40 Animal characters in video games

Amaterasu , also known as Ōkami Amaterasu (大神天照), is a fictional character from Capcom's video game Ōkami. She is a white wolf based on the Japanese goddess, Amaterasu , in Japanese mythology. Amaterasu also appears in the Marvel vs. Capcom series. Since debuting in Ōkami, Amaterasu has garnered mostly positive reception from both video game publications and fans, often included among the top Capcom characters, best canine characters in games, and one of the best video game protagonists overall.

Banjo & Kazooie are a pair of fictional characters and the eponymous protagonists of the video game series Banjo-Kazooie, created by British company Rare. Banjo and Kazooie were introduced as both player characters in the original Banjo-Kazooie (1998). Banjo is a bear accompanied by Kazooie, a bird, who is often seen seeking shelter in his backpack and emerging to perform various moves and attacks. The pair have gone on numerous adventures together, fighting against the sinister plans of the evil witch Gruntilda.

The Battletoads, named Rash, Zitz and Pimple and collectively also known as just the 'Toads, are the titular player characters in the Battletoads video game series, introduced in the original Battletoads in 1991. They are a trio of anthropomorphic, mutant toad space warriors fighting against the wicked Dark Queen's forces to save the universe. They also appeared in some other media and have gained a sizable fan following.

Bowser , or King Koopa, is a fictional character, the primary antagonist in Nintendo's Mario franchise, and the archenemy of Mario. In Japan, the character bears the title of Daimaō . Bowser is the leader of the turtle-like Koopa race. Despite the fact that Bowser has teamed up with Mario in a few games, his ultimate goals are to kidnap Princess Peach, defeat Mario and Luigi to conquer the Mushroom Kingdom. Bowser's defining traits are his monstrous appearance with dragon-like elements, full-throated roar, fire-breathing abilities, cruel personality, bestial reptilian voice, never-ending conflict with Mario, and unrequited crush for Peach.

Bowser Jr. is a fictional character who appears in Nintendo's Mario franchise as an antagonist. He is the son of the series' main antagonist, Bowser. Since his debut in Super Mario Sunshine in 2002, Bowser Jr. has been a recurring character in the Mario series and has been made playable in several spin-offs, such as Mario Superstar Baseball, Mario Strikers Charged, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate among many others. He often helps his father to kidnap Princess Peach and defeat Mario, but in the end wants nothing more than to impress his father. Bowser Jr.’s defining traits are his striking resemblance to his father, his energetic and driven personality, his expertise in mechanics and technology, his heavy uses of his Junior Clown Car and Magic Paintbrush.

The Chocobo is a fictional species created for the Final Fantasy franchise by Square Enix. A galliform bird commonly having yellow feathers, they were first introduced in Final Fantasy II (1988), and have since featured in some capacity in nearly every Final Fantasy title, usually as a means of transport. Chocobos or chocobo-themed characters have played story roles in multiple titles, notably Final Fantasy V and the world of Final Fantasy XIII. A recurring Chocobo also acts as protagonist of the Chocobo spin-off series.

Conker the Squirrel is an anthropomorphic squirrel starring in various video games, primarily known for his role in Conker's Bad Fur Day. He first appeared alongside Diddy Kong in Nintendo's Diddy Kong Racing. Other appearances outside of the Conker series included Project Spark. Conker is voiced by Chris Seavor in all of his appearances.

Crash Bandicoot is the title character and main protagonist of the Crash Bandicoot series. Introduced in the 1996 video game Crash Bandicoot, Crash is a mutant eastern barred bandicoot who was genetically enhanced by the series' main antagonist Doctor Neo Cortex and soon escaped from Cortex's castle after a failed experiment in the "Cortex Vortex". Throughout the series, Crash acts as the opposition against Cortex and his schemes for world domination. While Crash has a number of offensive maneuvers at his disposal, his most distinctive technique is one in which he spins like a tornado at high speeds and knocks away almost anything that he strikes.

Daxter is a fictional character from the Jak and Daxter video game series. First introduced in The Precursor Legacy, Daxter is Jak's best friend, and was accidentally transformed into an ottsel. Daxter is voiced by Max Casella, Richard McGonagle, and Steve Blum. Daxter stars in his own game, named after himself. Critics have been divided with the character, some calling him funny, others calling him annoying.

The Deathclaw is a fictional reptilian species from the post-apocalyptic Fallout video game franchise. They were created by humans as biological weapons prior to the series' in-universe nuclear war. Escaping into the wild afterwards, they went on to thrive in the nuclear wasteland, becoming apex predators. Known as one of the Fallout series' most recognizable and iconic elements, Deathclaws were praised by critics for their design and the fear they induce in the player due to their immense power. As a result of their popularity, numerous mods were created for Fallout series games with the Deathclaw as a central theme, either to tame the creatures as a pet or use them in combat, concepts which were later added as an official feature.

Diddy Kong is a fictional character who appears in games belonging to the Donkey Kong and Mario video game franchises, debuting in the 1994 Donkey Kong series game, Donkey Kong Country. Nintendo designer Kevin Bayliss commented Diddy Kong was "penciled in" as a spider monkey, although he is not specifically referenced as belonging to a particular species. He lives with Donkey Kong on Donkey Kong Island in the Kongo Jungle, and is identified by his red hat with the Nintendo logo, and his red shirt with stars.

The Duck Hunt dog is a fictional character from the 1984 NES video game Duck Hunt. The dog appears as one of the only visible living creatures within the game, scaring ducks out from hiding. If players miss the duck, the dog will laugh at them. This has resulted in a great deal of resentment for him, with several sources referring to him as the most disliked character in Nintendo history. Several fan media depict the Duck Hunt dog being shot, a popular concept amongst fan labor works, including a CollegeHumor video. The dog also appears in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a playable character representing the Duck Hunt series.

Dogmeat is a recurring dog non-player character (NPC) in the Fallout series of post-apocalyptic themed role-playing video games. Dogmeat was introduced as an optional companion to the player character in the original Fallout (1997), and has made cameo appearances in the sequel Fallout 2 (1998) and in some other video games. Other, different Dogmeats are featured in the same role in Fallout 3 (2008) and Fallout 4 (2015). All incarnations of the character were well received, becoming widely regarded as one of the best remembered features in the series, as well as one of the most popular sidekick type characters in video gaming overall.

Donkey Kong, also shortened to DK, is a fictional ape in the Donkey Kong and Mario video game series, created by Shigeru Miyamoto. The original Donkey Kong first appeared as the title character and antagonist of the eponymous 1981 game, a platformer by Nintendo, which would lead to the Donkey Kong series. The Donkey Kong Country subseries was launched in 1994 with a new Donkey Kong as the protagonist. This version of the character persists as the main one up to today. While the 1980s games' Donkey Kong and the modern Donkey Kong share the same name, the manual for Donkey Kong Country and subsequent games portray the former as Cranky Kong, the latter's grandfather, with the exception of Donkey Kong 64, in which Cranky is depicted as his father. Donkey Kong is considered one of the most popular and iconic characters in video game history.

Epona is a fictional horse in The Legend of Zelda series of video games that debuted in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. She usually acts as the steed of Link, the series protagonist, and is often found in the company of the ranch hand character Malon. Her name is derived from the Celtic goddess of horses of the same name.

Five Nights at Freddy's (FNaF) is an American media franchise created by Scott Cawthon. It began with the 2014 video game of the same name and has since gained worldwide popularity.

The Hammer Bro is a recurring enemy in the Mario video game series. Created by Japanese video game designer Kazuaki Morita, it is a subspecies of Koopa Troopa that walks upright and attacks by throwing hammer projectiles at the player character. Different variations of the character, based on projectiles they throw, include Boomerang Bro, Fire Bro, Sledge Bro, Sumo Bro, and Ice Bro. It has appeared in nearly every Super Mario game since its first appearance in Super Mario Bros., and has also appeared in various animated and printed adaptations.

Isabelle, known as Shizue (しずえ) in Japan, is a fictional character from the Animal Crossing series of video games. She is a kindly Shih Tzu that debuted in the 2012 release Animal Crossing: New Leaf, where she serves as the secretary to the player character.

King K. Rool is a fictional anthropomorphic crocodile and the main antagonist in Nintendo's Donkey Kong video game franchise, as well as the archnemesis of Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong. K. Rool is the villainous leader of a group of crocodilian raiders known as the Kremlings, who have crossed paths with the Kongs on many occasions. First appearing in the 1994 video game Donkey Kong Country for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, he has been described as being "to Donkey Kong what Bowser is to Mario." He is depicted as unstable, adopting different personae and titles and utilizing a variety of weapons to his advantage. K. Rool resembles an overweight crocodile with an infected, bulging eye. The name "K. Rool" is a play on the word "cruel", a reference to his malevolent nature. He also appeared as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. series. In addition to video games, K. Rool has appeared in the manga adaption of Donkey Kong Country, the Donkey Kong Country animated series, comics and several pieces of Nintendo merchandise.

Knuckles the Echidna is a fictional character and one of the main characters in Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series. He is a red anthropomorphic short-beaked echidna who is determined and serious, but sometimes gullible. He has the ability to glide and climb up walls, and is a powerful fighter with spiked hands. He serves as the guardian of the Master Emerald, a huge gemstone that controls the series' integral Chaos Emeralds, and is the last living member of his tribe, the Knuckles Clan.

Koopa Troopas, commonly shortened to Koopas or Troopas, known in Japan as Nokonoko, are reptilian mini-troopers of the Koopa Troop from the Mario franchise. They first appeared in the 1983 game Mario Bros. as Shellcreepers. The Koopa Troopas are among the oldest recurring enemies in the series and have appeared in some form in all of the main games and most of the spin-off games. When defeated, Koopas may flee from or retreat inside their shells, which can usually be used as weapons. Koopa shells are a recurring weapon in the series, particularly popularized in the Mario Kart series, in which they can be fired as projectiles against other racers. Despite making up the bulk of Bowser's army, known as the "Koopa Troop", Koopas as a species are often shown to be peaceful, some teaming up with Mario. A skeleton of a Koopa Troopa is a Dry Bones.

Kuma , literally meaning "bear", is the name of two characters within the Tekken fighting game series released by Namco Bandai Games. Kuma I was introduced in the first Tekken and returned for Tekken 2, while Kuma II was introduced in Tekken 3 and has returned for all subsequent games. Both of them are tame bears, bodyguards to Heihachi Mishima, as well as father and son towards each other. The female Panda (パンダ) was introduced in Tekken 3 as a palette swap of Kuma, returning for subsequent games.

Lakitu, known in Japan as Jugem, is a fictional flying Koopa in the Mario franchise. Created by Shigeru Miyamoto, he first appeared in the Nintendo Entertainment System video game Super Mario Bros., where he dropped enemies called Spinies on the stage. He has a striped green shell, wears aviator goggles, and rides around in a smiling cloud. He has since appeared in several main Mario titles since, as well as Mario spin-off titles, notably the Mario Kart series where he acts as the referee and a playable character in Mario Kart 7, Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart Tour. He has appeared in non-Mario titles, including the Super Smash Bros. series as an assist trophy.

Falco Lombardi is a fictional anthropomorphic bird from the Star Fox series of video games. He was created by Shigeru Miyamoto and designed by Takaya Imamura. Falco acts as the wingman and best friend of the titular Fox McCloud for the majority of the series.

Fox McCloud is a fictional character and the chief protagonist of Nintendo's Star Fox series. He is an anthropomorphic fox created and designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takaya Imamura. He was introduced as a player character in the original 1993 video game Star Fox. In each game, to varying extents, the player controls Fox in his Arwing. He is the leader of the Star Fox team, and is joined by his wingmates on various missions.

Tom Nook, known in Japan as Tanukichi (たぬきち), is a fictional character in the Animal Crossing series who operates the village store. He first appeared in the Nintendo 64 game Dōbutsu no Mori, released in Europe and North America on the GameCube as Animal Crossing. Nook sells a house to the player at the beginning of each title in the series, giving a set mortgage for them to pay and offering to upgrade it after the mortgage is paid off. He has also made several appearances in the Super Smash Bros. series. Nintendo's Treehouse localization members Rich Amtower and Reiko Ninomiya have argued that, in spite of his perceived greed, he is a nice person due to taking the risk of hiring someone who is new to the town.

Wolf O'Donnell is a fictional character in Nintendo's Star Fox video game series. He was created by both Shigeru Miyamoto and Takaya Imamura. In the Star Fox series, Wolf O'Donnell is an anthropomorphic wolf who is both the leader of the Star Wolf mercenary team and rival to Fox McCloud. He first appeared in Star Fox 64 (1997), in which his team, Star Wolf, was initially hired by Andross to take down the Star Fox team; although unsuccessful in doing so, the dogfights between the two teams results in Wolf developing both grudging respect for Fox and a desire to defeat him in a rematch.

Master Ping Xiao Po is the title character and protagonist of the Kung Fu Panda franchise. He is an anthropomorphic giant panda who is improbably chosen as the champion of the Valley of Peace in the first film. Po is the prophesied Dragon Warrior, as well as the Warrior of Black and White.

Ratchet is one of the titular protagonist game characters of the Ratchet & Clank video game series. In the English versions of the games, Ratchet is voiced by Mikey Kelley in the first Ratchet & Clank and by James Arnold Taylor since the second game.

Mr. Resetti, full name Sonny Resetti, is a fictional character from the Animal Crossing series of video games by Nintendo. His first appearance was in the Nintendo 64 game Dōbutsu no Mori, released in Europe and North America on the GameCube as Animal Crossing. Mr. Resetti is a mole whose role in the series is to remind players to save before quitting the game, and to give a lecture if they do not. Mr. Resetti has received mixed critical reception, with critics taking note of both the unique creativity and perceived hostility of his role.

Shadow the Hedgehog is a fictional character appearing in Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog video game franchise. Shadow was created by Takashi Iizuka and Shiro Maekawa, and debuted in the series' 2001 installment Sonic Adventure 2. Although this was intended to be his only appearance, Shadow proved so popular among fans that developer Sonic Team decided to include him in 2003's Sonic Heroes. Shadow has since featured in numerous entries in the franchise, including a game of his own in 2005's Shadow the Hedgehog. He also appears in Sonic television adaptations, comics, and merchandise.

Sonic the Hedgehog is the title character and the protagonist of the Sonic the Hedgehog video game series published by Sega, as well as numerous spin-off comics, animations, and other media. Sonic is a blue anthropomorphic hedgehog who can run at supersonic speeds and curl into a ball, primarily to attack enemies. In most games, Sonic must race through levels, collecting power-up rings and avoiding obstacles and enemies.

Five Nights at Freddy's (FNaF) is an American media franchise created by Scott Cawthon. It began with the 2014 video game of the same name and has since gained worldwide popularity.

Spyro is the titular main character and protagonist of the Spyro video game series, including The Legend of Spyro, and a guest character in the Skylanders series, first appearing in Spyro the Dragon in 1998.

Miles Prower , better known by his nickname Tails , is a fictional character in Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series, and the title character's best friend, sidekick, and most recurring ally. Tails also appears in his own spin-off series, comic books, cartoons, and films. He is the second character to consistently appear by Sonic's side in the series. The name "Miles Prower" is a pun on "miles per hour", a reference to the famed speed of Sonic the Hedgehog. He is a two-tailed fox, hence the nickname. A mechanical genius and skilled pilot, he can fly by spinning his tails like a helicopter rotor and can be seen flying in multiple games and TV shows created by SEGA. He debuted in November 1992 with the release of Sonic the Hedgehog 2. In the mid-1990s, he was featured as the main character in a number of spinoff games: Tails and the Music Maker for the Sega Pico, and Tails Adventure and Tails' Skypatrol for the Game Gear. Tails was rated the third-most-popular character in the franchise, behind Sonic and Shadow, in an official poll from Sega in 2009.

Slippy Toad is a fictional character from the Star Fox series of video games published by Nintendo. He was created by Shigeru Miyamoto along with Takaya Imamura, who also designed the character, and was based on the assistant director of the original Star Fox game. Slippy acts as the inventor and mechanic of Star Fox Team as well as the sidekick to Fox McCloud and Falco Lombardi.

Toro (トロ), full name Toro Inoue , also known as the Sony Cat, is a fictional character created by Sony Interactive Entertainment. He is an anthropomorphized cat who participates in numerous events and tries to act like a human.

Winston is a player character appearing in the 2016 video game Overwatch, a Blizzard Entertainment developed first-person shooter and its related media. Winston is one of the more prominent characters used by Blizzard in Overwatch media outside of the video game; the character made an appearance in the game's cinematic trailer and is the focus of an animated short released by Blizzard.

Wrecking Ball, also known as Hammond, is a fictional, playable character in the 2016 video game Overwatch. He is an intelligent hamster who controls a quadrupedal robot mecha that can transform into a high-speed wrecking ball equipped with a grappling hook. The character was introduced in late June 2018 as the title's 28th hero, and made available for all players in late July 2018.

Yoshi is a fictional dinosaur who appears in video games published by Nintendo. Yoshi debuted in Super Mario World (1990) on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as Mario and Luigi's sidekick. Yoshi is the title character of the Yoshi series and a supporting character in Mario spin-off games such as Mario Party and Mario Kart, as well as many Mario sports games. It also appears as a playable character in crossover fighting game Super Smash Bros. series. Yoshi is a member of the same-named species, which is distinguished for its wide range of colors.