Many games feature humans at the forefront of battle or going through dark and gruesome adventures, but what about those that focus on animals' capabilities? For a long time, animals have mainly played the role of sidekick in video games with few giving them the light they deserve.
Today we will pay homage to the great animals that have made it to the staring role and made their way into the hearts of fans all over the world. From raccoons to bandicoots, you will see some of the best.
10 Sly 2: Band Of Thieves
The Sly Cooper games have been a triumph for animal lovers everywhere. They focus on a crack band of animal thieves who make for a good crew. Sly 2: Band of Thieves is arguably the best of the series, but that's not to say the whole series isn't great. It was one of the first to have a character that fans truly loved that just so happened to be a raccoon.
And don't forget about his partners Bentley and Murray. With a team like this, there is little doubt that these games will ever be forgotten.
9 Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back
Everyone know who Crash Bandicoot is. He is the lovable bandicoot that many fans grew up playing as in some of their favorite childhood games. The original game was released all the way back in 1996 and has since been a favorite for fans all over the world. Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back is not the original but has long been argued to be the best in the series.
This could change with the announcement of another game to be added to the series, but it will forever hold a place in the hearts of fans.
8 Sonic Mania
Sonic Mania was a blessing for fans of the blue hedgehog after many disappointing games. Led by Australian programmer Christian Whitehead, it quickly took the world by storm and gave fans a reason to hope.
Sonic is one of those characters that has been in just about everything you can think of from racing to the Olympics and won't be stopped any time soon. He was originally conceived all the way back in 1991, over twenty-five years ago. That is a seriously long time and the fan base just keeps growing.
7 Yooka-Laylee
Yooka-Laylee is a spiritual successor to another game that fans loved when they were kids, Banjo-Kazooie. It features not one animal protagonist, but two. Players play as the team of Yooka (the chameleon) and Laylee (the bat) as they try to take down Capital B.
It really holds true to its predecessor and keeps the fun going throughout. With the second game releasing back in 2019, there are two games you can play with this adorable duo. Plus, you can always go back to the original duo that started it all.
6 Donkey Kong Country
Take another trip back in time to when 2D platformers graced the shelves across the world. Back to when Donkey Kong Country was released back in 1994 on the SNES and quickly won the hearts of fans everywhere. This is probably one of the most played games from the SNES era and is still a great game to do this day.
Donkey Kong and the rest of the cast have appeared all over in Mario games, and even in Super Smash Bros. Many fans have agreed that Donkey Kong Country is among the best of the anthropomorphized world in gaming and there is little to argue against that.
5 Spyro The Dragon
Spyro The Dragon is yet another one of those games from a simpler time that offers hours of fun and entertainment. Despite him being small, he packs a big punch and fans who realized this flocked to the shelves to pick up a copy. The original game was released back in 1998 for the original Playstation.
In it, all the dragons get crystallized and Spyro, being the only dragon to not be affected, must save the world with his partner Sparx. There was a remake of the entire trilogy that released in 2018 which helped reignite the passion fans had for this lovable dragon.
4 Okami
Okami is still one of those games that have managed to stay out of the mainstream spotlight despite it receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback. In it, you play as a white wolf that helps protect the world from a coming darkness.
It has a beautiful cell-shaded Japanese art style that every player should experience once in their life. Fans who have played the game were relieved when Okami managed to get an HD remaster in 2006 which helped to boost its popularity. One of the best aspects of the game is the introduction of drawing that few games feature.
3 Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Admittedly, Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess does not entirely feature an animal protagonist, but Link does turn into a wolf which makes for a great experience. Everyone knows the Legend of Zelda games since they released back in 1986.
This game takes a turn as the world gets engulfed in eternal twilight and Link gets transformed into a wolf. While in wolf form, he still wields his sword and his shield gets placed on his back. It is an amazing feature that none of the other Zelda games have managed to replicate.
2 Star Fox 64
You can't talk about animal protagonists without mentioning Fox McCloud, the starfighter that started off a series of beloved games. For those who remember the original that released back on the SNES in 1993, Star Fox 64 took everything and made it better than ever before. It had full voice acting and easy controls along with great gameplay that is still fun to this day.
Fox has since been included in multiple games and was one of the original characters to grace the screen in Super Smash Bros.
1 Yoshi's Woolly World
Yoshi's Woolly World is one of a long list of Yoshi games created by Nintendo over the years. It features everyone's favorite green dinosaur in a new wool form but has that same classic gameplay that fans loved from the beginning.
Yoshi, like many of his compatriots, has appeared in many games over the years, but none Yoshi's Woolly World is among the best of the bunch. It is a great reminder of Yoshi's Island and fans will probably remember it for years to come.