The Search for the Most Broken Video Game Character
Whether it be in a casual online match with friends or randoms, or at the highest level of competition in e-sports tournaments, a broken character doesn’t just ruin the game, they can fundamentally change the way the game is played. They can invalidate the rest of the cast, or be so brain dead and easy to use that everybody is using them. However, the word "broken" is thrown around way too often in the video game world; to the point where the word has practically lost meaning. But ignoring its overuse, what does it mean when a character is "broken"?
Well, for that we need to draw a line.
Broken vs. Overpowered
For something to be considered broken in a video game, it means it goes against the core fundamental nature of the game. It’s an ability, weapon, or feature that, no matter how strong or weak it is, should not be allowed in the game. These are problems that could almost be considered a legal form of cheating and go beyond just a simple nerf; the only way to fix them is to remove them.
Overpowered is a much simpler concept. It’s simply when a certain character, ability, or weapon is doing the same thing that all the others are doing, just… better. For example, if a character in a fighting game throws a punch, they’re not doing anything they shouldn’t be allowed to do, but when that punch does 80% damage, it’s overpowered.
Whichever they may be, some are simply the result of the character being a playable SNK Boss. Typically reserved for final bosses, an SNK Boss is a type of AI opponent in a fighting game who breaks the rules that enforce competitive balance to such an absurd degree that they are considered to be vastly superior to every other character in the game. Various games will allow such characters to become available to the player, usually by beating the game under certain conditions. But if an SNK Boss does become playable, the character will usually be significantly toned-down from their computer-controlled counterpart to allow for said competitive balance.
Sometimes though, developers just say screw it and give players the full monster.
But just like my Greatest Villains Series, we're going to kick things off with some characters that will NOT be making the list. The following are characters that, under my previously explained criteria, I do not consider to be broken.
Note: I am only assessing characters based on their status at the height of their controversy. Some characters have since been patched and are no longer considered to be broken or overpowered.
Leroy Smith - Tekken 7
Before being nerfed into oblivion, Leroy Smith was the definition of a braindead character when he was first released. He didn't just have high combo potential with equally high damage, he was highly accessible. With next to no learning curve, anyone could pick up and play Leroy and dominate their local Tekken scene. Most egregious is that Tekken 7 was considered by many to be the most balanced game in the series. Naturally, there were some top-tier characters that stood out, but no single character truly dominated Tekken 7, until Leroy. It's hard to go into detail as to why Leroy was so overpowered, because he simply had everything.
But what truly broke Tekken fan's hearts was that Leroy was supposed to be the coolest Tekken character ever. On top of having awesome attacks, he oozed style with one of the best character designs Tekken has ever seen. But in the quest to create a dream character, Leroy became a nightmare.
Satinsect - Superior Soldiers
If Leroy Smith is the definition of braindead, Satinsect is the definition of overpowered. It's ok if you've never heard of this game, I've barely heard of it myself. But I wanted to give a nod to what is quite possibly the most overpowered character in all of fighting games (within the context of their respective games). As you can probably assume from his character model, he has ridiculous range. Normal attacks can go nearly full screen, and the use of dash-cancels only amplifies their effectiveness. But most notably, he has a 1-touch stun combo that does 50% damage. Then, of course, while stunned he can just do the combo again and the opponent is dead, effectively making it a touch-of-death combo.
Meta Knight - Super Smash Bros. Brawl
I do not believe Meta Knight was broken, with some tweaks to his frame data and nerfs to his damage and mobility, Meta Knight could become a not unfair character. However, this is not to understate the menace that was. He simply had everything you could possibly want in a Smash Bros. character. A sword that gave him reach, high damage, unprecedented mobility and recovery, touch-of-death combos, and frame data that gave him priority while also making him nigh-unpunishable.
Meta Knight won every matchup in the game to the point where he was literally the meta. Brawl's tier list was dictated, not by how a character matched up against the rest of the cast, but by how they matched up against Meta Knight. It didn't matter if a character was considered weak against half the roster, if they could go toe-to-toe with Meta Knight, they were top-tier.
Bayonetta - Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
With lightning-fast mobility, a 0-to-death combo from anywhere on screen, and the ability to stop opponents in their tracks with Witch Time, the #1 most requested character quickly became the #1 most hated character. And no matter how good a player was, their victory was always overshadowed by Bayonetta herself, as many were considered to be carried by the character. And somehow, these were all just precursors to Bayonetta ruining Smash's competitive legacy.
Evo 2018, Super Smash Bros. Wii U Grand Finals: The worst Grand Finals in Evo history.
With the character having been way too strong for way too long, years of Bayonetta hate had built up within the Smash community. But when two players decided to hold B and just sit there for nearly 2 minutes, it all came to a head. The boos came from every corner of the internet, as it looked like two friends were making a mockery of the biggest tournament of the year. It wasn't until an Evo Tournament Director approached them with the rulebook to warn them they would be disqualified if they did not continue the match.
