The Top 8 Worst Parents in Video Games – Seriously, What Were These Developers Thinking?

 

Ah yes, video games, our favorite relaxing pastime, in which every now and then you see just the worst parents.  Those characters you meet make you pause, not because they’re heartwarming or quirky, but because you’re left genuinely wondering, “How did this poor kid survive these parents?” Some video game parents aren’t just bad at their job… they’re downright embarrassingly bad. From the outright neglectful to the just plain evil, the “worst parents” in video games deserve their own Hall of Shame. Let’s get into it.

Dr. Wily (Mega Man Series)

Good ol’ Dr. Wily. Sure, he’s a villain who’s bent on world domination, but can we talk about his “parental” role for a second? This guy literally builds robot children to send them directly into battle. Yes, you heard that right. Every single one of those Robot Masters is basically a kid he handcrafted and then doomed to mechanical obliteration. And who ends up taking them out? Mega Man, of course, who rocks up wielding their siblings’ dismembered gear. Dr. Wily, you’re not just a bad parent; you’re a “Why do child protective services not exist for robots?” kind of bad.

Mother Maiamai (The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds)

Okay, Mother Maiamai. Look. Losing one child? Maybe, maybe understandable. Max two kids? People make mistakes. But 100 children?! That’s not bad luck—that’s straight-up irresponsible. How do you even explain that? “Oh, sorry Link, I misplaced all 100 of my babies. Think you can climb some cliffs and rescue them for me?” Some of these kids are stuck to walls and mountainsides, for crying out loud. Talk about needing to call parent services in Hyrule. Who’s going to want that Mother’s Day card?

William Birkin (Resident Evil 2)

William Birkin is a very impressive scientist, but it’s clear his Ph.D. didn’t include a class on being a decent human, or parent. After unlocking the horrors of the G-virus, he decides it’s a totally fine idea to shove an embryo into his daughter, Sherry. That’s right. His own kid! Nothing says, “I don’t deserve a parenting medal,” like literally turning your child into a biological experiment. Birkin, you win the Creepiest Dad Ever award. Congrats, really the worst parents-err parent

Vella’s Parents (Broken Age)

You know that awkward moment when your parents sign you up to fight Lovecraftian horrors under the false pretense of “honor”? Yeah, Vella from Broken Age knows. Her parents serve her up on a silver freaking platter as a sacrifice to the beast Mog Chothra, full of pride and zero guilt. The irony? Vella has to escape on her own, proving she’s far more capable and logical than her so-called protectors. Forget slaying monsters; the real beast here is bad parenting.

Bowser (Mario Series)

Yes, it’s Bowser. Yes, he’s a classic villain. But have we ever questioned what kind of family dynamic this Koopa clan has? Bowser’s tossing his kids (and nephews, apparently?) into traps and dungeons just to slow Mario down. Sure, being a megalomaniacal turtle monster is one thing, but using your own flesh and blood as cannon fodder? Not cool, Bowser. Also, where IS the mother of Bowser Jr.? Do we want to know? Probably not.

King of All Cosmos (Katamari Damacy)

Some dads give you a pep talk before a big event. Others obliterate existence. The King of All Cosmos doesn’t quite hit the landing. After accidentally destroying the entire freaking galaxy, he puts the responsibility of fixing it ALL on his tiny son, the Prince. Oh, and if you think you’re getting any fatherly encouragement, think again. If your giant ball of planet leftovers doesn’t meet his high standards, he lashes out with laser beams and fiery scolds. Therapy in space must cost a lot.

Clementine’s Parents, the worst parents (The Walking Dead)

Okay, Clementine’s parents didn’t mean for the zombie apocalypse to turn their daughter’s life into a never-ending nightmare, but you know what? They left her with a babysitter right at the start of said apocalypse! While other parents might’ve, oh, I don’t know, stayed with their child, Clem’s folks decided, “Nah, it’s fine. What could go wrong?” Spoiler alert: EVERYTHING. Lee deserved a parenting medal for stepping in and trying to pick up the pieces.

Jecht (Final Fantasy X)

Final Fantasy X’s Jecht isn’t just a bad dad; he’s a cautionary tale. This dude spends most of his days being an absentee father while dunking on his son Tidus for… well, existing. What’s worse? He then turns himself into a colossal murderous monster known as Sin. Talk about setting higher stakes for “daddy issues.” Honestly, if there were a Worst Dad Olympics, Jecht would probably medal.

Honorable Mentions:

• Isaac’s Mom (The Binding of Isaac): When sacrificial parenting gets literal. She legit tries to murder him because God told her to.
• Dracula (Castlevania): Turns fighting your dad into a literal castle-destroying event.
• The Mishima Family (Tekken): Generations of throwing each other off cliffs. Yep, totally normal behavior.

Final Thoughts

If video games have taught us anything, it’s that terrible parenting makes for fantastic drama. These virtual moms and dads remind us how not to raise kids, whether through sheer negligence, lunatic ideas of honor, or outright malice.

Still, it did make for some pretty epic gaming experiences, huh? Which awful game parents would you add to this list? Drop your thoughts below, and don’t hold back—we could all use a little therapy after this roundup. Speaking of that, maybe we could get them to hold a worst parents ever bookclub?