History SmugSnake / VideoGames

** ''Videogame/FireEmblemWarriorsThreeHopes'', in addition to Kronya and Metodey, has Shahid, the ArcVillain for Part I of Claude's story route [[spoiler:as well as his older brother]]. He views everyone in Fódlan as little more than bloodthirsty beasts, sports a near-permanent [[SmugSmiler sneer]] on his face, and thinks that all it takes to win wars is [[ZergRush drowning the enemy in soldiers]] without considering morale and logistics. As a result, he loses both times he tries to invade Fódlan [[spoiler:and his second-in-command, Nader, loses his faith in the Almyran prince and switches sides in the middle of the second invasion to support Claude]].

* [[spoiler:Kevin]] from ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}'' not only supplies (and initiates in others) epic quantities of angst, he does this while [[ShirtlessScene taking his shirt off a lot]] and speaking in a measured, patronising tone that assumes everyone but him is very, very stupid. As a result, the moment when [[spoiler:weedy UnluckyChildhoodFriend Allen]] finally stands up to him is easily one of the most awesome in the game.

*** The Dark Mage Zola can be seen as such, ''especially'' in the ''Conquest'' and ''Revelation'' paths (in ''Birthright'', he hangs around a little more and shows a more sympathetic side). He disguises himself as Duke Izana, kidnaps him and impersonates him in his own palace (which technically speaking is a ''[[UsefulNotes/TheLawsAndCustomsOfWar war crime]]'') in hopes of conspiring against the protagonist and does ''not'' react well when uncovered and defeated, like when he tries to kidnap Sakura in ''Revelation'' after losing [[spoiler: and is easily shot down and killed by Leo.]]

%% This page has been alphabetized. Please add new examples in the correct order. Thanks!

** Captain Pentara slips into this role towards the end of the game, [[spoiler: [[AndIMustScream to her own detriment]]]] when [[spoiler: she fails one of the many [[SecretTestOfCharacter secret tests of character]]]].

* ''Franchise/AceAttorney'':
** Redd White from the first ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney'' game is so overconfident in his {{blackmail}} network that he hits Phoenix just to show he can get away with it and then testifies in court to frame Phoenix for murder out of spite. All evidence so far has contradicted Phoenix being the killer, and White ''doesn't even try to match up his testimony with that from the previous day's trial''.
** Richard Wellington from the first case of the second game, whose testimony is pulled apart by an ''amnesiac'' Phoenix.
** [[spoiler:Matt Engarde]] from the second game. He [[spoiler:hires someone to do the job for him and easily outsmarts the Magantama the first time, can put a facade that fools most people and he nearly breaks Phoenix with a SadisticChoice. He even wins in the bad ending.]] However, [[spoiler:he barely falls short of being a MagnificentBastard because he makes the fatal mistake of thinking to blackmail a hitman. That exposes him to Phoenix and makes the assassin turn on him. His breakdown also shows he is a really, really SoreLoser.]]
** Juan Corrida, victim of the final case. He can be incredibly petty and even break the law just to stop being AlwaysSecondBest to Matt. [[spoiler:Unfortunately for him, Matt surpasses him even in scheming and villainy.]]
** Dahlia Hawthorne, the primary villain of ''Trials and Tribulations''. Though she bears a lot of [[BitchInSheepsClothing surface-level charm]] and she's been [[TeensAreMonsters masterminding crimes since she was fourteen]], she's consistently shown to be nowhere near as clever as she thinks. She's a BadLiar (she falls for the INeverSaidItWasPoison trick ''twice'' in the same case), she gets OutGambitted regularly, and her crimes are consistently sloppy. [[spoiler:In a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech later on, Mia simply points out that, for all her boasting, ''none'' of her schemes were actually successful.]]
** Subverted with [[spoiler:Luke Atmey]] in ''Trials and Tribulations'', who acts condescending to Phoenix for the entire first day (investigation and trial) until he's caught. And then you find out [[spoiler:[[BatmanGambit he manipulated you into coming to that particular conclusion]] so he could ''play the justice system''. In fact, the ''entire first day'' was a major case of ObfuscatingStupidity on his part. He still suffers the sin of {{Pride}} (which ultimately leads to his downfall), but aside from that, [[BewareTheSillyOnes he's an extremely capable and dangerous criminal]] whose claims of superior intelligence may be [[InsufferableGenius more than just hot air]]. Had he not made ''one'' (easily missed) mistake at the end, he would have gotten away with murder.]]
** [[spoiler:{{A|ssInAmbassador}}mbassador [[BigBad Quercus Alba]]]] in ''VisualNovel/AceAttorneyInvestigationsMilesEdgeworth'' acts like a condescending asshole every minute after TheReveal, flaunting his DiplomaticImpunity in Edgeworth's face [[spoiler:until it's revoked. And he '''still''' acts like a smug asshat, [[ThatOneBoss stubbornly repeating that none of your evidence proves he committed the crime.]]]]
** [[spoiler:Alita Tiala]] from ''VisualNovel/ApolloJusticeAceAttorney'' at first acts as the [[spoiler:eager fiancée of the defendant]], until she reveals that [[spoiler:she's a petty GoldDigger who only hired Apollo because she was under the impression that the office he's employed under is a third-rate and questionable law firm that will get the defendant convicted for sure]]. [[SpringtimeForHitler Boy, did that backfire spectacularly]]. It's satisfying to wipe that smug grin off her face.
** Also from ''Apollo Justice'', [[spoiler:Daryan Crescend]] laughs disdainfully at pretty much every accusation Apollo throws at him, convinced it isn't enough. As a result, his breakdown is truly satisfying.
** Florent L'Belle from ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyDualDestinies Dual Destinies]]'' is an obnoxious jerk who takes every opportunity to laugh disdainfully at Apollo. But while his scheme ''is'' clever, it's also [[ComplexityAddiction ludicrously complicated]], to the point where [[spoiler:[[SpannerInTheWorks a bumbling thief who decides to steal the treasure L'Belle is after for a lark]]]] ends up tearing it apart.
** Nearly every prosecutor in the entire series that you go up against is a smug prick in one way or another and they become it even more when the tide turns in their favor. They'll present every counterargument dipped in snark and contempt for the player character while making them feel dumb for not seeing the flaws in their own logic. The moment things start turning in your favor, the prosecution will either come up with flimsy logic or shout some variant of ThisCannotBe. The only prosecutors that avoid the trope are Miles Edgeworth (who ''was'' a smug bastard before he went through CharacterDevelopment), Klavier Gavin (who just teases Apollo Justice rather than putting him down) and [[spoiler:Simon Blackquill, who also just teases and intimidates, but he only pretends to be a bad guy.]]. Winston Payne is the most notable example, aa he really can't back up his ego and this trope is the worst thing that can be said about him.
*** [[spoiler:Manfred von Karma]] is a very good schemer, and he is also a prosecutor who can intimidate the Judge. He comes close to becoming a MagnificentBastard, as he puts up an incredibly good fight and has a record of fourty years of victory, but he is too arrogant and some of his taunts backfire on him (though he IS prepared for such a thing), is also incredibly petty and [[spoiler:he makes the fatal mistake of committing murder because of a penalty he got, plus framing the victim's son for it. Also, he is such a SoreLoser it becomes the final nail in his coffin, as his scream of defeat is what gives him away to Edgeworth.]]
*** Nahyuta acts like a HolierThanThou jackass all the time. [[spoiler:He subverts this trope, as he was forced by actual SmugSnake Queen Ga'Ran to act like that. The queen herself puts up a good fight, but only because she abuses authority. She still loses.]]

* Most villains from the ''VideoGame/{{Atelier}} Iris'' series, the biggest example being Mull, the BigBad of [[VideoGame/AtelierIrisEternalMana the first game]]. His {{Expy}} from ''VideoGame/AtelierIris3GrandPhantasm'', Crowley, was thankfully a lot closer to being a MagnificentBastard, but still didn't quite make it.
* ''VideoGame/BaldursGate''
** He gets little development or even screen time, but Angelo probably qualifies based on the one scene. He's [[BigBad Sarevok's]] lackey who takes over the local law-enforcing mercenary company when Sarevok's plans to get its real leaders out of the way go into motion. When you are arrested for murders you were either framed for or goaded into actually committing by Sarevok, he's more than happy to glibly sentence you to death for a list of imaginary charges besides murder, clearly enjoying the abuse of power. He even gets a potential KickTheDog moment in that if you mouth off to him in a way that manages to actually annoy him, he'll have a random party member killed on the spot. He's even annoying in the final battle, as he's equipped with a haste effect and a quiver full of Arrows of Detonation.
** Even more so, Isaea Roenall in the next game. He oozes it. "Don't take it so hard, I'm just... better than you. Oh, and feel free to lodge a complaint with the proper authority. That would be... me." He too abuses his military position to get away with anything, including kidnapping one of your party members when she doesn't want to go through with their arranged marriage. Luckily, the ensuing quest lets you bring him down in flames. This is ''very'' satisfying.

* ''VideoGame/BatenKaitosOrigins'': Every significant villain except Baelheit himself has a tendency to trip over this trope at one point or another, mainly because of their tendency to rely on advanced weapons/magic as a crutch to take out people far stronger than them, then act completely flabbergasted when it finally doesn't work. All arma-users also seem motivated exclusively by arrogance, until their various [[HeelFaceTurn heel face turns,]] and Wiseman seems convinced that his magic is the most powerful force in the universe until the very end of the game.

*** What keeps him from being a full-blown MagnificentBastard is that he easily loses his cool if, in any way, his plans are disrupted, he is not being regarded as [[ItsAllAboutMe the centre of the universe]] or his "truth" is called into question [[note]]a true MagnificentBastard would keep his cool even if the proverbial seat of his pants is on fire -- a spectacular meltdown is expected only if ''every'' once-viable outcome now leads to defeat[[/note]]. His knowledge of the time loops and continuum shifts is meaningless if he fails, or refuses to understand the motivations of his victims -- half-formed layers of backup plans can only carry one so far before an exploit is found. Case in point: ''[[EvilCannotComprehendGood Slight Hope]]''. That said, when things go belly-up, [[SmugSuper he's usually more than capable of beating the shit out of whoever screwed him over]] [[spoiler:especially once he gets the Susanoo Unit and his full power back]].

* Handsome Jack of ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands 2}}''. Every word out of his mouth is him gloating about how he is always one step ahead of you, and that you have no chance. Not to mention [[ReminiscingAboutYourVictims the way he discusses the death of his victims]]...
** Like [[VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas Caesar]], Jack is another example that is genuinely competent enough to hold his own as the BigBad, to the point where, for a large portion of the game, [[spoiler:''he's actually right'' [[XanatosGambit on that first part]]]].

* Most villains from ''VideoGame/BugFables'' tend to avoid this, but there are two noteworthy exceptions:

** General Ultimax spends a good 90% of his dialogue boasting about the Wasp Kingdom's superiority and smugly telling Team Snakemouth that they stand no chance against his military might. However, his confidence stems from hiding behind a few bodyguards and later a tank in his boss fights, and when he loses the advantage he [[OhCrap clams up]] and goes from smug to scared out of his mind. However, [[spoiler:this attitude's the result of being brainwashed into villainy by the Wasp King. Once he's dead, Ultimax turns out to be a lot more humble and good-natured without his influence.]]
* General Sarrano from ''VideoGame/{{Bulletstorm}}'' is a walking bottomless pit of arrogance, foul language, callousness, and pure evil. He uses soldiers like Grey and Ishi to carry out genocide and assassinations and then pretends to be angered by the casualties left in their wake after they take down his prized warship near the beginning of the game.
* Gary Smith from ''VideoGame/{{Bully}}'' is a Smug Snake. For his Smug Snakery to work, it requires 1) that everyone in the game [[VillainsNeverLie take everything that comes out of his mouth at face value]], 2) putting aside the fact that he has a reputation as a sociopath and common sense says ignore him, 3) that protagonist Jimmy spends most of the game insisting that going after Gary "has to wait" rather than going after him. And then, most importantly, 4) whenever Gary makes an appearance, all protagonistic figures must lose all ability to take action, period, and devolve into a stuttering stammering mess until Gary is done talking and has left the area. Notable that while he can deal a BadassBoast after another and nearly wins, when Jimmy takes direct action against him, he brings him down like a punk, even though the odds were against him.
* Most of the non- [[spoiler:and post-]]{{Dracula}} villains in the ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'' series, such as Graham Jones in ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaAriaOfSorrow'' and the cult leaders in ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaDawnOfSorrow'', come off as {{Smug Snake}}s vainly attempting to fill the Count's shoes o' evilness. Also, Walter in ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaLamentOfInnocence'', primarily because his motivation for doing evil was ''being a bored, unkillable vampire asshat''. Can't get much more smug than that. They all have a distinct tendency to get [[HijackedByGanon effortlessly manipulated by Dracula and pro-Dracula minions such as Death]]. Mostly-averted by tragic-backstory-vamp [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaPortraitOfRuin Brauner]], and [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaCurseOfDarkness Isaac]], who's far too... entertaining to qualify.
** Dmitrii Blinov from ''Dawn of Sorrow'' at least makes an effort, pulling off a combination of ISurrenderSuckers and MyDeathIsJustTheBeginning, before coming back to life and successfully copying Soma's Power of Dominance in a surprisingly successful gambit. He was more of a "MagnificentBastard in the making", right up until he ended up dying again.

* Dennis from ''VisualNovel/DoubleHomework'' thinks he’s superior to everyone, and it shows in his voice. He has supreme confidence in his ability to manipulate others. However, he ultimately loses his battle of wits with Dr. Mosely/[[spoiler:Zeta, and she has him taken away for execution]].

--->'''Erimond''': The Blight is not unstoppable or uncontrollable; it is simply a tool.
--->'''Varric''': ''Someone's'' definitely a tool.
--->'''Dorian''': No, Livius. ''You're'' a tool.
--->'''Sera''': He's a tool.

** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'': Orvas Dren, the leader of the thuggish, brutal, [[DrugsAreBad drug-pushing]], [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil slave-trading]] [[TheSyndicate Cammona]] [[TheMafia Tong]]. He's arrogant, prideful, and extremely confident in his position, having two members of the [[ProudMerchantRace House Hlaalu]] council and the lead of the [[AdventureGuild Fighters' Guild]] in his pocket. He has no qualms with plotting to assassinate and overthrow his ReasonableAuthorityFigure brother, Duke Vedam Dren, and has been steering the Cammona Tong down even more morally repugnant paths, such as hiring bounty hunters to track down escaped slaves, using slaves as drug mules and [[spoiler: working with the Sixth House, creepy cultists of the devil of the Dunmeri religion.]].
** Series' recurring villain Mannimarco, a [[TheDreaded dreaded]] [[OurLichesAreDifferent Lich]][=/=]{{Necromancer}}, has acted this way in every appearance to date. He tends to see himself as more of a MagnificentBastard, but his schemes have repeatedly failed (or have been generally less successful than hoped) due to his {{Fatal Flaw}}s of {{Pride}} and arrogance.

* Caesar in ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' is a rare strain of this trope as he's not only competent but the game's BigBad; he's just not ''as'' competent as he thinks he is. He doesn't even make a token effort to sway the Courier's loyalties if you oppose the Legion; he openly insults your intelligence if you ask about his beliefs, and if you try to release Benny he blackmails you into killing him, even though it will likely only give you another reason to hate the Legion.
** Benny himself is also quite the smug prick. An arrogant would-be schemer who makes a habit of backstabbing anyone who trusts him and is convinced that he's the cat's meow, while he's not completely incompetent he still heavily overestimates his abilities. For one, Mr. House is fully aware of Benny's schemes and for all his charm his lies tend to be incredibly transparent due to a combination of his [[JiveTurkey speech patterns]] and his sneering attitude.
* Shinji Matou from ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight''. In all three routes (''Fate'', ''Unlimited Blade Works'' and ''Heaven's Feel'') he's shown as an overconfident idiot who tries to win through manipulating more powerful characters such as his servant Rider, [[spoiler:Gilgamesh and Sakura]] and it ''always'' [[EvilerThanThou turns out badly (and sometimes bloodily) for him]]. In reality, ''he's'' being manipulated, by his grandfather Zouken. This is most obvious in ''Heaven's Feel'' (where his actions form most of the impetus for [[spoiler:Sakura's]] gradual SanitySlippage, culminating in [[spoiler:his eventual death and her FreakOut]]), but is also true in the other two routes.
** Gilgamesh is this as well. Oh, sure, with his enormous strength and power he could easily have become a much more successful villain, but he's just so damn egotistical that it winds up costing him dearly in each route he appears in, particularly in the UBW route, where he foolishly underestimates the power of [[spoiler:Shirou]] in the end.

* [[BigBad Kuja]] from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX,'' is a genuine threat -- but not only is he ''obscenely'' arrogant and cruel, he's ultimately unable to overcome his fear of death. Essentially, he has the mind and air of a wicked genius, but the temperament and personality of a frightened, spoiled child. This mainly shows up in the latter half of the game. It's played UpToEleven in ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy''.
* Duke Snakeheart from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTacticsA2''. As if his name didn't give it away, he's a smug bastard who thinks he has it all planned out and tries to do things his way, in spite of the other Duelhorn members objecting to his actions. In the end, [[spoiler: he admits to being the one that leaked Duelhorn's battle strategy and poisoned the girl Maquis saved for no apparent reason. In fact, during the fight, he says that he trusts no one but himself. He only questions the error of his ways once you defeat him]].

** Chagall of Agustria from ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemGenealogyOfTheHolyWar Genealogy of the Holy War]]'' is a selfish, cowardly, treacherous king who killed his father Imuka to inherit (which makes him hated by everyone, as Imuka was TheGoodKing), then mistreats his top knight Eldigan [[spoiler: and executes him despite his loyalty, therefore taking away his most powerful fighter and provoking the ire of Sigurd and Lachesis]]. In the end, Shagall ends up all alone and is ultimately slain (or, in one of the mangas, [[BetterToDieThanBeKilled commits suicide rather than fighting]]).

*** Sonia Reed believes herself to be the most powerful mage and heartlessly manipulates her husband, the guy's family ''and'' her adoptive daughter Nino to please Lord Nergal. While she ''is'' a powerful LadyOfBlackMagic, her arrogance is such that [[spoiler: her daughter's partner Jaffar would rather have a HeelFaceTurn than obey her orders]], and in the end [[spoiler: either Limstella simply leaves her to die in disgust, or Nergal finishes her off [[YouHaveFailedMe for failing him]].]]

** Lekain from ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn Radiant Dawn]]'' is almost capable enough to be mistaken for a MagnificentBastard. A high-ranking member of Begnion's Senate, Lekain arranged the Serenes Massacre and assassinated the previous Apostle, placing Princess Sanaki, whom he thought he could easily manipulate, on the throne in her place (while making sure Sanaki's older half-sister/the real heir [[spoiler: aka Micaiah]] pulled a disappearing act). He's also TheManBehindTheMan to Izuka and Naesala, and it gets to the point where if something bad happened to a character it was probably Lekain's fault. However, at the end of the day, he's a BigBadWannabe and an UnwittingPawn of [[spoiler: Sephiran]], the game's real BigBad and an actual MagnificentBastard. The business with [[LittleMissBadass Sanaki]] really backfired on him.

*** Hans, Garon's other retainer, is not much better. Yes, at times he follows orders very well (like when he provokes Hoshidans into attacking him to give an excuse for war and [[spoiler: tosses TeamDad Gunter into the Bottomless Canyon]]), but in the end, he's just a BloodKnight [[TheBrute Brute]] who [[DumbMuscle isn't very bright]] and [[KickTheDog punts puppies]] for no reason.

* Dr. Wallace Breen of ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'' fame. Acting as the puppet governor for the Combine, Breen keeps spouting out propaganda about the good intentions of "our benefactors" throughout the game (despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary) as well as making disparaging remarks on how Dr. Freeman "has created nothing". He is not even above threatening the transhuman Combine soldiers with "permanent off-world assignment" as a punishment for failure or, for that matter, the ''entire human race'' with extinction if they do not comply. He also seemingly betrays his own [[TheMole Mole]] within LaResistance, [[spoiler:Dr. Mossman]], refusing to make a bargain for [[spoiler:Dr. Vance]]'s life. Breen keeps [[EvilGloating gloating]] about how Freeman will be "destroyed in every way possible and some ways that are essentially ''im''possible" even when he is about to escape through the Combine portal. [[spoiler: He is apparently killed as Freeman damages the dark fusion reactor, causing the portal to collapse.]]

* Zexion from ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories''. He's very overconfident in his strategic and manipulative abilities, but none of his schemes work out like he wanted them to. Appropriately enough, he winds up being (indirectly) done in by the game's ''real'' MagnificentBastard, Axel.

* Late in ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'', Kreia helps [[spoiler:Atris]] turn into this by convincing her to take up the role of Darth Traya, the eternal betrayer. [[spoiler:Kreia is herself Darth Traya and has been playing Atris, along with every other person she meets, like a fiddle. Atris never even gets out of her Academy and realizes she's been had as soon as the Exile beats her in battle]].
** A minor example is Colonel Tobin, TheDragon to [[TheUsurper Colonel Vaklu]] of Onderon during their CivilWar. A smug GeneralFailure who shot down the player's ship on their first attempt to reach the planet and manages to cheat death during the war [[FateWorseThanDeath only to be made a pawn of]] [[HumanoidAbomination Darth Nihilus]] and reduced to an EmptyShell.

* Any ''[[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Legend of Zelda]]'' villain that gets HijackedByGanon tends to end up a Smug Snake. For instance:
** Zant, the Usurper Twilight King, in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess''.
** Vaati in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheMinishCap'' comes off as a Smug Snake as well, with his digitialized "Mmmhm mhm" laughter, it doesn't help when one realizes [[spoiler: he used to be an itty bitty Minish, taking away a good chunk of his 'evil aura' -- Minish Vaati is just too cute!]]

* While he pulls off {{Gambit Roulette}}s with the best of them, Gongora from ''Videogame/LostOdyssey'' is a straight-up jerk lacking anything approaching style. It doesn't help that most of the people he manipulates are amnesiacs, [[TooDumbToLive inbred royals]] and [[ChivalrousPervert money-grubbing alcoholic skirt-chasers]]. When he actually has to manipulate someone with a brain, he tends to use [[FateWorseThanDeath cruder]] [[ColdBloodedTorture methods]]. It also doesn't help that he, you know, [[ObviouslyEvil radiates evil]], his attempts against the amnesiacs amounts to "[[WhatIsEvil I'm not the bad guy]], ''[[WhatIsEvil you are]]'', he [[KickTheDog kicks dogs]] for fun, and he indulges in [[EvilLaugh maniacal laughter]] ''before'' checking to see if his plan actually worked...while his TooDumbToLive allies watch, which triggers their danger senses.

* ''VideoGame/LANoire'' has a lot of corrupt officials and cops of this, but Roy Earle takes the cake [[spoiler:since he's a KarmaHoudini]].
* Zetta from ''VideoGame/MakaiKingdom'' is another good guy example, though far less sympathetic and PlayedForLaughs. Despite declaring himself the "most badass freaking overlord in the universe" about once a scene he spends most of the game powerless, surviving mostly on the charity of people he regularly insults. The game levels things out by making him a regularly mocked ButtMonkey.
** And then there's King Drake III, whose smugness could probably clog up a black hole. It goes hand in hand with him being a HarmlessVillain, ensuring that ''nobody'' takes him seriously. Pram ends up booting him out of his own netherworld off-screen and nobody cares.
* Quite a few in ''Franchise/MassEffect''.

*** The Illusive Man jumps off the slippery slope in ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'', but being voiced by Creator/MartinSheen helps him maintain some gravitas [[spoiler:even as he loses his mind in the endgame. The player's ultimate interactions with him during that endgame determine whether he takes a shot at a HeelFaceTurn or remains a snake to the end]].

* ''VisualNovel/MinotaurHotel'': Argos is a literal example, being an actual serpent and smug as all hell.
* Avery Naillev in ''Mishap 2: An Intentional Haunting''. In his diary, he depicts his fellow scientists as miles below him and one of the main characters as a naive fool with no consideration for the possible monetary applications of his greatest invention. He stole the blueprints, arranged for it to explode and confidently expected that said main character's widow would be grieving and in need of comfort. Yet when the main characters invade his island fortress he gets so rattled, despite his AffablyEvil facade, that he has one of the ghosts which unwillingly serve him[[note]]A rodeo cowboy, to be specific.[[/note]] literally rope them into the events of chapter five.

** ''VideoGame/Persona5'' has Masayoshi Shido, a corrupt politician behind practically every bad thing in the game, including [[spoiler:the protagonist's probation]]. For all of his ambitions and belief that he's been chosen by divine right, it's clear that the only reasons he's able to amass his power/influence is due to [[ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections his connections]] and [[spoiler:having his son doing all of his dirty work.]]

* ''VideoGame/Psychonauts2'' has [[spoiler:Gristol Malik.]] He is a very good schemer, and a mole who is not obvious. However, he is not a MagnificentBastard, even though he comes close, because his plan is built on his delusions of grandeur, he thinks Maligula, [[spoiler:who is a victim of his father's abuse,]] will actually help him, which is his fatal mistake in his otherwise solid plan, and he hasn't planned much of his program [[spoiler:after he regains his lost throne. He also isn't even fought, and never takes defeat well, being a SpoiledBrat.]]
* Most of the villains in ''VideoGame/RadiantHistoria'', but especially [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen Queen Protea]]. She's petty, vain, incompetent, has an extremely inflated sense of her own importance, disregards her stepdaughter completely, [[KickTheDog kicks any dogs within reach]], and is so oblivious to everything actually going on that she's effortlessly manipulated by [[DragonInChief her advisors]]. When the party actually confronts her in one timeline, she refuses to believe her army could possibly be losing when several of the enemy commanders have just burst into her throne room and doesn't actually get it through her skull that she should be worried until Stocke is actually holding a blade to her neck.
* Andre in the third ''VideoGame/{{Rayman}}'' game. He constantly mocks Rayman and believes he is great, but spends most of the game in ''Globox's stomach'', which only sometimes works in his favor. Also, without [[spoiler:Reflux]], in the final battle he is [[ZeroEffortBoss nothing.]]

** Ozwell E. Spencer, BigBad and TheManBehindTheMan to the whole series, is one of these as well. He wanted to [[AGodAmI be a god]], but had no idea how to go about doing it, so he hired the various {{Evil Genius}}es who make up the antagonistic characters, and let them research at will, hoping one of them would create a way for him to achieve his godhood. In a series full of brilliant or horrifying bad guys with OneWingedAngel forms that are the stuff of nightmares, Spencer stands out as an EvilCripple and TheManBehindTheCurtain, who waits far too long to put his plan into action, and eventually sees it hijacked by his former protege, Albert Wesker. Smug, condescending, and not nearly as smart as he thinks he is, the [[EvilOldFolks old man]] is one of these to the end.
** Albert Wesker himself also takes the cake. In ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilCodeVeronica'', Wesker brags about how he will use the T-Virus to bring about change and attempts to kill Chris Redfield for revenge after Chris had foiled his plans in ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil''. By ''Resident Evil 5'', Wesker is high off the AGodAmI trope as he constantly brags about bringing evolutionary changes to the world with Uroboros and how he will be a god of the new world. Towards the end of the game, Wesker gets more agitated as Chris and Sheva keep avoiding Wesker's death traps, creatures, and himself and it isn't until [[spoiler: Chris stabs Wesker with a serum overdose to throw his body out of balance that Wesker gets extremely pissed off and then goes OneWingedAngel by infected himself with Uroboros.]]

* Stratos from ''VideoGame/{{Sacrifice}}'', who is extremely self-centred, smug, and disdainful towards most of the other gods while barely hiding it under a veneer of civility. He has rather overt aspirations towards monotheism, [[spoiler:and turns out to be the mastermind behind the main plot, which (unless you serve him), eventually derails beyond his control and kills him.]]

** In the crossover series ''VideoGame/WarriorsOrochi'', Masamune becomes one. He also tends to be paired with Sima Yi, the Smug Snake of ''Videogame/DynastyWarriors'' as the two tend to share the same arrogant demeanor and the [[VerbalTic habit of referring to others as "imbeciles"]].
* Nicholai from ''VideoGame/ShadowHeartsCovenant'' tries ''so'' hard to be a MagnificentBastard. He's charismatic, scheming, and utterly selfish, and loves to taunt you from just outside your reach. He sets up deals with every evil faction in the game so that whoever remains standing at the end, he should achieve his goals. He even [[spoiler:contracts the power of a ''god'']]! Unfortunately for him, he doesn't quite count on Yuri kicking the crap out of everyone, his plan to [[spoiler:release the Malice of Apoina Tower]] comes off as petty revenge, and he ends up getting completely outmaneuvered by someone even ''more'' scheming. And the [[UndignifiedDeath completely undignified way in which he finally bites the dust]].

* Alfonso from ''VideoGame/SkiesOfArcadia''. Even Galcian, a pretty EvilOverlord in his own right, holds Alfonso in contempt after he [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness callously kills off and scapegoats his own vice-captain]] when his airship is taken over by Dyne's band at the beginning of the game -- although mostly this is just because Alfonso is so utterly useless.
** Worth noting that [[TheUnfought you never actually fight him once in the whole game]]. He's killed off rather unceremoniously [[spoiler:along with Empress Teodora when the Rains of Destruction are called down on Valua and the roof of the Imperial Palace caves in]], but by that point, the protagonists have put him through such a HumiliationConga that if you did fight him, he'd probably be brushed aside like a humorous interlude.

* A lot of bad guys in ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'' fit this bill.

** [[SmugSuper A lot of Jedi or Sith]] you meet tend to be this, particularly if you’re playing as one of the [[BadassNormal ranged classes.]] They’re derisive of you, and believe you don’t stand a chance against them. Once the smoke clears, and they’re lying in a heap, they usually whine about how someone without the Force could beat them.

* "Queen" Valentina from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioRPG'' shows many traits of your classical Smug Snake, including an over-inflated ego as well as a penchant for treating her underlings (especially her fat, feathered punching bag of a [[TheDragon dragon]] Dodo) and everyone she encounters with as little respect as possible.

* In ''VideoGame/TheTrappedTrilogy'' series of {{Adventure Game}}s, [[BigBad Dan McNeely]] is a particularly memetic example. While the creator probably meant for him to be a MagnificentBastard, the sheer number of [[PlotHole plot]] [[VoodooShark holes]] diminish whatever guile or cunning he can demonstrate, leaving only his sneering tone apparent.

* [[BigBad The Guardian]] from the ''VideoGame/{{Ultima}}'' series, at least in ''VideoGame/UltimaVII: The Black Gate''. He constantly taunts, insults and annoys the Avatar in feeble attempts to scare you off, all the while you uncover his plots, undermine [[ChurchOfHappyology the Fellowship]], gather plot coupons, and smash the prism generators. Even though he's fully aware of everything you do, he never bothers to alert the Fellowship to the fact that ''you are not their friend'', his own [[TheDragon Dragon]] Batlin keeps treating you like a clueless dupe right up until you try to interrogate him with the prism cube, and when you finally pull out your ace and foil his plan, he's downright ''shocked'' that you were able to stop him.
* Eva-Beatrice of ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry'' is incredibly arrogant as she treats her allies poorly whenever they fail to entertain her and acts like a jerk any time that she feels safe, and she gets reduced to a screaming mess when things don't go the way she wants them to.
** [[AmateurSleuth Furudo Erika]] manages to be even worse than Eva-Beatrice.
** [=EP7=] establishes [[spoiler:[[ActionMom Ushiromiya Kyrie]]]] as a ruthless murderer who gets away with murdering most other people... and then Eva shows up with a gun.

* Rosencrantz from ''VideoGame/VagrantStory'' is a smug bastard all the way, who ''thinks'' he has the secret of Lea Monde all figured out...and then Ashley whips his ass, and hardly anyone seems to care. Rosencrantz has to yell yield, and [[TheStoic Ashley]] mocks him for it. Not only that, but the game's real MagnificentBastard gets a shot. After Rosencrantz [[spoiler: has ambushed Sydney and Ashley, Rosencrantz demands Sydney name him his heir. Sydney calls him a "worm", and Rosencrantz chops off Sydney's arm. Sydney, bleeding BlackBlood, stands up and ''[[YouCallThatAWound reattaches his arm]].'' He then demonstrates to Rosencrantz that not only is the man not immune to Sydney's magic like he thought (by making him think he was holding Sydney's severed hand), but Sydney had been manipulating him the entire time. And in the end, Sydney doesn't even kill Rosencrantz. He lets a giant six-armed statue of Kali do it for him.]] Truly, in case you had forgotten the real {{Chessmaster}} and LargeHam in the story, Sydney does not fail to remind you that [[ChewingTheScenery he was eating the scenery first.]]

* Jazz from the first two ''Videogame/WingCommander'' games. At first he just appears to be a smug asshole, but the [[TheMole reality]] [[UnfriendlyFire is]] [[LesCollaborateurs considerably]] [[{{Frameup}} worse]].

** This gets turned on its head when, at about 10% HP he uses "Wrath of Frostmourne" and proceeds to [[OneHitKill blow your]] [[TotalPartyKill raid apart]], going into a monologue about how his entire plan from the start was taunting you into chasing him and crafting you into an ultimate general for his undead army. Were it not for [[BigDamnHero Tirion Fordring]] busting out of his ice prison, [[MagnificentBastard he would have succeeded.]]

** Series' [[OverarchingVillain recurring villain]] Mannimarco, a [[TheDreaded dreaded]] [[OurLichesAreDifferent Lich]][=/=]{{Necromancer}}, has acted this way in every appearance to date. He tends to see himself as more of a MagnificentBastard, but his schemes have repeatedly failed (or have been generally less successful than hoped) due to his {{Fatal Flaw}}s of {{Pride}} and arrogance.

* ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts2}} has [[spoiler:Gristol Malik.]] He is a very good schemer, and a mole who is not obvious. However, he is not a MagnificentBastard, even though he comes close, because his plan is built on his delusions of grandeur, he thinks Maligula, [[spoiler:who is a victim of his father's abuse,]] will actually help him, which is his fatal mistake in his otherwise solid plan, and he hasn't planned much of his program [[spoiler:after he regains his lost throne. He also isn't even fought, and never takes defeat well, being a SpoiledBrat.]]

** ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite'' brought us a literal Smug Snake in Snivy, the Grass-type starter Pokémon. As if its actual name doesn't make the point clear enough, it quickly started [[FanNickname being called]] "Smugleaf". And it only gets smugger throughout its entire evolution line. There's a reason its final evolution Serperior [[FanNickname is nicknamed]] "Smuglord", and its actual name certainly makes the point too. Even its Pokédex entry agrees. [[WordOfGod Ken Sugimori]] has stated that Snivy's personality was meant to be similar to that of European (particularly {{French|Jerk}}) nobility, so [[JustifiedTrope that's why]].

* Andre in the third ''VideoGame/{{Rayman}}'' game.

** Dahlia Hawthorne from the third game counts. Sure, she's [[BitchInSheepsClothing beautifully scheming]] and leaves a trail of bodies in her wake, but ''none'' of her {{Evil Plan}}s actually succeed. Dahlia's status as this was likely intentional, given that [[spoiler:Mia and Phoenix actually get rid of her by pointing out what a failure she is.]] It could be argued that this is TruthInTelevision. The chances of being caught for a crime exponentially increase every time a murder or similar crime is committed. Expert criminals will want to avoid this by minimising the targets, causing less harm. An example follows: [[spoiler:Manfred von Karma used someone to kill a person just to wreak revenge on Miles Edgeworth. On the other side of the scale, Joe Darke had no real criminal plans whatsoever and became a mass murderer.]]

* Similarly, ''Manga/HiganbanaNoSakuYoruNi'' gives us Higanbana, who was introduced as this in [=EP1=]. Then again, that's just the first episode, so...
** Needless to say, Kanamori manages to be even more of a SmugSnake than Higanbana ever does, to the point of going insane at the best of times whenever he gets away with something.

** Nearly every prosecutor in the entire series that you go up against is a smug prick in one way or another and they become it even more when the tide turns in their favor. They'll present every counterargument dipped in snark and contempt for the player character while making them feel dumb for not seeing the flaws in their own logic. The moment things start turning in your favor, the prosecution will either come up with flimsy logic or shout some variant of ThisCannotBe. The only prosecutors that avoid the trope are Miles Edgeworth (who ''was'' a smug bastard before he went through CharacterDevelopment) and Klavier Gavin (who just teases Apollo Justice rather than putting him down). Winston Payne is the most notable example, aa he really can't back up his ego and this trope is the worst thing that can be said about him.

*** [[Manfred von Karma]] is a very good schemer, and he is also a prosecutor who can intimidate the Judge. He comes close to becoming a MagnificentBastard, as he puts up an incredibly good fight and has a record of fourty years of victory, but he is too arrogant and some of his taunts backfire on him (though he IS prepared for such a thing), is also incredibly petty and [[spoiler:he makes the fatal mistake of committing murder because of a penalty he got, plus framing the victim's son for it. Also, he is such a SoreLoser it becomes the final nail in his coffin, as his scream of defeat is what gives him away to Edgeworth.]]

** Nearly every prosecutor in the entire series that you go up against is a smug prick in one way or another and they become it even more when the tide turns in their favor. They'll present every counterargument dipped in snark and contempt for the player character while making them feel dumb for not seeing the flaws in their own logic. The moment things start turning in your favor, the prosecution will either come up with flimsy logic or shout some variant of ThisCannotBe The only prosecutors that avoid the trope are Miles Edgeworth (who ''was'' a smug bastard before he went through CharacterDevelopment) and Klavier Gavin (who just teases Apollo Justice rather than putting him down). Winston Payne is the most notable example, aa he really can't back his ego and this trope is the worst thing that can be said about him.
*** [[spoiler:Like Matt, Manfred von Karma]] is also a very good schemer, and he is also a prosecutor who can intimidate the Judge. He comes close to becoming a MagnificentBastard, as he puts up an incredibly good fight and has a record of fourty years of victory, but he is too arrogant and some of his taunts backfire on him, is also incredibly petty and [[spoiler:he makes the fatal mistake of committing murder because of a penalty he got, plus framing the victim's son for it. Also, he is such a SoreLoser it becomes the final nail in his coffin, as his scream of defeat is what gives him away to Edgeworth.]]

** [[spoiler:Matt Engarde]] from the second game. He [[spoiler:hires someone to do the job for him and easily outsmarts the Magantama the first time, can put a facade that fools most people and he nearly breaks Phoenix with a SadisticChoice. He even wins in the bad ending.]] However, [[spoiler:he falls short of being a MagnificentBastard because he makes the fatal mistake of thinking to blackmail a hitman. That exposes him to Phoenix and makes the assassin turn on him. His breakdown also shows he is a really, really SoreLoser.]]

** Nearly every prosecutor in the entire series that you go up against is a smug prick in one way or another and they become it even more when the tide turns in their favor. They'll present every counterargument dipped in snark and contempt for the player character while making them feel dumb for not seeing the flaws in their own logic. The moment things start turning in your favor, the prosecution will either come up with flimsy logic or shout some variant of ThisCannotBe The only prosecutors that avoid the trope are Miles Edgeworth (who ''was'' a smug bastard before he went through CharacterDevelopment) and Klavier Gavin (who just teases Apollo Justice rather than putting him down).

* Gary Smith from ''VideoGame/{{Bully}}'' is a Smug Snake. For his Smug Snakery to work, it requires 1) that everyone in the game [[VillainsNeverLie take everything that comes out of his mouth at face value]], 2) putting aside the fact that he has a reputation as a sociopath and common sense says ignore him, 3) that protagonist Jimmy spends most of the game insisting that going after Gary "has to wait" rather than going after him. And then, most importantly, 4) whenever Gary makes an appearance, all protagonistic figures must lose all ability to take action, period, and devolve into a stuttering stammering mess until Gary is done talking and has left the area.

** From ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaOrderOfEcclesia'' comes another partial-aversion: [[spoiler:Barlowe does a fine job of hiding his true allegiance to the Dark Lord, effortlessly manipulating Shanoa into obtaining Dominus so that, by using it, she can resurrect Dracula. And, when he reveals his TrueColors, he isn't that smug about it, just [[AxCrazy real effin' crazy.]] He ends up resurrecting Dracula anyway even after being defeated.]]

* Sakaki from the ''VideoGame/DotHackGU'' trilogy is a classic Smug Snake who has moments of true MagnificentBastard-hood (notably his [[BreakTheCutie complete and total manipulation]] of [[LoveFreak Atoli]]), but he has more arrogance than skill, failing to comprehend how dangerous it is to use AIDA, and managed to get ''[[ZeroPercentApprovalRating the entire population of an MMORPG]]'' out for his blood after he somehow managed to convince CC Corp to give him Administration rights, and decided to host a Player Killer Tournament to trap Haseo.

** Worth noting that [[TheUnfought you never actually fight him once in the whole game]]. He's killed off rather unceremoniously [[spoiler:along with Empress Teodora when the Rains of Destruction are called down on Valua and the roof of the Imperial Palace caves in]], but by that point, the protagonists have put him through such a HumiliationConga that if you did fight him, he'd probably be brushed aside like a humourous interlude.

%% This page has been alphabetized, please put examples in the right order

* Across the ''VideoGame/AgarestSenki'' games, we have the completely loathsome Summerill. He believes he is a total genius and gloats about every foul act of evil he commits like it's a priceless masterstroke in his plans. Before fighting him, expect a good six to ten sentences from Summerill about how he's going to make you long for death, and nearly all of his plans are self-aggrandizing - see his plan for making himself the new supreme god, and how the first chance he got, he tried to murder the God he professes to serve. Not even defeat can shut this bastard up.

*** What keeps him from being a full-blown MagnificentBastard is that he easily loses his cool if, in any way, his plans are disrupted, he is not being regarded as [[ItsAllAboutMe the centre of the universe]] or his "truth" is called into question [[note]]a true MagnificentBastard would keep his cool even if the proverbial seat of his pants is on fire - a spectacular meltdown is expected only if ''every'' once-viable outcome now leads to defeat[[/note]]. His knowledge of the time loops and continuum shifts is meaningless if he fails, or refuses to understand the motivations of his victims - half-formed layers of backup plans can only carry one so far before an exploit is found. Case in point: ''[[EvilCannotComprehendGood Slight Hope]]''. That said, when things go belly-up, [[SmugSuper he's usually more than capable of beating the shit out of whoever screwed him over]] [[spoiler:especially once he gets the Susanoo Unit and his full power back]].

* [[BigBad Kuja]] from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX,'' is a genuine threat--but not only is he ''obscenely'' arrogant and cruel, he's ultimately unable to overcome his fear of death. Essentially, he has the mind and air of a wicked genius, but the temperament and personality of a frightened, spoiled child. This mainly shows up in the latter half of the game. It's played UpToEleven in ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy''.

* Erol is the [[Literature/HarryPotter Draco Malfoy]] of the ''VideoGame/JakAndDaxter'' series - he's a smug, arrogant jerk who gets in Jak's face nonstop from the moment his character is introduced. He gets even worse after [[spoiler: his "death" and resurrection as a cyborg in the third game.]]

** Vaati in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheMinishCap'' comes off as a Smug Snake as well, with his digitialized "Mmmhm mhm" laughter, it doesn't help when one realizes [[spoiler: he used to be an itty bitty Minish, taking away a good chunk of his 'evil aura' - Minish Vaati is just too cute!]]

* Prince Lacroix from ''VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeBloodlines''. Arrogant, smug, and power-hungry; Lacroix condescends to you and sends you on suicide missions at every opportunity. He wants you dead for political convenience, so every mission is a XanatosGambit - Further his aims or be out of his way. [[TheChessmaster He plots and schemes, playing key characters against each other to get what he wants]]. Whenever things don't go his way, he'll throw a childish temper tantrum.

* Cesare Borgia from ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedBrotherhood'' is one in every sense of the word. At first he seemed like a WorthyOpponent of protagonist Ezio Auditore, but he turned out to be nothing more than a delusional tyrant who fancied himself as an invincible and invulnerable king. He thought that everything was under his control but when [[spoiler:he killed his father Rodrigo, who was [[TheManBehindTheMan the real man with all the power]]]] and everything started spiralling downwards from there, it soon becomes apparent that Cesare merely lived off his father's name and reputation. A sharp contrast to his RealLife counterpart who was a MagnificentBastard.

* ''VideoGame/BatenKaitosOrigins'':
** Every significant villain except Baelheit himself has a tendency to trip over this trope at one point or another, mainly because of their tendency to rely on advanced weapons/magic as a crutch to take out people far stronger than them, then act completely flabbergasted when it finally doesn't work. All arma-users also seem motivated exclusively by arrogance, until their various [[HeelFaceTurn heel face turns,]] and Wiseman seems convinced that his magic is the most powerful force in the universe until the very end of the game.
** [[TheDragon Shanath]], who is unusually competent for a SmugSnake.

** Dahlia Hawthorne from the third game counts. Sure, she's [[BitchInSheepsClothing beautifully scheming]] and leaves a trail of bodies in her wake, but ''none'' of her {{Evil Plan}}s actually succeed. Dahlia's status as this was likely intentional, given that [[spoiler:Mia and Phoenix actually get rid of her by pointing out what a failure she is.]] Ironically, she actually did more harm than some of the villains who are closer to qualifying as {{Magnificent Bastard}}s, like [[spoiler:Matt Engarde.]] It could be argued that this is TruthInTelevision. The chances of being caught for a crime exponentially increase every time a murder or similar crime is committed. Expert criminals will want to avoid this by minimising the targets, causing less harm. An example follows: [[spoiler:Manfred von Karma used someone to kill a person just to wreak revenge on Miles Edgeworth. On the other side of the scale, Joe Darke had no real criminal plans whatsoever and became a mass murderer.]]

** Dahlia Hawthorne from the third game counts. Sure, she's [[BitchInSheepsClothing beautifully scheming]] and leaves a trail of bodies in her wake, but ''none'' of her {{Evil Plan}}s actually succeed. Dahlia's status as this was likely intentional, given that [[spoiler:Mia and Phoenix actually get rid of her by pointing out what a failure she is.]] Ironically, she actually did more harm than some of villains who are closer to qualifying as {{Magnificent Bastard}}s, like [[spoiler:Matt Engarde.]] It could be argued that this is TruthInTelevision. The chances of being caught for a crime exponentially increase every time a murder or similar crime is committed. Expert criminals will want to avoid this by minimising the targets, causing less harm. An example follows: [[spoiler:Manfred von Karma used someone to kill a person just to wreak revenge on Miles Edgeworth. On the other side of the scale, Joe Darke had no real criminal plans whatsoever and became a mass murderer.]]

** Nearly every prosecutor in the entire series that you go up against is smug prick in one way or another and they become it even more when they tide turns in their favor. They'll present every counterargument dipped in snark and contempt for the player character while making them feel dumb for not seeing the flaws in their own logic. The moment things start turning in your favor, the prosecution will either come up with flimsy logic or shout some variant of ThisCannotBe The only prosecutors that avoid the trope are Miles Edgeworth (who ''was'' a smug bastard before he went through CharacterDevelopment) and Klavier Gavin (who just teases Apollo Justice rather than putting him down).

* Across the ''VideoGame/AgarestSenki'' games, we have the completely loathsome Summerill. He believes he is a total genius, and gloats about every foul act of evil he commits like it's a priceless masterstroke in his plans. Before fighting him, expect a good six to ten sentences from Summerill about how he's going to make you long for death, and nearly all of his plans are self-aggrandizing - see his plan for making himself the new supreme god, and how the first chance he got, he tried to murder the God he professes to serve. Not even defeat can shut this bastard up.

** Even more so, Isaea Roenall in the next game. He oozes it. "Don't take it so hard, I'm just... better than you. Oh, and feel free to lodge a complaint with the proper authority. That would be... me." He too abuses his military position to get away with anything, including kidnapping one of your party members when she doesn't want to go trough with their arranged marriage. Luckily, the ensuing quest lets you bring him down in flames. This is ''very'' satisfying.

** Rhys from ''Videogame/TalesFromTheBorderlands'' is a Handsome Jack fanboy, and makes a big effort to talk, act and even move like him. It comes off as a painfully awkward, and the times he's actually in control of the situation can be counted on one hand.

** Part time popstar/part time explorer Mothiva is a constant thorn in Team Snakemouth's side, and an overconfident pain in the ass who never misses an opportunity to insult and belittle them. So both times she tries to attack and upstage them in pursuit of glory, it magnificently backfires and her second loss ends up costing her the love of a bunch of fans who start cheering for Team Snakemouth instead.

* Given how much backstory and justifications he's been given in the canon of ''Franchise/DragonAge'', [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation fans are still arguing]] whether this applies to Loghain, but one of his lackeys, Rendon Howe, is a golden example of this trope. Not only is he overconfident, arrogant and rude towards the PC, he even crosses the MoralEventHorizon ''twice'' on the very basic game that plays out to all origins and completely vaporizes it in Human Noble origins: [[spoiler:you find out that Howe earned his title as Teyrn of Highever by slaughtering the former noble's family, despite them being his old friends.]] That incredibly {{smug smile|r}} and Creator/TimCurry's voice only strengthen his position as one of the meanest characters (and as the most satisfying bossfight) in the whole game.
** Arl Howe is so bad that after his death, the player can overhear a conversation regarding his funeral between two nobles, one of whom had been a friend of Howe's in their youth. The other noble asks why he isn't going to the funeral and if he'll let Howe [[LonelyFuneral go unmourned]], to which the friend replies that [[AndThereWasMuchRejoicing the only thing worth mourning is that Howe didn't die years ago]].
** Bann Vaughan is another example. In the City Elf origin, he abducts the female members of the elf marriage party. What follows is the PlayerCharacter going on a [[RoaringRampageofRevenge roaring rampage of revenge]] to save the girls. He realizes the PlayerCharacter, covered head-to-toe in the blood of his household guards, may actually pose a threat to him, but he's [[TooDumbToLive too stupid]] to just let the girls go. He's smug, entitled, sadistic and treats all [[FantasticRacism elfs with absolute disdain]]. He'll even be racist to an elf PlayerCharacter who [[spoiler: he's relying on to rescue him from Arl Howe's TortureCellar.]]
* Livius Erimond of ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'' is an arrogant, manipulative Tevinter Magister who allied with the BigBad in the hopes of being made a god. [[spoiler: After tricking the Orlesian Grey Wardens into resorting to human sacrifice, blood magic, and demon binding,]] he laughs off any punishment the Inquisitor gives him at his trial. Unless the player happens to be a mage, that is. And mages know better than anyone that Tranquility is a FateWorseThanDeath...
--> '''Erimond''': The Blight is not unstoppable or uncontrollable; it is simply a tool.
--> '''Varric''': ''Someone's'' definitely a tool.
--> '''Dorian''': No, Livius. ''You're'' a tool.
--> '''Sera''': He's a tool.
* Sister Petrice of ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'', a backstabbing, conniving fanatic whose attempts to start a war with the Qunari from behind the scenes keep getting derailed by her utter contempt for her would-be accomplices and her inability to shut up about her racist beliefs at the most crucial moments.
** However, Kirkwall ''does'' get into a war with the Qunari, exactly as Petrice wanted. But Petrice only proved to be one-third of the sparks that ignited the fire; the other two were the city petitioning the Arishok to return a couple of recent elven converts, and the Tome of Koslun being stolen once again. So this trope ''still'' applies to Sister Petrice even if Petrice ultimately succeeded: Petrice is too incompetent to start a war with the Qunari on her own; a couple of events beyond Petrice's power to influence had to occur ''first.''

* Caesar in ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' is rare strain of this trope as he's not only competent, but the game's BigBad; he's just not ''as'' competent as he thinks he is. He doesn't even make a token effort to sway the Courier's loyalties if you oppose the Legion; he openly insults your intelligence if you ask about his beliefs, and if you try to release Benny he blackmails you into killing him, even though it will likely only give you another reason to hate the Legion.

** Pablo, Riev and especially Valter from ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheSacredStones''. The first one only thinks "MoneyDearBoy" and tries to bribe everyone in his way; the second is a SinisterMinister worshiping a Dark God without reason at all, and the third is a monstrous BloodKnight who wants either to bloodily kill Ephraim or keep Eirika as his SexSlave.

*** Hans, Garon's other retainer, is not much better. Yes, at times he follows orders very well (like when he provokes Hoshidans into attacking him to give an excuse for war and [[spoiler: tosses TeamDad Gunter into the Bottomless Canyon]]), but in the end he's just a BloodKnight [[TheBrute Brute]] who [[DumbMuscle isn't very bright]] and [[KickTheDog punts puppies]] for no reason.

* Mayor Dalmore from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsInTheSky'' is a self-assured noble ass who's ObviouslyEvil plan is to burn down an orphanage so he can make room to build luxury housing to sell off to the rich, all so he can pay off his massive debt. When the protagonists point out he could [[StatingTheSimpleSolution sell his luxury estate to cover his debt]], he hypocritically protests that he can't get rid of his home. His plan is quickly found out and while he's quick to gloat that he's protected by code of conduct and has an artifact of power to help, it's not much good and he's quickly reduced to a panicking coward. [[spoiler:Weisman]] ultimately proves to be little better. While his plan is a good and complex one with a particularly sadistic failsafe, when the party manage to beat him he's hardly capable of believing it. It never occurred to him his second in command with a sword that can cut through anything would object to TheReveal that [[spoiler:he kickstarted the war that massacred his village]] and betray him. When he tries to pull a VillainExitStageLeft, [[ChurchMilitant Keven]] made damn sure he won't.

* While he pulls off {{Gambit Roulette}}s with the best of them, Gongora from ''Videogame/LostOdyssey'' is a straight up jerk lacking anything approaching style. It doesn't help that most of the people he manipulates are amnesiacs, [[TooDumbToLive inbred royals]] and [[ChivalrousPervert money grubbing alcoholic skirt-chasers]]. When he actually has to manipulate someone with a brain, he tends to use [[FateWorseThanDeath cruder]] [[ColdBloodedTorture methods]]. It also doesn't help that he, you know, [[ObviouslyEvil radiates evil]], his attempts against the amnesiacs amounts to "[[WhatIsEvil I'm not the bad guy]], ''[[WhatIsEvil you are]]'', he [[KickTheDog kicks dogs]] for fun, and he indulges in [[EvilLaugh maniacal laughter]] ''before'' checking to see if his plan actually worked...while his TooDumbToLive allies watch, which triggers their danger senses.
* Amon from the ''VideoGame/{{Lufia}}'' series. He's the Sinistral of Chaos, making him the most qualified to become a MagnificentBastard when compared to the Sinistrals of Destruction, Death, and Terror. Unfortunately, he's also the second of four Sinistrals. This means that he doesn't show up until the heroes have become strong enough to [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu kill the God of Destruction]], and he's not high enough up the ranks to be the BigBad or even TheDragon. He generally gets off one good plan, and then gets defeated quickly enough to get the real BigBad more screentime.
** Idura from ''VideoGame/LufiaIIRiseOfTheSinistrals'', and especially the remake ''VideoGame/LufiaCurseOfTheSinistrals'', manages to completely overshadow Amon in this regard. He's just as overconfident, but doesn't have the justification of being a God. Instead, he spends most of his time laughing while kidnapping babies and girlfriends. Appropriately, he develops a rivalry with the BoisterousBruiser of the team, and most of his "brilliant traps" are overcome with brute force.

* Most of the villains in ''VideoGame/RadiantHistoria'', but especially [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen Queen Protea]]. She's petty, vain, incompetent, has an extremely inflated sense of her own importance, disregards her stepdaughter completely, [[KickTheDog kicks any dogs within reach]], and is so oblivious to everything actually going on that she's effortlessly manipulated by [[DragonInChief her advisors]]. When the party actually confronts her in one timeline, she refuses to believe her army could possibly be losing when several of the enemy commanders have just burst into her throne room, and doesn't actually get it through her skull that she should be worried until Stocke is actually holding a blade to her neck.

** Ozwell E. Spencer, BigBad and TheManBehindTheMan to the whole series is one of these as well. He wanted to [[AGodAmI be a god]], but had no idea how to go about doing it, so he hired the various {{Evil Genius}}es who make up the antagonistic characters, and let them research at will, hoping one of them would create a way for him to achieve his godhood. In a series full of brilliant or horrifying bad guys with OneWingedAngel forms that are the stuff of nightmares, Spencer stands out as an EvilCripple and TheManBehindTheCurtain, who waits far too long to put his plan into action, and eventually sees it hijacked by his former protege, Albert Wesker. Smug, condescending, and not nearly as smart as he thinks he is, the [[EvilOldFolks old man]] is one of these to the end.

* Stratos from ''VideoGame/{{Sacrifice}}'', who is extremely self-centred, smug and disdainful towards most of the other gods while barely hiding it under a veneer of civility. He has rather overt aspirations towards monotheism, [[spoiler:and turns out to be the mastermind behind the main plot, which (unless you serve him), eventually derails beyond his control and kills him.]]

* Nicholai from ''VideoGame/ShadowHeartsCovenant'' tries ''so'' hard to be a MagnificentBastard. He's charismatic, scheming and utterly selfish, and loves to taunt you from just outside your reach. He sets up deals with every evil faction in the game so that whoever remains standing at the end, he should achieve his goals. He even [[spoiler:contracts the power of a ''god'']]! Unfortunately for him, he doesn't quite count on Yuri kicking the crap out of everyone, his plan to [[spoiler:release the Malice of Apoina Tower]] comes off as petty revenge, and he ends up getting completely outmaneuvered by someone even ''more'' scheming. And the [[UndignifiedDeath completely undignified way in which he finally bites the dust]].

* Vincent from ''VideoGame/SilentHill3''. He has a case of HeelFaceRevolvingDoor around Heather and Claudia and spends his time not only allying with either of them, but also snarking them.

** Skavak, overarching rival to the Smuggler, is a greedy backstabber, womanizer, and all around asshole. He seduces half the women in the galaxy, then abandons them when [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness they’ve given him whatever he wants.]]
** Tarro Blood of the Bounty Hunter storyline. A disgraced [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Mandalorian]], he reenters the Great Hunt after ten years in exile, and eliminates the competition by either buying them off, or killing them. When the Hunter grows closer to winning, Tarro downloads the list of Great Hunt targets, and sells them to the highest bidder, conviniently omitting his own targets. Once you finally catch up to him, he smugly boasts that he is the superior hunter, while in a cell... one which he [[JediMindTrick locked himself in.]]
** Jedi Master Jun Seros, also of the Bounty Hunter storyline. Only content to attack you from afar, then calls you a murderer for killing the forces sent to arrest you. Also a {{Hypocrite}} of the highest order; he defames the Bounty Hunter for murder of his allies, yet when he ambushes and kills the Hunter’s allies, who had nothing to do with them until recently, he says that it isn’t murder, as “they made their choice”.

** Saleh from ''VideoGame/TalesOfRebirth''. This guy is presented as a badass member of the Kingdom's Elites, but all he does is approach the heroes, taunt them, and do nothing. Later on, after being lectured by Tytree, he comes in denial that there is no way that the human heart can defeat him. So what does he do? Taunt the team even more rather than kicking their ass. Add to the fact that he's all doing it ForTheEvulz, he's as smug as you can get.

* [[BigBad The Guardian]] from the ''VideoGame/{{Ultima}}'' series, at least in ''VideoGame/UltimaVII: The Black Gate''. He constantly taunts, insults and annoys the Avatar in feeble attempts to scare you off, all the while you uncover his plots, undermine [[ChurchOfHappyology the Fellowship]], gather plot coupons and smash the prism generators. Even though he's fully aware of everything you do he never bother to alert the Fellowship to the fact that ''you are not their friend'', his own [[TheDragon Dragon]] Batlin keeps treating you like a clueless dupe right up until you try to interrogate him with the prism cube, and when you finally pull out your ace and foil his plan, he's downright ''shocked'' that you were able to stop him.

* Prince Lacroix from ''VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeBloodlines''. Arrogant, smug and power-hungry; Lacroix condescends to you and sends you on suicide missions at every opportunity. He wants you dead for political convenience, so every mission is a XanatosGambit - Further his aims or be out of his way. [[TheChessmaster He plots and schemes, playing key characters against each other to get what he wants]]. Whenever things don't go his way, he'll throw a childish temper tantrum.

** This gets turned on its head when, at about 10% HP he uses "Wrath of Frostmourne" and procedes to [[OneHitKill blow your]] [[TotalPartyKill raid apart]], going into a monologue about how his entire plan from the start was taunting you into chasing him and crafting you into an ultimate general for his undead army. Were it not for [[BigDamnHero Tirion Fordring]] busting out of his ice prison, [[MagnificentBastard he would have succeeded.]]