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Gather round and let's talk the dogs in video games.
Picture this: Far Cry 6 is almost here. Ubisoft have been flooding the internet with trailers, sneak peeks, in-depth videos and images of what players can expect from the latest entry in the series. But through all of the awesome mechanics, vehicles and explosions one thing stood out to the whole internet. A dog. A sausage dog. A sausage dog in a cart. A sausage dog in a cart called Chorizo. Have you seen him? He’s glorious and I love him. He’s literally the reason I pushed the pre-order button.
Dogs are amazing and so are video games. Which obviously means a dog in a videogame is the greatest thing ever. In light of this I thought I’d take a look at some of the other great canines of gaming in honour of Chorizo. So without further ado, here’s five top dogs in video games:
K.K. Slider - Animal Crossing: New Horizons
It was a tough choice between Isabella and K.K. Slider, but ultimately I went with Slider. He’s appeared in every Animal Crossing game and has been banging out hit after hit in each one. He’s not a boss, sidekick or hero, just a laidback musician who visits to bring a smile to the your face.
D-Dog - Metal Gear Solid V
D-Dog is one of the few dogs in games who we get to see grow up on-screen. He starts as a cute puppy, but eventually becomes a loyal combatant. Complete with a distinguished eye patch and a moveset that makes other dogs jealous, he’s easily the pup with the most swagger on our list.
Polterpup - Luigi’s Mansion 3
Spooky is cute. Don’t believe me, then check out Polterpup. He’s charming, adorable and has a great name. And best of all, you can pet him. It’s always a worry when you see a dog in a game that you can’t interact with, but Polterpup is all about that fuss.
Boomer - Far Cry 5
Chorizo isn’t the first time a dog has come to your rescue in the Far Cry series. Boomer was on hand to help you during combat in the Montana wilderness before Chorizo was even a cocktail sausage. He alerts you to enemies, can slip through defences undetected, and has a bunch of wonderful idle animations. And, in the words of the game, will “watch your back better than any man could.”
Dogmeat - Fallout 4
The wasteland is a terrifying, stressful place. Everything is fatal, and friends are a rare luxury. That’s why Dogmeat is so special. Got a Deathclaw running at you? Don’t worry Dogmeat is on hand (paw) to help. And the best part is he’s immortal! So you won’t be reloading any saves if he dies!
Honourable Mention - The Dog In Fable II
For me, the dog in Fable II is the OG gaming good boy. They never had an in-game name but I guarantee everyone who played Fable II gave that pup a name (I called him Russell). They are most well known for being part of one of the biggest choices in the game. The dog, who is by your side throughout the game, dies protecting you in a boss fight. At the end of the game, you get to choose one of three rewards - a ton of money, reviving all of the innocent people who died, or reviving your dog. Let’s be honest, it was hardly a choice.
Thoughts?
So, how does my list compare to yours? Have I missed a special pup that you think deserves a mention? Let us know on the Zatu social media channels.