So what if he created a Claptrap Army and tried to destroy you at the end of Borderlands? When Claptrap rejoins you in BL2, he’s just too hilarious for you to stay mad at him. While he spends most of the game following and guiding you through Pandora and calling you his “minion,” he does occasionally offer some help -- like his “secret stash,” a locker full of loot that’s hidden behind some debris.
Yoshi spiced up Super Mario World in 1990 by giving the Mario Brothers a quick mode of transportation, a powerful new ally against enemies (who would’ve thought tongues could be so effective?) and drums in the theme music (which, lets be honest, just made it even catchier). And, I mean really, you got to ride a dinosaur. Game changer. Literally.
Oh, Luigi. The perpetual sidekick. Forever the taller, goonier brother of the popular Mario. But if Luigi’s claim to fame is that he’s the coolest best friend ever, then we think that’s not such a bad title to hold.
As the secondary playable character in The Last of Us, Ellie could have been just another kid you have to spend the entire game babysitting. But this wise-beyond-her-years 14-year-old impressed us with what a survivor she becomes in a harsh world, earning herself a solid spot on this list.
Now, the important thing to note about this sidekick is that we are only referring to GLaDOS in her potato-bound form. Prior to her demotion by Wheatly, GLaDOS would never in a million years make this list. After some time to cool off and consider the error of her ways, however, she does make an impressive comeback, even saving Chell at the end of the game despite the perfect opportunity to finish her off for good.
Sibling relationships improved significantly when Tails finally joined the Sonic party in 1992. Finally, little brothers and sisters didn’t have to abide by the “you can play when I die” rule, and big brothers and sisters never had to relinquish their controllers. While he pretty much embodies the definition of “sidekick,” Tails’ power of flight made him invaluable in certain missions, and his mechanical genius was responsible for the biplane that he and Sonic used to chase down Dr. Eggman’s Wing Fortress.
This A.I. supercomputer -- whose skills include hacking alien systems, decoding transmissions and pulling off one of the skimpiest outfits in gaming history, all while expanding that massive artificial intelligence -- becomes Master Chief's only real bestie in the whole series.
Everyone wants to be Jak. The quiet, surly protagonist of the Jak and Daxter series just exuded cool. But he was even cooler when compared to Daxter, the grinning, sort of cowardly ottsel (that's half weasel, half otter) that was his best friend. Like Diddy Kong, Daxter's fan base even warranted his very own game, Daxter, in 2006.
Diddy Kong, a jetpack-wearing, dual pistol-shooting monkey, is described as the "wannabe nephew" of Donkey Kong. Don’t think about it too hard. Genetic issues aside, Diddy Kong has become a favorite of gamers everywhere, so much so that he earned his own spin-off. Sidekick no more.
This is the obligatory sentence about dogs being man’s best friend in video games, too. Now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk about how Dogmeat is essentially the best video game dog ever. Why? He’d attack anyone, anywhere, anytime. And that's one vicious beast we can get behind.
A.I. Sidekicks are often notoriously bad, and the "escort mission" is undoubtedly one of the most hated tasks in all of gaming. Until Bioshock Infinite. The entire game is essentially an escort mission, and instead of being totally annoying, Elizabeth turns out to be pretty freaking cool. She tosses you supplies in the middle of a battle, finds money and opens locked doors -- not to mention creating a pretty awesome storyline. Sure, she might not be as cool as early rumors thought she might be, but as far as A.I. sidekicks go, she’s the tops.
Dogs may be man's best friend, but the truly best pet to have in a fantasy adventure game is, without a doubt, a horse. Epona shows true dedication, running to your aid whenever you played her song. All it takes is a couple of carrots to make her run faster, and that's a price we're willing to pay for such companionship.
The Mass Effect series had some awesome companions. Mordin’s singing? The way Wrex said your name? Miranda’s rear end, which managed to make its way into almost every shot? But none compares to the bromance between Shepard and Garrus. Regardless of who you romance in any of the games, it’s Garrus, the constant calibrator, always ready with a jab or sarcastic comment, who is really Shepard’s soulmate. It was you, Garrus. It’s always been you.
Scoff if you will, but Launchpad's role in DuckTales is pretty important. Sure he's a little dopey, but he's still a pilot (as long as we don't focus on the landing part), and he eventually goes on to be the sidekick of Darkwing Duck (which makes him awesome by association). He even waits -- on a helicopter, on the moon -- for Scrooge to decide he wants to go back to Earth. That's a friend you can count on.
It wasn’t just an inanimate object, you monster. You developed a serious Tom Hanks/Wilson the Volleyball relationship with that little cube, so much so that when you had to toss it into the incinerator... it just... you know what? Let’s just not talk about it. I need some time alone right now.
Who would you rather be: Batman or Robin? Exactly. No one wants to be the sidekick. The sidekick wears a silly outfit, never gets the girl and rarely has a cool catchphrase.
But no hero would get anywhere without a grade-A sidekick to back him up. A good sidekick complements the hero's skills, provides comic relief and is unwavering in his loyalty. These video game sidekicks have always there for us, whether it was to get us from point A to point B or just give our little brothers something to do while we handled all the real challenges.
See also: The 9 Most Captivating Video Game Soundtracks
The 15 sidekicks in the gallery above, listed in no particular order, kept us company through many a trial. But any video game list is going to be somewhat subjective, and there are many more in video gamedom who are worthy of an honorable mention, so don't forget to let us know your favorites.
We raise a glass to you, video game sidekicks. May you become popular enough to warrant your own franchises someday.
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Image: Flickr, JD Hancock