There is a surprisingly diverse range of characters when it comes to skeletons in video games. In the modern day, they are portrayed as far more than just undead monsters. They can be allies, teachers, and heroes. They can get moody, funny, witty, and even innocent. Of course, there are plenty of skeleton villains out there that are still loved for their design and memorable fights.

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From horror games to action-adventure, these skeletons are memorable characters, each with their own set of unique reasons.

10 Skelly From Hades

Skelly talking to Zagreus.

Hades is an indie game that took the world by storm with its colorful art, lovable characters, and addicting combat. One such lovable character was Skelly, a skeleton of the Underworld that was hired as a training dummy for Zagreus. He does not mind getting hit with weapons or being killed, because once he is out of HP, he just poofs right back into existence.

It is never expected for a skeleton to be talkative, but Skelly is quite the talker. He is also quite supportive of Zagreus.

9 Emil From Nier

Emil touching his face.

Emil is one of Nier's many tragic characters. He is a little boy turned into a monstrous skeleton creature. For a skeleton, he looks especially scary with a permanent smile and huge emotionless eyes. However, once he speaks, he makes it known that he is a good guy. In fact, he is just a sweet little boy.

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While he was introduced in Nier, Emil is also a character in Nier: Automata. His skeletal form and magic have allowed him to live that long.

8 Manny Calavera From Grim Fandango

Manny in Grim Reaper outfit.

Manny is a skeleton anyone would want to have a beer with. He is a smooth-talker with a great sense of humor and is the hero of his story. He has all the habits of a detective noir protagonist, such as drinking, flirting, and smoking. He is resourceful, persuasive, and can even be a good leader at times.

Manny was once alive, but it is unknown what kind of person he was before he worked in the Department of Death.

7 Dry Bones From Mario

Dry Bones with tennis racket.

Dry Bones are skeletal Koopa Troopas and are as iconic as most Mario characters. They were introduced in Super Mario Bros. 3 in 1988 and still appear in most of the Mario games to this day. They have served as both villains and playable characters.

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Mario is a franchise that has many installments, and Dry Bones is mostly in the role of enemy or rival. They are often a fan favorite in terms of playable characters in games like Mario Party and Mario Kart.

6 The Messengers From Bloodborne

Skeletons on floor with scroll.

These little NPCs may be skeletons, but they are actually a little cute. Within the lore, the messengers actually help hunters by following their orders and passing information back and forth between them. There are also certain creatures that have messengers embedded in them. These creatures include the Winter Lanterns, Crawlers, and Mother Brain.

Players can even dress up messengers with skins, adorning them with ribbons, top hats, or bandages.

5 Daniel Fortesque From MediEvil

Daniel face close up.

Skeleton protagonists are rare in video games, making Sir Daniel a rare breed. He (embarrassingly) died to the first arrow shot in a battle. He, along with an undead army, is brought back by an evil sorcerer. Daniel decides this is his chance to be a true hero and defeat the evil sorcerer Zarok.

So while Daniel looks like a frightening skeleton, he has the heart of a knight. He loves to tell stories, play croquet, and be someone that can save others.

4 Gravelord Nito From Dark Souls

Nito awakening.

Gravelord Nito is a lot to look at, as he is a giant skeleton packed with more skeletons. He is a boss in Dark Souls and resides in the Tomb of Giants. He is not optional and must be defeated to beat the main story.

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Even his weapon appears to be shaped of bone. He certainly does have the design to make a fine manifestation of death and decay. His attacks even do toxic damage.

3 Death From Castlevania

Death flying in air.

Death is a major villain of the Castlevania series. In fact, he is Dracula's second-in-command. In most instances, Death is a boss battle toward the end of the game in the clock tower (a symbol of the inevitability of death). Outside of the games, Death even played a large role as the surprise final antagonist of the Castlevania Netflix series.

In terms of design, Death often looks like the classic Grim Reaper. His cloak has sometimes been blue or purple, and he once disguised himself as a priest.

2 Sans And Papyrus From Undertale

Papyrus and Sans on street.

Sans and Papyrus stole the show in Undertale. These skeleton brothers are comedy gold as well as lovable rascals. Fans have many theories about them due to their popularity. There are especially a lot of theories to Sans, as he is the hardest boss in the game and only becomes a boss in genocide playthroughs.

When it comes to video game skeletons, Sans and Papyrus are often the first that many gamers think about.

1 Spinal From Killer Instinct

Spinal with sword and shield.

Spinal is a signature character of his franchise. He is an undead bandit thanks to an artifact called the Mask of the Ancients. In terms of alignment, he is neutral evil. His weapons of choice are a cutlass and shield.

With each game, his design has been upgraded. In the earlier games, he wore little. In the 2013 Killer Instinct though, he got to lean more into a pirate theme with boots, a belt, clothing scraps, and ropes.

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