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Despite being one of Capcom's biggest fighting game franchises in the '90s, the Darkstalkers series hasn't received a new entry since 1997, not counting the various compilations, ports, and updates. It's a darn shame because Darkstalkers has a roster of some decidedly colorful characters, each one inspired by famous beasts and monsters from movies and mythology, not to mention some excellent fighting mechanics and flashy abilities.
The legacy of Darkstalkers needs to be carried on to the next generation, both for preservation purposes, and to repeatedly remind Capcom that yes, we really, really want another Darkstalkers. To that end, let's count down the coolest characters on the roster.
10 Demitri Maximoff, The Daywalking Vampire
When it comes to vampires, the older they get, the more dangerous they become. Having been born in the year 1483, Demitri's been sucking blood for centuries, getting older, wiser, and stronger the longer he does so.
All of those years of draining blood have given him access to a variety of potent magical abilities, including hypnosis, transmogrification, and flight, but perhaps his most important ability is his magical aura. Like all vampires, Demitri will die if exposed to the sun, but a special aura that covers his body allows him to move about in the daytime, greatly increasing his feeding hours.
9 Hsien-Ko, The Friendly Jiang-Shi
If you're not familiar with Chinese mythology, a jiang-shi is kind of like a cross between a zombie and a vampire. Rather than drinking blood, they steal the essence of life from their victims' souls, gaining frightening new powers in the process.
Hsien-Ko would be one of those monsters, but thanks to the magical support of her sister Mei-Ling, she maintains her sense of self while still having access to her jiang-shi powers. Said powers allow Hsien-Ko to hide a variety of weaponry within her deep sleeves, from blades to bludgeons to the occasional bonsai tree. She doesn't know how that got in there, either.
8 Baby Bonnie Hood, The Hidden Hunter
As the monsters collectively known as Darkstalkers become more prevalent in the world, so to do the Darkhunters, humans contracted to hunt them down and exterminate them. B.B. Hood is one of those hunters, though you'd never guess from looking at her.
On the surface, she seems like an ordinary, cheerful young girl, but hidden under her cloak and within her picnic basket are a veritable arsenal of explosives and firearms, all of which she's all too eager to use on any monster that looks at her funny. Or even one that doesn't! She's not picky.
7 Victor von Gerdenheim, The Gung-Ho Golem
Despite what his intimidating stature and thousand-yard stare may imply, Victor is actually a very peppy and fun-loving person, eager to make friends and help folks out. Of course, whether people accept help from a walking corpse golem is another matter, but he gets points for trying.
He certainly has the strength to back up his drive; Victor's body is a natural electrical dynamo, allowing him to discharge powerful bolts of lightning at will. Due to his composite nature, Victor also has an astonishing amount of control over his various extremities. He can even grab people with his butt!
6 Lord Raptor, The Rocking Revenant
Has anyone ever told you they love music to death? Well Lord Raptor loves it to death and well past it. As one of Australia's premier rock stars in life, Raptor was transformed into a ghoul by Emperor Ozom, a demon with an insatiable hunger for souls.
Being dead on his feet hasn't dulled Raptor's razor edge, though. He's still a wicked guitar player whose supernatural sound can stun foes and drain their souls away, and his undead physiology allows him to create various blades and drills from his bones and limbs. More than anything, he wants power and position, the kind that would make his rock stardom look like child's play.
5 Jedah Dohma, The Bloody Reaper
Jedah is one of the absolute worst kinds of demons: a bureaucratic one. It comes with being a shinigami. His primary concern is the goings-on of the Makai realm, but his ultimate dream is a utopia created from both the realms of demon and man (forcefully, if necessary). To make that dream come true, he's willing to employ any means necessary, including stealing souls en masse.
In a fight, Jedah displays the true horror of his abilities, launching his own blood at foes and transforming it into blades and buzz saws. Jedah's entire body is a weapon, right down to the cellular level, and he's not afraid to use it.
4 Huitzil, The Ancient Automaton
Millions of years ago, the malevolent alien Pyron constructed an army of automatons to destroy the Earth. They got as far as wiping out the dinosaurs, but then an earthquake either destroyed or trapped most of them. In the age of man, the ancient Mayans unearthed several of these automatons and had them serve as guardians.
Huitzil is one of these ancient machines, and while he was reactivated by Pyron to fulfill his original programming, he'd much rather protect a young Mayan boy. Should anything threaten that boy, Huitzil will utterly destroy them with his array of explosives, laser weapons, and spiked grinders.
3 Anakaris, The Immortal Pharaoh
Anakaris ruled a mighty kingdom in Ancient Egypt, becoming Pharaoh at the young age of 12. Centuries later, when Pyron's return to Earth caused a spark of supernatural energy, Anakaris was revived as an all-powerful mummy.
Using his mysterious magic, Anakaris is capable of a wide array of incredible feats, from warping space to leaping through time. In a fight, he can stretch his bandaged body long distances, curse his foes, and conjure the elements. Thankfully, as opposed to most depictions of magically revived Pharaohs, he's actually a fairly just and even-tempered person, so long as no one questions his royal authority.
2 Morrigan Aensland, The Fun-Loving Succubus
Being a succubus, Morrigan requires stimulation for sustenance, but unlike most succubi who get that stimulation in exactly the way you're thinking, Morrigan gets it by stimulating herself. Shopping, having fun, and just generally being a hedonist both keep Morrigan alive and empower her.
She's certainly got no shortage of power, as her wings can transform into a variety of deadly implements, from blades to blasters. She usually allies herself with humanity in major conflicts, such as the ones against Pyron and Jedah, though less because she cares about humans and more because she doesn't want to lose her favorite shopping spots.
1 Jon Talbain, The Warrior Werewolf
Born to an English mother and a werewolf father, Jon assumed he was a normal person until a certain full moon awakened his Lycan-tainted blood, transforming him into a vicious werewolf. Unable to return to his human form, Jon did the only thing he could: train.
He dedicated himself fully to martial arts in body and soul, and in doing so, gained the discipline necessary to control his bloodlust. Yes, that's right: he suppressed his werewolf instincts through sheer force of will. As a peak martial artist, Jon is capable of immense feats of strength, made all the greater by his enhanced werewolf strength.