Forget the landlubbers.
After our panel of judges and readers chose their favorite horse and canine, we decided to take our year-long search for the Greatest Animal in the History of Video Games under the sea.
To qualify to be on the list of nominees for the Greatest Aquatic Animal in Video Games, we decided on any creatures that dwell in the water -- whether it be dolphins, sharks, fish, whales and any other type of monster or boss we've run into during our gaming experiences (and note -- turtles will come later on with reptiles).
However, we know we've forgotten some, and we encourage readers to tell us their favorites for consideration. At the end of the month, our judges panel will choose the winner, and we'll also name readers' top choice.
From protagonists (Ecco) to bosses (Del Lago) to common foes (Cheep-Cheeps), here are the nominees. Without further ado...
Bloopers in the "Mario Universe"
Bloopers are squid-like enemies who follow Mario around relentlessly in order to kill him. They're typically found in underwater levels, but have been known to also fly through the air and even appear on dry land in some games.
Bob the Killer Goldfish in the "Earthworm Jim" Series
While Bob is a mere goldfish in a glass bowl, he does have enough power to get his feline minions, such as Number Four, to do his bidding. However, despite Bob's name and hired help, he ends up being one of the easiest bosses in the series.
Boss Bass and Big Berthas in "Super Mario Bros. 3"
Both Boss Bass and Big Berthas are huge, identical-looking fish found in "Super Mario Bros. 3" (and some later games). However, Boss Bass swim at the surface and lunge out of the water at Mario. Big Berthas are found deeper underwater, where they spit baby Cheep-Cheeps out of their mouths to do damage.
Clanker in "Banjo Kazooie"
Clanker is a giant, rusty mechanical shark that serves as Gruntilda's garbage disposal. Inside him, you'll find a mess of pipes and sewage as well as a few puzzles.
Cheep-Cheeps in the "Mario" Universe
These bug-eyed, big-lipped fish are a staple of many "Mario" games and can usually be found in various forms in underwater levels, waiting to do harm to Mario.
Del Lago in "Resident Evil 4"
Del Lago, which means "from the lake" in Spanish, is a large, salamander-like creature with tentacles in its mouth. One of the first bosses in "Resident Evil 4," its goal is to chomp on Leon. Thankfully, the protagonist is armed with a few harpoons to prevent him from being monster food.
Ecco the Dolphin
Flipper's got nothing on Ecco. A must-have on the Sega Genesis, "Ecco the Dolphin" featured a bottlenose dolphin whose side-scrolling aquatic adventures take him back in time in order to save his fellow marine life from an evil alien race called the Vortex.
Enguarde in the "Donkey Kong Country" Series
The swashbuckling Swordfish helps the Kongs defeat undersea enemies with his sharp, elongated bill and speedy swimming abilities. He's one of the most playable of Kong's animal pals, helping fight the mighty sea urchin boss Barbos.
Fishman in "The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker"
Each time you're in a new square on your Sea Chart, you can find Fishman (or one of his many cousins) to give you more information about the surrounding area, in exchange for some all-purpose bait. Without Fishman, Link would be lost at sea.
Freddi Fish
The star of her own children's adventure games for the PC and Mac, Freddi Fish has solved many a mystery, like the case of the missing kelp seeds, stolen conch shell and haunted schoolhouse.
Guppy in "Super Mario Galaxy"
In the newest "Mario" title, Guppy is a beast resembling a killer whale. While he's a bully to the other sea life, he's no enemy to Mario, and he usually requires the player to swim after him through a few rings to obtain a star.
Jabu-Jabu in "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time"
A gigantic fish that resides in Zora's Fountain, Lord Jabu-Jabu is worshiped by the Zoras as their patron deity. In order to save the princess, Link must feed Jabu-Jabu to get into his belly and destroy an electric anemone living inside.
Jabun in "The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker"
A giant fish deity who fled to Outset Island from Greatfish Isle, Jabun is thought to be somehow connected to Jabu-Jabu, since they are both oversized fish gods with the same theme music.
Jaws
In the original NES version, the player traveled and dove around the ocean in search for the Great White. Meanwhile, in "Jaws Unleashed" for PS2, Xbox and PC, you became the shark, taking a bite out of underwater drillers who aimed to damage your home.
Jelectros in "Super Mario Bros. 3"
These glowing electric jellyfish stay in stationary positions but cannot be killed. When surrounded by Jelectros, Mario must avoid touching them and the best way to do that is to swim slowly.
Porcu-Puffers in "Super Mario World"
These little guys looked similar to Cheep-Cheeps only with pointy spikes on their backs (hence the name). Mario and Luigi should avoid the Porcu-Puffers' touch, unless when doing spin jumps to bounce off their backs.
Seaman
A fish with a human face, Seaman made his debut on the Sega Dreamcast. The player's job was to care for him. Using the microphone, you could chat with Seaman about yourself, and he would share random trivia. Creepy, yet delightful.
The Watcher in the Water in "The Lord of the Rings" Universe
Just as the fellowship is about to enter the Mines of Moria in the game based on the first film, they get attacked by a large creature with tentacles emerging from the nearby lake. Meanwhile, in "Battle for Middle-earth II" the beast can be used for strategic combat against enemy forces.
The Creatures in "Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure"
"Sea Monsters" goes back six million years and puts the player into the role of now long-dead sea life with different abilities. Your aquatic beast must survive and escape the dangerous ocean by collecting fossils, fending off predators, finding prey and taking in oxygen when necessary.
The Dolphins in "Super Mario World"
When Bowser and his Koopalings trap Yoshi's friends and kidnap Princess Peach, Mario, Luigi and Yoshi set off to rescue them with the help of dolphins who appear in certain water levels. These goggle-wearing marine animals would jump into the air, letting the player step on top and get access to higher ground.
The Dolphins in "Wave Race 64" and "Wave Race: Blue Storm"
In the "Wave Race" titles, you could use dolphins like the objects they are: "64" let players ride them as jet skis in the training level, while in the GameCube title, they are power-ups that give the player maximum speed and invincibility for a short period of time.
The Fish in "Aquatopia"
Get the thousand-dollar aquarium you could never afford for a mere two bucks. This interactive screensaver for the PS3 mimics an exotic aquarium and works with the PlayStation Eye camera. Some fish will respond to the motion the camera detects, and it's the perfect year-round replacement for the televised burning yule log.
The Fish in "The Black Bass" and "Super Black Bass"
In this 1989 NES game (and its 1992 SNES sequel), the player would cast their lure and bring as many of these feisty fish to shore from sunrise to sunset. If you never had fond memories of real fishing with your old man, this game could've very well been daddy's replacement.
The Fish in "The Blue Marlin"
Similar to its predecessor "The Black Bass," "The Blue Marlin" on the NES had players trying to win a tournament by catching the largest sailfish-type fish in a limited amount of time. The game upped the ante by letting the player catch dorado, barracuda, tuna and even sharks.
The Fish in "Devil Fish"
When a school of fierce Devil Fish takes over the sea garden, the King of the Sea only has one hero he can count on -- the Sea Dog. This early '80s arcade game has the player (as Sea Dog) feed the Devil Fish bait. Once they fattened up, they became trapped in a maze, making them easy pickings for Sea Dog.
The Fish in "E.V.O.: Search For Eden"
In the SNES cult favorite "E.V.O," the player takes the role of one of Earth's early lifeforms, evolving through the ages, including the Age of Fish. By eating defeated enemies, the player's creature can evolve over time (hopefully into something as massive as the "Cloverfield" monster).
The Fish in "Fish Tycoon"
In "Fish Tycoon," the player is a fish store owner charged with caring and breeding hundreds of exotic fish while keeping the store up and running.
The Fish in "Sega Bass Fishing"
First made for the Dreamcast with the Sega Fishing Controller, these freshwater bass sure do put up a fight in Sega's franchise of fishing games, which even has a current incarnation on the Wii (natch).
The Kraken in the "Final Fantasy" Series
Part of the Four Fiends, a quartet of demons in several titles of the "Final Fantasy" series, the Kraken is the Water Fiend, a squid-like creature that often appears as a formidable boss fight for the player.
The Lurker Shark in the "Jak and Daxter" Series
If you're in deep water during any of the "Jak and Daxter" games, watch out if you hear a thumping heartbeat. It means the Lurker Shark is upon you, and the faster the heartbeat, the closer the beast is to your keister.
The Wind Fish in "The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening"
The Wind Fish is a large flying whale that lives atop a mountain on Koholint Island. The lives of the island's inhabitants rests solely on the fact that the Wind Fish stays asleep. If you beat the game, you know what happens...
The Various Sealife in "Endless Ocean"
This ocean exploration sim features countless sealife -- exotic fish, manta rays, sharks and dolphins to name a few -- and even the gargantuan blue whale. Discover these beasts at your leisure while swimming around to Enya-like music.
The Various Sealife in "Fantasy Aquarium"
Goldfish? Boooo-ring. Like the title suggests, in "Fantasy Aquarium," players can now make their own personal fish tanks filled with fun tank-dwellers such as killer whales, dolphins and sharks.
The Various Sealife in "StarTropics"
Protagonist Mike Jones, in the search for his archaeologist uncle, encounters a mother dolphin who asks for his help in rescuing her captured offspring. He must defeat a giant octopus called Octo the Huge to save the young dolphin (the mother later returns the favor). Later on, Mike gets trapped inside a whale, where he must smoke himself out, Pinocchio-style.
The Seventh Colossus in "Shadow of the Colossus"
The seventh boss in the game is a large, underwater serpent-like monster with three electric spikes on its back. If only Agro could swim...
Linda the Lungfish in "Psychonauts"
First known as the "The Hideous Hulking Lungfish of Lake Oblongata," Linda turns out to be pretty nice after protagonist Raz frees her from evil mind control.
The Fish in "Finding Nemo"
Based on the Pixar/Disney film of the same name, "Finding Nemo" has you playing the title character, his ditzy friend Dory or his father Marlin through a series of levels with different mini-games and puzzles.
Finny the Fish
In "Finny the Fish & the Seven Waters," you'll play Finny as he explores the ocean, eats little fish while avoiding big fish, and collects special statues from the seven benevolent masters.
Got more undersea creatures to suggest or want to tell us your favorites? Let us know!
Comments