Overhated Gaming Characters Who Don’t Completely Suck

As a gamer, I’ve met so many characters over the years – some are totally legendary and have really stuck with me. They’ve become huge pop culture icons, and honestly, playing alongside them on their journeys has been awesome. But let’s be real, not every character is a winner. There are plenty that gamers absolutely hate, and they’ve become infamous for all the wrong reasons!

Honestly, it’s kinda frustrating how easily we gamers jump to conclusions. We either get super mad about something small, or we completely miss important details, and end up unfairly hating a character. They’re usually not completely terrible, you know? They just have flaws, and it’s annoying when people blow things out of proportion and decide they’re the worst. I’m going to talk about some characters who get way more hate than they deserve, even though they’re definitely not perfect.

The Babies (Mario Series)

They Are A Tad Annoying, But Also Adorable And Charming

Okay, so Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island is where we first met Baby Mario, which was… a choice. Honestly, he was kinda annoying at first! Every time Yoshi got hit, this little guy would just wail – super loud and it wouldn’t stop until you rescued him. It was a bit much! But it only happened in that first game, thankfully. After that, they toned it down and he actually became a really cute and likeable character. I think that first impression was a little rough, but he definitely grew on me.

Starting in the late 1990s and continuing into the early 2000s, the Mario series gradually added younger versions of popular characters, such as Baby Luigi, Baby Peach, Baby Wario, and Baby Daisy. While some fans dislike these characters, feeling they take spots from more deserving ones in spin-off games like Mario Kart or Mario Golf, this isn’t a sound critique of game development. More importantly, the baby characters have legitimately earned their place in the Mario franchise by adding a unique level of cuteness and playful innocence that no other character can match.

Blue (Pokemon)

He Has Actually Grown A Lot Since His Debut

In the world of Pokemon, Blue, the rival from the very first games, is notorious for being disliked by fans. With a huge ego and a childish attitude, players have found plenty to dislike about him since the beginning. He was deliberately created to be irritating, so winning against him in battle is incredibly rewarding.

Many people who dislike the Pokémon character Blue base their opinions on his initial appearance in the original Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow games. They haven’t seen how he’s developed in later games. For example, Pokémon Gold and Silver showed that Blue matured and became the Gym Leader of Viridian City, a much stronger trainer. Even more surprisingly, Pokémon Sun and Moon revealed that Blue and Red are now friends and can even team up in the Battle Tree. Blue has come a long way from being a frustrating rival, and some fans who strongly dislike him haven’t seen this positive change.

Navi (The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time)

She Was Never Really That Irritating In The First Place

Online gaming communities have evolved quite a bit since the mid-2000s. Years ago, when players talked about frustrating game companions, Navi from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was almost always mentioned. Many considered her a major annoyance in an otherwise perfect game.

Link’s fairy companion, Navi, tries to get your attention by calling out “Hey!” or “Listen!” – which can get repetitive. However, it’s not usually a major issue, as most players quickly get used to it and learn to ignore her. Beyond that, Navi is a likeable character with a good rapport with Link, making her disappearance at the end of the game particularly sad.

Slippy Toad (Star Fox Series)

The Reliable Mechanic Of Star Fox Team

Each member of the Star Fox team has a distinct personality. Fox McCloud is the brave hero, Falco Lombardi is the confident and competitive rival, Peppy Hare acts as the seasoned and helpful mentor, and Slippy Toad is the youngest member – often seen as rash, annoying, and out of his depth. Many fans feel Slippy’s personality, design, and especially his voice, don’t quite fit with the rest of this renowned group of space mercenaries.

Slippy definitely doesn’t deserve all the negativity he gets. He balances out his teammates really well, and he’s the team’s mechanic – he’s built tons of gadgets, weapons, and vehicles that have been essential to their success. Like Navi, Slippy was much more disliked years ago, mostly because of how he appeared in Star Fox 64, but it’s become clear that a lot of players probably overreacted to him initially.

Tom Nook (Animal Crossing Series)

A Friendly Tanuki Who Builds Your First House For A Reasonable Price

Tom Nook, a central character in the popular Animal Crossing series, has often been unfairly disliked by fans over the years. Many players see him as the villain because he provides their initial home and then asks them to repay the loan with ongoing mortgage payments, requiring them to work to pay off their debt.

The dislike for him has never been fair. Beyond simply wanting his loans paid back, he’s a genuinely kind character who is patient with players, happily accepting small, gradual payments. This fits perfectly with the relaxing and unhurried nature of Animal Crossing. Tom Nook is there to help players progress and give them something to work towards. He doesn’t create any unnecessary problems, unlike some other characters like Mr. Resetti.

Donald Duck (Kingdom Hearts Series)

A Powerful Wizard, An Efficient Healer, And A Great Friend

The Kingdom Hearts series brings together a powerful team: Sora, who fights with a Keyblade; Goofy, the dependable protector with his shield; and Donald Duck, the magic user who casts spells and provides healing. Despite being a key member of the group, Donald is often disliked by fans. This isn’t just because of his famously grating voice and easily-frustrated personality, but also because his healing magic isn’t always very effective.

Many Kingdom Hearts players get frustrated when Donald doesn’t heal them at crucial moments. However, most don’t realize the game has a setting to control how often Donald uses healing magic, so it’s not always a glitch. Plus, Donald is a powerful wizard who has saved Sora and Goofy countless times – remember his incredible Zettaflare spell in Kingdom Hearts 3? It’s one of the most devastating spells in both the Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy series, and he deserves recognition for it.

Ashley Graham (Resident Evil 4/Resident Evil 4 Remake)

She’s Much More Than A Damsel In Distress

Many consider Resident Evil 4 to be a classic game, but Ashley Graham is often seen as a frustrating part of it. Players spend much of the game protecting her after rescuing her, which turns into an escort mission where you have to keep her safe from enemies like infected villagers and cultists. She also has a habit of yelling whenever danger is near, adding to the challenge.

Although some players find Ashley annoying to protect in the game, she’s surprisingly durable and has safe spots to hide, making those sections less frustrating than similar missions in other games of that era. Plus, the recent Resident Evil 4 Remake significantly improved Ashley as a character, giving her a more interesting backstory, a more appealing personality, and a much better voice that sounds more realistic.

Claptrap (Borderland Series)

The Franchise’s Mascot Has A Lot Of Funny Lines

The Borderlands games are known for their hilarious and eccentric characters, and the comedic writing is generally a highlight. However, some characters appear a bit too much. The most frequent complaint is about Claptrap, the series’ mascot and main source of humor. A lot of players find him irritating and not funny, particularly in Borderlands 3.

Claptrap, like many comedic characters, can be a bit annoying at times, but he consistently delivers genuinely funny lines throughout the Borderlands series. He’s a major reason why the games are so enjoyable and humorous. In fact, he’s become the most iconic face of the Borderlands franchise, and his contributions to the series’ success far outweigh any minor frustrations he might cause.

Abby Anderson (The Last Of Us: Part 2)

A Morally Ambiguous Character From A Game That’s Full Of Them

The Last of Us: Part 2 sparked a lot of debate, primarily due to its story. The game is well-known for unexpectedly killing off its main character, Joel Miller, and then having players control Abby Anderson, the person responsible. This was a daring decision that divided players and made Abby a particularly disliked character in the gaming world.

I feel really bad for Abby, honestly. She’s definitely flawed and made some awful choices, but so did Joel, and let’s face it, almost everyone in The Last of Us is dealing with some heavy stuff. It just feels like if we’d played as her first, and Joel had done to her what he did, we’d all be furious at him. She’s not a good person, but she fits the dark, gritty world of the game so well. And that intense rivalry between her and Ellie? It’s one of the most gripping parts of the whole story, in my opinion.

Viola (Bayonetta 3)

She’s Worthy Of Being Bayonetta’s Successor

Although Bayonetta 3 is a solid action game, many longtime fans were disappointed with its story and characters. A particularly divisive element was Viola, a young swordfighter who also happens to be Bayonetta’s daughter. Many players found her character unlikeable, and this feeling was worsened by a post-credits scene hinting she’ll be the main character in future games.

Viola wasn’t designed to be just like Bayonetta; that would have made her a dull character. Instead, she has a fun, confident personality that blends traits from both her parents, Bayonetta and Luka Redgrave, and she’s often genuinely funny. While some players found her gameplay challenging, it’s also a welcome change, emphasizing skillful blocking and parrying to trigger Witch Time rather than relying on quick dodging. She’s similar to Nero from the Devil May Cry series, and like him, she deserves another chance to really connect with players in a future game.

2026-01-01 02:36