The 50 Greatest Video Game Villains Of All Time
By Matt Becker
Greatest Video Game Villains – #40 Dr. Neo Cortex
Game(s): Crash Bandicoot series
Background: Dr. Cortex is the short, balding, large-headed evil scientist villain in the Crash Bandicoot franchise. Like many mad scientist villains, Cortex’s primary motivation is the lack of respect from his peers. Suffering from bullying at a young age, he attempted to create an army of mutated animals using his Evolvo-Ray creation. Cortex accidentally creates Crash during one of his experiments, who in turn becomes his greatest nemesis. He acts as the main boss in nearly every Crash Bandicoot game, trying time and time again to conquer the world only to be foiled by Crash and his friends.
Why He’s One Of The Greatest Video Game Villains: A vengeful mad genius trying to take over the world while experimenting on animals? It’s hard not to consider Dr. Neo Cortex a top 50 video game villain. Don’t let his silly, cartoonish appearance fool you: this scientist does not mess around. He tries diabolical plan after diabolical plan to take over the world, from creating robots of mass destruction to time travel machines to powerful doomsday weapons. He clearly shows no respect for animals, mutating them to join his army of destruction. Despite his evil nature, it’s hard not to feel at least a little sympathy for Dr. Cortex. He underwent severe emotional trauma growing up, receiving a tattoo of the letter “N” for “nerd” on his forehead by a group of evil circus performers and later losing his entire family in a freak accident. His thirst for revenge got a little out of hand, though, as he attempts to destroy the world to prove a point. At least this lunatic has motivation for his insanity.
Next: 39- Shao Kahn