Double Trouble

As co-hostesses on the zombie-killing game show, Terror is Reality, Amber and her sister Crystal taunt the contestants and instigate conflict. The salacious jezebels are outwardly flirtatious and could easily be written off as eye candy, but they are an ambitious pair that will do anything to capitalize off the zombie apocalypse. The sisters kidnap a reporter, frame a motocross champion for causing the outbreak, and use katana blades as weapons against anyone who tries to get in their way. Amber and Crystal will hit on anything that moves (including each other), but this is likely all part of their act. The bond they share with each other is undoubtedly profound, however. If one of the sisters dies in battle, the other twin will be so distraught that they’ll take their own life. Neither twin can feel complete without the other.

After Yun and Yang were orphaned as children, they were taught Kung Fu by their adoptive grandfather and became leaders of their town at a young age. Their abilities proved beneficial as they traveled the world and battled underground crime syndicates. Yun was outgoing and confident while Yang was generally quiet, but their fighting styles were nearly identical despite their differing personalities. In the first iteration of Street Fighter III the brothers occupied a single spot on the character select screen. Yang was presented as a separate character in Second Impact, however, and his fighting style began to deviate from his brother’s. This trend continued in 3rd Strike and all subsequent Street Fighter games. The twins were mere palette-swaps initially, but they have since evolved as individuals and as a pair.

Devola regularly performs in the town tavern as a bard. Her sister has no tolerance for alcohol, however, and devotes her time to the village library. While Devola is noted for her ability to tie a cherry stem with her tongue, Popola has the uncanny ability to untie a cherry stem with hers. Both sister are viewed as leaders and take on various civic responsibilities. It’s eventually revealed that the twins are androids that were designed as part of a radical experiment and spent thousands of years keeping eye on other experiments. Devola surmises that the she and her sister were designed as twins because they were born without souls. She further explains that there would be too much emptiness if one existed without the other. Their bond is so strong that Devola decides to take her own life after Popola is killed.

Ami and Mami Futami work as idols for 765 Production and become singing sensations, but no one outside of the company realizes that they are two separate people. It’s like Hannah Montana, but instead of one person pretending to be two people, you have two people pretending to be one. Although there are subtle differences between them, the sisters are presented as a single entity in their first game and both perform under Ami’s name. That doesn’t sound like an efficient way to manage talent to me, but I guess that’s why I’m not a record executive. The public becomes aware of Mami’s existence by the time the sequel arrives, and the twins begin to emphasize their individuality. Mami is more mature while her sister is more playful and childish, but both of them enjoy teasing their friends and getting into trouble.

Fraternal twins from the village of mages, Palom and Porom are polar opposites. Palom is a rambunctious and arrogant Black Mage, while his sister exhibits civility and studies white magic. Although they are still young in Final Fantasy IV, the pair are already accomplished mages who studied magic from early childhood. Despite their inexperience and immaturity, the twins prove themselves to be selfless and heroic. At one point, they sacrifice themselves by turning into stone statues in an effort to prevent their friends from being crushed by collapsing walls. The pair are thankfully healed by the village elder and given the chance to grow up. Their differences become more pronounced as they age, but both are given leadership responsibilities since their conflicting personalities balance each other so perfectly.

Serena and Veronica both inherited the soul of a sage who had accompanied a legendary hero in generations past. The twins knew they were destined to help the Luminary in the future, and they trained from a young age to prepare for this undertaking. The girls were born at the same time, they accompany each other through life, and they even hope to die together. This doesn’t mean that there aren’t significant differences between them. Serena specializes in defensive magic while Veronica mostly relies on offensive spells. More noticeably, Veronica fell victim to a curse that made her look like a young child! She certainly doesn’t act like a little girl, however. She has no qualms in speaking her mind, and she has a fiery disposition. Serena, in contrast, is a total sweetheart. They make a great team, and they perfectly complement each other.

Edgar and Sabin are splitting images of each other, but their personalities are radically different. Edgar is refined and sophisticated, while Sabin is a little rough around the edges. The twins grew up together, but they followed different paths after their parents died. It was their father’s last wish for the two brothers to rule the kingdom of Figaro together, but neither brother wanted the responsibility. To settle the dispute, the brothers let everything ride on a coin toss. After winning the toss, Sabin chose to flee the kingdom in search of a quiet life free of corruption, while Edgar was left to handle all of the politics by himself. After the brothers were united, it was revealed that Edgar used a double-sided coin in order to ensure that Sabin would choose the life he wanted. Both brothers ended up exactly where they belonged.

Billy and Jimmy Lee have already been recognized as one of gaming’s best duos. Jimmy has also been singled out as one of the biggest traitors, however, and their rift earned them a place on the list of iconic sibling rivalries as well. Although the twin brothers fight side by side, their relationship is tested after they rescue Billy’s girlfriend, Marian, from a street gang. Upon her rescue, Marian instigates a fight between the brothers and offers herself up as a prize. Jimmy’s willingness to fight his brother for a chance to steal his girlfriend makes him a really bad brother, but the twins were somehow able to settle their differences before the sequel hit. I’m assuming that Marian just let the twins double team her. Billy and Jimmy put the “double” in Double Dragon, but Marian seems like the type of girl who does double everything.

Dante and Vergil are like two sides of the same coin. The identical twin brothers were born to a demon father and a human mother, but they had different ideas on how to use their supernatural powers. After their mother was killed by demons, the brothers drifted apart as they struggled to cope with the loss. While Dante became a vigilante demon hunter, Vergil chose to embrace his demonic side in order to become more powerful. Dante’s hot-headed antics contrasted sharply with Vergil’s calculated personality, and they employed different strategies in battle despite having similar abilities. Dante always had handguns at the ready, but Vergil was a peerless swordsman who viewed firearms as dishonorable weapons. Their relationship is heavy in symbolism, and the brothers are more similar than they appear to be.

The legendary Mario Bros. were listed as one of gaming’s best duos and also made the list of best sibling rivalries. It might seem redundant to put them on yet another list, but they clearly deserve to be mentioned here. Ironically, Mario and Luigi haven’t always gotten along. When Luigi made his first appearance in Mario Bros., he was technically Mario’s rival. Their rivalry was friendly, however, evident by the fact that they join forces whenever a princess needs rescuing. Luigi was initially depicted as a mere pallet-swap and was relegated to the role of “second-player character” for many years, but Green Mario’s personality has become more pronounced over the years. Mario and Luigi compliment each other perfectly, and the teamwork they display in the Mario & Luigi series is especially admirable.