While the confetti falls over gaming’s greatest heroes, and the crowds and massing fanboys scream their names till their lungs give out, there’s someone (or something) standing in the shadows; avoiding the spotlight and appreciation in order to give the leading character the admiration they deserve. Ah sidekicks – the selfless buddies who give up the spotlight just so the leading protagonist’s can absorb all the glory. But one thing we’ve learnt from gaming history: no good hero is without a sidekick. So we’ve decided to pay tribute to those who give the moral and physical support to the Drakes and Master Chiefs of this world. Here are Top 5 greatest sidekicks in gaming:
5. Arbiter (Halo 3)
Halo 3 dropped on the Xbox 360 and brought some surprise co-op action into the mix, as well as a surprise team mate. The Arbiter, whose allegiance lay with the UNSC, chose to help Master Chief finish the fight, and Ol’ Chief couldn’t have been happier. Even a Spartan needed some backup for the final battle, and the Arbiter’s knowledge and use of alien weaponry, along with his extremely powerful melee attacks, made him one of the best sidekicks to one of gaming’s greatest heroes.
He may look a little weird, but this guy knows where his loyalty lies
4. Lloyd Banks (50 Cent: Blood on the Sand)
Lloyd Banks – hip-hop artist, hustler and member of G-Unit. Unfortunately, all of Lloyd’s self-proclaimed swagger couldn’t outshine that of 50 Cent, as Banks became nothing more than a cannon-fodder sidekick in 50 Cent’s second video game: Blood on the Sand. While the game was surprisingly fun and interesting, Lloyd’s primary goal was to help ‘Fiddy’ get his diamond-encrusted skull back (it was 50’s after all). Lloyd Banks did however pack a punch and deliver some ridiculously profane lines throughout the game which made us all laugh, not to mention his loyalty to 50; so he falls into number 4 on our list.
Above: Not actual gameplay
3. Tails (Sonic the Hedgehog series)
What bizarre creature could go hand-in-hand with a blue hedgehog that runs fast? Why an anthropomorphic fox with two tails that can fly of course. Tails, in some strange way, is the perfect sidekick for Sonic. Sonic’s got the speed, but one thing he lacks is the ability to take to the skies, and that’s where Tails comes in. Tails helps Sonic get airborne by giving him a lift in times of need. This didn’t only help Sonic beat Robotnik on a number of occasions, but also made Sonic a hero among the gaming community.
We've never seen the supporting cast look this happy
2. Leonardo Da Vinci (Assassin’s Creed 2)
Ok, so this is relatively recent, but nonetheless memorable. Now Leo doesn’t necessarily follow Ezio wherever he goes, but who better to be your sidekick than one of the greatest inventors of all time. He builds weapons and devices to help Ezio in his assassinations, and always has a smile on his face when Ezio has a problem that needs solving. In our books, that’s a buddy worth keeping.
One clever dude
1. Sheva Alomar (Resident Evil 5)
Calling Sheva a “sidekick” is a little bit of an insult. It’s like calling Dom a sidekick to Marcus in Gears of War. The two are more partners than anything and practically brothers. The same can be said for Sheva (besides the whole ‘brother’ thing) in Resident Evil 5, as she became more than support and backup to the series on and off again protagonist, Chris Redfield. Sheva really held her own and kicked some serious zombie ass when things got ugly in the motherland. The only reason she falls a bit by the wayside is due to Mr. Redfields celebrity-like status. His biceps are so big; he practically becomes a sidekick to them! But that doesn’t mean Sheva is any less a fighter, as she can deliver one hell of a roundhouse kick and fire a bazooka with ease while still looking good – and that’s what we all look for in a sidekick.
Chris: "Sheeva, please don't let them hurt me! I got a photoshoot next week"
Notable mentions: Max (Sam & Max), Daxter (Jack & Daxter), Kazooie (Banjo & Kazooie), Yoshi (Super Mario Bros.), Luigi (Super Mario Bros.) Diddy Kong (Donkey Kong series), Clank (Ratchet & Clank)
Thanks for reading our blizzard list of gaming sidekicks. Who do you feel deserves a spot in the ‘Unexpected Sidekicks in Gaming’ list?
