The Super Nintendo is arguably the best platform for JRPGs ever made. We had the beginning of so many incredible series, and the continuation of soon-to-be legends of the industry finding their way as well. It’s a system that had so many wondrous adventures and amazing characters that it’s not even an insult to say the villains of this era overshadowed the heroes at certain points.
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10 JRPGs Where You’re the Anti-Hero
While it’s fine playing the white knight trope, these JRPGs are ones where you play someone decidedly morally grey as a naughty anti-hero.
For me, the villains always make the story, as a weak antagonist makes the story itself weaker by proxy. But the Super Nintendo didn’t need to worry about that, because its villains were some of the best out there.
We’re going to check out several Super Nintendo games where the bad guy is the reason to tune in.
Watch out for potential story spoilers ahead, if you haven’t played these SNES classics for yourself!
8
Chrono Trigger
Magus’s Ambition
Chrono Trigger is one of the most beloved JRPGs of all time, but aside from Frog, I never thought the cast was that compelling, especially since the main character, Crono, is a blank slate. Luckily, Magus, the de facto main villain for a good part of the game, is as cool a villain as they come.
Magus, whose real name is Janus, is actually the prince of the ancient kingdom of Zeal, and while his motivations appear to be maniacal at first, you come to realize that you share a common enemy. And that’s the best you can hope for, because once he joins you, he doesn’t magically soften up. He only ever reaches the reluctant ally role in the party and feels more like an enemy that you happen to have a common goal with than a true ally. But that dynamic makes him so compelling, and he’s easily the best character in the game and one who is more intertwined with the main plot at hand than the main character themselves. There’s a reason this story is so revered, and Magus is arguably the biggest reason why.
7
Bahamut Lagoon
The Young Emperor
Bahamut Lagoon is one of those forgotten gems in the Square Enix lexicon that still hasn’t gotten the shine it truly deserves in this day and age. It’s definitely a game worth playing today, and part of the reason is how great the antagonists are. In particular, Sauzer.
This enigmatic emperor of the kingdom of Granbelos isn’t your typical villain. He’s responsible for the war ruining the world, but he’s far more vulnerable than your typical bad guy. He’s addicted to the idea of the Holy Dragons’ power. So much so that, physically, he begins to deteriorate. He slowly goes from complete monster to tragic victim of circumstance, and it’s one of the more unique villain arcs that I’ve seen. He is not the big bad of the game, but that’s not revealed until after he slowly loses control due to his obsession with gaining this power.
6
Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals
Gades Awaits
Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals is as classic a feeling as a JRPG can get and is the strongest entry in the series. One thing the game does better than others in the series is the villains. The Sinistrals are such a diabolical and compelling group of antagonists. The best one, though, is Gades.
A hulking figure, Gades bursts onto the scene as an unbeatable opponent who shows you the true power of the Sinistrals. He’s also just a maniac. He hates humans, loves seeing death and destruction, and tells Maxim as much and just goes, “Do something about it.” He’s hilariously brash, and he’s also the measuring stick of the game, showing you how far your party has come. He’s not the leader of the Sinistrals, but for me, he’s definitely the most memorable, and his massive on-screen persona makes him one of the scarier and more intimidating fights in the game.
5
Terranigma
The Threat of Invention
Terranigma is finally getting the remaster it deserves in 2027, and to get you prepared, we’re going to talk about how great the bad guys in this game can be. Particularly, Beruga. He’s far from your typical villain, but really, he’s more capable than most. Beruga is a scientist who has managed to achieve immortality. An achievement in itself, but he doesn’t stop there.
He envisions a world without death, seeing it as a flaw that can be overcome. Sounds noble, right? Well, no, because his methods are anything but. He wants humanity preserved, but only a select few, eliminating those he feels are unworthy along the way. And he plans to do this on the back of his technologically advanced creations. He adds a dystopian twist to an already unique JRPG that has one of the more compelling stories out there.
4
Live a Live
Evolving Evil
Live a Live is essentially the first attempt at Octopath Traveler for Square Enix, and it was a very good one, even if it didn’t become the hit it probably should have. While each of the protagonists are pretty memorable in their own right, they simply don’t compare to Odio. He is basically the greatest hits of all the villains you encounter throughout the game.
This means he doesn’t even exist at the game’s start, and your actions actually create him along the way. The biggest part of this comes with Oersted, who is tricked into killing the king and eventually loses his love to another, and then causes both of their deaths. Oersted is one of the protagonists, so you essentially play as a villain without knowing it. It’s a brilliant twist, and that heartbreak causes him to take up the mantle of Odio, the Lord of Dark. It’s such a cool view of what could happen if a JRPG hero didn’t have the happy ending they were expecting. What if their allies tricked them, and what if the love interest didn’t love them back? What would happen to someone with such power? Odio is one answer to that compelling question.
3
Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride
Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride is an epic adventure in the long-running franchise that takes place over multiple generations, and is yet another JRPG in which the villains most certainly steal the show. In an adventure this grand, there are certainly a bunch of them to take note of, but I find the best to be Ladja. He appears throughout the game many times, making him one of the most recurring forces you’ll run into, and he’s one of the earliest examples of an evil figure that would soon become a cornerstone of the JRPG universe.
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He’s also not some random evil, too, as he’s deeply connected to the unnamed hero of the story. Ladja killed his father when the hero was just a child, which led to him and Prince Harry being taken and detained for almost 10 years. Ladja is just a despicable person, with no remorse and no doubt that he’s serving the right power in the game. He has no trouble exploiting others for his gain, all while hiding behind the facade of being a Bishop. He’s not all-powerful, but he’s one heck of a driving force behind your quest for revenge and one of the standout characters in a journey that is full of them. Whenever he shows up, you know you’re in for a good evil monologue, and usually a tough boss fight as well.
2
Earthbound
Confronting Terror
Earthbound is easily one of the more unique JRPGs out there, and it takes the concept of “what if a JRPG story landed in your backyard?” and basically turns it into video game form. The main character, Ness, is no more than a child and yet, through some unfortunate circumstances, is forced, along with his friends, into saving the world from the terrifying alien presence known as Gygas.
Gygas isn’t exactly your typical villain, as it’s not really a person, or a thing even. It’s a presence. And it’s a looming one that you can feel throughout the game. It’s like the personification of dread that eventually gets a face, and once you face off against him, you feel how terrifying Gygas really is. Earthbound is a rather lighthearted game, and then you get to the final boss, and it’s like something out of a horror movie. Gygas is a horrifying final fight, with a design that just defies description.
1
Final Fantasy VI
Just a Court Jester
Final Fantasy VI is one of the true turning points in the series, and while that’s partially because of a fantastic cast, it’s also because of a villain that some say has yet to be topped in the entire series. The cartoonishly goofy and evil court jester, Kefka, seems to be just the typical lackey that you find early in your JRPGs. However, while he may seem pretty innocuous in terms of villainy early on, we eventually find out that he’s been the mastermind the entire time, and his ambitions go far beyond those of any henchman imaginable.
This cackling, maniacal character actually succeeds in destroying the world, and in the process, becomes a god on top of it all. He becomes so comically powerful that you can’t help but be in awe at what he achieves as a villain. All while keeping this incredibly cocky, yet endearing persona. He rises above a host of awesome protagonists to become the single most memorable part of this legendary game.
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