#4 – Interceptor (Final Fantasy VI)
Ninjas are pretty great on their own, but add a dog to the mix, and you know you’ve got a winner on your hands. Such is the case with Shadow and his dog, Interceptor, from Final Fantasy VI. Much like Angelo, Interceptor’s affection for his owner is most evident through the murder of the monsters and villains that threaten Shadow’s safety. However, unlike Angelo, who only seems to care about Rinoa’s welfare, Interceptor is a family dog. More specifically, while Interceptor is usually pretty vicious around strangers, he is much more playful and affectionate towards Shadow’s daughter, Relm. Intercepter also takes a more active role in battles than Angelo. Any enemy that tries to attack Shadow runs the risk of having their attack being, well, intercepted by his dog. Interceptor will then pop in and maul the enemy that tried to harm his master. It’s easy to find a dog that can take out hordes of enemies. It’s much trickier to find one that can babysit the kids, as well.
#3 – Chain Chomp (Super Mario Series)
Probably the most unconventional entry to make the list, Chain Chomps may not look like dogs in the traditional sense, but they sure do act like them. We’ve all seen that mean dog tied out in our neighborhoods that tries to attack and barks at anyone who gets too close. That is the exact idea behind what seem to be the closest thing to dogs in the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario knows all too well not only the bark, but also the bite of this nearly invincible canine. However, not all Chain Chomps are bad dogs! Remember the giant Chain Chomp from Bob-omb Battlefield in Super Mario 64? Yes, everyone does. It may have tried to attack you while it was tied up, but freeing it by pounding its post into the ground resulted in a bit of happy hopping before it opened the way to a Star for Mario to collect. Plus, arguably the most famous Chain Chomp of all was Bow-Wow from The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, the voracious dog who Link had to walk to gain entry to the game’s second dungeon. It was quite the trek walking such a killing machine across the game world — seeing him gobble up any enemy that ventured too close. I even know a dog very much like Bow-Wow — one who always jerks you around while you try to walk him, and eats anything that moves in one bite. OK… maybe not so much that second bit. Either way, Chain Chomps may seem too wild for most, but owners who remain tenacious will find themselves with a great and loyal pet.
#2 – The Dog (Duck Hunt)
The dog from Duck Hunt has enjoyed quite a long stay in the gaming mythos for the past 30 years. Over the years, he has garnered the collective ire of possibly millions of gamers with his incessant snickering as missed ducks fly off screen. Now, with his alleged inclusion in the new Super Smash Bros, many gamers are looking forward to finally exacting their revenge on the dog that spent so many years laughing at their shortcomings. Disregarding the idea of people looking forward to beating a dog in a video game, let’s look at just what he does in his own game. Very little is seen of the dog as the game opens. He sniffs the ground, picks up the trail of your quarry and jumps into the grass to flush them out. As the ducks take flight, it is your job to pick them off so the dog can go back and retrieve them for you. And he sure is happy when things work out for the better. Every duck you bring down means more food on the table for your family back home. When you eat, the dog eats. When you miss, everyone goes hungry. And the dog laughs. The dog laughs because it’s all he can do to keep from crying… you monster.
