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

[[quoteright:350:[[VideoGame/SlyCooperAndTheThieviusRaccoonus https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bentley_inspecting_bot.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:When the WiseOldTurtle doesn't need to be old.]]
The resident [[TheSmartGuy Smart Guy or Girl]] in VideoGames.
----

* ''Franchise/AceAttorney'': Ever since Miles Edgeworth's HeelFaceTurn, he will usually fulfill this role blissfully when playable or supporting the protagonist. In the ''VisualNovel/AceAttorneyInvestigations'' games, this is even a gameplay mechanic, called "Logic".
* ''VideoGame/BaldursGateIII'' has the party's SquishyWizard Gale, a former ChildProdigy who speaks in PurpleProse. His natural talent with magic was so immense he became a protege of the [[WorldsSmartestMan world's greatest wizard]] Elminster and TheChosenOne of the goddess of magic Mystra. He's also the CampCook, and in the promotional animated shorts he's given the role of TheLeader in Tav/Durge's absence. In the GoldenEnding he goes on to become an AbsentMindedProfessor at a WizardingSchool.
* ''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.
* ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyZombies:''
** Ultimis and Primis both have their own Richtofen. Whereas the other 3 members are soldiers who were sent by their country to investigate Nazi Germany, Richtofen was a [[HerrDoktor German]] MadScientist with a direct hand in the creation of the zombies, and is the only one who has a clear idea of an objective.
** Victis has Marlton, and he will not let you forget it.
* 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 [[AtomicSuperpower radiation abilities]], which after the [[AlienInvasion Rikti War]] became his seal to prevent him from [[SuperpowerMeltdown exploding]]. Citadel also may count, being a RidiculouslyHumanRobot.
* 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]].
* In ''VideoGame/{{Deltarune}}'', [[PlayerCharacter Kris]] is the brains of their team, being the one to solve puzzle and to improvize a strategy in every battle they take part to. The puzzle-solving part is weaponized when [[DumbMuscle Susie]] is the only one who can free Ralsei and Kris, and the latter has to give her indications on how to solve the puzzles she faces.
* Jennifer in the [[VideoGame/DisgaeaHourOfDarkness first]] ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' game, Hanako in the [[VideoGame/Disgaea2CursedMemories second]], Raspberyl in the [[VideoGame/Disgaea3AbsenceOfJustice third]].
* ''Franchise/DonkeyKong'': Funky Kong serves as this for the Kong clan, being mainly a NonActionGuy who's responsible for engineering the Kongs' vehicles and weapons [[BambooTechnology out of wood and fruit]]. He notably defies the usual characterization of the archetype by being a SurferDude.
* Jeff in ''VideoGame/EarthBound1994'' 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.
* 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.
* 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 ''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/FearEffect''. Rain Qin is in this role, combined with TheHeart.
* 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.
* Damon Baird is the smart guy for Delta Squad in ''VideoGame/GearsOfWar''.
* 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).
* Franchise/{{Halo}}:
** The Huragok/Engineers serve as The Smart ''[[PlanetOfHats Species]]''. They're the only ones in the Covenant who actually know enough about their technology to build and maintain it, which puts the other races in a bind when most of them vanish after the Great Schism.
** Cortana acts as a smart girl for the Master Chief, as she's an AI who can do all the fancy tech stuff.
** In ''VideoGame/HaloReach'', Kat is Noble Team's Smart Gal, being the team's tech expert and tactical planner.
** In ''VideoGame/{{Halo 4}}''[='s=] ''Spartan Ops'', Roland is this for the ''Infinity'' support staff, being an AI and all.
* Kay and Yu from ''VideoGame/{{Haven 2020}}'' [[PairTheSmartOnes are both highly intelligent]], but while Yu is focused on practical engineering concerns, Kay is more interested in biology and less immediately relevant science.
* 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.
* In the FiveManBand of the Resistance Group in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'', history enthusiast Shad is the official Smart Guy.
* 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]].
* ''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.
* ''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]].
* 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]]”.
* [[ChildProdigy 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!]] ]]
* Vitali in ''VideoGame/SoulNomadAndTheWorldEaters''. [[spoiler:Lobo in the Demon Path.]]
* Mechanical genius Slippy Toad of the ''Franchise/StarFox'' franchise, and egregiously so.
* In ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' Luigi is actually considered this being far more cautious and sneaky than his brother.
* 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 skills of TheSmartGuy -- machines, support, and subterfuge. And all of them are arguably ''Bat-Shit Insane''.
* Kanna fulfils this role in ''VideoGame/ThreeTheHardWay'', being the ReallySevenHundredYearsOld sorceress who knows more about the game's universe than most of the party and provides a lot of exposition regarding such topics. Interestingly, she doesn't actually have a lot of innate magical skills, and her "spells" are alchemy-based, and must be manually created before facing the battles.
* 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.
* Wonder Black from ''VideoGame/TheWonderful101''
* Taion from ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles3'', having previously served under Colony Lambda (the Agnus nation's main espionage and intelligence hub), takes pride in his tactical ability. Time and again, he's the one to come up with the plans to help the rest of the Ouroboros out of binds. It's even represented mechanically in the game's Chain Attack feature, by Taion having the highest base Tactical Points of the team (which represent how efficiently they can carry out their plans in contribution to the Chain Attack).

----