You can’t really have a good game without a good villain. And Nintendo had quite a few fun villains in their video games. From iconic ones like Bowser to slightly more obscure ones like Gigyas, Nintendo villains have made their mark on the gaming world.
My favorite Nintendo villain is Ganondorf, though that’s mostly because Legend of Zelda is my favorite game series. But this guy is both intriguing and menacing. He’s always spoken of with this kind of scared reverence, and when you do face him, he usually lives up to the hype of being powerful and frightening. He really was the King of Evil.
And since Nintendo villains have been pretty popular, so is the fan art surrounding them. In fact, there’s a lot of fan art of Nintendo villains. And while many artists just like to recreate the villain in their own style, other artists also like to play around with the villains’ looks and settings. Sometimes they mess around with the genders, sometimes they make the characters older and younger, and sometimes they put them in a completely different setting. And for many fans, it’s fun to see a powerful villain be in an unusual situation for their character.
But what would these villains look like if they were in a slightly more mundane setting? What if these baddies were at college? What would they look like? Well, that’s what these fan artists decided to find out. So here are 20 Nintendo villains that have been reimagined as college students.
Think we missed some good villains? Make sure to let us know in the comments section below!
20 Watch Out For This Gang
Wherever Bowser is, the Koopalings aren’t far behind. These Koopa siblings are all fun and unique in their own way, and they aim to carry out their boss’s bidding in trying to stop Mario. And for the longest time, we thought they were Bowser’s kids, but it just turns out they’re his henchmen.
This modern version of the Koopa Gang is something I could see in a college setting. This group of crazy kids would be the terror on campus. And I like how all their styles reflect their personalities pretty well. What crazy things would they get up to on campus?
Art by BiteGhost.
19 What Kind Of Music Would He Play?
Dark Pit is another one of those characters that is sometimes a villain and sometimes an ally to our main hero. He struggles a lot with identity since he is a doppelganger of Pit, and he’s also much more serious and aggressive. He’s also very independent and hates the idea of taking orders, which sometimes creates problems and sometimes helps out Pit.
Dark Pit would totally play guitar.
I like the idea of Dark Pit sitting around campus and playing the guitar. I could see him doing just because he needed to get away from the stress of his life and relax. Maybe he and Pit would be rivals at college too.
Art by 1abiodun.
18 How Could They Do This To Luigi, Wario?
Wario’s another one of those characters where he can be the villain or the hero, depending on the game you play. Though most of the time, he’s kind of just a big, obnoxious, rude jerk. And while he’s annoying, he’s relatively harmless. Apparently, he’s the opposite of Mario, so there’s that.
What’s funny about this art piece is the fact that Wario would totally be flirting it up with Daisy. And in a college setting, I could see Wario making a move on Daisy. I like that the artist actually made these two to look like a surprisingly cute couple. (Though the sad Luigi in the background is pretty heartbreaking.)
Art by Omar-Dogan.
17 Campus Should Watch Out For This Guy
While Mewtwo technically isn’t a villain in the Pokémon games, it is the main villain in one of the Pokémon movies, so we’ll count it. And the fact that even in the games it’s described as vicious and very powerful gives it a bit of villain status. This is a Pokémon you should be very careful around.
But what would Mewtwo look like as a human in a college setting? Pretty interesting. I like that this artist kept Mewtwo’s more intimidating demeanor in the human form, giving him that perpetual scowl. And I like Mew as the addition. I could see Mewtwo being the disgruntled older brother of Mew and having to deal with the stress of college while looking after his little brother.
Art by Ankalime.
16 This Guy Would Be At All The Parties
You might not realize it, but Donkey Kong was technically the villain in the first Donkey Kong game. He captures the beautiful Paulina, and it’s up to Jumpman (predecessor to Mario) to save her. And there have been a couple of Mario games where Donkey Kong is the main antagonist. So, while this big guy can be a hero, he also makes a good villain too.
For some reason, I can picture Donkey Kong just being the ultimate frat boy at a college setting. He’d be all about the parties and having fun. And this artist’s take on a college style Donkey Kong is pretty cool. The red pants are a nice touch.
Art by Robaato.
15 Something Tells Me This Happens A Lot
Demise and Ghirahim have an interesting relationship, especially since Demise more or less sacrifices Ghirahim to bring his sword back. They seem to be purely master and servant. But it would be interesting to see these two interacting in a less formal manner. What would they be like?
The idea that everyone crashes at Ghirahim's apartment is hilarious.
This artist decided to have a little fun with the characters of Skyward Sword and put them all together in an apartment: Ghirahim’s apartment, apparently. And he doesn’t seem all that happy that everyone’s there. In this case, Ghirahim and Demise seem to be casual friends, which is a fun concept. And the idea that everyone just crashes at Ghirahim’s apartment is pretty hilarious.
14 Yep, The King Takes The Subway
You can’t get much more iconic than the King of Evil, and Ganondorf gets all the points for being intimidating. In practically every Zelda game he’s in, his presence just radiates with power and menace. This is not a man you want to mess with.
I like that in this art piece, Ganondorf is forced to ride the subway with Link and Zelda. It looks like he’s probably some type of professor and one the two students don’t particularly like. Everyone looks so annoyed here, and it’s pretty hilarious. I could see Ganondorf being a type of business professor. Plus, he looks amazing in a suit!
Art by Om-Nom-Berries.
13 He’s The Koopa King Of The Campus
Where there’s Mario, there’s usually Bowser. This King of the Koopas is determined to take over the Mushroom Kingdom. (Or maybe he just has a thing for Princess Peach. He does steal her a lot, and he’s tried to marry her in a couple of games.) But no matter what, Bowser is usually determined to make Mario’s life more difficult.
This version of Bowser is pretty fun, and what I’d imagine a younger, humanoid version of Bowser would look like. I could see college Bowser being a type of skater punk. He’s totally rocking the spiked armbands, and the green hood is a nice touch.
Art by Kiwihorizon.
12 I Think He Likes Star Fox
Whether or not Star Wolf is a villain in the Star Fox games kind of depends on the games and this wolf’s whims. Star Wolf and his team are a group of mercenaries, and they’re often hired by Andross to try and take down Star Fox and his team. But we’ve also seen Star Wolf team up with Star Fox, so eh.
But imagining Star Wolf in a college setting is pretty fun. You know that he and Fox would totally be rivals and fight half the time, but also have each other’s backs if things got dangerous. And the idea of Wolf flirting with Fox is a pretty entertaining one, especially since it would explain some of their rivalry.
11 He’d Be The Most Fabulous Person On Campus
If Ganondorf radiates power, then Ghirahim radiates... fabulousness? I don’t think we’ve gotten a Zelda villain who’s been quite so flamboyant and still be seriously intimidating as Ghirahim. This guy initially comes across as this vain, slightly creepy pretty boy who’s obsessed with his looks, but there’s that underlying and unnerving tension present whenever he’s around. He’ll still kick your butt with ease and he can give out some serious damage.
Ghirahim looks great in everything.
What I like about this art piece is that it shows the height differences you’d see with Link, Ghirahim, and Ganondorf. (Yeesh, I always forget how huge Ganondorf is.) And you know Ghirahim would be rocking the bling. (I also love the red jacket and boots.)
Art by Datpyrolady.
10 He Looks Pretty Good For A Crazy Guy
Zant was a rather interesting Zelda villain, in that he started out as this incredibly intimidating figure surrounded in mystery. But when you actually confront him in battle, he becomes a lot less scary and a lot more crazy. Throughout the battle with him, I couldn’t help but start laughing; the guy was so ridiculous.
While I’m not sure if this piece is a strictly college reimagining of Zant, I can imagine modern day Zant looking something like this. I love the red hair on him; it seems to fit him so well. And I like that the artist kept Zant’s Twili characteristics, since those are always fun to see in these characters.
Art by ZimAndChowder4Evr.
9 Hey, Studying Is Hard
Lyon is a rather interesting villain, especially since most of his evil comes from being possessed by the dark stone and the influence of the Demon King. But even without that influence, we see that Lyon does struggle with feeling inferior to his friends and having some jealousy issues. His tale is rather tragic and shows just what may happen when you play with dark forces.
Lyon would totally be a serious student.
While this art piece may not be a strictly college setting, it is a school setting. And seeing Lyon react to his friend Ephraim’s antics are pretty funny. You know that Lyon would be a very serious student. And you know that Ehpraim would totally fall asleep during a study session. Hang in there, Lyon!
Art by Artemis-Yates.
8 Don’t Run Into This Guy In A Dark Alley
While Dark Link has only appeared in two Zelda games, he’s become a pretty iconic villain with fans. The concept of having to fight a dark version of yourself is always a very interesting one. And Dark Link is pretty unsettling. He’s known as being the most difficult boss in The Adventure of Link, and he’s a pretty hard minor boss in Ocarina of Time.
This artist decided to portray a modern Dark Link as a type of gang leader, and it fits surprisingly well. Whether or not this is a college setting, it’s a look at what Dark Link may be like in our world, and it’s pretty freaky.
Art by Smashgal.
7 Looking A Little Chilly There
If Wario is meant to be the opposite of Mario, then Waluigi is obviously the opposite of Luigi. What’s kind of funny is that Waluigi only really shows up in the Mario sports games. So apparently, he isn’t into crazy adventures like everyone else is, but if they want to play tennis, he’s down. Though I wonder how he and Wario became friends?
I’m not sure if this is a college setting, but this probably would happen if the two friends were at college. I love Waluigi’s hoodie. It’s more casual than what he normally wears, but it’s a good look on him. (And Wario with a Russian fur hat is hilarious and strangely fitting.)
Art by Kuhn-Gu.
6 He Puts The Mad In Mad Scientist
Klaus becoming Zanza is basically what happens when you start messing with things you probably shouldn’t. Because of Klaus’s actions, he creates an entire new universe while destroying the original one. And then he becomes Zanza: a god of this universe, and not a very good one. This guy is unstable, incredibly powerful, and pretty intimidating.
While this art piece is more about what Klaus and Meyneth were like before Klaus created the new universe, I could easily see this being a college piece. Klaus and Meyneth would totally be those science nerds on campus and would be up at all hours of the day, working on their experiments.
5 The Master of Darkness Must Pass Chemistry
While Vaati may not be as well known as other villains in the Zelda games, he still made his mark on fans. This powerful sorcerer is someone you really don’t want to mess with, and he definitely caused a lot of problems for Link.
Vaati could totally rock casual or formal.
But Vaati in a modern college setting looks pretty awesome! I could see Vaati being into the casual jeans and t-shirt look, though he wouldn’t be afraid to get more fancy if the occasion came up. I also like that the artist kept his gray skin tone and the marking under his eye. Vaati would be interesting as a college student. I wonder what he would study?
Art by AwesomeShinigami.
4 Things Are Getting Crazy With These Koopas
Whenever we see Bowser Jr., we generally see a little baby Koopa with the biggest attitude. He’s definitely his father’s son, and he’s not afraid to remind you of that. But what would Bowser Jr. be like if he were older?
A college-age Bowser Jr. looks pretty cool.
This artist decided to take a crack at what a human, college-age Bowser Jr. would be like, and I think he looks pretty cool. He’s apparently hanging out with the Koopa Gang and you can tell they’re having a blast in all their crazy, violent glory. I like how Bowser Jr. paints the famous Bowser mouth on his face. And all the other Koopalings look great!
3 This Team Is Having A Good Time
The Star Wolf team were kind of the opposites of the Star Fox team. And depending on the game, they were setting out to either destroy or help Fox, Falco, Peppy, and Slippy. So, we’ll count them as villains, since Fox and his team has had to fight against them a few times.
The idea of these pilots all standing around in a relaxed manner is a kind of funny one since their interactions are usually pretty tense. But I like the idea of Fox and his friends being on somewhat good terms with Wolf and his group. And this art piece shows a nice scene where Fox’s and Wolf’s gang are hanging out and having fun in the snow.
Art by Rath-Raholand.
2 He’d Be The Creepiest Roommate
King Boo was kind of a minor villain until Luigi’s Mansion came along. And there, he proved just how diabolical and dangerous he can actually be. Turning Mario into a painting is pretty creepy, and the fact that he occupied this haunted mansion and designed it to be a trap for the Mario brothers is pretty creepy.
So, what would King Boo be like as a human college student? Still creepy, apparently. While the artist doesn’t specify if this version of King Boo is a college student, I could see it being a thing. Though apparently this version of him still has his freaky ghost powers. I wouldn’t want this guy as my roommate.
Art by Alislair.
1 Don’t Mess With This Guy
Morton Koopa Jr. is more or less the leader of the seven Koopalings. He does answer to Bowser, but he is the head honcho of the Koopa Siblings. And for a good reason; this guy is pretty tough. But what would Morton Koopa Jr. look like in a college setting?
This artist decided to do a human version of Morton, and he looks pretty awesome! Morton totally would wear cameo pants and a windbreaker jacket. I also like that he has a star scar/birthmark over his eye like in the games. And the white hair with a black streak is a nice touch. I’m not sure what this guy would study, though.
Art by Ebraunstein.