In gaming, man’s best friend comes in many different forms. Our trusty animal companions guide us in our quests, protect us from enemies, and provide transportation to faraway lands. There is no doubt that they can make exploring vast worlds a bit easier. As a tribute to them, we look at 5 of the most beloved animal companions in gaming.
Hopefully, your favorite made the list!
1Chocobo, Final Fantasy
Since Final Fantasy II, these feathered friends have appeared in every game in some capacity or another. Prior to Final Fantasy VII, our avian friends were summoned to aid us in battle, with some being used as transportation.
FFVII, however, saw them being a very integral part of the game. The side quest to capture, raise, race, and breed until you got the Golden Chocobo was a mission required for the best summon in the game. If you’re like me, you wouldn’t have considered this your first few playthroughs. But the draw of the Knights of the Round was just too much for some, so many hours went into it.
RELATED: Interview: Voice Actress Patricia Summersett Talks ‘Legend Of Zelda’
Further, Final Fantasy kept chocobos as a method of transport until Final Fantasy XV decided to get a car. Another animal’s job was lost to a machine!
2D-Dog, Metal Gear Solid
In Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, which is set before 1, 2, and 4, but after 3 in the timeline…yes, that hurt my brain too…you find D-Dog as a little lost puppy and save him. Later, he becomes your greatest companion.
He can distract, kill or stun guards, as well as Fulton extract hostages and potential new recruits. He is the only companion in The Phantom Pain with any feelings for Snake. Quiet, or any other companion, simply mutters a word if you get killed. D-Dog, however, lets out a howl if you fall in combat. Now that’s man’s best friend!
3Epona, The Legend of Zelda
Yes, I’m writing about Zelda again, but stay with me. Link’s equine friend enters the Zelda saga at the Ocarina of Time stage. Meeting him when he’s younger, and then again when he’s matured, makes you feel a real connection. Even the song you learn to call Epona gives you that warm feeling.
This new best friend appears in four later titles and has been as helpful in each one. Thankfully, Breath of the Wild will see Epona partner with Link once again, cementing him as one of our favorite animal companions in gaming.
4Dogmeat, Fallout
Fallout players will have encountered this German Shepard twice. There’s no doubt that Dogmeat is one of the most useful animal companions of all time. He fights, finds ammo, and alerts his human to any threats in the Wasteland. If you were unfortunate enough for him to cross the Rainbow Bridge, you’d have felt a real sense of sadness or just reloaded.
RELATED: Walton Goggins to Star in Amazon’s ‘Fallout’ Series
Fallout 4 brought Dogmeat back stronger and with added god mode. Scared by that there Deathclaw? Send Dogmeat in to soften him up!
5Yoshi, Mario
The green dino has been alongside Mario since his debut in 1990’s Super Mario World. Anyone who has played it remembers the happiness when that little egg popped up from a question block, and Yoshi made his appearance. He made you feel invincible, eating anything in his path and helping you reach higher areas.
The biggest problem was the genuine panic felt when Yoshi ran off. The manic moments of chasing after him and the relief when you finally caught up and jumped back on. Or the guilt when he dropped off the edge. Yoshi is the true green friend of the red plumber and one of our all-time favorite animal companions in gaming.
