Top 10 Dumbest Geniuses in Video Games

“Portal 2” (2011)

The single-player portion of “Portal 2” shines a light on the history of Aperture Science, the company responsible for your nifty Portal gun, among other things. As it turns out, the company’s founder wasn’t too bright in the common sense department. Throughout “Portal 2,” you’ll piece together the company’s history partially through audio recordings of Johnson. The further you go, the more unhinged Johnson becomes, showing he shouldn’t be the one in charge. Moreover, his thirst for knowledge led him to acquiring toxic moon rocks that poisoned and eventually killed him. But not before he’d order his underlings to create a super advanced AI, which would end up murdering a lot of people.

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#9: Dr. Nefarious

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“Ratchet & Clank” Series (2002-)

Mad scientists are a classic video game archetype, though it seems most of them tend not to think certain things through. One of Ratchet & Clank’s most persistent villains is Dr. Nefarious, a maniacal robot with dreams of taking over the galaxy. Like many before him, Nefarious is overly-confident, impatient, and tends to betray most of his allies at the earliest opportunity. Yes, that makes him a pretty big jerk, but it's also a glaring hole in what’s supposed to be his supreme intelligence. His traits are often his own downfall; if he didn’t treat his so-called compatriots like trash, maybe one of his many failures would’ve been a success.

“Doom” (2016)

The premise of “DOOM” is simple: a portal to Hell has opened on Mars, with demons pouring through to rain havoc on a facility full of scientists. But why was a portal to Hell opened in the first place? Well, that’s all thanks to Samuel Hayden. As the Chairman of the UAC, Hayden discovered he could siphon energy from the Underworld in an attempt to solve Earth’s energy crisis. We don’t want to tell you how to do your job, Sam, but there had to have been a better solution than this. Hayden also led expeditions into Hell and was responsible for the hordes that broke through, eventually threatening all of Earth. If your solution only makes things worse, we have to question your intelligence.

“Borderlands 2” (2012)

The “Borderlands” franchise has plenty of dim-witted, usually insane characters. But Professor Nakayama definitely takes the cake for dumbest genius. He was a big supporter of Handsome Jack, the tyrannical murder-happy villain of “Borderlands 2.” That already calls his state of mind into question, though he attempts to clone Jack in the “Sir Hammerlock’s Big Game Hunt” DLC. As he had performed several experiments on himself, even grafting a gun onto his shoulder, he could’ve provided a tough fight. Instead, after he brags about his power, he falls down the stairs to his death. It’s a hilarious way for a so-called genius to go, especially since “Borderlands 2” doesn’t even have any fall damage.

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#6: Doctor Eggman

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“Sonic the Hedgehog” Series (1991-)

Dr. Ivo Robotnik, or Eggman as Sonic and his friends like to call him, is clearly a genius. His IQ is 300 and he’s a world-famous roboticist. Truly, his inventions are incredible. And yet, he’s somehow constantly thwarted by a hedgehog. Sure, Sonic is pretty powerful and usually has help, but you’d think Robotnik’s vast knowledge and experience could clutch a win every now and then. His end goal is to take over the world and force it into his utopic vision. However, if he actually worked with world leaders, he’d probably be able to reach this vision through non-violent methods. Doing so would likely also gain him power and influence, which he certainly craves. Instead, he’s a laughing stock.

“Dead or Alive 6” (2019)

If you know “Dead or Alive,” you know Raidou is a pretty twisted villain known for some pretty vile acts. So when NiCO, a newly introduced fighter and scientist for M.I.S.T., revived him as a cyborg, we definitely questioned her intelligence. Once revived, Raidou went on a rampage that literally anyone could’ve seen coming. Yet it somehow surprised NiCO. She’s obviously very smart when it comes to technology and cybernetics, but she clearly didn’t consider the consequences of her actions. While she only revives Raidou out of a desire to further her experiments to revive her own father, this was a terrible choice for both her career and for the well-being of others.

“Red Dead Redemption II” (2018)

When you aren’t wrapped up in the main plot of “Red Dead Redemption 2,” there are plenty of worthwhile side quests to distract you. In Saint Denis, you’ll come across Marko Dragic, an inventor who requires your help in a couple of experiments. Dragic is attempting to build a robot, and you help him achieve his dream. Unfortunately the robot breaks almost instantly after being turned on. That doesn’t stop Dragic, though. He’s much more successful the second time around. Unfortunately, his invention is such a leap forward in robotics that it kills him immediately. He’s not the only genius to cause his own death, but maybe he should’ve taken that first failure as a sign.

“Crash Bandicoot” Series (1996-)

It’s one thing to create something that kills you. But to create something that constantly brings upon your failure, time and time again? You may as well just pack it in and call it quits. Dr. Neo Cortex experimented on an unassuming bandicoot, turning him into the anthropomorphic hero and bane of Cortex’s existence. His plan was for Crash to become the general of his army in a quest to take over the world. Cortex already had plenty of minions, goons, and soldiers. Why he so vehemently wanted Crash to be the general is beyond us. He keeps coming back, yet is stopped by Crash every time. No matter what inventions he comes up with, they’ll never match up to his greatest failure.

“Conker’s Bad Fur Day” (2001)

Every character you come across in “Conker’s Bad Fur Day” is more ridiculous than the last. So it should come as no surprise that one of them is a professor who comes up with the dumbest solution to his problem. Professor Von Kriplesac is a mad weasel scientist who is instructed by King Panther to fix his broken table. The professor’s solution is not to just make a new leg, but to replace it with Conker as he’s the correct height. However, he also conspires to kill the Panther King and take his throne. He was nearly successful, planting the egg of a Xenomorph-like alien in the King that bursts from his chest. But the very squirrel he stupidly doomed brought about his undoing.

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#1: Dr. Wily

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“Mega Man” Series (1987-)

This mad scientist developed a desire for power through the jealousy of his colleague, Dr. Light. Though he has never reached the same level of success as his rival, he’s still a bonafide genius scientist. In the first game, he reprogrammed several of Dr. Light’s machines and attempted to use them to take control. However, in every subsequent appearance, he has either built or forced others to build robotic villains. It always turns out the same way though, with Mega Man victorious. Maybe if Wily didn’t stick to the same formula every time, he’d actually win. Each robot is weak to the power of another; Wily always gives Mega Man the necessary tools to be successful. What an idiot.