Summary
Who doesn’t love animals? Many video gamers are taken by our real world animal companions, as seen by the number ofgames that feature animalsin some form or another. But animal-centric gameplay doesn’t need to be a single player experience. Plenty of co-op games allow for multiple players to enjoy an animal companion gaming experience.
This can come in various forms. Whether it’s multiple players who are each able to have animal companions, multiple players controlling animals, or one player acting as an animal companion to the other, each of these games has an element of cooperation between players and, of course, animal antics.
An unusually serious game to kick off this list,Remnant 2is a third-person shooter action RPG, the sequel toRemnant: From the Ashes. Like its predecessor, it is a Soulslike set in a surreal fantasy environment. This might not initially seem like an ‘animal companion co-op game,’ if it weren’t for a specific class called the Handler.
The Handler’s main abilities center around their dog companion.Remnant 2is a thoroughly enjoyable cooperative experience and, thanks to the Handler class, it can be the tale of some friends and their dogs. For action RPG animal fans,Remnant 2is a must-play.
This indie projectbecame a huge success in 2019. It cast players in the role of a goose that just seemed intent on causing mischief in their village. In 2020, a free multiplayer mode was added for the game, allowing two geese to terrorize the village at once!
While the multiplayer mode doesn’t add anything to the missions aside from another goose companion, it is definitely worth bringing a friend along to experience the goose-based mayhem for the first time. It’s only a short experience, but a fun and chaotic one for a pair of mischievous animal lovers.
For younger gamers, theViva Pinata:Trouble in Paradisesequel in theViva Pinataseries is a really sweet and casual experience, allowing multiple players to tend to a garden full of animal-themed pinatas. In local co-op, player two will receive access to the best watering can and shovel in the game.
They also have a gauge that, when full, allows them to do special interactions, such as heal a sick pinata, fill their ‘candiosity meter,’ or tinker with an item for free. There is also online co-op, allowing for pinatas to be traded between players' gardens.
Sticking with the theme ofmore casual experiences,Minecrafthas become known and loved by many for its sandbox building mechanics. This is often enjoyed in multiplayer, sometimes within huge servers. The game has seen many new additions over the years, and a lot of these include animals that players can befriend.
These include wolves, cats, horses, parrots, foxes, ocelots, axolotls, and more. Since there is no hard limit to the amount of pets each player can have, players can team up to collect animal companions to their hearts' content.
Released in 2023,Party Animalswas nominated for both Best Family Game and Best Multiplayer Game at the 2023 Game Awards. This neatly describes the appeal ofParty Animals. It is a fun and chaotic experience between players, who each get to play as an adorable fuzzy creature.
Of course, only some of these players will be a steadfast ‘animal companion.’ The rest will be working together to comically batter the others. With gameplay similar toGang Beasts,players get the added benefit of all being cutesy animals.
While theMonster Huntergames are primarily about hunting great big monsters (as the name would suggest), players also get their own animal companions to assist them on their hunts.InMonster Hunter: World, these are Palicoes, little cat-like creatures and, inMonster Hunter: Rise, players get Palamutes, loyal hounds they can ride into combat.
These little companions are fully customizable by the players, and all players in multiplayer get access to their own Palamute and Palico. Both are brilliant multiplayer experiences, complete with adorable animal companions.
ThePokemonseries is all about collecting little animal companions. While not inherently co-op games, there is a great deal to be gained from playing with friends. MostPokemongames feature some element of trade between players, allowing them to trade their companions with friends.
In fact, some Pokemon require trade in order to evolve and become stronger. Players can also often battle against or alongside their friends, using their various different companions in combat. ThePokemongames will always be standout animal companion games, whether experienced solo or in tandem with other players.
The latestGoat Simulatorgame,Goat Simulator 3,seems to have perfected its multiplayer experience. LikeUntitled Goose Game, this experience thrives on encouraging its players to cause as much chaos as possible, all while controlling some very disturbing goats.
However, their most recent game has made the map huge, expanding the amount of bizarre quests that players can undertake and the amount of chaos they can cause. Players can also customize their goats in a number of ridiculous ways, including making them into other animals, like giraffes or sharks.
Baldur’s Gate 3took the gaming world by storm in 2023. Alongside winning Game of the Year at the 2023 Game Awards, it also won Best Multiplayer Game, proving how much fun it isto play with friends. But it is also a brilliant game for animal lovers!
The camp can get their own animal companions, in the form of Scratch the dog and the Owlbear cub, but some classes, like the Ranger, can also summon their own animal companions to help out in combat. On top of this, the Druid class can turn into animals, allowing the players themselves to become animal companions!
Spiritfareris a beautifully calming, but emotionally evocative, exploration of grief. It centers around a girl called Stella and her cat, Daffodil, who become Spiritfarers, transporting lost souls on their ship, until they are ready to move on.
In co-op, one player controls Stella, while one controls Daffodil, perfectly encapsulating what it means to be a human and animal companion duo. To add to the animal lover satisfaction,each of the spiritsare also designed to look like animals. It is a beautiful experience, made better when shared with a companion.
