Tingle (The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask)

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask is, by all accounts, the creepiest game in the tentpole Nintendo franchise, featuring as it does a plot about a possessed forest sprite committing genocide by dropping the moon on a town. Still, the weirdest part of the game is the green-lycra-clad Tingle, a middle-aged man who thinks he’s a fairy and sells you maps.

Tofu (Resident Evil 2)

The scariest part of a zombie apocalypse is how seemingly sane humans turn into vicious monsters who crave human flesh. But if they craved delicious soy bean curd instead, it wouldn’t be so strange. Step forward Tofu from Resident Evil 2’s The Tofu Survivor, a beret-wearing, edible special agent who must escape the horde. Spoiler alert: he ends up in some miso soup.

Roger’s Wife (Tekken 5)

Fighting games have had their fair share of bizarre characters, such that few can be considered out of place. But none are quite as mad as Roger’s Wife. Not even an officially playable character, Roger’s Wife is ordered around by Roger Jr, who sits in her pouch. Oh, didn’t we mention? They’re all boxing glove-wearing kangaroos.

Carrion Carcass (Timesplitters Future Perfect)

Ultra-cool shooter series TimeSplitters is a nostalgic favorite for many, but 2005’s entry really butchered things… literally. ‘Carrion Carcass’ is an enemy type that does just what it says on the tin: they’re animated cow carcasses that are somehow able to wield weapons despite a conspicuous lack of limbs, eyes or brains. Now who’s killing who?

Blacephalon (Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon)

Creature-capturing mega-franchise Pokémon has introduced more than 1,000 critters over the years, but none are as weird as Blacephalon. A monster from outer space, it’s an interdimensional clown whose head explodes; its signature attack, Mind Blown, inflicts tremendous damage against both the opposing Pokémon and itself.

Phoenix Wright (Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3)

The Ace Attorney series is a true Capcom classic, one that sees titular litigator Phoenix Wright solve mysteries both legal and paranormal in the pursuit of justice. And while the awkward and besuited Wright isn’t a natural candidate for a fighting game, he appeared as a playable character in Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 alongside the likes of Chun-Li, Magneto and Spider-Man. Objection!

Creeper (Minecraft)

Even people who’ve never played Minecraft know what a Creeper is, or would at least recognise its signature sad-faced look. But in a world of more classic creatures, ranging from cows and chickens to the fantasy-based skeletons and zombies, the Creeper is a thing unto itself. That’s because Minecraft developer Notch created Creepers entirely by accident, intending to code in a pig.

R.O.B. (Super Smash Bros. Brawl)

Do you remember the Robotic Operating Buddy, or R.O.B., the mid-1980s NES peripheral that was compatible with two niche games? Of course you don’t. So imagine the surprise of ‘platform fighter’ Smash Bros. enthusiasts when this chunky robot was revealed not only as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, but as the true identity of ancillary antagonist the ‘Ancient Minister.’

King Boo (Mario Kart: Double Dash!!)

Go-Karting is a lot of fun, and even more fun with shell-throwing and mushroom consumption. While the Mario Kart series has featured a bonanza of wacky characters over the years, they’ve all been corporeal: all except one. Mario Kart: Double Dash!! introduced King Boo, a phantom without legs to operate the pedals. Weirder still, his racing buddy is ‘Petey’ the humanoid carnivorous plant.

NORA the Fridge (Atomic Heart)

2023 sci-fi shooter Atomic Heart is known both for its vivid world and foul-mouthed protagonist. But players might also remember NORA, a sentient fridge who can upgrade the player character’s arsenal, but is also a profound sexual deviant. Thrilled to her bones by any interaction, NORA adds an uncomfortable side-dish of harassment to a main course of dark, Communism-inflected storytelling.