Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information, you confirm you are aged 16 or over, have read our Privacy Policy and agree to the Terms & Conditions. Geographical rules apply.

Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • Videos
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
    • G+RLS Podcast
  • Edge
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • Home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Videos
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
    • G+RLS Podcast
  • Edge
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • Edge Magazine
  • EDGE GTAVI exclusive
  • Join our monthly RPG Club
  • Golden Joystick Awards 2026
  • Deal of the Day
  • Countdown to GTA 6
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
  • RPG Hub
  • G+RLS Podcast
Want more Switch 2 news?

Sign up to our Switch 2 newsletter to make sure you get the very latest news on Nintendo's new console and its games every week


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Games

The Top 7... Villains that need their own spin-off games

Features
By Hollander Cooper
Published 7 May 2012

Give these antagonists a shot at being the star

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Make that antagonist a protagonist, stat!

Make that antagonist a protagonist, stat!

Which is why we've assembled a dirty dozen (or, rather, dirty seven) of villainous misfits that we think should have their own shot in the spotlight.

Page 1 of 9
Page 1 of 9
7. Captain Qwark in: From Metropolis With Love

7. Captain Qwark in: From Metropolis With Love

But what if thats all an act? What if Qwark isn't as cowardly as we think? What if hes actually a hero? Thats the Captain Qwark game we want one where he plays the fool to Ratchet, only to secretly be pulling the strings in the background to save the day. He can have access to the typical assortment of tools found in R&C games, from crazy weapons to crazier gadgets, interspersed with the occasional stealth segment, where he needs to protect Ratchet without being exposed.

Page 2 of 9
Page 2 of 9
6. Super Waluigi Bros.

6. Super Waluigi Bros.

For years, Mario/Luigi/Wario/Waluigi voice actor Charles Martinet has been championing a Waluigi game in which players need to cheat to win. We think this is a fantastic idea, and would love to see Nintendo actually do it. Make it a fairly typical platformer filled with nostalgic cues from past Mario games, but let Waluigi literally cheat the game make it a major mechanic. He gets hold of a magic scepter or computer or something that lets him stop time, move platforms, gain extra coins, or do other things that would typically be considered cheating. Embrace his quirky personality, and finally give the character his due.

Page 3 of 9
Page 3 of 9
5. LeChucks Secret of Monkey Island

5. LeChucks Secret of Monkey Island

Tales of Monkey Island

LeChuck is simply an awesome villain, and we have a feeling his descent into true villain-dom could make for an awesome game. Gameplay-wise, it should be a fairly typical point-and-click adventure, showing his life and death to give the already interesting character more depth. Plus, even if we end up disliking the young LeChuck, we have a feeling thatll just grow our appreciation of the undead, green, monstrous LeChuck we already know and love.

Page 4 of 9
Page 4 of 9
4. Dr. Wily's Robot Builder

4. Dr. Wily's Robot Builder

We want to do that. We want to build robots. We want to design the perfect foes for the end of each level - heck, we want to design the levels, too. Games like Holy Invasion of Privacy Badman and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a Darklord have made being the bad guy fun, and we think a similar gameplay style can make for a Mega Man-tastic good time.

Page 5 of 9
Page 5 of 9
3. Star Wolf: Bounty Hunter

3. Star Wolf: Bounty Hunter

the Top 7 bestest frenemies

Wed kill for a Star Wolf game with traditional Star Fox gameplay. Choosing between bounties, hunting down different anthropomorphic pilots, occasionally running into Fox it would make for an absolutely awesome experience. Not only would it give us more of the Star Fox action we desperately crave, but it would show us the dark underside of Nintendos Star Fox universe. We have to imagine theres some pretty seedy stuff down there.

Page 6 of 9
Page 6 of 9
2. Bobby Kotick's Game Pub Story

2. Bobby Kotick's Game Pub Story

The game (which we assume would be developed by Activision) would be a fairly true-to-life representation of the day-to-day duties of running the world's biggest game publisher, albeit made more interesting by giving the boss a hands-on approach to the game development. Kotick would be able to decide whether or not to pump out yearly sequels, create a new IP, resurrect an old fan favorite, or cancel a highly-anticipated new title. But here's the fun part: a major responsibility of the job would be making sure the stock doesn't fall. If you don't get that yearly CoD game out, you better believe the stock is going to suffer, and taking a risk on a new IP will almost always lead to some crappy earnings. Bobby Kotick's Game Pub Story would let us see why Kotick makes the choices he makes - and to figure out whether or not we'd actually be able to do a better job.

Page 7 of 9
Page 7 of 9
1. Andrew Ryans Sim Rapture

1. Andrew Ryans Sim Rapture

An Andrew Ryan game would put us in the dress shoes of the entrepreneur himself in a Sim City-style city-building game. Wed be responsible for placing the different districts, plotting the buildings, building the tunnels, and doing everything else a hands-on city-builder like Ryan would have done. But it extends far past that wed also make important decisions, like which babbling psychopaths should be put in charge of different areas and which controversial programs to enact. Maybe well just kill all of the poor people! Maybe well start a secret police force! Andrew Ryans Sim Rapture would be a blast, providing a drastically different take on the BioShock series and the city-building genre. How often do you get to raise taxes on using toilets in Sim City? Thats what we thought.

Page 8 of 9
Page 8 of 9
What did we miss?

What did we miss?

Don't just sit there shouting at the screen, though - comment below and let us know what you think of this Top 7.

And if you want to read more about our favorite villains, check out the Top 7 villains that never stay dead and the The Top 7 bestest frenemies.

Page 9 of 9
Page 9 of 9
CATEGORIES
Android iPad iPhone PC Gaming Wii U Nintendo PlayStation Xbox Platforms Mobile Gaming
Hollander Cooper
Hollander Cooper
Social Links Navigation
Former Features Editor at GamesRadar+

Hollander Cooper was the Lead Features Editor of GamesRadar+ between 2011 and 2014. After that lengthy stint managing GR's editorial calendar he moved behind the curtain and into the video game industry itself, working as social media manager for EA and as a communications lead at Riot Games. Hollander is currently stationed at Apple as an organic social lead for the App Store and Apple Arcade.

  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter
Read more
A header image for GamesRadar's Best Games of 2026 list, showing Silent Hill Townfall, Marvel Tokon, Fire Emblem Fortune's Weave, and 007 First Light
Games The best games to play in 2026, so far
 
 
A screenshot of PUCK eating an enemy during the upcoming Xbox Series X game, Shadow Labyrinth.
Games 5 best retro video game remakes and reboots
 
 
Best Switch 2 games banner image showing the GamesRadar+ logo in the center, with Switch 2 games Pokemon Pokopia, Star Fox, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Final Fantasy 7 Intergrade
Games The 20 best Switch 2 games to play right now
 
 
The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
Games The 25 best GameCube games of all time
 
 
Adventure Games The 25 best video game stories of all time
 
 
Best PC games 2026 banner images showing PC games Baldur's Gate 3, Red Dead Redemption 2, Disco Elysium, and Mina the Hollower
PC Gaming The 30 best PC games to play right now
 
 
Latest in Games
Peely from Fortnite with Xs for eyes
Games Epic Games online director says Valve's response to "Steam's AI clone and slop problem" isn't enough
 
 
Games "Microsoft chose to close Arkane" by "sabotaging the game it funded," workers claim
 
 
Goddess of Victory: Nikke
Action RPGs Stellar Blade studio confirms previous game Nikke was hacked and the launcher potentially impacted
 
 
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake Link and Navi looking up on the edge of a rocky cliff
The Legend of Zelda Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake sits before Elden Ring and Skyrim as 26th best game, as per Metacritic
 
 
God of War Laufey trailer screenshots
God of War God of War Laufey delayed as Sony Santa Monica promises to "make the most of each moment until then"
 
 
Press shot for Criminal Simulator codes showing a robber hiding behind a counter with a money back while a cop with a flashlight searches for them
Simulation Games Criminal Simulator codes (November 2026) and how to redeem them for Cash and more
 
 
Latest in Features
D&D World of Warcraft book on a wooden surface
Tabletop Gaming D&D World of Warcraft is like MMO loot with some hits and misses, but overall it lives up to the promise
 
 
PSVR 2 Review Image showing the headset, and lens adjustment scrolling wheel on the top left of the headset
VR PlayStation made the best VR headset for gaming, and then left it to die
 
 
Paul Bettany as human Vision in VisionQuest
Marvel TV Shows VisionQuest episode 7 Easter eggs: All the Marvel references explained
 
 
A rebuilt gaming PC with a Rode Hub next to it
Desktop PCs My entire PC was shorting after I swapped my motherboard, and you'll never believe why this simple USB hub fixed everything
 
 
A collection of Klevv Cras RAM at Computex
Desktop PCs If Sam Altman thinks gaming PCs only use RAM 5% of the time, he knows less than I thought
 
 
GTA 6 extended look trailer 3 artwork showing protagonists Lucia and Jason masked with bandanas and walking away from a parked car
Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 sounds like an RPG – so why deny it any more?
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. I've been hands-on with the book for a few days, and it's looking good so far
    1
    D&D World of Warcraft is like MMO loot with some hits and misses, but overall it lives up to the promise
  2. 2
    PlayStation made the ultimate VR headset for gaming, and then left it to die
  3. 3
    "Microsoft chose to close Arkane" by "sabotaging the game it funded," workers claim in damning letter: "We want to finish Blade and release it to the players"
  4. 4
    Fortnite players desperate for free skins have mapped out the fastest routes to grind for the Pirate Shop token, because yes, it really is that serious
  5. 5
    Stellar Blade studio confirms previous game Nikke was hacked – launcher "script files may have been tampered with by a third party"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...