Considered man’s best friend, dogs have been a staple in video games for years. Many different canines have appeared in our favorite games, ranging from being your character’s most loyal companion to the star of the title. Dogs in gaming always seem to have our backs, and are just as lovable in gaming as they are in real life. Here is a list of some of my favorite dogs in video games.
1.) Mira
Many know Silent Hill to be a dark, twisted look into the minds of all who enter the town. All who step into the town become trapped in some way, and are haunted by monsters taken from their pasts and fears. Who would have figured out that the town is actually run by an adorable little dog?
One of the hidden endings that you can discover in Silent Hill 2 has protagonist James Sunderland walk into a room to find cute, little Mira sitting at a computer console, pulling the strings of Silent Hill. Though Mira’s appearance in the game is brief, the ending is one of the best in the series (though it is a joke). All it took was one small dog to create one great finish to a game.
2.) Dogmeat
When wandering a post-apocalyptic wasteland, you need a companion. In Fallout 3, that companion is Dogmeat. Dogmeat will accompany you through your adventure in the wasteland, becoming very useful. One can easily become attached to this furry sidekick, and grow to feel affection for him.
He is a loyal friend, and you can easily see yourself reloading your game if something happens to him. When it comes to having a partner in video games, Dogmeat stands on his own, hitting you in the heart unlike many other video game characters.
3.) D-Dog
When you first find him, D-Dog is an adorable and eager little puppy. He wants to follow Big Boss out onto the battlefield, but is too small to make it. But when he has grown enough to follow you onto the field, he is a total bad-ass. He is easily one of the best companions that you can have on the field. He can sniff out enemies and land mines, fulton soldiers off the field, and attack enemies. D-Dog shows that sometimes a dog is the best companion a man can have, and has an awesome eye patch to match Big Boss.
4.) Angelo
Sant’ Angelo di Roma (Angelo for short) shows what it means to have someone’s back. She follows Rinoa throughout Final Fantasy VIII, and is an integral part of her Limit Break. Angelo is able to help the whole party, and has other uses on the battlefield. Angelo tries her hardest to stay by Rinoa’s side at all times, and shows great distress when she can’t. Angelo is what a dog should be: loyal and trustworthy. She is a model example of a great canine partner, and Rinoa should be glad she has her back.
5.) Wolf Link
Link’s wolf form may not be an actual dog, but this transformation is still one of the most memorable canines in video games. Since the form’s inception in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Link’s wolf transformation has become one of the most recognized facets of the franchise in recent times. When Link turned into a wolf, he had a vicious look, which matched the dark world around him. Link as a wolf was a nice twist in Twilight Princess, and definitely goes down as a part of video game history.
6.) Koromaru
Koromaru is a special dog. He is able to wield a persona and battle shadows, and becomes a member of SEES because of his talent. Koromaru is also incredibly loyal, as he still waits for his master who had died some time ago. This undying loyalty makes Koromaru a shining example of how dogs are man’s best friend (unless you are Kanji). He also shows incredible bravery and intelligence, as well as human characteristics despite being a dog. He is everything that many imagine their dogs can be, and is a shining example of both loyalty and bravery.
