A memorable villain in a game can be a powerful force. Players can learn to hate them, fear them, or even pity them.  Everyone who has played Final Fantasy VI remembers Kefka, and any StarCraft player in the world probably has a firm opinion on the Queen of Blades. The big villains – the bosses – have a lot going for them when it comes to memorability: the story usually revolves around them, they usually get the most epic battles, and quite often they get the best graphical treatment, too.

But what about the little guys?  What about the endless underlings the player crushes on their journey to the Big Bad?  What makes those guys memorable?

Consider, for a moment, the humble Goomba.  Almost anyone who has had contact with video games over the past 25 years can probably identify one in an instant, most likely right down to even knowing their name.  Even those that might not know the name still know they are “the little mushroom men from Mario” (as my father has called them). Koopa Troopas fall into that same category.  Heck, most of the enemies from the Mario series fall into that category.  But why?

For the Mario cast, much of it comes down to longevity and repetition.  Goombas and Koopas and the like have been harassing gamers for over two decades, remaining relatively constant throughout.  Though there have been subtle changes to their looks over the years, they remain easily identifiable, even after the jump from 2d to 3d.  Add to that plenty of out-of-game marketing of the characters, from cartoon appearances to plush toys, and you’ve got the makings of some pretty iconic underlings. So while the Mario minions have a lot going in their favor, what about all the other game baddies that stick in our minds, regardless of repetition or merchandising?  What turns a low-level baddie into something that stays with us, sucking up precious memory space?

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Far away from the city, atop the stone face of a lonely cliff, a man, clad in dark blue from head to toe sits and stares out at the temple in the valley below.

“….”, thinks Ryu Hayabusa, as he ponders his plan of attack, and how he will retrieve the statue of darkness from the evil Jaquio.

As he contemplates his next move, he notices the graceful motion of a single eagle, loping about in lazy circles, drawing closer and closer to the precipice.

“….”, thinks Ryu once more, as he readies himself for the climb down to the temple, not noticing the purposeful approach of the bird. And then, just as our hero is about to make his descent, the bird accelerates to the speed of sound, plunges into the young ninja’s chest, and bursts through the other side. Clutching the gaping wound in his chest, our hero falls to his apparent death.

Welcome to the world of Ninja Gaiden, a land of intrigue, action, and Birds. Deadly, deadly birds.

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