the big battles in Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat to the action-packed shootouts in Call of Duty and Halo, I can’t help but turn my friends into fierce foes as we compete to see who has what it takes to be crowned the Strongest Video Game Character of All Time! Here are Duck Blog’s 10 picks, based on their physical prowess as well as their overall abilities.
#10 – Master Chief (Halo)
Master Chief is a SPARTAN-II commando, which means he’s also incredibly strong and resilient. While he doesn’t have any physical superpowers like some characters on our list, his mental strength (and his impressive physique) make him very capable in a fight. He can lift up to 1 ton with little effort and run at a max speed of 38 miles per hour for almost 7 hours without rest.
#9 – Kratos (God of War)
God of War is a series that lets you control Kratos and his mighty ax, while you rip apart anything that gets in your way. With the superhuman strength and vicious attacks, Kratos embodies what it means to be strong. One thing’s for sure: If there’s anyone in gaming who can take on Zeus himself, it’s Kratos. Just don’t ask him to put down his drink and start dating your sister…
#8 – Nathan Drake (Uncharted)
Drake is a superhero in every sense of the word. The treasure hunter’s physique is perfectly built for both stealth and brawling, and he has more charm than anyone else on our list. And despite his murderous past, we can’t help but root for him to end up with Elena (or at least Chloe). But most importantly: It’s really hard to mess with a man who fights using a grappling hook gun.
#7 – Solid Snake (Metal Gear Solid)
When it comes to video game characters, nobody beats Solid Snake. He has been around since 1997’s Metal Gear Solid and has been a fan favorite ever since. The character is not only strong but incredibly smart as well. Despite starting off as a rookie in MGS 1, he went on to become one of the most important members of his team in later games. His charisma makes him an all-around great character that is fun to watch.
#6 – Marcus Fenix (Gears of War)
Marcus Fenix is a Master Sergeant in Delta Squad, a fictional faction from Epic Games’ Gears of War game series. He also makes an appearance in Gears of War 2, as one of 25 playable characters players can choose from and has recently been revealed to be a playable character in Gears of War 3 which takes place five years after its predecessors. Marcus Fenix was born on January 8th, 1907 in Mark’s Village which is located southwest of Emergence Day.
#5 – Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII)
While not quite at Superman’s level, Sephiroth (full name: One-Winged Angel) is perhaps one of gaming’s most iconic characters. This is due to his prominent role in arguably one of gaming’s greatest games and accompanying cinematic moments. Despite being defeated several times over, including once by a seven-year-old boy in a wheelchair, he has been consistently referenced throughout future Final Fantasy installments.
#4 – Samus Aran (Metroid)
Samus Aran, for those not in the know, is a badass bounty hunter who has saved countless planets from destruction. Her incredible strength and agility are hallmarks of her character, and she can hold her own against just about anyone. It was easy to put Samus at #4 on our list because if you ask anyone who knows anything about video games they’ll have no problem telling you that Samus is one badass chick.
#3 – Mario
Nintendo’s mustachioed mascot (and namesake) has been a gaming mainstay since Donkey Kong way back in 1981. And while he might not exactly fit our criteria for strong, he is certainly a cut above his other plumber brethren. Mario games are typically more approachable and more forgiving than, say, most Dark Souls titles. Plus, there’s nothing quite like playing through an entire game as one character—the learning curve becomes part of your muscle memory and you learn to appreciate how different each world feels with its own distinct ruleset. If you think about it that way, Mario could be considered one of the strongest video game characters ever created. He also punches turtles in their face when they annoy him—so there’s that too.
#2 – Ryu Hayabusa (Ninja Gaiden)
The Ryu Hayabusa character was created by Tomonobu Itagaki in 1988 and first appeared in Ninja Gaiden. The game was very popular and is considered one of Tecmo’s most successful games of its time. When the Ninja Gaiden series started appearing on different platforms, Ryu became a constant part of it as he also appeared in 2D and 3D version games. Along with his name, Ryu Hayabusa became very famous among gamers.
And the #1 Strongest Video Game Character is…
Starkiller! Star Wars has many powerful characters in this universe but not as powerful as the non-canon Starkiller. In the 2008 game you start off playing as Darth Vader looking to destroy the rest of the Jedi after order 66 and you come across the Jedi’s kid who is strong with the force. You take him in and train him then you start playing as him and go and hunt down Jedi. This Sith is super powerful that he has to be non-canon or else he would overpower any character in the Star War series and leave no one behind. This is why he is number 1 on our list.
Final Thoughts
The strongest video game characters are always being created so this list might not be up to standard as to what your video games are nowadays. This list is completely opinion-based on what we think is the most powerful character in video games today. Did we miss any characters? Let us know by contacting us or commenting on this post today.