5 Best Sibling Rivalries in Video Games

You may have heard someone say that the best way siblings show love to one another is by constantly getting at each other’s throats.  Numerous video games present captivating narratives, featuring some of the most compelling sibling rivalries ever conceived by their creators. These games masterfully weave the paradoxical narrative of siblings, individuals intrinsically connected from birth, who nevertheless struggle to maintain harmony. 

From the very beginning, you'll encounter sibling characters who harbor intense resentment towards each other, setting the stage for potential, fiery clashes at every encounter. These high-stakes conflicts often unmask a wealth of raw emotions, revealing deep-seated familial fractures. 

However, amid the turmoil, there remains a broad scope for injecting witty inside jokes and uplifting moments. These elements infuse the narrative with levity, balancing the narrative's intense undertones and adding another layer of complexity to the sibling dynamics.

While several video games have curated some friendly, nasty, or outright deadly sibling rivalries, here are the best sibling rivalries in video games that stole our hearts and minds.

5. Solid Snake and Liquid Snake – Metal Gear Series

Solid and Liquid Snake are twin brothers in the Metal Gear franchise. Well, not quite. They are both clones of a genetic engineering project to create super soldiers. You would think that the two would come out the same. But, no. Solid Snake is a calm and dedicated military soldier. While Liquid Snake is impulsive and power-driven. 

Their rivalry cuts deep, with Liquid hating his brother for being the perfect clone. As a result, they often face off against one another. When they’re not at each other’s throats, either one is busy thwarting the other’s plans or car-chasing them into submission. Much later, we discover that Liquid was the superior clone the whole time. I'm just lost for words.

4. Kitana and Mileena – Mortal Kombat Series

If you’ve seen some striking similarities between Kitana and Mileena, you couldn’t be more right. They grew up together as the personal assassins of their father and emperor, Shang Tsung. However, Mileena wasn’t born the natural way. Instead, Shang Tsung cloned her in the shape and form of his daughter, the Edenian princess Kitana, with the blood of the fictional Tarkatan species. 

When Mileena discovers Kitana’s betrayal of the throne, she’s furious and swears to stop her at any cost. This led to the ultimate face-off that ended with Kitana defeating and killing Mileena. Mortal Kombat, being Mortal Kombat, resurrects Mileena sometime later, and she embarks on avenging her own death. When they run into each other, Kitana defeats Mileena once again and locks her up. She’s set free by Baraka and then poses as Kitana to take control of her sister’s armies. 

Each time they meet, a gruesome fight between sisters ensues. Yet Kitana virtually wins every single time. The sisters always return with a vengeance, with each new game always finding new ways to spill more blood. Worth noting is that the upcoming series reboot of Mortal Kombat I will cast both Mileena and Kitana as twin sisters, meaning that Mileena will be born as Kitana’s biological twin sister. So, definitely, some gory scenes are to be expected. Let’s wait and see.

3. Mario and Luigi – Super Mario Brothers Series

By Mortal Kombat‘s standards, it can seem like sibling rivalries always end in bloodshed. But on a lighter note, Mario and Luigi are perhaps the most relatable to real-life. Both are fraternal twins, yet they seem to always find themselves in some kind of friendly and humorous competition. For a long time, Mario always crossed the finish line first. Most games would place him on a pedestal, leaving Luigi to cower in his shadow. And Luigi never complains. He listens to Mario and does what he’s told. 

What’s more? It’s as if Luigi can’t think for himself. Usually, Mario goes on his own adventures, while Luigi is forgotten about somewhere. Whenever he’s around, he’s portrayed as a fool who always needs Mario’s guidance. And it’s not like Mario intentionally dims Luigi’s light. No. The series is called Super Mario Brothers, so Mario has to shine by default. 

But soon, even siblings who spend their lives in the shadows will have to break out alone. Luigi finally has the chance to shine, starring in his action-adventure series, The Luigi’s Mansion. It seems he finally found his passion: ghost hunting. Good for you, Luigi.

2. Cecil and Golbez – Final Fantasy IV

It’s so rare to see sibling rivalries have a happy ending or something close to it. At first, Golbez, originally called Theodore, didn’t have a bad bone in his body. He was a good young kid, excited to meet his newborn brother when she was born. But when he learns Cecil’s birth tragically led to her mother's death, it sends Theodore down a dark path. Theodore blames Cecil for the death of their mother, which makes way for the evil, Zemus, to possess him. 

Henceforth, Theodore changed his name to Golbez and unleashed all manner of atrocities on the planet. He would need magic Crystals to do so. So, he goes ahead and forces Cecil to help him collect them. Fortunately, Cecil adamantly refuses, prompting Golbez to feel guilty and return to his senses. He joins forces with Cecil in the fight against Zemus. In the end, Golbez sacrifices himself for his brother during the battle against The Dark Knight. 

1. Dante and Vergil – Devil May Cry Series

Dante and Vergil have a love-hate relationship. The two are sons of Sparda. Both are immortal and half-demonic, which seems like the perfect recipe to break up and make up over time. For years, Vergil grew jealous of Dante. He felt that their mother loved Dante more. It’s kind of like Cain's and Abel’s story. When they were kids, their mother chose to save Dante, not Vergil. 

They got separated a little while later and went down different paths. Dante grew up to be more humane, while Vergil developed a colder, more distant side. Whenever they met, it always made for an intense battle of bloodline supremacy, emulating an eternal rivalry that has shaped gaming since its conception. In the end, Dante finally defeats Vergil in a spectacular final boss showdown.

So, what’s your take? Do you agree with our best sibling rivalries in video games? Are there more sibling rivalries we should know about? Let us know over on our socials here.