Most fighting game showdowns are a one-against-one battle. While there are team games with assists and games where you take turns, generally speaking, you’re only dealing with one fighter at a time. With that being said, some fighters switch things up by fighting alongside an ally.
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These allies can take many different forms, but one of the most common fighter duos is a fighter and their pet. Animal partners have become the staple of the genre, and over the years have been implemented in different ways. Sometimes they influence the entire fighter’s strategy, sometimes they specialize with one specific move, and there are even times when they do nothing at all. Either way, these are the fighters that don’t face off without the help of their trusty animals.
7Galford - Samurai Shodown
Samurai Shodownhas a few characters who fight with the assistance of animals, and among them are Galford and his husky, Poppy. Galford is a ninja who fights alongside an adorable, albeit deadly, husky and the two make for a remarkable duo.
Poppy assists Galford in many ways, such as scratching, lunging, and biting her opponents. Poppy even makes a cameo in Galford’s super, where she catches his sword and deals the final blow. Poppy is a key part of Galford’s identity, and the two make for one of Samurai Shodown’s most memorable characters.
6Kazumi - Tekken 7
Tekken7’s main antagonist is known for fighting alongside her pet tiger, so much so that she even went through the effort of training it. Much like Heihachi, her former husband, she has a great affinity towards animals. While Heihachi trained Kuma, another staple Tekken character, Kazumi trained her pet tiger to fight with her, and she can summon it whenever she pleases.
Many of Kazumi’s combos can be ended with a strike from her tiger, and her tiger can follow up after her signature uppercut. While Kazumi is a more than capable fighter on her own, the help from her tiger is the cherry on top that rounds out her character.
5B.B. Hood - Darkstalkers
B.B. Hood is a character that seems innocent and pure at a glance, but upon further inspection, you will realize that couldn’t be further from the truth. B.B. Hood is a twisted, evil bounty hunter, and she plays her disguise in part with the help of herpet puppy, Harry.
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In battle, Harry doesn’t do anything except follow B.B. Hood around, but if you pay attention to him, he is clearly invested in the fight. When she fires her arsenal of weapons he flinches in fear, when she is defeated he dashes to her side, and when they are victorious he sings along with her. Even though he may not be aware of B.B. Hood’s true intentions, he clearly cares for his owner, and the two make for a charming, albeit dishonest, duo.
4Giovanna - Guilty Gear Strive
Guilty GearStrive introduced the all-out brawler Giovanna, and with her came her trusty wolf spirit Rei. Rei is one big wolf, and this is best seen in her victory screen, where after a hard-earned victory, she rests on him like a pillow.
Rei follows Giovanna closely in battle and assists her with many of her moves, such as her kicks, lunges, and even her supers. While she doesn’t help with all of her attacks, she is a pivotal part of Giovanna’s character identity, and has become a fan-favorite side character in Guilty Gear.
3Ken And Koromaru - Persona 4 Arena Ultimax
Persona4 Arena Ultimaxfeatured the return of manyPersona 3characters, and rather than giving Ken and Koromaru separate spots on the roster, the developers decided to combine the boy and his dog into one slot.
Koromaru behaves like apuppet character, similar to Eddie from Guilty Gear. If you want to learn this character, you’ll have to get used to controlling two characters at once, but once you do, the results are strong. While Ken on his own is a pretty underwhelming character, with Koromaru in the mix he becomes an absolute terror and can force the opponent into some devastating situations.
2Nakoruru - Samurai Shodown
Nakoruru was one of the first fighting game characters whose identity was based on fighting alongside an animal, making her quite influential in this archetype. Nakoruru is a quick, nimble fighter who doesn’t deal the most damage, but makes up for this with the assistance of her hawk, Mamahaha.
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Nakoruru can call upon Mamahaha for a variety of things, such as sending her to charge toward her opponents, and most notably clinging onto her for a variety of attacks. While clinging onto Mamahaha, Nakoruru can attack while flying, drop down with a falling attack, dive towards her opponent, among other things. Nakoruru is a pioneer for this archetype of character, and the bond between her and Mamahaha is endearing.
1May - Guilty Gear
May has become an icon in the fighting game world, and the assistance of her animal friends are major part are her constantly growing fame. In Guilty Gear,May fights with the help of dolphins, otters, orcas, and even a giant whale. She quite literally brings the ocean with her to every fight, and even uses their help to get from place to place.
While each of May’s animal friends is usually only seen in one move each, the combination of all of them, as well as the sheer spectacle of it, make her a favorite among Guilty Gear fans. Seeing May summon sea creatures out of nowhere and fly all over the place with them is a sight to behold, and make for an unforgettable character.
Next:Every Guilty Gear Strive Character’s Skill Set and Difficulty
