Braaaiins!

LeChuck is one of the most iconic zombies in gaming, but he was actually introduced as a ghost in the first Monkey Island game. After developing an obsession with a woman named Elaine, the notorious pirate captain kidnapped her and tried to force her into marriage. Thankfully, his plan was ruined when a resourceful pirate-in-training used an anti-ghost potion on him. LeChuck returned in the sequel as a reanimated corpse driven by revenge, and he showed little regard for human life as he terrorized the seas. LeChuck’s arrogance led to his downfall on multiple occasions, but he kept being revived in one form or another. Sometimes LeChuck was depicted as a ghost or a demon instead of a proper zombie, but the Caribbean backdrop and voodoo-based shenanigans create clear allusions to traditional zombie folklore.

Dr. Edgar George Zomboss is the aptly-named antagonist of the Plants vs. Zombies series. After receiving his doctorate in Thanatology (the study of death), he deployed hordes of zombies in a bid to take over his local subdivision. As the only zombie in the series to use proper grammar, Zomboss shows remarkable intelligence. He’s a brilliant inventor too. He builds various robotic suits to bust through enemy lines, and he also designs a time machine to unleash zombie apocalypses throughout different historical eras! Despite his intelligence, Zomboss is an emblematic loser. Numerous pet goldfish have ran away from him, he once lost a fight to a tennis ball machine, and his dream of eating brains is never realized. Nevertheless, the power he holds over other zombies is nothing short of remarkable.

His friend Guile fought to avenge his death in Street Fighter II, but Charlie Nash didn’t actually appear in a game himself until Street Fighter Alpha was released many years later. Since Alpha was a prequel, it allowed Nash to come back from the dead in a metaphorical sense. Street Fighter V took a more literal approach, however, and depicted him as a resurrected corpse. Nash was killed by M. Bison prior to the events of Street Fighter II, but the former Captain of the US Air Force returned in Street Fighter V in a body that was patched up and held together by staples. The calm and collected personality that once defined him was replaced with a ruthless disposition. His obsession for revenge was perfectly suited to a revenant zombie, but I’ll concede that his anger wasn’t entirely unjustified.

The Wicked are the remnants of humans who were left on Earth after the premature start of the Apocalypse. They were reanimated by demonic energy, but they are generally mindless creatures who will attack on sight. It’s not clear how Wicked K retained his intelligence and personality, but the soft-spoken gentleman speaks with a refined vocabulary and treats his rivals with the utmost respect. Wicked K makes several appearances in the Darksiders series and often shows up in the most unexpected places. He wields his cane like a fencing sword, and he fights with grace and elegance. At the same time, his magic top hat can be used as both a weapon and a form of transport. Wicked K is one of the most unique and entertaining zombies on this list, and he provides the Darksiders games with a much-needed dose of comic relief.

Most of the zombies in Left 4 Dead are classified as the “common infected” and have a tendency to attack in groups. The Tank is one of a handful of creatures identified as a “special infected.” These beings underwent dramatic transformations after being infected and were left with inhuman abilities as a result. As the biggest and strongest of all the infected, the Tank can wipe out entire teams in a matter of seconds. His punches can smash down doors, knock away obstacles, and send survivors flying through the air. He’s strong enough to rip concrete chunks from the ground and he will effortlessly plow through entire crowds in pursuit of his chosen target. He’s also able to absorb a tremendous amount of punishment and nothing short of death will stop him. His only known weaknesses are fire and the power of teamwork.

First introduced in Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, abominations are undead creatures comprised of multiple limbs and body parts from different corpses. They’re slow-moving and dim-witted, but their appetite for human flesh and a twisted desire to tear their enemies apart makes them extremely dangerous. Stitches is an especially vile abomination that was created by Abercrombie the Embalmer and unleashed from a sprawling graveyard. During his initial march through Duskwood, he killed every Night Watch guard he encountered and devoured anyone he could get his hands on. A second mouth on his abdomen makes it easy for him to ingest his prey, but his hunger is insatiable. Stitches looks grotesque and he almost certainly smells like a slaughterhouse, but his reputation as the “Terror of Darkshire” is well-earned.

Darkstalkers is an iconic monster mash that features a myriad of undead creatures, but Lord Raptor (known as Zabel Zarock in Japan) is the best fit for this list. One of the most important aspects about being a zombie is the ability to create more zombies. In most cases, this is achieved by eating brains or spreading viruses. As a charismatic rock star, Lord Raptor was able to attract legions of loyal followers with his music. Raptor eventually killed himself and 100 of his fans at his final live performance, but this only added to his notoriety. The heinous act earned the attention a dark emperor who decided to resurrect him as a zombie and exploit his blood lust. Remarkably, Raptor’s cult-like fans continued to listen to his music after the incident, and the media circus made him the next big thing on the metal scene.

On a list plagued with repulsive creatures, Rottytops stands out for obvious reasons. She would be kind of cute if she wasn’t so dead. (I can overlook her green skin and detachable limbs, but being dead is a deal breaker.) Zombies aren’t typically known for their grace or speed, but Rotty sways her hips in a hypnotic fashion and completes in foot races through obstacle-filled forests. Energetic, friendly, and full of sass, Rotty is a shameless flirt who loves to ruffle feathers. She often tricks her friends and leads them into danger, but you can’t fault her for being so crafty. Who among us doesn’t try to get their friends killed from time to time? Even though Rottytops creates a lot of issues for a half-genie hero named Shantae, she genuinely likes her and views her as a friend. She also wants to eat her brains, but that sort of goes with the territory.

Edward “Stubbs” Stubblefield was a traveling salesman during the great depression who was tragically gunned down and left to die in the wilderness. After a billionaire industrialist founded a city on top of his resting place, Stubbs decided to rise from his grave and extract revenge by eating brains. (Eating brains not only restores his health, but it also converts humans into zombies that will fight alongside him.) Stubbs faces a lot of opposition, but he fights back with improvised weapons and even uses his own body parts as makeshift explosive devices. He’s also able to herd other zombies together to use as a personal army or a moving shield. In an effort to motivate his fellow zombies, Stubbs once gave an inspiring speech that consisted entirely of the word “Brains!” It sounds ridiculous, but it clearly resonated with his audience.

Most of the zombies in the Resident Evil series are humans who were infected by a virus engineered by the Umbrella Corporation. The t-Virus, as it was known, destroyed higher brain function and promoted animalistic behavior, but Nemesis was engineered to retain most of its intelligence without compromising strength. The unsightly creature stands over seven feet tall and shows no relent as it pursues its targets. If its size and perseverance didn’t make it dangerous enough already, it also arms himself with a rocket launcher and is smart enough to shoot down rescue helicopters. Most of the zombies in the franchise are mindless creatures that can be easily disposed of, but Nemesis acts as an instrument of vengeance for the Umbrella Corporation and was important enough to be mentioned in the game’s title.