Though Xbox might not have quite the history that PlayStation or Nintendo does, they’ve still been around for twenty years now. Across four consoles, they’ve been responsible for some pretty amazing experiences in video games. Whether it’s what Halo did for the first-person shooter on console or how Xbox was responsible for bringing HD gaming to fans everywhere, Microsoft’s contribution is undeniable.
In that time, they’ve also created some pretty awesome characters. Some of them are obvious, while others are from franchises that some people have never even played. Like any major console developer, they’ve got plenty of cool characters that come from their relationships with third-party companies.
10 Marcus Fenix Defeated The Leader Of An Alien Invasion Attacking Earth
The lead protagonist of the Gears of War franchise for four installments, Marcus Fenix is nothing to play with. He’s a legendary soldier who’s seen it all and done it all. He led his group into battle against the Locusts and even defeated their queen in close combat. He’s the kind of warrior people talk about in hushed tones, refusing to believe even half of his accolades could belong to a single person. Though the character isn’t the lead anymore with Kait Diaz taking over, Marcus still deserves respect for leading the franchise through an entire trilogy and then some.
9 Frank West Fought Through Multiple Zombie Hordes
Capcom’s Dead Rising is often exclusive to the Xbox, both on Xbox 360 and Xbox One. Frank has varying levels of power, though the fact that he survived multiple zombie games in itself makes him almost superhuman. But at the end of the last game, Frank is actually turned into a zombie with greater powers than the average zombies. He’s got super speed and strength and can use a Black Canary-like scream to incapacitate humans and zombies alike. Of course, he doesn't retain these powers, as he’s cured at the end and gets to go back to his life as a human.
8 Geralt Has Spent Decades As A Monster Hunter
The Witcher 3 is multi-platform, but The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings was a console exclusive to Xbox 360 because it was too difficult to port over to PlayStation at the time. Therefore, Geralt is a valid contender for most powerful Xbox character.
Geralt is one of the most powerful Witchers that ever lived. Because he was able to deal with the Trial of the Grasses, he was experimented on further, augmenting his abilities beyond even the average Witcher. In his time as a Witcher, Geralt has earned renown for his deeds from everyone from sorceresses to royalty.
7 Jago Is A Monk With A Secret Power
This Killer Instinct character can technically be called the “protagonist” of the series. Trained by monks and burdened with the power of an evil tiger spirit, Jago enters the Killer Instinct tournament to defeat UltraTech. Unfortunately, this causes him to awaken the power of Gargos within. Despite his quest to be a centered warrior, Jago’s control over this energy can wane, resulting in him turning into Shadow Jago. Jago’s incredible power makes him one of the most powerful people in the Killer Instinct universe.
6 Razputin Aquato Has A Wide Variety Of Mental Powers Available To Him
The Psychonauts universe fell into Xbox’s hands when they purchased the studio Double Fine, which makes the Psychonauts protagonist Razputin one of their own. Razputin is a young psychic who’s brought into the Psychonauts as an intern but displays some incredible abilities. Razputin’s exposure to Psitanium increases his abilities several times over. He can use these powers to move objects with telekinesis or fire off psychic energy blasts, he can set things on fire, and is even capable of slowing down time around enemies. Not bad for a kid who just started learning his powers.
5 Ryu Hayabusa Is A Superhuman Ninja With Powerful Elemental Abilities
The Ninja Gaiden series went to the Xbox after being dormant from its time on NES, making the console its home with the Ninja Gaiden Black series. Ryu Hayabusa is a legendary ninja that’s a master of both hand-to-hand and armed martial arts. He relies on the power of the Dragon Sword in combat, a weapon created by the dragons themselves and molded from one of their fangs. Of course, as a ninja he has plenty of other weapons and also has access to a variety of special ninpo techniques, which allow him to channel ice, wind, lightning, and fire to help him in his battles.
4 Tusk Is An Immortal Swordsman Barbarian Responsible For Defeating A Great Evil
Fighting game lore is always a bit complex, as it’s hard to tell who’s the most powerful character at any given moment. Arcade mode alone will tell fans the most powerful character is the one they’re playing with.
But gameplay/narrative dissonance aside, Killer Instinct's Tusk is an immortal who’s lived for several thousand years. Tusk was originally responsible for defeating Gargos and locking him away. Since then, though Gargos has increased in power, Tusk still seems to have the best chance of defeating him.
3 Cuphead Managed To Battle Against Countless Foes To Get His Soul
It’s hard to keep a good toon down. Considering Cuphead and his brother Mugman went up against an entire army to keep his soul, it’s obvious his problem isn’t a lack of power. He’s armed with his Peashooter bullets to start, but he’s known for switching up his abilities all the time. He also has multiple Super Art techniques that can do everything from make him invincible to allow him to fire a giant beam from his head. No, Cuphead’s weakness isn’t his lack of strength, it’s his addiction to gambling.
2 Master Chief Has Battled His Way Through Multiple Alien Threats To Protect Humanity
There shouldn’t be a list of best Xbox anything without Master Chief on it. He’s been the driving force for Xbox for decades now, and with good reason. He’s the prototypical space marine character, defending humanity against multiple threats. It would be easy to put Master Chief’s victories down to only his weapons and armor, but the games have shown repeatedly that, even without those, he finds a way to survive and win. Halo Infinite sees him rebuild an army from scratch and still defeat the Banished.
1 Revan Has Access To Both Sides Of The Force
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is a title that only made it’s way to PC and Xbox, so while BioWare isn’t owned by Xbox, the title does feel like an Xbox game. Revan was one of the most powerful Force users that ever lived. He could tap into both sides of the Force and had equal talent with both, which allowed him to take down the Sith Empire. And like most Sith, he had power over Force lightning, but unlike most of them, he was so skilled he could send back any force lightning used on him at his opponent. Though much of what he’s capable of is no longer canon, Revan's power will likely be re-established soon enough.