The 8 Greatest Video Game Sidekicks

As a gamer, especially as an RPG gamer, I've come across a few terrible NPCs (non-playable characters) to say the least. But, there have always been a good amount of excellent sidekicks in the video game realm. Here are some of the best. 

GLaDOS from Portal 

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Sidekick support: No support, really. Just provides comedic relief in the most hateful way possible.

She’s actually the antagonist of the series. Still, her comedic timing and clever quips make up for her many attempts to kill you, especially since she’s the only one you stay in contact with throughout the entire game. In a way, it's sort of endearing, right? Eh. Maybe not. Though, the amusement factor does help her case tremendously.

Mickey from Kingdom Hearts 

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Sidekick support: Second chance and a reliable healer.

Odd, because at least for the first Kingdom Hearts, the AI wasn’t all that advanced and you usually had your sidekicks (*ahem* Donald) rarely help in battle. They would heal you directly AFTER you healed yourself or die within the first two attacks. I'm not bitter. No, not bitter at all.

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But the game developers put special care into Mickey (and Riku!). In Kingdom Hearts II, he was the one who would swoop in when Sora died and you had a brief period of time where you controlled him. With all those flips and all that agility, it felt like controlling Yoda. He was even better in Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep when he fought alongside Aqua. He did a great deal of damage (yeahhh, there was a time when I just sat back and watched him hack away at that life bar) and saved me more times than I expected.

Navi from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 

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Sidekick support: Information.

Uh, did I say best? I meant worst for this one. No, no. She was fine. Anyone who has played Zelda knows that Link comes across a variety of companions. Navi, the fairy friend in Ocarina of Time is extremely informative, unless you’ve played the game for the 100th time, then she just becomes annoying. I’m tempted to add Midna instead of Navi, but part of me is pleased by the fact that I might trigger some people’s dumbfounded wondering over why I put Navi on my list.

Miles "Tails" Prower from Sonic the Hedgehog

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Sidekick support: Two player ability and air support.

I kind of want to include Knuckles here, just because the later Sonic games had him as your sidekick and he was awesome, but the nostalgic side of me, the younger side, the one who had Sonic and Tails, definitely wants to say Tails is the best sidekick. I remember always wanting to try out Tails, at least once because, heck, he could fly!!

Personas From the Persona series

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Sidekick support: A manifested personality that evolves from social choices and battle. Also, gives you the ability to fight unseen monsters.

Okay, okay. I have NOT yet played Persona 5 (I know! What a crime.), but I have played Persona 3 and greatly enjoyed it. Two particular characteristics carry over in all Persona games: that your manifested personality, your persona, is affected by social choices throughout the game, and that both shadows (enemies) and personas are broken into tarot card categories, each with their own strengths, depending on real world and shadow world interactions.

Summons from the Final Fantasy series

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Sidekick support: Depending on the series, they could be a form of worship and/or resurrection (FFXV) or perhaps even a connection to the dead and ultimate weapon for the big bad (FFX), but really they’re just beasts/gods/critters you use to battle monsters. Chocobos are included! They have been used as summons before.

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Summons and chocobos have appeared in the Final Fantasy series since Final Fantasy III and Final Fantasy II respectively. Summons are ALWAYS a powerful attack, no matter the game, and later, usually have stunning cinematics to accompany them. Besides, the summons tend to repeat throughout the series, yet differ ever so slightly from game to game. Hm, are all final fantasies parallel universes?

Elizabeth from BioShock Infinite

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Sidekick support: Emotional investment, complements main character’s personality, and is actually useful.

Bioshock Infinite was brilliant in many ways, one of them being the AI companion that follows you throughout the series, Elizabeth. Finally, a sidekick that doesn't typically die within the first 3 minutes of battle.

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Though I won’t delve into the spoiler territory, I will say that having Elizabeth by your side adds not only to the story as a whole but also the gameplay. There are certain instances in the game where Elizabeth will find coins on the ground and chuck them towards you. Thankfully, Booker is a pretty good catch. Again, not venturing into spoiler territory, but she's a key piece of the plot and quite the interesting character.

Pocket/Digital “Monsters” from Pokémon and Digimon

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Sidekick support: Best friend! Has emotional/cuddle/battle support.

How could I NOT add Pokémon for best sidekicks? Who wouldn’t want a gaggle of monsters you could carry around in your “pocket” to battle friends or total strangers? I mean, you were able to choose a starter Pokémon, making it seem interesting to say the least. Who would ever trade their starter? There’s a sense of loyalty there.

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I also want to add digimon to this list as well. I mean, to have a monster that's tailored to your specific personality and needs, that you could connect with whenever you’re on the internet. After all, we’re always connected to the internet anyway, so you could basically see them 24/7.

Having an NPC that is informative, provides battle support, and contributes to the story and heart of the game is always welcome. They simply make the experience much more enjoyable and feed my fangirl heart, at the very least.

What's your favorite video game sidekick?

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Favorite Fictional Felines

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If anyone asks, I love all animals, but there’s a special place in my heart for kitty cats. So, I give you my list of favorite fictional felines. I’m limiting it to my top seven. Oh, it was so difficult.

Luna, Artemis, Diana (Sailor Moon)

Okay, this one is an easy one. I HAVE to include Luna (and can I also add Artemis and Diana?).

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I’m still trying to find a cat with a moon-shaped mark on its forehead. One day... ONE DAY! When that day comes, I shall be a sailor scout. Maybe...

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Cheshire Cat (Alice in Wonderland)

Who doesn’t love the Cheshire Cat? Sure, he speaks in riddles and nonsense, but I’ve always kind of liked that. Besides, I like to keep people guessing, so I can relate to Mr. Cheshire.

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Oliver (Oliver and Company)

OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS LOOK AT DAT FACE! 

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My heart melts for this little guy, ever since the start of the movie. It was just the cherry on top that Billy Joel sang most of the songs in the film. However, Oliver's cuteness and innocence stand on its own. 

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Yzma's cat form (Emperor's New Groove)

'Kay, don’t particularly like her in human form, but she makes for one adorable little fur ball.

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Take over the world, you say? Oh, how cute.

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Danny and Sawyer (Cats Don’t Dance)

Cats Don’t Dance is one of my favorites. It’s a gem in my eyes. I mean, with its larger than life vocals and stunning animation, who wouldn't like this movie? It just didn’t get very much attention. But seriously, boy, can Danny and Sawyer sing. Both make a remarkable team. 

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Gatoman (Digimon)

I confess, I’ve been watching Digimon (in the middle of all this Pokemon hype), and I had forgotten how much I actually adore Gatoman.

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She not only is a strong female feline, but she can also transform into an angel.

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Kuro (Blue Exorcist)

Blue Exorcist is an outstanding manga, so you should pick it up. The anime was actually pretty good too.

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If you didn't know, Kuro is the kitty companion to the main character Rin, and is so beyond adorable and sweet and hilarious, it’s unbelievable he doesn’t have his own manga.

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Do you have a favorite fictional cat? Let me know in the comments below.

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My Terrakinetic Top 5 (In Honor of Earth Day)

Crysta from Ferngully (source)

Earth Day was this past Friday, so I decided to list my Top 5 Characters with Terrakinesis (meaning they have the ability to control geological materials). All of the following characters have a deep connection with earth and may even be able to control, contort, or communicate with it. So, without further ado, I begin my list with *drum roll*...

Toph from Avatar: The Last Airbender

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The Terrakinetic Top 5 wouldn't be complete without mentioning a character from the series Avatar: The Last Airbender.  And although Ang, Korra, and all the other Avatars are all capable of moving earth, I will focus my attention on Toph, one of Ang's companions and the series' most accomplished earthbender. Throughout the series, Toph is the sarcastic, grumpy girl that helps round out Team Avatar.  She sure is one talented earthbender, which is made even more impressive when you realize she's also blind.  She actually utilizes earthbending to see what's around her, using vibrations in the earth to do so.

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Toph first learned to earthbend at age six from badgermoles.  From there she only excelled, bending earth and, later on in the series, even metal. She went on to teach others her metalbending technique, eventually training an elite group of people who became metalbenders. Looking past her prickly and blasé exterior, one realizes she truly cares about people, even if she wants them to think otherwise.

As is true for other terrakinesis characters, Toph is grounded and steady, just as the earth that she moves. She is one with it and uses the earth as an extension of self. Talk about being in touch with the planet. Seems like Toph would most definitely appreciate Earth Day.

Cornelia Hale from W.I.T.C.H.

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If you have never heard of the comic/show W.I.T.C.H, I highly recommend you change that.  However, you should start with the comic because it's WAY better than the TV series.   For those of you who are unfamiliar, W.I.T.C.H. (which is an acronym for the characters Will, Irma, Taranee, Cornelia, and Hay Lin) is an Italian magical girl comic that became popular and made into a TV series many moons ago.  It's about five teenage girls who are chosen as elementally infused guardians to protect the peace.   Each girl has a specific element (air, fire, etc.), but I will be touching on Cornelia Hale.

Cornelia is a blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauty with the power to control anything “earth” related, including plants, stones, and even sugar (yup, like table sugar)!  What’s interesting about W.I.T.C.H. is that the characters use their magic in creative ways.

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For example, Cornelia has the ability to move earth, right?  Well, as I was saying before, this series can take elemental control to the next level.  Cornelia not only moves earth but as she grows and improves upon her powers, she begins to stretch her abilities.  She is able to make hair grow faster (and harness it as a weapon), communicate with plants, heal people, and see visions simply by touching the earth.   She can even mess with metals and processed materials but only if most of the material's composition is made from the earth.

If we want to celebrate Cornelia’s powers, we must also appreciate her personality, which differs from the TV show to the comic.  While Cornelia is a bit boy-obsessed in the TV series,  the comic portrays her as someone who doesn't necessarily need a man.  Personally, I like comic Cornelia better.  She's strong, even though she's a tad overconfident, feeling that she must do all things alone.  Though she's fashionable and cares about her appearance, at times she can be materialistic.  This is because she's drawn to earthly pleasures, fitting for the element she possesses. But that doesn't mean she's shallow.  Far from it!  She greatly cares about others.

All and all, Cornelia is a true terrakinetic master and matches her element quite nicely.  

Aerith Gainsborough from Final Fantasy VII

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 No one is more in tune with the earth (or the planet, in general) than Aerith (not Aeris, as originally thought) from Final Fantasy VII.  She is one of my favorite Final Fantasy characters and has been for a long time.  She's independent, playful, cute, motherly, and upbeat.  And just like most earth-wielding characters, she's stubborn and won't back down from something she's already set her mind on.

In the world of FF VII (on the planet called Gaia),  Aerith is a descendant of the Cetra (also called the Ancients), who were one of the first races to reside on the planet.  They may look like normal human beings but in truth, they have a great tie to the earth.  We get hints of Aerith's powers when she mentions that she can hear the wind calling to her or during one instance when she says she's afraid of the sky.  In fact, we learn that she is the last remaining Cetra alive.  (How lonely!)

Because of her race and its influence over the planet, she is a powerful healer.  In the game, she became one of my favorite characters to use (since she is, you know, an astounding healer...which is important in any RPG).  Even in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, she heals Cloud and company multiple times.

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Throughout the series, she protects and has connections to the earth.  She even helps save the planet.  Definitely an advocate for Earth Day.  

Terra from Teen Titans

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 Do you guys remember Teen Titans?  I was obsessed with that show.  I was in middle school at the time (yup, that sure dates me) and I remember relating with Starfire, while my best friend sided more with Robin, and my sister was a Raven fanatic.

But, I also remember liking Terra.  She was strong, mysterious, and she knew how to kick butt. (Eh, even though sometimes she kicked her fellow Titans' tushies.  What?  She was confused and misguided!  Darn you Slade! *shakes fist*)  I'm not sure how Terra acts in the comics, since I've never read the Teen Titans comics (le gasp!), but I have seen all the episodes of the animated series (plus the movie!).

Terra possess geokinetic abilities and is able to move earth, but that's not all that defines her.  What's truly alluring about Terra is that she's shy and insecure, and, deep down, she just wants to know her purpose in life.  Don't we all? I think that's what's so fascinating about her.

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She's confused and lost when she first meets the Titans.  Not having the capability to control her powers, Terra shies away from the Titans and joins Slade (the main antagonist of the series), who promises to teach her how to control her powers.  And she desperately yearns for this because whenever she uses her powers, she triggers seismic tremors and volcano eruptions that could potentially hurt people.  Once she does learn how to control her powers, she's a true team player (or a true terror, depending on whose side she's on).

But she is most definitely one with the earth and is a true asset to any team.

Mimi Tachikawa and Palmon from Digimon 

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 Mimi is one of those characters that, at first, annoys you the minute she opens her mouth but, as the series continues, her whiny, high pitched squealing grows on you (caution: sometimes it never does).  All joking aside, Mimi develops over time and may even become a favorite by the end of the show.  She's cheerful, innocent and deep down she's a kind, sweet girl.  Not to mention she has her own style.

Fashionable and naive, she may look weak but her digicrest proves otherwise.  A crest is a physical manifestation of the digidestined's dominate characteristic.  It's also something they draw power from to evolve their digital partner.  Mimi's crest turns out to be sincerity (or purity in the Japanese version).  She uses this to digivolve her partner Palmon.

Palmon (source)

Palmon is a digimon that's plant/earth based.  She looks just like a harmless walking, talking flower but her looks can be deceiving as well.  She uses vines and earth-like powers to combat her foes in order to protect Mimi. The plant theme persists when she even digivolves into a fairy-like monster with plant-based attacks.  Since Mimi is paired with Palmon, she must have some connection to the earth.  Right?

So, again we see another example of a powerful (and very pink) planet-based hero storming the stage.  

Though I didn't mention all Terrakinetic heroes, I did want to mention a few more of my favorites:

Crysta from Ferngully:  The Last Rainforest 

Terra and Lexaeus from Kingdom Hearts 

Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Uranus, and Tuxedo Mask from Sailor Moon

Captain Planet and Kwame from Captain Planet 

Remember, we only have one Earth.  Let's get out there and protect it! (Hehe, now I sound like Captain Planet!)

Terra from Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep (source)

Do you have a favorite Terrakinetic character?  Let us know in the comments. 

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