Hall of Fame and Shame: Sidekicks

No hero can save the day alone. Well...some can, but most of the time, heroes need a sidekick. It's been a mechanic used in just about every medium of entertainment in existence and video games are no exception. Plenty of games have had supporting characters and assistants to help the protagonist complete their quest to save the world and/or save the princess, and whatever other end goals there may be.   Some of these companions are useful, witty, fun, and just downright helpful.  Others tend to be more obnoxious.  Let's break down a list of the best and worst sidekicks.

Luigi

From: Mario series
Status: Shame

Okay let's just get this one out of the way quickly so we don't have to deal with it.  Luigi is pretty much worthless. From his debut in 1985 all the way until the release of Luigi's Mansion in 2001, he has been the definition of second banana, constantly in the shadow of his older brother, Mario. Although he is loyally always on the ready to be of assistance he's always been a carbon copy of his brother, until he finally started getting his own playable roles and what's he known for then?  Higher jumping, and less traction.Whoo.

Rush

From: Megaman series
Status: Fame

If dog is man's best friend, then it only makes sense that robot dog is robot man's best friend. When Megaman gets in a tough spot, his faithful companion is always ready to be called in to help, whether its jetting over spikes, springboarding him up to a higher area, or transforming into a badass battlesuit, it doesn't get much better than a mechanical puppy that is programmed to serve your every need.

Baby Mario

From: Yoshi's Island
Status: Shame

While Luigi has been a bad supporting character all of his life, Mario wasn't always a star either. In Yoshi's Island, this little bundle of anything-but-joy literally served as your life line.  He rode on Yoshi's back, quiet and peaceful until something, ANYTHING hit you.  Then he turned into an annoying siren floating in a bubble that would drive anyone to immediately want to take themselves out of the gene pool.  Ask anyone who has ever played this game, and they'll probably tell you Baby Mario's cry was in their nightmares at least once.

Miles "Tails" Prower

From: Sonic series
Status: Fame

Admittedly most people don't like Tails, and I think that's because when he was given a voice, he became 30x more annoying.  But in his silent days, Tails was the best sidekick anyone could ask for.  He followed Sonic around, going through any dangers and hazards without question. When you jump to attack an enemy or a boss, he would follow suit in the same fashion, knowing that he is invincible where Sonic was not.  Tails was impervious and immortal and his death meant Sonic could continue on, and a second player could take control of Tails and make use of this technique.

Clank

From: Ratchet & Clank series
Status: Shame

Clank was somewhat hard to classify in this article, because he IS useful.  He acts as a jetpack, a hydropack, a sentry, among other things for his pal Ratchet.  But in the end, that's really what he's good for, is being used.  Ratchet can't breathe in space? Let's send Clank.  That space is too small for Ratchet to fit in?  Clank will go! I'm sorry buddy, but let's face it.  You are, by definition, a tool.

Diddy Kong

From: Donkey Kong series
Status: Fame

It's not very often that people want to play as the sidekick more than the hero, but in Donkey Kong Country I can remember arguing with my friends over letting me play as Diddy.  He's more nimble and agile than his bulky counterpart, and he does cartwheels instead of just curling into a ball! Later on, Diddy got his own game (Diddy Kong Racing), and while he continued to support DK in later adventures, Donkey Kong stayed mostly the same big, brutish personality...and Diddy got peanut guns and a jetpack. Winning.

Navi

From: Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time
Status: Shame

If someone yells "Hey!"  and like a reflex the first thing to pop into your head is "Listen!" then you probably grew up playing Ocarina of Time. Or played it for 5 minutes. Navi is one of the most famous helpers in video game history, solely based on her repetitive and annoying calls.  It'd be okay if she had anything useful to say, but more times than not she repeats the same thing over and over. Yes, I know there's a strange cloud over Death Mountain, but I'm hunting for Heart Pieces NOW LEAVE ME ALONE!!

Daxter

From: Jak and Daxter series
Status: Fame

Chemistry between characters is an important role in any video game. So what do you do when you have a strong-willed, serious, get-to-business leading role? You pair him up with a crazy, hyperactive, comedic ferret...thing. Enter Daxter.  Although you play as Jak, Daxter serves as the more memorable character continuously providing comic relief, even though some of the jokes are less than hilarious. But it's almost like someone injected their pet weasel with meth just to see what would happen, and we're grateful for the result because Daxter is the epitome of sidekick-hero contrast.

Slippy Toad

From: Starfox series
Status: Shame

Yes, I know there were 3 major supporting roles in the Starfox series, namely Starfox64. But we all hate Slippy.  It's not hidden, it's nothing to be ashamed of, it's cold hard fact. You spend half the game saving Slippy's hide because he's too overconfident and forgets that he has the piloting skills of a blind third grader with vertigo. That's right, I said "he."  That annoying, screeching high pitched voice came out of an alleged male. Yeah, I don't get it either.  All I know is I want Slippy to die in a fire.

Kazooie

From: Banjo-Kazooie series
Status: Fame

Okay, so we all know Kazooie is obnoxious. That's kind of what her whole character is based on, but let's be honest, she's the driving force of the game.  Without Kazooie tagging along rent-free in his backpack, Banjo is a dumb bear that can't do anything but climb trees, maul aimlessly, and play a snazzy tune on the banjo. Look at most of their attacks, and see who's actually inflicting damage to enemies. Surprising, isn't it? Thank you, Kazooie.  Your loud-mouthed, obnoxious jokes will be tolerated because you are in fact useful.



And there you have it. The Hall of Fame and Shame of Sidekicks. Do you agree with my choices? Disagree? I'd be glad to hear from you.  If you can think of other "Hall of Fame and Shame" categories you want me to cover, I'll be happy to take on the challenge.  Tune in next time!