Nintendo's Secret Wardrobe: Unearthing the Goths, Witches, and Wannabe Vampires Hiding in Plain Sight
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Dive into Nintendo's surprisingly dark side as we uncover the wonderfully goth, witchy, and even vampiric characters hidden amidst the usual cheer, proving that even the brightest gaming worlds need their shadows to feel complete.
Right, so Nintendo, eh? The purveyors of sunshine, rainbows, and the purest, unadulterated joy. Their whole schtick is 'putting smiles on the faces of everyone we touch.' And fair play, they’re bloody good at it. But as any decent wizard knows, for every burst of radiant light, there's gotta be a bit of shadow lurking, a dark corner where the truly interesting things happen. And mate, when you dig into Nintendo's character roster, you find some surprisingly deep, delightfully dark holes.
I’ve been tinkering with this idea of Nintendo’s 'goth' side for a bit now, thanks to some curious digital tea leaves I was reading, and fair dinkum, it's wilder than it first appeared. It's like Nintendo's been casting subtle charm spells, subtly weaving in characters who’d look right at home at a dark wave concert or a spooky poetry slam, all while still upholding the family-friendly facade. We're not just talking about a character wearing a black shirt, oh no. We're talking genuine, dyed-in-the-wool (or dyed-in-the-shadow, as it were) goth vibes, from mall goths to gothic lolitas to outright witches and beyond. Who knew Nintendo had such a knack for the beautifully melancholic?
Let’s kick off with the animal kingdom, shall we? *Animal Crossing* might seem like the last place you’d find a gloomy Gus, but think again. We've got **Muffy**, the black sheep with a gothic lolita aesthetic so spot-on it's almost uncanny. Her house? Practically a shrine to darkness. Her catchphrase? 'Nightshade.' This isn't just a phase, folks; this is a lifestyle. Then there's **Cherry**, the dog who rocks a black spiderweb tee like it's haute couture, always armed with a matching umbrella. She’s got that classic mall goth energy, probably listening to some early 2000s angst-rock. And **Roscoe** the horse? He leans more punk-goth, keeps his pad perpetually blacked out, and even has a skull radio – the ultimate goth accessory, bar none. It's like they've all got a secret Discord server planning their next village haunt.
Speaking of dark aesthetics, you can't talk Nintendo goth without mentioning *The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess*. The whole game just oozes gothic atmosphere, really. And in that murky world, we find **Agitha**, the self-proclaimed 'Princess of Bugs.' She’s a quirky goth through and through, obsessed with creepy crawlies and rocking a delicate parasol. Sure, her palette is brighter than most on this list, but her heart's clearly with the shadows. Her deep affection for Wolf Link isn't just a quirky friendship; it's practically an alternate reality where collecting wolves replaces butterfly nets. A bit of an emo phase for our Hyrulean hero, perhaps?
Then we slide over to the tactical battlefield with *Advance Wars*. If you're rolling with the Black Hole army, chances are you've got some dark leanings, but **Lash** and **Adder** from *Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising* are the undisputed champions of battlefield gloom. Adder, decked in black and purple with some rather flamboyant heels, gives off serious 'annoying goth guy trying too hard' vibes – his lines are just dripping with melodramatic villainy. But Lash? She's pure goth gremlin, a sadistic battle commander who clearly enjoys the chaos a bit *too* much. You just know she’s got a meticulously organised collection of tiny skulls back at base.
Now, for a character with a genuine goth *arc*, let’s look at **Annie** from *Splatoon*. She started out as this bright, fluorescent raver in the first game, all PLUR and neon hair. But by *Splatoon 3*, something shifted. She discovered gothic metal, traded her bright cardigan for a black one, and desaturated her locks. Annie is the introspective goth, the one who found solace in darker melodies and probably writes poetry about the existential dread of ink-based warfare. It's a proper character evolution, mate, and a surprisingly relatable one if you ever had a similar wardrobe overhaul in your youth.
*Fire Emblem* is a series ripe with dark characters, but **Tharja** takes the bloody cake. She's not just a dark mage; she's a dark mage who tells Chrom that 'Death comes to all of us eventually' and openly admits to a 'dark side.' Tharja feels like she was specifically designed for the portion of the fanbase with a very particular 'goth girlfriend' aspiration – and honestly, good on Nintendo for reading the room. It’s like they cast a spell to conjure the perfect fan-favourite brooding type, and Tharja popped right out.
And who else but **Waluigi** could embrace the vampire lifestyle so thoroughly? In the *Mario* games, Wario's vampire get-up always felt like a laugh, a mere costume. But Waluigi? When he dons the fangs and cape, it reads less like a gag and more like he's finally found his true calling. It's a lifestyle choice, an embrace of the chaotic, shadowy existence that only Waluigi could pull off with such commitment. You just know he's got a secret lair somewhere, probably full of purple velvet and ill-gotten garlic presses.
Then we have **Ashley** from *WarioWare*. She's a witch, she's friends with an imp, she wears a skull brooch, and she's described as lazy and quick to anger. If that's not Wednesday Addams coded, I don't know what is. Ashley is the quintessential witchy goth, probably brewing potions to avoid chores and perfecting her glare in the mirror. She perfectly encapsulates that moody, magical essence without needing to explicitly wear all black.
And for the most obvious entry, we can't forget the **Gothita, Gothorita, and Gothitelle** line from *Pokémon*. I mean, 'goth' is literally in the name of the final evolution! Game Freak was clearly having a bit of fun playing into gothic lolita fashion when designing these Psychic-types (not Dark-types, which is a neat twist). Gothorita even gets the moniker 'Witch of Punishment.' Talk about leaning into it! It's like someone in design said, 'Let's just make a Pokémon that *is* goth,' and they absolutely delivered.
Finally, an honourable mention that simply can't be left out: **Bayonetta**. Yes, she's technically a Sega creation, but with Nintendo publishing her recent games and her being a top-tier character in *Super Smash Bros. Ultimate*, she's practically part of the family now. And what list of gaming goths would be complete without the ultimate goth mommy witch? Her style, her sass, her unapologetic embrace of all things dark and fabulous – she’s a digital sorceress of epic proportions, and her inclusion here feels like Nintendo’s subtle nod to the truly dark side of gaming chic.
So what does this tell us, mate? Nintendo, for all its cheerful exterior, isn't afraid to dip a toe into the darker, more introspective corners of character design. It's not just about broad strokes; it’s about crafting nuanced personalities that resonate, even if those personalities prefer the graveyard shift. It’s a wonderfully chaotic balance, proving that even the brightest worlds need their shadows to feel truly complete. And who knows, perhaps their next big hero will be a mopey vampire squid, plotting world domination one sullen sigh at a time. A curious gamer can dream, can't they?
Tags: Nintendo, CharacterDesign, Goth, GamingCulture, RetroGaming
Original article: Polygon