10 Video Game Bosses Who Can't Do Anything Right

Dr. Robotnik has been the central antagonist of the Sonic series since way, way back in the original game. Back then, despite losing each fight with the blue blur, the egghead still felt like a legitimate threat, as his machines escalated in power each time. Sonic 2’s ringless double-final boss against metal Sonic and the giant Death Egg Robot was legit tough.

Things started truly heading south for the evil genius around the time of Sonic Adventure. Not only was he now being called “Eggman” by Sonic and his friends but he would later also adopt the name himself, seemingly in some sort of effort to negate its negative effects. From this point on it becomes very rare that Dr. Robotnik is ever the final villain of a Sonic game; often being overthrown by his own creations or betrayed by whatever evil companion he has made a deal with. Add to that the fact he is defeated by Tails in Sonic Adventure and the mystique of Dr. Robotnik was gone forever.

Despite his genius, the doctor regularly builds large and obvious weak spots into his death machines, often stops attacking to gloat conveniently long enough for Sonic to land a hit or two in (here’s looking at you, Egg Scorpion).

His plans have become increasingly comical over the years and he has been overthrown by Chaos, betrayed by his own grandfather, overthrown and replaced by Metalix, had his fleet destroyed by the Black Arms and so on and so forth. He even tried teaming up with his younger self in Sonic Generations but the two found one another so detestable they bickered incessantly and were ultimately defeated again. For now at least, Dr. Robotnik is relegated to comic relief and a villain whose plans simply never work.