Best Horse ever in video games? Best animal companion?

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Retro STrife
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Best Horse ever in video games? Best animal companion?

Postby Retro STrife » February 9th, 2018, 11:15 am

Here's a weird debate topic from me, so I'll give quick background first. I just learned that the Shadow of the Colossus remake has come out for PS4. The PS2 original is in my personal Top 10, so I'll definitely pick up this remake at some point in order to play it again. I figured I'd read some reviews to see how it turned out (it's getting great reviews, btw), and a comment in the GameSpot review caught my eye: "Agro is still the best horse in video games." Is it though?

My memory of Agro has faded in the 10 years since I played the game, so I don't know my thoughts on that. Either way, I think my vote would go to Epona from Ocarina of Time. While I often rag on that game as being overrated IMO, I still can't deny that getting Epona and first riding her through the fields of Hyrule was an amazing moment in '90s 3D gaming and one that will always stick with me. It was by far my favorite moment of the game. But I'm sure there's many other choices besides Agro, especially as horses have become more and more common in games these days. Which would you pick?

While we're at it, might as well throw other animal companions into the mix. I'm drawing a blank there, so I'll just go with Rush from Mega Man. Interested to hear which I'm forgetting..

DaHeckIzDat
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Re: Best Horse ever in video games? Best animal companion?

Postby DaHeckIzDat » February 9th, 2018, 1:39 pm

It's been years since I've played SotC, but I seem to remember yelling at Agro a lot. "Where are you going? Why are we going this way? I said to go that-- NO NOT THAT WAY, YOU STUPID HORSE!"

ESauce
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Re: Best Horse ever in video games? Best animal companion?

Postby ESauce » February 9th, 2018, 3:05 pm

I’m with Gamespot. Epona is fine but I actually felt emotionally connected to Agro. He’s your only company in the whole game and when he fell down the cliff I almost cried.

Plus, when that game originally came out on PS2 Agro possibly had the best graphics in a character, human or animal, I’d ever seen. That mane just looked so silky and real.

Sut
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Re: Best Horse ever in video games? Best animal companion?

Postby Sut » February 9th, 2018, 4:48 pm

Big Boss’s (or Venom’s) horse in MGSV is a faithful fella and can we count the machine Strider horses from Horizon Zero Dawn ?

I really need to play Shadow of the Colossus I’ve got it on PS2 just never got round to playing it.

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nesfan
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Re: Best Horse ever in video games? Best animal companion?

Postby nesfan » February 9th, 2018, 6:22 pm

I think you nailed best horse with Agro and Epona.

As for best animal companion, I can think of a few. Rocky from Pocky & Rocky. Interceptor from Final Fantasy VI. Angelo from Final Fantasy VIII. And I think we all owe Yoshi a spot on this list considering how many times we let him fall to his death in order to save ourselves from a bad jump.

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Stalvern
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Re: Best Horse ever in video games? Best animal companion?

Postby Stalvern » February 9th, 2018, 6:40 pm

Retro STrife wrote:While we're at it, might as well throw other animal companions into the mix. I'm drawing a blank there, so I'll just go with Rush from Mega Man. Interested to hear which I'm forgetting..

Well, Yoshi's a no-brainer. Adorable, loyal, and always a big help. I especially love how he bobs in place eagerly while waiting to be ridden.

The Elums in Abe's Oddysee are great, if clunky to use. Admittedly, it would have been nice to spend more time riding them and less time hoisting them up and down with pulleys.

A less well-known one is the cat from the insane C64 classic Wizball (which desperately needs a review from the C64 Critic). While the wizard is floating around in his Wizball, his faithful cat zooms all over the place in the Catellite, collecting the falling paint that the wizard needs to color the land again. The best thing about the Catellite is that it can be controlled separately, either through switching away from the Wizball or by a second player.

The giant hamster in Earthworm Jim doesn't do much but is a blast whenever he shows up. Kirby's Dream Land 2 has another hamster named Rick, who's basically Kirby's equivalent of Yoshi.

I can't stand either dogs or JRPGs, but the dogs in The Secret of Evermore and Mother 3 get a pass from me.
Last edited by Stalvern on February 14th, 2018, 9:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.

DaHeckIzDat
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Re: Best Horse ever in video games? Best animal companion?

Postby DaHeckIzDat » February 9th, 2018, 6:57 pm

I don't remember if it had a name, but I liked the horses in Dragon Age: Inquisition. Namely, how you could jump off cliffs on their backs and not take any damage.

ESauce
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Re: Best Horse ever in video games? Best animal companion?

Postby ESauce » February 9th, 2018, 10:22 pm

I always liked the dinosaurs you can ride in the Adventure Island sequels.

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Matchstick
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Re: Best Horse ever in video games? Best animal companion?

Postby Matchstick » February 9th, 2018, 10:28 pm

Retro STrife wrote:While we're at it, might as well throw other animal companions into the mix. I'm drawing a blank there, so I'll just go with Rush from Mega Man. Interested to hear which I'm forgetting..


Whaaaaaaat? All this talk, and no mention of the ostrich or the buzzards from Joust? Arguably the most important animal mounts in the history of video games? Come on, guys - no birds = no game!

Sonicx9
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Re: Best Horse ever in video games? Best animal companion?

Postby Sonicx9 » February 10th, 2018, 3:10 pm

I am surprised no one mentioned Felyne Palicoes because they are so Kawaii!


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