WThe Asari are a fictional extraterrestrial humanoid species in the Mass Effect multimedia franchise developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts. First introduced in the 2007 novel Mass Effect: Revelation, the asari are a non-binary gendered sapient homeotherm species with a pansexual-panromantic orientation and are naturally inclined towards biotics, the ability to "manipulate dark energy and create mass effect fields through the use of electrical impulses from the brain", allowing for telekinesis and other abilities.
WBoos, known in Japan as Teresa, are fictional ghosts from the Mario and Yoshi series of video games. They first appeared as a common enemy in 1988's Super Mario Bros. 3, in which they were called Boo Diddleys. Since then, they have been a mainstay in the Mario series, usually appearing as enemies, but occasionally appearing as playable characters in the Mario spin-off games, or even as allies of Mario. They also have prominent roles in Luigi's Mansion, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon and Luigi's Mansion 3. They are named after the sound that one might make when trying to frighten someone ("boo!"), whereas their Japanese name comes from the verb 'tereru' (照れる), meaning 'to be shy'.
WThe Cactuar is a fictional species of plant-like beings from the Final Fantasy video game franchise. They are usually depicted as anthropomorphic cacti with haniwa-like faces in a running or dashing pose. One of the recurring elements of the series, it initially appeared as an enemy in Final Fantasy VI. The Cactuar is now considered one of the established mascots of the long-running series alongside the Moogle and the Chocobo. While the Cactuar still appear as recurring enemies in modern titles, they are also depicted as summoned allies as well as friendly non-player characters.
WChain Chomps, known in Japan as Wanwan (ワンワン), are metal, barking ball-and-chain-like video-game creatures that are restrained by chains. When not held back by chains, they are sometimes referred to as just Chomps. In their game appearances, Chain Chomps constantly strain against the chain holding them, attempting to break free and bite anything that passes close by.
WChao are fictional life forms in the Sonic the Hedgehog video game series published by Sega. They are small, childlike creatures that go through a complex life cycle and exist in several visual forms depending on how they are raised. Developer Sonic Team incorporated Chao into the games to encourage players to explore levels and support the good–evil dichotomy of Sonic Adventure 2.
WThe Chocobo is a fictional species from the Final Fantasy video game series made by Square and Square Enix. The creature is generally a flightless bird, though certain highly specialized breeds in some titles retain the ability to fly. It bears a resemblance to casuariiformes and ratites, capable of being ridden and otherwise used by player characters during gameplay. Chocobos first appeared in Final Fantasy II and have been featured in almost all subsequent Final Fantasy games, as well as making cameo appearances in numerous other games. A spin-off Chocobo series featuring chocobos has also been created.
WThe Covenant are a fictional theocratic hegemony of alien races who serve as the main antagonists in the first trilogy of the Halo video game series. They are composed of a diverse array of species united under the religious worship of the extinct Forerunners and their belief that the Forerunner ring worlds known as Halos will provide a path to salvation, known as the "Great Journey". After the high Covenant leadership—the 3 High Prophets—discover that the existence of the human species directly contradicts their ancient religion, they declare a genocidal campaign against humanity to preserve their own political power, knowing if they revealed this information to the rest of the Covenant it would mean the hegemony would fall into chaos. The High Prophets claimed the extermination of humanity is the "will of the gods and we [the Covenant] are their [the gods'] instrument." Over the next 27 years of war, the Covenant would repeatedly overpower the technologically inferior human race and its United Nations Space Command, devastating hundreds of human colonies throughout the Orion Arm, killing billions in their campaign. The Covenant are ultimately defeated during the final battle of the war set on the Ark, a Forerunner world, in Halo 3. With the Covenant destroyed, its former members create new factions with differing ideologies.
WCreepers are fictional enemies that attack by exploding near their target, and are also one of the main antagonists and mascots of the sandbox video game Minecraft. Creepers were added to Minecraft in an alpha update of the game on August 31, 2009. Since their release, the Creeper has become a widely recognized icon for Minecraft, and featured prominently in Minecraft merchandise and advertising.
WThe Darkspawn are a fictional collective of humanoid monsters who serve as recurring antagonists of the Dragon Age video game media franchise, developed by BioWare and owned by Electronic Arts. Within the series, they mostly dwell in the subterranean realms beneath the world of Thedas, the setting of the Dragon Age series. They are depicted as malevolent and ugly creatures who kill indiscriminately and corrupt anything they encounter, infecting other beings with a disease known as the "Taint" which twists its victims into monstrous creatures. The supposed origins of the Darkspawn is presented in Dragon Age: Origins as a religious creation myth by the Chantry, the dominant religious organization of Thedas, which underpins the civilization player characters interacts with in each game. The Darkspawn are portrayed as an overarching threat to the world of Thedas, as they periodically rise to the surface as a unified force led by an Archdemon, the corrupted form of ancient draconic beings once worshipped as deities by human civilizations in antiquity. The Darkspawn are primarily opposed by the Grey Wardens, a military order sworn to stop the rampaging hordes of monsters from overrunning the world by any necessary means.
WThe Deathclaw is a fictional reptilian species from the post-apocalyptic Fallout video game franchise. They were created by humans as biological weapons prior to the series' in-universe nuclear war. Escaping into the wild afterwards, they went on to thrive in the nuclear wasteland, becoming apex predators. Known as one of the Fallout series' most recognizable and iconic elements, Deathclaws were praised by critics for their design and the fear they induce in the player due to their immense power. As a result of their popularity, numerous mods were created for Fallout series games with the Deathclaw as a central theme, either to tame the creatures as a pet or use them in combat, concepts which were later added as an official feature.
WThe Felyne is a fictional species of anthropomorphic cats in the Monster Hunter video game series developed by Capcom. They are the most common members of a diminutive race of mammals known as the Lynians that also includes the Shakalaka. They accompany player characters, or "hunters", and can act as AI-controlled backup. Felynes who partner with a hunter are known as Palicoes and wear miniature suits of armor. Felynes have become a popular mascot for the series, and have featured in spin-off games, many cross-promotions with other Capcom and non-Capcom video games, and various Japanese consumer products.
WThe Flood is a fictional parasitic alien lifeform and one of the primary antagonists in the Halo multimedia franchise. First introduced in the 2001 video game Halo: Combat Evolved, it returns in later entries in the series such as Halo 2, Halo 3, and Halo Wars. The Flood is capable of infecting any sentient life of sufficient size; Flood-infected creatures, also called Flood, in turn can infect other hosts. The parasite is depicted as such a threat that the ancient Forerunners constructed artificial ringworld superweapons known as Halos to contain it and, as a last resort, to kill all sentient life in the galaxy in an effort to stop the Flood's spread by starving it.
WGoombas, known in Japan as Kuribo , are a mushroom-like species from Nintendo's Mario franchise. They first appeared in the NES video game Super Mario Bros. as the first enemy players encounter. They have appeared outside video games, including in film, television, and other media. They are usually brown and are most commonly seen walking around aimlessly, often as an obstacle, in video games. They were included late in the development of Super Mario Bros. as a simple, easy to defeat enemy.
WThe Hammer Bro is a recurring enemy in the Mario video game series. Created by Japanese video game designer Kazuaki Morita, it is a subspecies of Koopa Troopa that walks upright and attacks by throwing hammer projectiles at the player character. Different variations of the character, based on projectiles they throw, include Boomerang Bro, Fire Bro, Sledge Bro, Sumo Bro, and Ice Bro. It has appeared in nearly every Super Mario game since its first appearance in Super Mario Bros., and has also appeared in various animated and printed adaptations.
WA headcrab is a fictional alien parasitoid found in the Half-Life video game series created by Valve.
WKoopa Troopas or Koopas, known in Japan as Nokonoko (ノコノコ), are a fictional race of anthropomorphic turtle-like creatures from the Mario series, as well as its sister series Yoshi. Although the term 'Koopa' is a blanket term for the entire species of anthropomorphic tortoises in the series, to which creatures such as Lakitu, Hammer Bros. and Bowser belong, the term is often used to refer colloquially to this particular enemy. First appearing in the 1985 Nintendo Entertainment System game Super Mario Bros. along with the Goomba, the Koopa Troopa is among the oldest recurring enemies in the series and have appeared in some form in all of the main games and most of the spin-off games. When defeated, Koopas may flee from or retreat inside their shells, which can usually be used as weapons. Koopa shells are a recurring weapon in the series, particularly popularized in the Mario Kart series, in which they can be fired as projectiles against other racers. Despite making up the bulk of Bowser's army, known as the "Koopa Troop", Koopas as a species are often shown to be peaceful, some teaming up with Mario. An undead Koopa Troopa becomes a Dry Bones.
WThe krogan are a fictional extraterrestrial humanoid species in the Mass Effect multimedia franchise developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts. Variously described as a horny toad crossed with a stegosaurus, or "toads with sharp teeth", a member of the species is first introduced in the 2007 novel Mass Effect: Revelation. The krogan are typically depicted as large reptilian bipedal humanoids who are physically tenacious, favor mercenary work, and thrive on conflict and violence. The krogan are native to the planet Tuchanka, which is presented as a post-apocalyptic wasteland as a result of the krogan's global thermonuclear civil war in the distant past. The krogan are presented as having a complicated relationship with the rest of the Milky Way galactic civilizations, especially the salarians; a past conflict led to the other interstellar species unleashing a genetically engineered biological weapon called the genophage on the krogan, drastically reducing their population and potentially driving the species to an slow and inevitable extinction.
WLakitu, known in Japan as Jugem , is a fictional flying Koopa in the Mario franchise. Created by Shigeru Miyamoto, he first appeared in the Nintendo Entertainment System video game Super Mario Bros., where he dropped enemies called Spinies on the stage. He has a striped green shell, wears aviator goggles, and rides around in a smiling cloud. He has since appeared in several main Mario titles since, as well as Mario spin-off titles, notably the Mario Kart series where he acts as the referee and a playable character in Mario Kart 7, Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart Tour. He has appeared in non-Mario titles, including the Super Smash Bros. series as an assist trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
WThe Metroid (メトロイド) is a fictional alien organism and recurring antagonists in the eponymous Metroid video game series. A floating, jellyfish-like organism with quadripartite nuclei, it is capable of siphoning an undetectable life energy from any life form, generally causing the death of the victim in the process. This energy can also be extracted from the Metroid in turn, allowing it to be used as a living power source.
WMoogles are a fictional species of diminutive, sentient creatures and a recurring element of the Final Fantasy video game franchise, starting with their initial appearance in Final Fantasy III. They also appear in the Mana and Kingdom Hearts series. Moogles serve a variety of purposes in the various games in which they appear. They sometimes provide opportunities to record game progress or access shops; occasionally they assist in battle or may even become a playable character.
WPrinnies are a fictional race of creatures primarily in Nippon Ichi's Disgaea series of role-playing games. First appearing in Disgaea: Hour of Darkness, they have appeared in all later titles by the company, as well as on various merchandise such as hats and plush toys. With a few notable exceptions, they are voiced by Junji Majima in Japanese releases and Grant George in the English releases from Disgaea: Hour of Darkness to Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten. The Prinnies are regarded as the mascots for the Disgaea series and have received generally positive reception.
WThe Reapers are a fictional fleet of sentient starships that serve as the main antagonists of the Mass Effect trilogy. The design of the Reapers was inspired by H. P. Lovecraft's Elder Gods and Great Old Ones. Within the series, the Reapers cause galactic-level mass extinctions every fifty thousand years. The Reapers and their technology are capable of brainwashing organic life through a mind control process called indoctrination. The Reapers employ servants who are often altered into synthetic-organic life forms.
WThe Slime is the mascot of the Dragon Quest role-playing video game franchise. Originally inspired by the game Wizardry to be a weak and common monster for the video game Dragon Quest, Slime has appeared in almost every Dragon Quest game since. The character's popularity led to the appearance of many varieties of slimes, including boss characters, and even emerging as the protagonist of the Rocket Slime video game series.
WToad is a fictional character who primarily appears in Nintendo's Mario franchise. A humanoid with a mushroom-like head, Toad was created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, and is portrayed as a citizen of the Mushroom Kingdom and is one of Princess Peach's most loyal attendants, constantly working on her behalf. He is usually seen as a non-player character (NPC) who provides assistance to Mario and his friends in most games, but there are times when Toad takes center stage and appears as a protagonist, as seen in Super Mario Bros. 2, Wario's Woods, Super Mario 3D World.
WThe Ur-Quan are the main antagonists in Star Control and Star Control II, a science fiction video game series created by Paul Reiche III and Fred Ford. The Ur-Quan are introduced in Star Control as an intelligent race of giant predatory caterpillars, leaders of a hierarchy of battle thralls. Star Control II details a traumatic past that lead them to fiercely seek their own security. The Ur-Quan's military doctrine becomes a subject of intense internal conflict, leading to a civil war. In Star Control 3, developed by a different team, they ally with the player against a different antagonist and their role is scaled back.
WVortigaunts are a fictional extra-dimensional species in the Half-Life series of video games by Valve. In Half-Life and its three expansions, Vortigaunts are frequently encountered by the player as hostile non-player characters in Half-Life and later as allies in Half-Life 2. The Vortigaunts are depicted in Half-Life as being an enslaved race in an alternative dimension called Xen, subservient to a large creature called the Nihilanth, which itself is a slave to undisclosed masters. In Half-Life 2, the Vortigaunts have broken free of their slavery following Gordon Freeman's killing of the Nihilanth at the end of Half-Life, and actively assist the player and other humans in resisting the Combine occupation of Earth.
WYoshi is a fictional dinosaur who appears in video games published by Nintendo. Yoshi debuted in Super Mario World (1990) on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as Mario and Luigi's sidekick. Yoshi later starred in platform and puzzle games, including Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Yoshi's Story, Yoshi's Woolly World, and Yoshi's Crafted World. Yoshi also appears in many of the Mario spin-off games, including Mario Party and Mario Kart, various Mario sports games, and Nintendo's crossover fighting game series Super Smash Bros. Yoshi belongs to the species of the same name, which is characterized by their variety of colors.