4. Power
Pretty obvious, right? How many frail Andrew Ryans can you really come up with when it comes to villains? A videogame villain will almost always prove to be a physical gargantuan. Not always in size, but definitely in power. Take a look at Demise in
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword or the different variations of Ridley in the
Metroid series. These two would overpower both Link and Samus Aran nine times out of ten, but part of a heros journey is subduing a villain when the chances are at the lowest of the low. Luckily, gamers are privileged with a convenient restart/replay/retry/turn off and on again function that helps them finally overcome their nemesis after several painful attempts. A trait that ensures memorability is the gamers need for problem solving when a villain is superior. Gamers have to padlock their way throughout the battle and milk the villains very few weaknesses. In addition, the journey to the final boss was not for nothing; everything the gamer has learned and obtained was specifically for this moment. Sure, maybe one or two things will either be enhanced to a greater device or not be used again, but these earlier items prove to be essential steps towards the mastering of the ultimate weapons late in the game. Once the villain finally collapses, the gamer will ricochet off the sofa and flap his arms in the air. Then, he wipes the sweat off his forehead, back, and armpits with a napkin. It is an all too familiar trend when you finally pass the game, especially when beating a tough son of a gun.