20 Games With Pets You’ll Fall In Love With

Having pets in video games can make the worlds feel more realistic and engaging. Many games now include clever ways to connect with animal companions, allowing you to bond with, train, and travel alongside them. Whether you prefer a loyal dog for adventures, a comforting cat for relaxing journeys, or a collection of magical creatures, these games offer rewarding ways to nurture and develop these companions. You can often customize their behavior, improve their skills, and even have them participate in battles or competitions. Here are some of the best games where pets truly enhance the gameplay experience.

‘Stardew Valley’ (2016)

In this farming simulation game created by ConcernedApe, you can adopt a dog or cat to keep you company. Your pet will greet you each day, and petting it builds your friendship. Giving your pet a name adds special, heartwarming moments to your daily life on the farm. As your bond grows, it enhances the feeling of home and can even influence events in the game. If you’re looking for even more options, mods let you add different types of pets and customize their behavior.

‘Minecraft’ (2011)

Mojang created a system that lets you tame a variety of animals, including wolves, cats (formerly ocelots), parrots, and foxes. These pets will follow you around, protect you from enemies, and can be told to sit to keep them out of harm’s way. You can breed and feed them to care for them and grow their numbers. You can also personalize your pets with leads, name tags, and dyes to make them feel special.

‘Nintendogs’ (2005)

This handheld game, developed by Nintendo, lets you raise and train adorable virtual puppies. You can teach them tricks by speaking into the microphone and using the touch screen, then take them on walks to find hidden items and socialize with other dogs. The game features competitions – like agility courses and obedience trials – that give you something to work towards as you consistently care for your pup. You’ll need to groom, feed, and play with your dog every day to keep them healthy and happy.

‘Torchlight II’ (2012)

In Runic Games’ action RPG, pets aren’t just companions – they’re full-fledged members of your team. They can battle enemies, carry your collected items, and even make trips back to town to sell things, freeing you up to continue your adventure. You can also temporarily change how your pet fights by feeding it fish. Plus, the equipment and skills you choose work together with your pet’s abilities, letting you customize your playstyle. Having a pet handle your inventory is a key part of the gameplay, making them essential to the experience.

‘Fable II’ (2008)

Lionhead Studios created a dog companion in their game that evolves alongside your character and responds to both your actions and expressions. This dog helps you find secret areas and treasures, motivating you to explore beyond the usual routes. Its personality and behavior change based on the story and your character’s choices, making it an integral part of the game’s narrative. You can also give it basic commands to help with both battles and everyday activities in towns.

‘Dragon Age: Origins’ (2009)

In BioWare’s games, you can recruit a mabari war hound as a companion. This dog has special skills and a unique personality, offering fun dialogue and interactions. You can call the hound into battle using a specific ability, and it fights alongside your party with targeted attacks. You can also customize its equipment and tactics to fit your team’s strategy, strengthening the connection between your character and this loyal companion through conversations and camp activities.

‘Fallout 4’ (2015)

Dogmeat returns as a helpful companion in Bethesda Game Studios’ latest game! He can point out enemies, bring you items, and help you sneak around or create diversions. You can give Dogmeat commands to fetch weapons or locate hidden supplies. Plus, improvements to the game mean Dogmeat doesn’t take up a slot for a human companion during important quests, and certain upgrades can enhance his abilities.

‘Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain’ (2015)

Kojima Productions has introduced D-Dog, a helpful companion who can scout for enemies, landmines, and animals on expansive maps. Players can customize D-Dog with different outfits and improve his skills to suit various playstyles, whether stealthy infiltration or direct assault. As your bond with D-Dog grows, he learns new abilities, like performing silent takedowns. You can now choose D-Dog as a key part of your mission strategy alongside other support options.

‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ (2018)

In Rockstar Games’ world, you can form strong bonds with horses by taking care of them – grooming, feeding, and keeping them calm all impact their performance and how easily you can control them. You can also customize your horse with useful items like saddlebags, stirrups, and blankets. Horses aren’t just for travel either; they can learn tricks like drifting and rearing, which help you get around and escape danger. If your bonded horse dies and you don’t have the right items to revive it, there are serious consequences.

‘Spiritfarer’ (2020)

In Thunder Lotus Games’ latest title, players can control Daffodil, a charming cat companion who follows Stella’s actions. A second player can directly control Daffodil in co-op mode. The game includes sweet interactions like petting animations, offering relaxing breaks from the main tasks. Daffodil isn’t just cute – she helps with crafting and even assists during platforming sections of the game. This design choice emphasizes the game’s core themes of caring for others and navigating change.

‘Stray’ (2022)

In BlueTwelve Studio’s game, you play as a cat with a helpful drone companion named B-12, who acts like a tech-savvy pet. You’ll experience the world as a cat – meowing, scratching, and rubbing against robots – while B-12 translates for you and solves simple puzzles. Together, you’ll uncover the story of the environment and safely explore dangerous areas. Collecting badges and upgrading your backpack provide a relaxed sense of progress as you and B-12 work together.

‘Pokémon Yellow’ (1998)

In Pokémon Yellow, Game Freak created a system where Pikachu visibly follows you and responds to what you do, making you feel connected. Checking how Pikachu is feeling lets you know how well you’re doing as a trainer. Having Pikachu with you also affects how events happen and how other characters react. This was an early example of how a Pokémon partner could be both a companion and influence gameplay, paving the way for similar features in future games.

‘Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch’ (2011)

In this game, you can capture creatures called familiars and raise them to become powerful allies. You’ll need to feed and evolve them, customizing their growth with equipment and treats to fit specific roles in your team. Each familiar has preferences and can change form, altering their abilities and stats. Building a team with familiars that complement each other is key to success in different areas. You can find resources for training and nurturing them through side quests and by using alchemy.

‘Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin’ (2021)

As a fan, I’m really excited about how Capcom is letting you raise these creatures called “Monsties.” You basically hatch them, then ride them around and battle with them using a classic turn-based system. What’s really cool is this “gene channeling” thing – it lets you pass down skills from one Monstie to another, so you can create some seriously powerful and unique combinations! Plus, your Monsties aren’t just for fighting; they help you get around the world too! They have special abilities that let you access new areas and find hidden resources. Managing your stable, sending out expeditions, and even just riding them around makes them feel like a core part of everything you do – both in and out of battle.

‘Viva Piñata’ (2006)

I’m totally hooked on this new game where you create a garden for piñata animals! It’s so fun attracting them, and then you have to figure out what they like to eat and what kind of home they need to get them to stay. Each animal is different – they have their own personalities and even specific ways they fall in love, which really makes you think about how you design your garden. There are also people who wander in – like doctors to help keep the animals healthy, and shopkeepers to get supplies. You can even build fences and decorations to keep everyone happy and prevent any squabbles! It’s a really charming and surprisingly deep game.

‘Rune Factory 4’ (2012)

In Marvelous, you can make friends with monsters who then help you with tasks like farming, exploring dungeons, and gathering resources. Befriending them involves giving gifts and sometimes using special items, adding a new layer to how you build your team. Keeping your monster friends happy and well-fed ensures they stay productive. You can also train combat monsters alongside you, equipping them with gear so they can specialize as tanks or support characters in battle.

‘The Last Guardian’ (2016)

As a huge fan, I was completely blown away by Trico, the creature genDESIGN and SIE Japan Studio brought to life! It’s incredible how Trico reacts to what you say and what’s happening around it. You really build a bond with it by feeding, freeing, and leading it through these amazing, complicated areas. The way it moves and acts feels so real – it actually seems hesitant and curious, thanks to some really clever animation and how it finds its way around. A lot of the puzzles aren’t just about doing things, but about watching Trico and figuring out what it’s going to do next and positioning yourself just right.

‘My Time at Portia’ (2019)

As your workshop expands in Pathea Games, you can adopt pets to keep you company! You can feed, name, and provide shelter for these animals, and they’ll offer small benefits and fun daily interactions alongside your crafting. The game’s town lets you buy everything your pet needs, and special events or quests can even reward you for being a good owner.

‘Potion Permit’ (2022)

MassHive Media offers a virtual dog companion to help you play. This dog can find ingredients, identify characters, and show you where to go for quests. You keep your dog happy and helpful by petting and feeding it. It responds to commands that work with tasks all over the game world, and you can even upgrade its abilities to search farther and give you more helpful hints.

‘World of Warcraft’ (2004)

Blizzard Entertainment features a variety of pet systems, including companions for hunters and collectible battle pets found throughout the game world. These battle pets participate in a turn-based mini-game where you collect different families of pets, each with unique abilities and varying levels of rarity. A robust collection system is supported by features like stable masters, grooming supplies, and trait stones. Players are also motivated to expand their pet collections through seasonal events and achievements.

Tell us about your favorite in-game pets! We want to hear which companions you’ve grown to love – share your thoughts in the comments below.

2025-11-13 14:47