The Search for the Most Broken Video Game Character

Whether you’re playing a casual online match with friends or facing off against top players in high-stakes e-sports tournaments, a broken character doesn’t just ruin the experience—they can fundamentally change the way the game is played. They can invalidate the entire roster or be so overpowered and easy to use that everyone flocks to them.

That said, the term “broken” gets thrown around so often in gaming circles that it’s practically lost its weight. But setting aside the overuse, what does it actually mean when we call a character "broken"?

To answer that, we need to draw a clear line.

Broken vs. Overpowered

In gaming, something is considered broken when it fundamentally goes against the core design and intended balance of the game. It’s not just strong—it’s something that shouldn’t exist in the game’s competitive environment. Whether it’s an ability, weapon, or mechanic, if it completely bypasses the rules or undermines the entire system, it’s effectively a legal form of cheating. These aren’t problems you can simply fix with a nerf—the only real solution is to remove or completely rework them.

Overpowered (OP) is a much simpler concept. It describes a character, ability, or weapon that still operates within the intended rules of the game but does so at a much higher level than everything else. They’re not breaking the game, just outperforming the competition. For example, if a character in a fighting game can throw a punch, that’s perfectly normal—but when that punch takes off 80% of your opponent’s health, it’s overpowered.

Sometimes, broken or overpowered characters are the result of what’s known as a playable SNK Boss. In classic fighting games, SNK Bosses are notoriously unfair AI opponents who blatantly ignore the rules of competitive balance. They’re usually final bosses with ridiculous speed, priority, and damage, often designed to frustrate players. In some games, developers allow these boss characters to become playable—usually after clearing specific challenges. When this happens, they’re typically nerfed to make them fair for competitive play. But occasionally, developers just say screw it and unleash the full monster on the player base.

View all articles of The Most Broken Character picks.

But just like my Greatest Villains Series, we're going to kick things off with some characters that will NOT be making the list. The following are characters that, under my previously explained criteria, I do not consider to be broken.

Note: I am only assessing characters based on their status at the height of their controversy. Some characters have since been patched or rebalanced and are no longer considered to be broken or overpowered.

Leroy Smith - Tekken 7

Before being nerfed into oblivion, Leroy Smith was the textbook definition of a braindead character when he first dropped. He didn’t just have insane combo potential and massive damage—he was incredibly easy to use. With virtually no learning curve, anyone could pick up Leroy and start steamrolling their local Tekken scene.

What made his release even more frustrating was the timing. Tekken 7 had been widely praised as one of the most balanced games in the franchise. Sure, there were strong top-tier characters, but no one had truly dominated the game—until Leroy showed up. It’s hard to even break down what specifically made him so overpowered because, honestly, he just had everything. Great damage, great tools, easy execution—he was an all-in-one powerhouse.

But what really broke Tekken fans’ hearts was the wasted potential. Leroy was supposed to be the coolest character Tekken had ever introduced. His fighting style was flashy, his design was incredible, and his vibe oozed swagger. But in the quest to create a dream character, the developers accidentally unleashed a nightmare.

Satinsect - Superior Soldiers

If Leroy Smith is the poster child for braindead characters, Satinsect is the gold standard for overpowered. And don’t worry if you’ve never heard of Superior Soldiers—honestly, I barely knew it existed myself. But I had to give a nod to what might be one of the most overpowered characters in any fighting game, at least within the context of their own roster.

As you can probably guess just by looking at his character model, his range is absolutely ridiculous. His normal attacks can reach nearly full screen, and when paired with dash cancels, they become even more oppressive. But what really sets him apart is that he has a one-touch stun combo that chunks off 50% of your health. And once you’re stunned, he can simply… do it again—effectively turning it into a true touch-of-death combo.

Meta Knight - Super Smash Bros. Brawl

I do not believe Meta Knight was broken. With some adjustments to his frame data and proper nerfs to his damage and mobility, he could have been a perfectly fair character. However, this is not to understate the menace that was. Meta Knight had everything you could possibly want in a Smash Bros. fighter—sword range, high damage, unmatched mobility and recovery, touch-of-death combos, and frame data so fast it gave him priority while leaving him nearly unpunishable.

Meta Knight didn’t just dominate Super Smash Bros. Brawl—he defined it. He won every matchup in the game to the point where the entire competitive meta revolved around him. Brawl’s tier list wasn’t based on how characters performed against the whole roster—it was based on how they fared against Meta Knight. Even if a character struggled against most of the cast, if they could go toe-to-toe with Meta Knight, they were considered top-tier. If they couldn’t, they simply didn’t matter.

Bayonetta - Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

With lightning-fast mobility, zero-to-death combos from virtually anywhere on screen, and the ability to freeze opponents in place with Witch Time, Bayonetta—the most requested character—quickly became the most hated. No matter how skilled a player was, their victories were always tainted by the stigma that they were simply carried by Bayonetta. And somehow, all of this was just the beginning of her impact on the game’s competitive legacy.

Evo 2018 – Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Grand Finals: Widely considered the worst Grand Finals in Evo history.

By that point, Bayonetta had dominated the scene for far too long, and years of frustration had boiled over within the Smash community. It all culminated when the two finalists—both using Bayonetta—decided to openly stall, holding the B button and standing still for nearly two full minutes. The crowd booed, commentators were stunned, and fans across the internet were furious. It looked like two friends were making a mockery of the biggest tournament of the year.

It wasn’t until an Evo Tournament Director stepped in, rulebook in hand, that the players were warned they’d be disqualified if they didn’t resume the match. By then, the damage was done. Bayonetta had not only warped the meta—she had left a permanent scar on competitive Smash history.