With the recent addition of Portal and Portal 2 to the Nintendo Switch, a whole new community gets to enjoy the mysteries of science, testing, and cake. What's more, fans can look forward to seeing characters such as Wheatley and GlaDOS, who never fail to make gamers laugh with their anecdotes.
Comic relief characters can be found in any video game, no matter what the genre, to provide hilarious takes on even the direst situations and sometimes in the most cartoonish ridiculousness. From unhinged anti-heroes to Artificial Intelligence to deranged zealots, the variety of humorous characters in games is as eclectic as the gamers who love these characters.
Duke Nukem
While Duke Nukem debuted in 1991 in a side-scroller, the popularity of the controversial character skyrocketed with the release of Duke Nukem 3D in 1996. In the new format, the character is given his voice, and that along with a creative array of weapons helps differentiate it from other first-person shooters of that area, most notably Doom.
Several Reddit s including mrried-4-life-dan-kc selected Duke Nukem as their pick for the funniest video game character of all time. While critics of the character correctly consider his humor misogynistic and sophomoric, that style would have fit in perfectly with the raunchy humor of the '90s with the likes of Ren & Stimpy and South Park. While he may not have aged well, it is undoubtedly true that, as a product of the '90s, Duke Nukem's impact on the gaming world is significant.
Claptrap
A Borderlands staple, Claptrap is one of the most obnoxious and over-enthusiastic characters across all video games. He constantly brags about great he is, but he also is extremely cowardly when it matters.
Even so, Reddit s like the best video game companion or the worst a gamer can have.
Trevor Phillips
Trevor Phillips is one of the three playable protagonists in Grand Theft Auto V. He is severely unhinged and aggressive, but he is also fiercely loyal. While he may go on a rampage at the slightest insult, there is context given in his relationship with his abusive mother.
Despite his more unhinged characteristics, players like Reddit Snoo79382 find the humor in Trevor’s tirades and unique outlook on life. Trevor may go and do some truly heinous things throughout the GTA V storyline, but every single one of them is the other person's fault, according to Trevor.
The Radio
The Radio in Grand Theft Auto plays an amazing soundtrack that can really allow the player to immerse themselves in the game. As amazing as the soundtrack is, the fictional shows found on the various stations really bring out the humorous and parodic elements of the radio.
InItsTeeth is of the mind that these parodies add a superior level of humor to many of the GTA games. With everything from talk radio to the caricatures regular radio listeners have come to expect, the many voice talents that give life to the various radio DJs deliver some hilarious performances.
Guybrush Threepwood
The Monkey Island's point-and-click adventures were rife with hilarity and parodic interactions between the hero, Guybrush Threepwood, and the various characters he encounters.
Reddit JFonzy lists him as the funniest character in video game history, and in response, basedlandchad9 says "Jack Sparrow wishes he had **** on Guybrush." From bumbling about various fictional Caribbean islands, finding typical pirate things gross, poorly practicing voodoo, and polishing a pirate’s peg leg, the adventures of Guybrush Threepwood are never boring. He certainly proves himself a delightful character to be around.
Sans
video game impressively developed by one person. The skeletal Sans is a recurring character throughout the game and, potentially, the player's final boss, depending on the gameplay ending the player ends up with.
Dangerous_Ad_2192, especially, appreciates Sans's fatalistic sense of humor. To be sure, Sans is mischievous, yet he is prone to laziness. Sans may be laid back and flippant, but claims he can kill the player where they stand. He also loves practical jokes and making people laugh in general. What's more, he also has one of the best final boss songs in video game history in "Megalovania."
GLaDOS
The Portal games are a series of puzzle games at their foundation. The gameplay mechanics are fairly simple, but the addition of the portals forces the player to be creative in solving the puzzles. However, if there was no villain, it probably would have stayed as a demo as it was originally created to be.
A popular choice among Reddit s such as famous "Still Alive" ending credits song from the first game, and the hilariously dark and mean-spirited antagonist solidifies her place in gaming history.
Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong crashed into gamers’ hearts back in 1984 when he first captured Pauline (the damsel figure before Princess Peach was on the scene) and did battle with an unnamed red-overalled mustachioed plumber.
Since being the titular villain, the great ape has undergone several changes beginning with the N64 game Donkey Kong Country and continuing with his various appearances in the Super Smash Bros. series. With a much more light-hearted and silly presentation, Reddit stubyourtoenailnow is convinced that "Donkey Kong is the funniest video game character ever. Try to change my mind."
Handsome Jack
Not to be taken too seriously, the Borderlands games present some of the funniest video game cutscenes in video games. As such, there are many characters that bring wacky humor to the game. Perhaps no other character does this better than Handsome Jack, the main antagonist from Borderlands II.
Many Reddit s like snaileatscucumber clearly enjoy how the character was written. Jack is ruthless, sadistic, and deluded into believing himself as the hero of the story. It is this cognitive dissonance in his belief versus reality that truly makes the character memorable and funny.
Cicero
Skyrim is one of the most celebrated games to date. The diversity in the game’s choices for the player’s character and development makes it extremely replayable.
According to KoreanChap, the funniest character in the game is Cicero. Depending on the player’s tolerance level, Cicero can either be hilarious or infinitely annoying. His voice is Joker-like, and his fanaticism for the Night Mother is as ludicrous as it is unsettling. His insanity, however, definitely provides a different layer for the game, and, if the player allows him to live, he is one of the best companions to have in future missions.
