The Devil's Own

Devil World is the first console-only game designed by Shigeru Miyamoto. It’s also the only Miyamoto game that was never released in North America. Incidentally, Nintendo was concerned that the use of religious iconography would somehow offend certain audiences. The entire thing seems pretty laughable today, given how innocuous the eponymous Devil is. The dude spends most of his time dancing around in his underwear at the top of the screen while giving instructions to his minions below. Even though he wields absolute power over the game’s scrolling mazes, he looks about as threatening as a traffic guard. He’s also depicted as a coward, and he’ll invariably transform into a bat and fly away whenever he’s threatened. Despite the Devil’s relative harmlessness, he’s the only one on this list that was deemed too controversial for America.

In Bayonetta, Umbra Witches are sponsored by Infernal Demons who bestow them with great power and wisdom. The Infernals are mainly used to hunt down angels, and they can manifest themselves in various ways. Madama Butterfly is the source of most of Bayonetta’s strength, and her oversized limbs can be summoned from the depths of Inferno. She’s literally willing to lend a hand (or foot) in battle, and her entire body can also be evoked if things start spiraling out of control. Madama Butterfly apparently died under “unfortunate circumstances” before taking on her demonic form, and she garnered a reputation for viciousness that sharply contrasted her majestic appearance. (She’s basically a supernatural dominatrix!) The “Mistress of Atrocity” skirts the line between beauty and brutality, and this makes her an ideal companion for Bayonetta.

This website has recognized Ganon as one of gaming’s greatest villains, but Demise is explicitly described as the source of all evil in Hyrule. After gathering an army of underlings, the imposing Demon King launched an attack on the surface in the hopes of finding the Triforce and ruling the world with its enormous power. Fortunately, he was sealed away by the goddess Hylia before his plans could come to fruition. As an eternal entity who had conquered time itself, Demise could never be truly defeated. Instead, his hatred was simply reborn in the coming ages. It’s heavily implied that Ganon is the embodiment of this hatred, as they share numerous personality traits and physical characteristics. Ganon’s red hair is reminiscent to the billowing flames that enveloped Demise, and his insatiable thirst for power exemplifies the foretold cycle of rebirth.

There are over two dozen demons in the Dark Souls universe, but there’s one in particular that’s more recognizable than the rest. Rather than highlighting the most powerful or challenging enemy, it seems fitting to memorialize the first demon you encounter in the series. The Asylum Demon is literally found in the tutorial area, and he’s relatively slow and cumbersome. At the same time, he’s the initiation into the world of Dark Souls. The grotesque monster gives players a taste of the game’s difficulty and acts as a gatekeeper, both literally and figuratively. Dark Souls is not for everyone, and the Asylum Demon effectively filters out players who probably wouldn’t enjoy the game. Although he’s classified as a “lesser” demon, he’s arguably the most important boss in the entire franchise.

The Cyberdemon is a formidable enemy that has appeared in every mainline DOOM game thus far. His hulking torso and hooved feet are reminiscent of a minotaur, as are his imposing horns. He also has a cybernetic leg and a fricking missile launcher grafted onto one of his arms! The DOOM II manual describes the Cyberdemon as “a missile-launching skyscraper with goat legs”, but the 2016 reboot explains things in more detail. The bionic monstrosity was apparently created in an advanced research facility, and his existence represents a symbiotic union of a Baalgar demon and human technology. In either continuity, the walking nightmare is relentless in his brutality. If his never-ending barrage of missiles miss their mark, the abomination can simply stomp his enemies to death. ProTip: To defeat the Cyberdemon, shoot at it until it dies.

With his youthful face and slicked-back white hair, Sparda is sheepishly referred to as a handsome devil. In his true form, he’s defined by his clawed hands, hooved feet, scaly skin, and ram-like horns. Although the Legendary Demon Swordsman was revered as one of the top generals in the Underworld, he had a pronounced rebellious streak and a profound understanding of honor. This is why he chose to revolt against his demonic allies. In a bid to protect humanity, Sparda closed the gateway to the Demon World and intentionally sealed himself away in the process. He was still able to influence the human world, however, since he had twin sons with a human woman that he had fallen in love with. Dante and Vergil only inherited a fraction of their father’s immense power, but it was more than enough for them to vanquish high-level demons.

When Kazuya was still a child, his father threw him off a cliff to test his strength. At this point, a power-hungry entity called Devil became a key component of his personality. This phenomena could be likened to demonic possession in some regards, but it was actually caused by a genetic mutation. Anyone who possesses the “Devil Gene” can potentially fall under the influence of a malevolent spirit. This process can alter an individual’s appearance and personality, and they will be more likely to make evil choices. At the same time, they may also be granted a range of supernatural abilities. (Flying around and shooting laser beams from your forehead isn’t normal, but on meth Devil Gene it is!) Various characters in the Tekken universe are appropriate hosts for Devil, but Kazuya willingly made the heinous being a permanent part of himself.

The Disgaea series is set within a parallel Netherworld that’s inhabited by demons. As such, there are many characters from the franchise that could have been recognized on this countdown. Etna was originally depicted as a disrespectful sidekick who was intent on gaining power. Although she fancies herself as a sex symbol, she’s mostly defined by her hilarious schemes and sarcastic sense of humor. Most demons on this list want to rule over humanity, but Etna is more concerned with making cakes or retrieving her missing panties. When she’s not acting as a vassal to the Overlord, Etna leads a squad of penguin-like monsters called Prinnies. She isn’t especially kind to her underlings, and she treats them like disposable commodities. Moral values are reversed in the Netherworld, however, so Etna’s cruelty is seen as a virtue by her fellow demons.

As one of the three Prime Evils of the Burning Hells, Diablo is responsible for all of humanity’s fears. After he was captured, mages of the Horadrim imprisoned him in a Soulstone which was stored in a dark, underground labyrinth. This was merely an inconvenience for the Lord of Terror, as he was able to corrupt the very Soulstone that imprisoned him. He was also able to reach out with his mind and influence both the archbishop and the king! This ultimately allowed Diablo to regain his corporeal form and re-enter the mortal realm. From this point, he mobilized legions of undead demons and claimed dominion over the catacombs that once confined him. Many warriors flocked to these dungeons in search of adventure and wealth, but Diablo was surprising in his resilience. It’s pretty hard to defeat a foe when the entire series is named after them!

Although Firebrand was merely a common enemy in Ghost ‘n Goblins, he earned a place in history as one of gaming’s most annoying figures. The Red Arremer’s erratic movements are almost impossible to predict, and his wayward fireballs are just as deadly as his dive-bomb attacks. The franchise is notorious for its difficulty, and the impulsive gargoyle likely caused more deaths than anyone else in the series. That’s probably why he was given brighter spotlight. Firebrand doesn’t utter a single word in any of the Gargoyle’s Quest spinoffs, but his powers continue to intensify. He gains new aerial abilities, his fire breath is upgraded, and he figures out how to scale walls. He’s even able to transform if the situation calls for it! Whether he’s facing off against heroic knights or demonic zombie dragons, Firebrand is a force to be reckoned with.