Guinness the leading experts on all things awesome, amazing, awe inspiring and to the extreme have just released their Top 50 Video Game Villains of All Time and Bowser picked up the numero uno slot who had 20% of the 5,699 votes cast on the Guinness World Records website. Funny enough he was almost beat out by that charming A.I. from Portal GlaDOS and rounding out third place was The Joker from Batman: Arkham Asylum. You can find the full Top 50 in the Press Release after the jump below and be sure to head over and check out Guinness World Records 2013 Gamer’s Edition. You can also check out the video below with highlights like Brett Martin who owns the largest video game memorabilia collection certified by Guinness at 8,030 items, WOW!
Source Link: YouTube | http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/gamers
PRESS RELEASE
Bowser is crowned the ‘greatest VIDEOGAME VILLAIN of all time’ in poll conducted for Guinness World Records 2013 Gamer’s Edition
OVER 5,000 GAMING FANS HAVE THEIR SAY IN ONLINE VOTE GLaDOS FROM THE PORTAL SERIES IS BEATEN INTO RUNNER UP POSITION
LONDON (24 January, 2013) – Today, Guinness World Records, the global authority on record-breaking, announce the Top 50 Video Game Villains of All Time as voted for by over 5,000 of their readers. The list, which is revealed in its entirety in the new Guinness World Records 2013 Gamer’s Edition book, sees the iconic Bowser from Nintendo’s long-running Mario franchise crowned king, with Portal’s GLaDOS beaten into runner up spot.
Bowser, from one of the most iconic and best-selling video game franchises of all time, Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo, 1985) landed top spot with over 20% of the vote. Mario’s arch enemy is nothing if not persistent: few enemies would attempt to kidnap the same princess twice, let alone eight times during the past 28 years! It seems his malevolent persistence has paid off with the ‘King of Koopas’ becoming the king of the videogame villains.
The runner-up comes courtesy of the recent Portal series (Valve, 2007). Only a small share of the vote kept GLaDOS, the ominous, AI computer system off top spot. The ever-present computer voice that follows players throughout the game, acts simultaneously as a guide, narrator, and final boss. The doyenne’s sinister wit and monotone delivery keeps players constantly on edge.
Rounding out the top three is a giant in video games, comics, and film. The Joker’s performance in Batman: Arkham Asylum (Rocksteady, 2009) was deemed suitably unhinged as he stalks Batman through the disgusting, titular sanatorium.
Kevin Lynch, writer for Guinness World Records 2013 Gamer’s Editionsaid: “It was really interesting for us to put the vote out to our readers and see who their favourite villain was – Bowser’s top place is no big shocker, but there certainly are surprises in there. I think what this list really reflects is that video game villains tend to be a lot cooler than the heroes they’re pitted against.”
The remainder of the Top 50 shows just how diverse video game villains can be. The Great King of Evil Ganon (The Legend of Zelda – Nintendo EAD, 1996), corporate experiment Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII – Square, 1997), and lovable-yet-infuriating ghost Inky (PAC-MAN – Namco, 1980) all make the Top 10, and demonstrate that the creativity behind making an antagonist can be just as deep as concocting a hero. Other notables to make the list include Donkey Kong (#14), the Police in Grand Theft Auto (#24), and Mortal Kombat’s Shao Kahn (#41).
A total of 5,699 total votes were cast on the Guinness World Records website. The full list is featured in the new Guinness World Records 2013 Gamer’s Editionbook out now for £9.99. For more information please visitwww.guinnessworldrecords.com/gamers
Video can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZz6NWQfQok
Notes to Editor:
Please find the full top 50 below:
| 50. Hades | Kid Icarus |
| 49. Atlas | BioShock |
| 48. Jacqueline Natla | Tomb Raider |
| 47. Shepherd | Call of Duty |
| 46. Herobrine | Minecraft |
| 45. Solidus Snake | Metal Gear Solid |
| 44. Diablo | Diable |
| 43. Dr Robotnik | Sonic the Hedgehog |
| 42. Dr Neo Cortex | Crash Bandicoot |
| 41. Shao Kahn | Mortal Kombat |
| 40. Zoran Lazarevic | Uncharted |
| 39. Tabuu | Super Mario Bros. |
| 38. Kaos | Skylanders |
| 37. Wheatley | Portal |
| 36. Mother Brain | Metroid |
| 35. Ghirahim | The Legend of Zelda |
| 34. Dr Nefarious | Ratchet & Clank |
| 33. Xehanort | Kingdom Hearts |
| 32. Kessler | Infamous |
| 31. The Flood | Halo |
| 30. The Locust Hordes | Gears of War |
| 29. Vanitas | Kindgom Hearts |
| 28. Darth Vader | Star Wars |
| 27. Dr Wily | Mega Man |
| 26. Team Rocket | Pokemon |
| 25. Kefka Palazzo | Final Fantasy |
| 24. Police | Grand Theft Auto |
| 23. Zombies | Call of Duty |
| 22. Aliens | Space Invaders |
| 21. The Readers | Mass Effect |
| 20. N | Pokemon |
| 19. Zeus | God of War |
| 18. Alduin | Skyrim |
| 17. M Bison | Street Fighter |
| 16. The Covenant | Halo |
| 15. Andrew Ryan | BioShock |
| 14. Donkey Kong | Donkey Kong |
| 13. Psycho Mantis | Metal Gear Solid |
| 12. Albert Wesker | Resident Evil |
| 11. Vladimir Makarov | Call of Duty |
| 10. Creeper | Minecraft |
| 9. Liquid Ocelot | Metal Gear Solid |
| 8. Inky | PAC-Man |
| 7. The Borgias | Assassin’s Creed II |
| 6. Sephiroth | Final Fantasy VII |
| 5. Gary Oak | Pokemon Red/Blue |
| 4. Ganon | The Legend of Zelda |
| 3. The Joker | Batman: Arkham Asylum |
| 2. GLaDOS | Portal |
| 1. Bowser | Super Mario Bros. |
About Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records is the universally recognized authority on record-breaking achievement. First published in 1955, the annual Guinness World Records book is published in more than 100 countries and 25 languages and is one of the highest-selling books under copyright of all time with more than 3 million copies sold annually across the globe. Guinness World Records celebrated its 50th anniversary edition in 2004, a year after the sale of its 100 millionth copy. Guinness World Records also annually publishes the Gamer’s Edition; a records book devoted solely to the world of computer gaming and high score record achievements.
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