In most video games, the protagonist takes center stage. The main character is often at the forefront on the game's box art, in its marketing, and more often than not, in its title. From Super Mario to The Sims, games tend to be named after whoever you happen to control.

RELATED: Games Where The Villain's And Antagonist's Plan Actually Made Sense

Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. Certain games place an emphasis on characters who fall outside the player's control — shifting the focus to other important figures, your love interest, or even the game's main antagonist. Here are a few games that are named after characters who you don't play as.

10 Hades

Zagreus Prepares To Fight Through Hades

In the critically acclaimed roguelike Hades, you don't actually control the titular ruler of the Underworld. Instead, you'll be in command of his son Zagreus, the hotheaded hero who fends off hoards of his father's minions as he attempts to abscond from the dark domain. You'll enlist the aide of a wide array of Greek gods as you make a break for Mount Olympus, their home.

Although he's not your playable avatar, Hades is definitely a looming presence over the entire game. Not only does he serve as the final encounter of each run, he's also a character that you can converse with in the main hall of the Underworld — although he's not exactly the most friendly of the realm's inhabitants.

9 God Of War

Keeping to the theme of Greek mythology, the original God of War's title does not refer to its protagonist, Kratos. That title actually belongs to the god who mirrors the role in real-world mythology, Ares.

The original game uses this as its initial plot device. Kratos' ambitions lie in hunting down Ares and exacting revenge on him, as the godly being had a direct hand in the deaths of Kratos' wife and daughter.

8 The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

Legend Of Zelda: Majora's Mask: Art Page

The Legend of Zelda series was infamous at one point for being named after the regal Princess Zelda, rather than the playable hero Link. Similarly to the next entry on this list, many young fans would spend a significant amount of time confusing the tunic-wearing knight with his royal romantic interest. While this is enough to earn the franchise a spot here, Nintendo 64 title Majora's Mask takes this unconventional naming structure to new heights.

RELATED: Zelda: Similarities Between Majora's Mask And Breath Of The Wild

Not only is the series' namesake not actually present during your adventure through Termina, appearing only in a brief flashback, this particular entry also contains a subtitle based around its villain, the menacing Majora's Mask. That means that there are two characters in the title, and neither of them are the person you're controlling.

7 Metroid

metroid NES screenshot

In the side-scrolling masterpiece Metroid you'll fill the power suit of Samus Aran, a galactic bounty hunter tasked with tracking down a notorious band of space pirates that have taken residence on the ominous planet Zebes.

These pirates have stolen samples of the Metroid parasite, and have set about planning to revive the dormant creatures. Their ultimate aim? To use them as a biological weapon in their quest to conquer the galaxy.

6 Donkey Kong

via: kotaku.com

Rounding out our trifecta of confusing Nintendo game titles is Donkey Kong, the game that started it all. While this arcade hit marks the first appearance of Mario, it's named after the villain of the tale, the then-evil Donkey Kong.

You're tasked with making it to the top of a series of rafters to reach the great ape, hoping to defeat him and rescue Mario's love interest at the time, Pauline. This title would launch the gaming careers of both Mario and Donkey Kong, with more aptly-named series in the pipeline for both iconic characters.

5 Catherine

katherine, catherine, and rin looking at the viewer

In Catherine, you'll take on the role of Vincent Brooks, an indecisive young man who is noticeably not named Catherine. Vincent's longtime girlfriend is, in fact, named Katherine, but the woman he unwittingly cheats on her with is actually the titular Catherine.

We know, it's confusing already. What makes it worse for Vincent is that this alluring stranger's mysterious nature sends him tumbling into a world of vivid nightmares and challenging puzzles. And sheep.

4 Metal Gear

Metal Gear NES Trucks
Metal Gear NES

In the original Metal Gear, you play as Solid Snake, a special-ops soldier on a mission into the military base Outer Haven. Snake's mission revolves around taking down Metal Gear, a prototype walking tank with the ability to fire off a nuclear device from any location.

RELATED: Metal Gear Solid Being Unavailable On Modern Consoles Is An Insult To Our History

While the "Metal Gear" naming convention would stick for the duration of the series, it's always a title designated to your greatest threat, rather than your hero. For a series with a story as complex and masterfully told as that of Metal Gear, this title choice is one of the least confusing aspects at play.

3 Mike Tyson's Punch Out!!

Mike Tyson's Punchout NES
Mike Tyson's Punchout NES

Mike Tyson serves as the final boss of the original Punch-Out game, where you step into the ring as Little Mac and duke it out with a series of unique and stylized characters.

While subsequent entries don't include Tyson's name in the title, the original game leaned heavily on his likeness — although you don't encounter the legendary boxer until your very last fight in the story.

2 Alien: Isolation

Alien Isolation Xenomorph Shadow Shot
via Sega
Alien Isolation's Believable Environment With Alien Shadow

Alien Isolation, like the series of movies that inspired it, places the actual alien in question firmly in the role of villain. The ominous extraterrestrial spends its time hunting down Amanda Ripley, daughter of the film franchise's star Ellen Ripley, through a dark and appropriately isolated space station.

Though you spend the game controlling Amanda, the otherworldly threat is always front and center, even as it avoids your gaze. You'll constantly be aware that something is skulking through the station, ready to strike at almost any moment.

1 Space Invaders

via cavaverman.bandcamp.com

Another arcade classic, Space Invaders is a timeless video game that helped invigorate the entire genre with its compelling gameplay. The invaders from space are your enemies here, and taking down wave after wave of them is your ultimate goal throughout the experience.

Considering the fact that the tiny pixelated aliens from this masterpiece have become somewhat synonymous with video games as a medium, it seems that the developers made the right call.

NEXT: Likable Characters Who Turn Out To Be The Bad Guys