History TheSmartGuy / Videogames

* ''Franchise/AceAttorney'': Ever since Miles Edgeworth's HeelFaceTurn, he will usually fullfil this role blissfully when playable or supporting the protagonist. In the ''VisualNovel/AceAttorneyInvestigations'' games, this is even a Game Play Mechanic, called "Logic".

* Mechanical genius Slippy Toad of the ''VideoGame/StarFox'' franchise, and egregoriously so.

** He fills his usual role in ''VideoGame/SonicChronicles'', but is joined and assisted by [[spoiler: [[EnemyMine Dr Eggman!]] ]]

* Miles "Tails" Prower from ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' has an IQ of 300 and is a master GadgeteerGenius, as well as being a very good AcePilot when flying his biplane.

* Tails fills his usual role in ''VideoGame/SonicChronicles'', but is joined and assisted by [[spoiler: [[EnemyMine Dr Eggman!]] ]]

* Jeff in ''VideoGame/EarthBound'' is also archetypical of this trope. With regard to fantasy settings, he's an atypical example, in that he is the only party member who doesn't use magic.

* ''VideoGame/FearEffect''. Rain Qin is in this role, combined with TheChick.

* Positron, a signature character in ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes'' (and AuthorAvatar of the current lead developer, Matt Miller) is a {{mutant}} who built a suit of PoweredArmor to amplify his [[ILoveNuclearPower radiation abilities]], which after the [[AlienInvasion Rikti War]] became his seal to prevent him from [[SuperpowerMeltdown exploding]]. Citadel also may count, being a RidiculouslyHumanRobot.

[[quoteright:350:[[VideoGame/SlyCooperAndTheThievousRaccoonus https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bentley_inspecting_bot.png]]]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Haven 2020}}'': Well, both Kay and Yu are highly intelligent, but while Yu is focused on practical engineering concerns, Kay is more interested in biology and less immediately relevant science.

* The Engineer, Medic, and Spy of ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' all fit the role. The first is a relatively goodhearted GadgeteerGenius, the second is a crazy MadScientist, and the third is a haughty MagnificentBastard. All utilize technology, and they neatly encapsulate all traditional SmartGuy skills -- machines, support, and subterfuge. And all of them are arguably ''Bat-Shit Insane''.

* In ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' Luigi is actually considered this being far more cautious and sneaky than his brother.

* In ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'', WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck is The Smart Guy of the team, being the Disney Court's royal magician, and good at his craft. However, he doubles as the bad kind of team [[TheLancer Lancer]] as well, because of how self-centered, small-minded, and short-tempered he is; he's always trying to get his way, and doesn't consider the consequences of his bullish behavior. All of the wisdom is instead found in Goofy, TheBigGuy of the team, making him something of a GeniusBruiser. This pretty solidly seems a case of DumbIsGood. Actually, considering how many evil scientists there are in the series, it could seen as a double-whammy of DumbIsGood and ScienceIsBad. Even good-guy inventor Cid can't escape the fact that his gummi ships couldn't be built without breaking off material from the shells that protect each world from Darkness. Goofy's also the only one of the trio that knows how to properly use a computer (Sora only barely knew how to type and Donald had no idea) as well as caught on to Mulan's true nature.
%%* Jade from ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss''

* Wonder Black from ''VideoGame/TheWonderful101''
* Jennifer in the [[VideoGame/DisgaeaHourOfDarkness first]] ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' game, Hanako in the [[VideoGame/Disgaea2CursedMemories second]], Raspberyl in the [[VideoGame/Disgaea3AbsenceOfJustice third]].
* Vitali in ''VideoGame/SoulNomadAndTheWorldEaters''. [[spoiler:Lobo in the Demon Path.]]
* Tails fills his usual role in ''VideoGame/SonicChronicles'', but is joined and assisted by [[spoiler: [[EnemyMine Dr Eggman!]] ]]
* ''Franchise/{{Persona}}'':
** ''VideoGame/Persona4'' has a few party members share this role. Early in the game, [[TheLancer Lancer]] Yosuke Hanamura doubles as this, since he has most of the plausible investigative theories, with only Yukiko Amagi coming close in terms of contributing to the actual investigation. Later in the game, professional detective Naoto Shirogane firmly takes over this role after joining the party.
** ''VideoGame/Persona5'': Makoto Niijima ends up becoming the Phantom Thieves' main strategist and battlefield analyst, while Futaba Sakura becomes their brilliant tech expert and hacker. In particular, they're the main brains behind the successful plan to [[spoiler:fool the traitor and fake their leader's death]].
* The Engineer, Medic, and Spy of ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' all fit the role. The first is a relatively goodhearted GadgeteerGenius, the second is a crazy MadScientist, and the third is a haughty MagnificentBastard. All utilize technology, and they neatly encapsulate all traditional SmartGuy skills -- machines, support, and subterfuge. And all of them are arguably ''Bat-Shit Insane''.
* Siblings [[TheHero Welkin]] and [[WrenchWench Isara]] Gunther from ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChronicles'' usually fill out the role of being smart for Squad 7. Coincidentally, they're both in the tank.
* V from ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' in stark contrast to Dante and Nero is soft spoken, well read, poetic and tactical since he relies on his [[GuardianEntity guardian beasts]] in combat instead of brute force. [[spoiler: This serves as {{Foreshadowing}} for V’s real identity as BadassBookworm Vergil’s SoulJar]].
* Positron, a signature character in ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes'' (and AuthorAvatar of the current lead developer, Matt Miller) is a {{mutant}} who built a suit of PoweredArmor to amplify his [[ILoveNuclearPower radiation abilities]], which after the [[AlienInvasion Rikti War]] became his seal to prevent him from [[SuperpowerMeltdown exploding]]. Citadel also may count, being a RidiculouslyHumanRobot.
* ''VideoGame/{{Overwatch}}'' has many smart characters but the clear standout is the GeniusBruiser Silverback Gorilla Winston, who fans often aliken him to ComicBook/{{Beast|MarvelComics}} from ComicBook/XMen.
* [[VideoGame/BackyardSports Dmitri Petrovich]].
* In the FiveManBand of the Resistance Group in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'', history enthusiast Shad is the official Smart Guy.
* Mechanical genius Slippy Toad of the ''VideoGame/StarFox'' franchise, and egregoriously so.
* The ''Franchise/MassEffect'' trilogy offers several examples:
** In ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'' [[WrenchWench Tali]] is a technology expert and knows more about the [[MechaMooks Geth]] than anyone else in the crew. Liara is recruited for her knowledge on [[{{Precursors}} the Protheans]], which proves vital to tracking the BigBad.
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' has Mordin Solus, who is an OmnidisciplinaryScientist (mostly) who runs the technology lab. Tali returns, still an engineer and tech expert. Legion, an Automaton, possesses the collective technological knowledge of the Geth, and Kasumi Goto is the greatest hacker and infiltration specialist in the galaxy.
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' has Tali, once again, and EDI, the crew's [[DoAnythingRobot Do Anything AI]]. Liara, as the Shadow Broker, has shades of it as well, with her research on the Protheans coming in handy once more and leading not only to the discovery of [[spoiler: [[DismantledMacGuffin The Crucible]]]], kicking off most of the plot, but also uncovers [[spoiler: [[SealedBadassInACan Javik]], the ''[[LastOfHisKind last]]'' Prothean]].
* ''Franchise/AceAttorney'': Ever since Miles Edgeworth's HeelFaceTurn, he will usually fullfil this role blissfully when playable or supporting the protagonist. In the ''VisualNovel/AceAttorneyInvestigations'' games, this is even a Game Play Mechanic, called "Logic".

* Damon Baird is the smart guy for Delta Squad in ''VideoGame/GearsOfWar''.

* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'', Quistis Trepe fulfills this role because she is initially their teacher. Selphie Tilmitt might also fit because of her knowledge of weaponry and explosives.
** But then, even Zell could work, because he's quite knowledgeable on the history of a few places the [=SeeDs=] visit, and occasionally serves as exposition before missions.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' has Lulu as the BlackMage of the group, and her status as [[MrExposition Ms Exposition]] is lampshaded. Rikku fits another aspect of this trope as GadgeteerGenius and WrenchWench.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'''s FiveManBand gives us Sazh Katzroy, a professional airship pilot as well as the OnlySaneMan of the team. He usually ends up pointing out flaws in the group's plans. That's not to say he always has a better plan, but he tries to think things through before [[StormingTheCastle charging through the front door]] with the rest of the team. He's also the only member who doesn't blindly believe in the Anti-Pulse propaganda (besides Fang and Vanille, [[spoiler: who are Pulse citizens]]).
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXV'' has FourManBand member [[ChildProdigy Ignis Scientia]], royal advisor and strategist to the Prince. All of his techniques involve Noctis asking for a strategy to help the group win the fight.
* Lester from ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV''. He's crippled and requires a cane or wheelchair to get around, but he comes up with the plan for almost every major heist and sets up assassinations (as well as mentioning how to use the assassinations to manipulate the stock market).
* ''VideoGame/{{BattleCry|VideoGame}}'': While the Gadgeteer of each team likely tends this way by default, Mykola of the Cossacks is a particularly good fit, being the only one on his team with formal education.

* Several characters in ''VideoGame/{{Evolve}}'' fit this to varying degrees, though they tend to specialize in certain areas. The most straight forward example is Caira, who holds two degrees and was the youngest Catalog team leader in history. She's the one who provides most of the information about the monsters, primarily about how their physiology works. A later character, Kala, one-ups her by having researched the monsters for years and being an actual genius in her field.
* In ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' series' mythology, Julianos, the [[OurGodsAreDifferent Aedric Divine]] of Wisdom and Logic, serves as this within the [[SaintlyChurch Nine Divines]] pantheon. He governs over many aspects of wisdom and knowledge, including magic, mathematics, language, literature, history, and law.
* In ''VideoGame/FarnhamFables'', Flewdor is the most well-read of the three princes. He carries a large reference book around, and his unique verb is "Study". In Episode 1, he's the one who can tell which mushroom Dr. Keith needs to make the medicine.
* ''VideoGame/{{Haven 2020}}'': Well, both Kay and Yu are highly intelligent, but while Yu is focused on practical engineering concerns, Kay is more interested in biology and less immediately relevant science.

* ''VideoGame/{{Overwatch}}'' has many smart characters but the clear standout is the GeniusBruiser Silverback Gorilla Winston, who fans often aliken him to ComicBook/{{Beast}} from ComicBook/XMen.

* In ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'', DonaldDuck is The Smart Guy of the team, being the Disney Court's royal magician, and good at his craft. However, he doubles as the bad kind of team [[TheLancer Lancer]] as well, because of how self-centered, small-minded, and short-tempered he is; he's always trying to get his way, and doesn't consider the consequences of his bullish behavior. All of the wisdom is instead found in Goofy, TheBigGuy of the team, making him something of a GeniusBruiser. This pretty solidly seems a case of DumbIsGood. Actually, considering how many evil scientists there are in the series, it could seen as a double-whammy of DumbIsGood and ScienceIsBad. Even good-guy inventor Cid can't escape the fact that his gummi ships couldn't be built without breaking off material from the shells that protect each world from Darkness. Goofy's also the only one of the trio that knows how to properly use a computer (Sora only barely knew how to type and Donald had no idea) as well as caught on to Mulan's true nature.

* Rebecca Chambers from ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' is the CombatMedic for S.T.A.R.S and in [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil0 RE0]] Rebecca is the only character who can mix herbs to create healing items, though she can’t push heavy objects and has less health.
** Leon S Kennedy counts as well being a highly pragmatic and tactical government agent. Ada Wong a international super spy even admits that Leon is a “[[GeniusBruiser genius]]”.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'''s FiveManBand gives us Sash Katzroy, a professional airship pilot as well as the OnlySaneMan of the team. He usually ends up pointing out flaws in the group's plans. That's not to say he always has a better plan, but he tries to think things through before [[StormingTheCastle charging through the front door]] with the rest of the team. He's also the only member who doesn't blindly believe in the Anti-Pulse propaganda (besides Fang and Vanille, [[spoiler: who are Pulse citizens]]).

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' gives us Hope Estheim, the youngest of the cast but with the highest magic stat.

* ''[[Franchise/ShinMegamiTenseiPersona Persona]]'':