We all know Ceiling Cat loves watching us play games. I have my own furry mob that games along with me too: one Great Dane and two Boston Terriers. Often when I stream you can catch them scooting across the camera, wrestling, chewing on bones, and annoyingly jumping into my lap and knocking the controller out of my hands. It’s amazing how connected you can feel to a pet that spends hours curled at your feet as you brave the Fargodeep Mines or take on that Heroic Mission on Mars. Sometimes when I get into a gaming zone, I have little to no human contact for days, save the occasional pizza or sandwich delivery guy. My pets, on the other hand, are always present. They remind me to feed them and let them out, whether subtly or unsubtly.
There are also digital pets that have pulled at my heartstrings throughout my gaming history. Whether the companionship is integral, such as with Never Alone, or peripheral, such as companion pets in Neverwinter, pets and companions are a too-often ignored part of our gaming lives. Ignored until now, that is!
World of Warcraft
WoW is an interesting case study when it comes to pets. Even from the first iteration of the game you had hints at the possibility of pets. Hunters, of course, had animal companions. There were animals that scattered across the landscape. You had your mighty steeds, and there were a few obtainable pets throughout. What is most fascinating about WoW, however, is the way that pets have evolved in the game: they started as most do, with pets that don’t influence the game, but then came Battle Pets. Battle Pets is a game within a game. I personally have been continually come back to WoW over the last year or so simply because I love pet battles.
Having pets that can actually impact gameplay is a hugely important step in the evolution of games, though of course WoW was far from the first to do this. Blizzard has, however, managed to create this new and exciting system in their game, which is commendable. Some may say WoW is repetitive, even throughout all the expansions. Battle Pets, however, is not simply a new skin on an old world. It is a fundamentally new and novel evolution. Pretty exciting. And my favorite pet? Molten Corgi is the cutest, though I am quite partial to whelplings as well. At any rate, I think WoW represents an important shift in how we see pets– they are not only companions, whether they contribute to our character or not, but they can also be a game in their own right.
Super Mario World
While I’m sure some folks would say Rush from MegaMan is a much better pet from the time period, Yoshi in my mind represents the first major success of a pet. Since being introduced in 1990, Yoshi has been a hugely popular character in the world of Super Mario. Yoshi, despite having spin offs and his own success, nevertheless remains the quintessential companion: adorable, helpful, loyal (unless you fall off of him), and did I mention adorable?
Yoshi has continued to evolve has well. He has his own features and has had several games of his own, but still plays the sidekick in most Mario games.
Pokemon
The Pokemon games are obviously famous for the awesome pets you collect. They are not supplemental of course, but they are the central component in the game. Any person who has seen Animal Hoarders has to think of it while playing Pokemon. You’re going around, taking animals and creatures out of their homelands, and forcing them to fight with you. Hundreds of them. You even keep them in a bank when you aren’t using them. It’s kind of messed up when you think about it.
That said, you can’t argue that they don’t have some adorable pets in that game. Of course, everyone loves Pikachu. But there are so, so many other adorable Pokemon that should not be ignored. Munno, for one, is the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen. Bidoof is pretty damn cuddly. Tedduirsa is also pretty ridiculous. There are really countless adorable Pokemon, and they make fabulous pets.
Other Mentionable Favorites
Dog from Fable 2. While not a critical part of the game, Dog was one of my favorite companions. I still vividly remember the long hours I spent playing through Fable 2, with my faithful pal by my side. He added to my experience, if not helped humanize an ugly, ugly world.
Horses. Are horses really pets? I think they can be. They, at the very least, deserve an honorable mention here. There is no shortage of important companion horses in games. We have Epona, for Legend of Zelda. Epona is beside you through thick and thin. We also have Agro, from Shadow of the Colossus. Agro is perhaps the quintessential companion, conside
ring how the devs made your character desperately lonely until Agro came along. Finally, I have to mention Hudson Horstachio, from Viva Pinata, one of the creepiest games I’m ever played. He, like the game he hails from, is still one of the animals that I find “disturbing”.
In the end, our digital and meat space companions will always have a special place in our hearts. Whether it is a friend when we are lonely or a new twist on a game we have gotten bored with, pets bring so much to my gaming experience. I love when my little pups cuddle up on my feet as I’m playing Witcher III, or my big dog puts his head on mine to watch my laptop screen as I rock some Sims. Please post stories about your favorite game pets or gaming companions in the comments. We’d love to hear your stories.
This post is in loving memory of Biggs, my best friend. Cancer took him way too young, but I still cherish the little time we had.
This piece was written for Critical Distance’s June Blogs of the Round Table feature. For more, see the selection bar.
