Updated at: 10-03-2023 - By: Leo Hall
You, the avid gamer, will appreciate this compilation of the most potent characters from various video games. Killer planets!

Video games are notorious for having protagonists, enemies, or final bosses with absurdly high levels of strength.

Untitled Goose Game’s obnoxious geese, the web-slinging superhero we know as Spider-Man, and Nathan Drake’s smooth-talking treasure hunter personae all offer gamers a chance to experience the world through the eyes of a different character.

Not every video game character is built the same, though, which begs the question: who is the best of the best?

The most powerful characters in video games will be ranked here, from the weakest to the strongest.

Explore our other curated lists for more gaming suggestions:

Oddjob – GoldenEye 007

Oddjob, a deadly assassin and the game’s shortest playable character, is well-known to anyone who has played the N64 classic GoldenEye 007. This is because the auto-aim function in GoldenEye 007 is programmed to aim for the enemy’s head.

Oddjob’s small stature gives him an advantage in gunfights; he can easily duck bullets and usually comes out on top.

The Oddjob glitch in 'GoldenEye 64' was the most diabolical way to cheat in video games - SBNation.com

Many people now give Oddjob more respect than James Bond because of this feat. To defeat Oddjob in multiplayer, you’ll need a lot of practice and skill.

Master Chief – Halo

The Master Chief has proven time and time again that he is a true Spartan, a genetically engineered super-soldier equipped with cutting-edge armor and a demanding regimen of training. Most of Master Chief’s power comes from here, though one could argue that it is his tactical mind that ultimately proves decisive.

The Master Chief suit has taken a lot of abuse over the course of the series, but it keeps on working.

Incorporating state-of-the-art technology, it allows him to withstand the rigors of space falls and easily master any weapon, even those of alien origin. Since we’ve never seen Master Chief without at least his helmet, the suit has come to represent the character.

Doomguy – Doom

Doomguy has spent nearly three decades showing us that he means business—and by business, we mean killing a lot of demons—but he still won’t tell us his name. Doomguy is a skilled supersoldier who, like Master Chief, gets his strength from his high-tech armor and ridiculous arsenal.

His suit gives him the ability to outrun a demon and punch one to death with its super speed and reduced fall damage and increased weapon capacity. The flamethrower introduced in Doom Eternal is our favorite of the many helpful upgrades Doomguy has received over the course of the series.

We think he would be less effective without his armor, but if you try to remove it, he’ll probably use a chainsaw on you.

Samus – Metroid

Samus’s advanced Varia Suit is one of the most powerful weapons in the Metroid series and the video game industry as a whole, and it serves as a constant reminder of her Chozo ancestry.

There are a plethora of weapons and abilities at Samus’ disposal, including laser beams, bombs, shields, and, perhaps most notably, the ability to roll up into a ball and move through confined spaces.

Samus’s survival in hostile environments like outer space, lava-filled volcanoes, and underwater trenches is guaranteed by the Varia Suit’s ability to adapt to the temperature and pressure changes that occur in these environments. When Samus is not wearing her power suit, she loses a lot of her strength and durability.

Despite this, we have no doubt that she can still hold her own in a fistfight and move up the list.

Senator Armstrong – Metal Gear

Following the trend of villains, Senator Armstrong is one of the most ludicrously powerful main antagonists we’ve ever seen in a video game. He’s a crooked politician who wants to become president so badly that he can unleash a military nightmare on the entire country.

Armstrong believes in a’survival of the fittest’ mentality and is prepared to do anything to achieve his goal of becoming president.

On his resume, you’ll find that he dabbled in ability-enhancing technology while in the Navy and played football in high school. If fighting him wasn’t difficult enough, his merger with his nanomachines will make things extremely bizarre.

Because of this, his skin becomes invulnerable to damage, his severed limbs regrow, and his body bursts into flames with every blow.

Xehanort – Kingdom Hearts

It’s safe to say that Xehanort isn’t someone you want to cross in any Kingdom Hearts game.

Not only has he been plotting evil for over a decade, but he is also a master manipulator, able to force his victims to do as he pleases.

In battle, Xehanort is able to teleport out of harm’s way, is highly skilled with Keyblades, and possesses surprising physical prowess for his advanced age. But what really sets him apart is his ability to assume the identities of other characters, possess them, and even steal their abilities.

Sephiroth – Final Fantasy

It’s arguable whether or not Sephiroth is Final Fantasy’s strongest protagonist. But he’s generally considered Final Fantasy VII’s most formidable foe and the series’ most recognizable antagonist overall.

Sephiroth began his career as a SOLDIER, where he quickly rose to the top of his class.

Even if his exact set of abilities is unknown, Sephiroth is incredibly quick and strong. His extraordinary power comes from his command of a wide variety of Materia, which he can use to cast spells and access abilities that few others can.

Arceus – Pokémon

Pokémon like Arceus, who takes its inspiration from the mythical one-horned beast the Qilin, show that not all monsters can be fluffy and cute like Pikachu.

Arceus, who some say was responsible for the entire Pokémon universe, has more power than the legendary trio of Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina put together.

When you consider that Arceus also has the highest stats of any Pokémon (excluding Mega evolutions), it becomes immediately apparent how ridiculously powerful it is.

Not only is it the only Pokémon known to have the ability Multitype, which allows the user to switch types depending on the item it is holding in battle, but it is also the only Pokémon to have this ability.

Ganondorf – The Legend of Zelda

Despite his good looks, Ganondorf failed to win over the hearts of the Gerudos. Instead, he used his natural tactical mind to dominate those around him. Anyone who has played a mainline Zelda game knows that Ganny isn’t satisfied with merely political power.

To become the most powerful being in the world, he seeks to obtain the sacred Triforce relic.

His repeated successes show just how dangerous Ganondorf’s abilities are, and they’ve occurred multiple times throughout the series. By definition, he has the power to manipulate dark magic and a formidable amount of muscle.

With the Triforce, however, he gains near-immortality, the ability to cast stronger spells, and even takes control of Zelda’s body to use against Link in battle.

Bayonetta – Bayonetta

Bayonetta, as an immortal Umbra Witch, has traveled through time and space and even survived reentry into Earth’s atmosphere without suffering any ill effects.

Her physical and magical prowess is equally impressive, with some of the highlights being her ability to summon demons, the ability to change form, the ability to control time, and the ability to vanquish a god.

In the same vein as many of the other characters on this list, Bayonetta can pick up any weapon and figure out how to use it effectively in an instant.

While handguns and shotguns are more obvious examples, she has also been known to hurl trains at her foes.

Dante – Devil May Cry

Dante is not the kind of person you want to run into in a deserted alley at night, as he is one of the twin sons of Sparda, the most powerful demon in existence.

Dante’s arsenal of ridiculous weapons, including the Rebellion sword and his Ebony and Ivory pistols, only serves to emphasize the fact that, while Vergil may be the faster twin, Dante is by far the stronger twin.

Dante clearly has more tricks up his sleeve than just a bunch of fancy equipment. The demon slayer has the ability to halt time, rip out an opponent’s soul, and take a lot of damage without going down.

Dante’s Devil Trigger gives him access to his full potential in times of crisis, increasing his attack power, movement speed, defense, and healing regeneration.

Wesker – Resident Evil

You can’t deny that Albert Wesker is already a psychotic maniac even before he contracts the T-virus prototype. Wesker started out as a member of Project W, but he quickly rose through the ranks as he demonstrated his superior abilities and leadership potential.

Infection with the T-virus distorted his intelligence and compromised his fighting skills.

Wesker’s terrifying mental superiority is what makes him so dangerous to face. He’s very crafty and usually gets his way without having to resort to physical force.

When combined with his or her superhuman strength and speed, this makes for a formidable foe in Resident Evil.

Nyx – Persona

Various dangerous bosses and antagonists have appeared in the Persona series. Nonetheless, few can compete with Nyx, who is often portrayed as the embodiment of death. Nyx is a tall, lean being who wears a black cape, a crown on its head, and a huge sword.

Nyx is the most visually terrifying and technically difficult boss in Persona 3. There are up to 14 phases of combat that can take up to an hour to complete.

It has 25,500 total health, uses buffs frequently, is immune to damage while in the Moonless Gown form, and can even charm allies into healing it.

Deathwing – World of Warcraft

Among the many ridiculously overpowered beings in World of Warcraft lore, Deathwing stands out due to its enormous size and insane raw physical power. This enormous dragon is not only powerful, but also difficult to defeat because it is covered from head to toe in armor plates.

The majority of Deathwing’s attacks are powered by its mastery of the sky, land, and even molten lava.

Deathwing remains one of the most formidable foes in gaming, though some of WoW’s more recent bosses may give it a run for its money.

Shao Kahn – Mortal Kombat

Although physically formidable, Shao Kahn’s true strength lies in his near invincibility. He has been defeated only by Liu Kang and Raiden, with the help of all the elder gods. Because of his extraordinary abilities in both the physical and magical realms, Shao Kahn is a formidable and frequently surprising foe.

He can create magical shields, merge realms, resurrect the dead, and move souls from one body to another.

After exhausting all other options, he can always rely on his trusty Hammer to smash his foes into oblivion. Although it is possible to win against any Mortal Kombat opponent, Shao Kahn should be avoided at all costs.

The Prince – Katamari Damacy

You might be taken aback to find a character like the Prince from Katamari Damacy here, given his seemingly naive appearance. After all, he is significantly smaller than his father, the King of Cosmos, and he does not appear to possess any particularly impressive skills. His Katamari, which can absorb any object it comes in contact with, makes him one of the most formidable video game characters in existence.

ArtStation - Katamari Damacy Prince Fanart

To begin, the Prince can only pick up relatively small objects like pencils, batteries, and the like.

But as the game progresses, the Prince’s Katamari gets bigger and bigger, picking up people, buildings, islands, and eventually entire planets. Contact with the Prince’s Katamari is fatal for anyone; in fact, it’s enough to just look at it to know that your life is over.

Asura – Asura’s Wrath

Asura stands out from the crowd because, like the Hulk from Marvel comics, his strength grows in proportion to his anger. In contrast to the Hulk, however, Asura possesses the divine might of a demigod, granting him superhuman abilities.

Asura is unbeatable in any competition, including fights against members of his own species. In Asura’s Wrath, for instance, after taking a hit from another demigod, he is able to strike back with twice as much power.

Asura’s brute strength allows him to tear through enemies without any sort of strategy or game plan, and the stakes in any battle he’s involved in end up reaching the cosmic scale.

Amaterasu – Okami

As anyone who has played Okami can attest, the Sun Goddess Amaterasu is far too powerful for her own good. She has the ability to shapeshift into a white dog and perform a wide range of supernatural feats, including controlling the elements, materializing objects out of thin air, manipulating matter through telekinesis, and even pausing time.

The goddess Amaterasu also has the ability to resurrect dead plants and trees in a matter of seconds.

Although it is impossible to quantify her abilities, let’s just say she’s not the kind of god you want on your bad side.

Kirby – Super Smash Bros.

Even though Kirby looks like a harmless pink sphere of fun, if you get on the wrong side of him, he can become your worst nightmare in a hurry. The reason for this is that he is a star warrior, a protector of space who has been granted immortality and infinite power. Furthermore, the Kirby we know is still young, which means his abilities will continue to develop and improve over time.

Although Kirby is best known for mimicking his opponents’ moves in battle, his abilities extend far beyond that. And that may not even be his crowning achievement.

In Smash Ultimate, Kirby is not only virtually invulnerable, but he also has the ability to freeze time and save the world.

Kratos – God of War

Kratos, the god of war, is first on our list. In God of War 4, Kratos expands his war against the gods to the Norse pantheon after destroying the vast majority of the Greek deities in the first three games. To make matters worse, the Ghost of Sparta is at war not with Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades but with Baldur, Odin’s son, and the children of Thor, Magni and Modi.

Kratos not only prevails in every one of these fights, but he also vanquishes the game’s most formidable foes—the eight Valkyries.

Kratos is an unstoppable force, not to be reckoned with, because he has the Blades of Chaos, the Leviathan Axe, and a host of other powers and tools stolen from the same deities he slays. He’d also make a passable parent.

Talion – Shadow of Mordor/War

  • The Year of its Revelation (2014)
  • Supported Systems: Linux, OS X, PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One
  • Productions Monolith, Inc., Developer

Since he is the protagonist of the Shadow of Mordor books, Talim could be considered one of the most potent figures in the entire Lord of the Rings canon. However, if this character were canon to the books and movies, he could be even more potent than Sauron.

In the game, we see that Talim has the ability to die and rise again, each time more powerful than before and ready to avenge his death at the hands of his foes. While the Ranger’s skills are unparalleled, his immortality is contingent upon his successful completion of his mission and the defeat of evil.

Death – Darksiders 2

  • Published in 2012
  • PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Switch, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One.
  • Developed by: Vigil Games

Death, as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, is a major antagonist in the Darksiders games and arguably the most powerful character overall. While he may have lost some of his might at the beginning of the game, Death is still a character of infinite potential.

Death was the only Darksider who could kill War, and he did so by severing his arm. At the height of his powers, Death is virtually indestructible and capable of resurrecting himself.

Kaim – Lost Odyssey

  • Date of Initial Release: 2008
  • Xbox 360, which is also compatible with the Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
  • Mistwalker and Feelplus, the developers.

Lost Odyssey’s main character, Kaim, is an immortal sailor. The game’s prologue shows that despite his unassuming demeanor, he is a formidable warrior who can wipe out entire armies with ease.

His years as an immortal have desensitized him emotionally, making him an efficient killer in battle, despite the empathy that develops slowly throughout the story. He is immune to the destructive power of mages and tank-like war machines. Interesting fact: he survived a meteor strike that killed two entire armies without a scratch.

  • First Edition: 2008
  • Xbox 360, and it’s compatible with Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S!
  • Mistwalker and Feelplus, the developers.

The main character of Lost Odyssey is the immortal Kaim. The game’s opening scene reveals that despite his unassuming demeanor, he is a formidable warrior who can wipe out entire armies with ease.

His years as an immortal have desensitized him emotionally, making him an efficient killer in battle, despite the empathy that develops slowly throughout the story. Even when confronted by mages and tank-like war machines, he is unfazed. Even more intriguing is the fact that he didn’t even get a scratch despite being in the middle of a meteor strike that killed two armies.

Sonic The Hedgehog

  • In stores: 1991
  • Games can be played on the 3DS, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android, Gameboy Advance, iOS, PC, Sega Genesis, Sega, Master System, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.
  • Sega is responsible for the creation of this product.

Sonic the Hedgehog, the official mascot of Sega, is the weakest member of the group of powerful characters. Despite his impressive abilities, such as super speed and spin attacks, these more impressive abilities often have prerequisites. For instance, in order to transform into his most well-known super form, “Super Sonic,” he must collect all seven of the Chaos Emeralds.

Even though he possesses tremendous strength on his own, he frequently requires the assistance of others in order to realize his full potential.

Samus – The Metroid Series

  • Published in 1986.
  • GB Advance, GC, NES, Super NES, and Switch are all supported platforms.
  • Nintendo, the creator.

The Metroid series’ bounty hunter Samus is the last living link to the Chozo civilization. After Ridley killed her parents, the technologically advanced Chozo took her in and raised her as one of their own. In the form of a highly advanced suit, she has been bestowed with a piece of their technology that grants her a wide range of extraordinary abilities. She is able to create force fields that allow her to survive in space, lava, and underwater, as well as fire a wide variety of missiles and laser beams, freeze enemies solid, transform into a ball, and drop bombs and super bombs.

Since almost all of her abilities stem from her suit, she ranks relatively low despite her strength.

Master Chief – The Halo Series

  • Debuting in 2001
  • Microsoft’s Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox One are all Xbox platforms.
  • The creators are at Bungie and 343 Studios.

The Master Chief is a supersoldier created through genetic engineering, who has undergone extensive training and been outfitted with high-tech armor that can withstand a fall from space.

The Master Chief has proven to be an expert with a wide variety of weapons, including those from other worlds. He’s been through a lot, so his resilience is through the roof.

Raiden – Metal Gear Rising

  • First Edition: 2013
  • Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, OS X, Shield TV.
  • Konami, the creator

Most people think of Snake when they hear the name “Metal Gear.” While there are other powerful characters in the same universe as Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Raiden is in a league of his own.

As a cyborg, he can control how much pain he feels in combat, leap from one missile to another while they’re in the air, move heavy machinery the size of tanks, and cut through anything. The fact that his power is so dependent on machines is why he is not given more credit for strength.

Delsin Rowe – Infamous: Second Son

  • To Be Released in 2014
  • PlayStation 4
  • Sucker Punch Studios, the programmer.

Infamous 3, available only for the PlayStation 3, introduced players to series newcomer Delsin Rowe. Delsin can absorb and use the powers of other super-powered beings (called Conduits), making him similar to Rogue from the X-Men franchise.

This makes Delsin a formidable figure in any universe, and gives him near-unlimited abilities within reason-based superpowers. On the other hand, he needs time to recover from using his abilities. In other words, his level of strength falls short of that of some of the more elite individuals on this list.

Starkiller – Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

  • Debuting in 2008
  • Consoles/Systems: DS, iOS, J2ME, PC, PS2, PS3, PSP, Switch, Wii, Wii U, and Xbox 360
  • LucasArts, the creators

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, an action-adventure game starring a new protagonist known as Starkiller or his birth name, Galen Marek, was released in 2008 for all major platforms at the time. Darth Vader secretly trained him as an apprentice to overthrow the Emperor.

Starkiller killed four stealthy Jedi, Vader, and the Emperor all in the first game. As a result of his proficiency in all seven lightsaber fighting techniques, he was able to find and exploit his opponents’ individual weaknesses. In addition, he had Force powers that were almost divine, as seen when he yanked a Star Destroyer out of the sky. Since Disney has taken over the franchise, Starkiller is, unsurprisingly, no longer canon.

Alex Mercer – Prototype

  • Published in 2009
  • PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
  • The creator of Radical Entertainment

To some extent, the Prototype games can be seen as sequels to the fantastic Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, as they are also superhero/supervillain titles developed by the same studio. Because of the Blacklight virus, Alex Mercer acts and feels a lot like The Hulk if he had also been enhanced with Venom’s abilities.

Power fantasies like the ones presented in the Prototype games are rare in video games, and a fully upgraded Mercer has the potential to destroy the world. The virus that gave him his abilities also gave him the ability to change his appearance at will, move at speeds beyond those of normal humans, and regenerate his body to the point where he is practically indestructible.

Dante – The Devil May Cry Series

  • Published in 2001
  • All Xbox consoles (360, One, X, S, and XS), PC, PS2, PS3, PS4, PS5, Switch, and PS4
  • Capcom, the creator

Dante is a supernatural being, with the ability to halt time, defend himself from attacks by extradimensional entities, and fend off demons one hundred times his size.

He can kill immortal creatures because he can rip their souls out of their bodies without hurting them. Dante seems calm and collected, but he is actually a formidable strategist on par with Halo’s Master Chief.

Bayonetta – The Bayonetta Series

  • 2009 Year of Release.
  • Video Game Consoles: Personal Computer, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Switch, Wii U, Xbox 360, and Xbox One
  • Publisher: PlatinumGames

Bullet Witch Bayonetta has a wide array of skills at her disposal. Due to the fact that she has eternal life, she can easily leave outer space and return to Earth’s atmosphere. Her ability to toss around skyscrapers and tanks like they’re toys is proof that she possesses superhuman strength on an unprecedented scale.

Bayonetta can also change form and manipulate time and space, call forth demons, and master any weapon she chooses. After her fight with Jubileus, she proved that she possessed the strength to vanquish a god. Interestingly, Bayonetta’s abilities never deplete, making her arguably more potent than Dante from the Devil May Cry series.

Kratos – The God Of War Series

  • Date of Initial Publication: 2005
  • System: Personal Computer, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita
  • Produced by Santa Monica Studios and Ready at Dawn

Kratos’s reputation as the most powerful video game hero stems from the fact that he has killed so many gods. He managed to wipe out every god in Greek mythology. There is no one on Earth like him. Kratos is the only one on this list who manages to make killing a god seem effortless, despite the fact that many of the others have done it before.

What Actor Can Possibly Play Kratos In A Live-Action Amazon Show?

He has killed his way out of Hell several times. This guy seems immune to his foes’ magic, size, intelligence, and strength. He has a wealth of combat experience and can pinpoint an opponent’s vulnerability.

The Prince – Katamari

  • Released:
  • Supported Systems: Nintendo Switch, Windows 10 PC, Windows 10 Mobile, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3
  • The game’s creator, Namco

A lot of the most potent characters have some kind of weird superpower. The Prince is an extraterrestrial being who makes planets and stars. It uses a sticky ball and rolls it as it consumes everything smaller than it, growing in size and collecting more and more things to make the heavenly bodies. The Katamari ball can swallow everything up without missing a thing. Everything from humans to monsters to planets is fair game.

This means that every character up to this point has considered what, if anything, they can do when confronted with a Katamari ball. They simply cannot do so at this time. They would be mowed down and incorporated into the ever-expanding ball because it is sticky and impossible to destroy.

Kirby – The Kirby Series

  • The year of its release, 1992
  • We support the following Nintendo systems: 3DS, DS, GameBoy, GameBoy Color, GameBoy Advance, NES, SNES, Switch, Wii, and Wii U.
  • Nintendo is responsible for the development.

Kirby, though a god of space, is a young star warrior. Their duty is to keep the cosmos safe. Since he has unlimited strength and the ability to consume an unlimited amount of matter, he is also invincible. In addition to all that, he has remarkable flexibility. He has the ability to absorb the strengths of his enemies and thrive in the harshest environments.

A god of light named Galeem appears in Smash Ultimate and wipes out every member of the Smash Bros. Kirby was the last one left alive. He boards a starship, where he is granted permission to teleport and move at light speed.

Amaterasu From Okami

  • Published in 2006
  • Xbox One, Playstation 4, Switch, and Personal Computer
  • Production House Named Clover

The protagonist of Okami, Amaterasu, is one of the most formidable fictional characters. The world is hers to make whenever she pleases. It could be anything from the stars to ice to lightning to weather to bridges to trees to wind to fire to water to bombs. She has the ability to halt the passage of time and the ability to cut through solid objects like buildings, trees, and stone. She also has the ability to revive lifeless plants, adding that she is a healer. She can make anything in a flash, so there’s no time wasted.

Being able to make anything serves as both her greatest weapon and her greatest defense, allowing her to face and defeat any other character in any video game. Amaterasu is endowed with infinite godlike powers by the creative force.

The Demi-Fiend – Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne

  • Year of Initial Publication: 2005
  • Playable on PC, PS2, PS4, and Switch.
  • To create: Atlus

Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne stars the Demi-Fiend as the game’s primary protagonist. The game debuted in 2005 for the PlayStation 2, and in 2021, a remastered version debuted for the Nintendo Switch. The Demi-Fiend from Nocturne has God-destroying powers by the end of the game, making him the most powerful protagonist in the history of video games.

He is so powerful that he can take on the Creator God, effectively making him master of every universe. If the Demi-Fiend follows the True Demon’s path, the universe, and even the concept of time itself will come to an end. While powerful figures like Amaterasu can mold their environments, the Demi-Fiend can wipe out entire universes.

Conclusion

When we were play-testing with Oddjob, we all agreed that the auto-aim of the weapons was a bit of a cheat (since Oddjob is so short, they always go over his head), but we also agreed that it was far too fun to leave in. It’s now an established part of the game’s lore.