Top 10 Video Game Dogs

In honor of it being National dog day in the US we decide to put together a list of the top 10 dogs of video gaming. This list is presented in no particular order because it's really hard to decide who deserves more head scratches and squeaky steaks over anyone else.

The Duck Hunt Dog

You can't talk about video game dogs and not talk about this jerk. Today's games for kids would never feature anything that laughs at your failures, but the it was a different time and all us 80's kids are still carrying the bitterness and emotional pain from being taunted by this big bully. He's not likable but he is memorable.  

K.K. Slider: Animal crossing series

K.K. Slider AKA Totakeke, performances have been delighting animals and villager with his wide variety of Song stylings since the original Animal Crossing game. With every new animal crossing I knew I had to hit that first Saturday night performance to get my copy of K.K. Technopop (which like so many songs sounds entirely different preformed live than it does on the home stereo.) The Newer animal crossing games make it a little easier to get a hold of K.K. sweet tunes by letting you pick them up at your local department store, but regardless of how you get it, K.K. music makes the already delightful animal crossing world even better.

Dog: Fable II 

The Dog in Fable II is an ever present companion, pointing you to chests, dinging up trinkets and biting those no good bandits that seem to be swarming over every part of Albion. The Dog in Fable II is loyal to the absolute end and in my game I did something I almost never do in games which was make a more selfish choice affecting 100s of others just to keep him by my side indefinitely because I love him so much. There's a dog in Fable III as well and while I do love my dog he didn't inspire the same sort of devotion as the Fable II dog.

Chop: Grand Theft Auto V

I might be biased because I had a big silly Rottweiler as a young lady, but I really love Chop. He's cute, he does tricks, and he only attacks when someone is hostile towards Franklin first so you don't have to worry about him instigating fights (or making Rottweiler's look bad). So you can just have a nice day of playing fetch your silly dog without worrying about too many consequences. Chop can get injured he always respawns back at Franklin's ready for more playtime or possble to bite more jerks depending on what's going on. He even was the subject of his own out of game app while, we didn't use his app( because we didn't have phones that worked with it) it says a lot about how lovable chop is. The game features 3 distinct main human characters and not a one of them get a special app. I'd love to play fetch with this lovely boy in real life.

Parappa: Parappa the Rappa

Parappa's the title character of one the most quirky and original rhythm games ever released. Parappa is a dog made of paper who raps and is in love with a sunflower. I'm pretty sure that introduction alone should make just about anyone fall in love with him(or at least have a healthy interest), but if that's not enough, in the rain or in the snow he's got the funky flow, how many of the other dogs on this list could say that?

DogMeat: Fallout Series

DogMeat is by far the best looking follower you can get in the Fallout series which is in itself a pretty good perk, but he also takes commands well, scavenges stuff for you, and holds unwanted supplies all while not caring how particularly good or bad you are.  I personally couldn't bear to take him with me in FO3 because I couldn't stand getting him accidentally killed (the puppies perk didn't make me feel any better about it). Luckly in his newest incarnation in FO4 fixed he's cute, he's useful, and now he's unkillable too.

Rush: Megaman Series

Rush has been with Megaman since way back in 1990 and has been helping him reach greater heights ever since. Rush can transform into a springboard, a hoverboard, a submarine, a bike and a spaceship to name a few. If it's not enough that Rush is basically the world's cutest transformer he can also junction with Megaman making him stronger than ever. He's definitely a robot's best friend

Hewie: Haunting Ground

Hewie is Fiona's partner throughout the confusing and disturbing psychological world of Haunting ground. Fiona is prone to sudden uncontrollable panic when faced with a castle full of people who want to kill or molest her and Hewie helps keep her alive while she's blindly running into walls or corners. In addition to keeping Fiona alive when under direct threat, Hewie also helps with puzzles and goes exploring in Fiona's stead. Hewie does require some training to be at his best, but he's overall a very good boy and Fiona wouldn't survive without him.

Angelo: Final Fantasy VIII

Angelo, Sant' Angelo Di Roma formally, who in spite of the name is a lovely lady dog, is one heck of an asset in battles. As part of Rinoa's Combine limit break she offers some of the most useful skills in the game (assuming you've found and read he Pet Pals magazines). Her better than average dog tricks, are pretty much the only reason I ever bothered having Rinoa in my party any longer than necessary. Frankly the game would have been better if Rinoa was wholesale replace by Angelo.

Brown: Rule of Rose

After she rescues him from some unquestionably evil children, Brown becomes the companion of poor hapless Jennifer. He stays at her side as she tries to navigate through a series of confusing and dangerous tasks dictated by the Red Crayon Aristocrats who are tormenting her while she's also trying to navigate a mansion full of freaky monster children and the occasional even freakier adult. Needless to say it's pretty rough for poor Jennifer but Brown makes her life a bit easier. Brown doesn't actually attack anyone (or maybe anything is a better term for those enemies) but he does provide a good distraction allowing Jennifer to get in a good whack or two or escape depending on the situation. He's also able to hunt down precious healing items and tradeable items that make a big difference in how well Jennifer survives. You save Brown's life and he never forgets the favor staying loyal companion throughout.


So that's our list, if you haven't played any of the games these digital doggies appear in we suggest you rectify that immediately, but before that if you've got any real life dogs hanging around give them an extra head scratch and dog biscuit in honor of their special day. And also because I can't make a top 10 list and stick to just here's my lsit of honorable mentions:

Honorable Mention:
These dogs are still great just not in my top list:
Mira from the Silent Hill Series
All of the dogs from Nintendogs
Dog from Secret of Evermore
Diamond Dog from MGSV, Dog from Torchlight,
Dog from the Bard's Tale(2004)


~Stephanie

Don't  forget to stop by our shop:

Avane 2015 Shopping Guide: 10 Gifts for Retro Gamers

We have tons of vintage game collectibles for sale. Gaming goods are our primary personal collection and because we like them so much we stock a bunch of them.


Mario Brother 8 bit Fortress Accessory Holder:

NES 8 bit Mario accessory for sale

This is a delightful wooden accessory holder shaped like the 8 bit fortresses at the end of the levels in the first Super Mario Brothers game. Perfect for holding Wii motes, or pencils or just about anything else (one of ours holds Animal crossing cards) While this is a new Japanese release, it's still sure to make any vintage gamer's day.


Sonic the Hedgehog Knuckles Plushie:

Sonic the Hedgehog Knuckles Plush for sale.

Back when Sonic and Knuckles came out, it was the coolest thing most gamers had ever seen. Not only did we get a sweet new sonic character, but he could be back ported into the previous Sonic games. Thus everyone's love for knuckles was born. This plush isn't that vintage,  but it still looks like the same knuckles we all fell in love with 20 years ago. A fun gift for any fan.


1989 Legend of Zelda Link Shaped Gum Container:

Vintage Legend of Zelda Figure Gum Container for Sale

This is a super vintage NES era Link gum container, note his delightfully simplistic old school character design. Everyone loves the Link, so there's pretty much no way to go wrong with this gift choice. This one is empty so for added fun you could fill it up with the recipients favorite candy too.

Final Fantasy VIII Seifer Figure:

Final Fantasy 8 Seifer Figure for sale

Final Fantasy has been a staple game series for the last 26 years, but the PS1 era games were among the best. Anyone who owned a Playstation and had even a passing interest in RPGs put at least few hours into the games. Final Fantasy VIII has long been a fan favorite and Seifer was an antagonist many of us loved to hate.  This figure is in great shape and Seifer even still has his gunblade, a fab gift choice for any FFVIII fan.

Punch-Out!! Sticker Card:

Vintage Nintendo Punch-Out!! sticker for sale.

Nintendo put out a whole line of these hints and tips cards with stickers on the front and tips for a random NES game on the back. This card has a great image of Little Mac giving glass Joe one heck of an uppercut. Punch-Out!! is a classic game, but was pretty under marketed, there's not a lot of merchandise available for it. So this makes an unexpected and fun stocking stuffer for your favorite retro gamer.

Virtua Fighter UFO Catcher Plush Pai:

Virtua Fighter Pai for Sale

I'm old enough to remember when Virtua Fighter was the hottest thing in the arcade. While other games where still relying on old 2D sprites, Virtua Fighter introduced us to the world of 3D fighting. By today's standards it's pretty amazingly polygonal and pretty ugly, but that doesn't mean it doesn't ignite the flame of nostalgia. This is UFO Catcher plush features Pai in her Virtua Fighter 2 outfit and thankfully is a lot less blocky than her in game counterpart. She's got her original tag and is the perfect gift for retro fighting game enthusiasts.

Vintage NES Promo Box Rad Racer:

Vintage NES promo box for sale.

This is an incredibly hard to find Mock Up Box for the NES Classic, Rad Racer. This features full box art from the front and the back of the game on heavy weight card stock. This was probably used in stores in lieu of letting customers handle actual games before purchase. A really unique piece for anyone's collection. If you know a hardcore NES fan, this is sure to be one of the most unique things they've ever gotten.


 1982 Donkey Kong Sticker Card of Mario:

1980s Mario from Donkey Kong Sticker for Sale

I know this will be hard for some people to believe but at one time Mario wasn't a plumber, he was a carpenter. Not only that,  he sported a curly handlebar mustache and was in love with Pauline instead of Princess Peach. It's crazy but true. This card is part of the Donkey Kong card collection (of which we have several if you're looking for vintage DK/mario/pauline goodness) and is a really fun image of that earliest incarnation of the Mario we know and love today. A great choice to give your favorite Mario fan a laugh.

Frogger Cartoon Model Animation Cel:

80s Frogger Cartoon cel for sale

Back in the 80s there was this lovely thing called the Saturday Morning Supercade, it was a block of cartoons based on the popular arcade games of the day. So Pac-Man, Frogger, Q-bert, Donkey Kong and others all got Saturday morning cartoons. This is a model cel from an episode of Frogger (model cels are used by animators to determine color and height differences between the main characters and other characters a given episode). This hand painted cel is a one of kind collectible perfect for any truly old school retro gaming fan.

Mega Man Met Figure:

Mega Man Met figure for sale

Mega Man has been a gaming classic since the first game hit the scene back in 1987. Capcom hasn't done much with the plucky little android lately, but that doesn't make him any less beloved. This is a Japanese Keshi (small rubber eraser like figures sold in capsule machines) of a met. Met as been causing trouble for Mega Man as long as the franchise has been around and is easily recognized by even the most casual mega man player, a great choice for any Mega Man fan.


We seriously have tons more gifts perfect for the retro game lover in your life, so if you don't like this list check out the rest of our  gaming memorabilia for sale.

Don't forget to stop by our shop:
 

Last minute Christmas shopping guide: 11 Gifts for Retro Gamers

There's a few shopping days left before mailing cut offs. So if you're looking for a unique vintage collectible, we've got you covered. If you've got friends or family with a flair for the geeky we've probably got the perfect something in stock at www.avaneshop.com right now!

 We're doing a series of these shopping guides and this is our final guide, gift for retro gamers.

We have tons of vintage game collectibles for sale. Gaming goods are our primary personal collection and because we like them so much we stock a bunch of them.


Sonic the Hedgehog Knuckles Plushie:

Knuckles plush for sale

Back when Sonic and Knuckles came out, it was the coolest thing most gamers had ever seen. Not only did we get a sweet new sonic character, but he could be back ported into the previous Sonic games. And thus everyone's love for knuckles was born. This plush is a lot newer but it still retains Knuckles' vintage flair. A fun gift for any fan priced at just $8.


1989 Legend of Zelda Link Shaped Gum Container:

Vintage Legend of Zelda Collectible for sale

This is a super vintage NES era Link gum container, note his delightfully simplistic old school character design. Everyone loves the Link, so there's pretty much no way to go wrong with this gift choice unless the recipient tries to eat the 24 year old candy. If you don't let that happen it's $13 worth of vintage gift goodness.

Sonic The Hedgehog Joyride Figure:

Joyride Sonic the Hedgehog Figure for Sale

Sonic has been a fan favorite ever since his first game hit the Genesis back in 1991, and with good reason as the vintage sonic games are some of the best ever made. This particular Sonic is made by Joyride and was a aprt of the hard to find 90s line of Gamepro figures. He's a piece missing from a lot of sonic collection a great gift choice for $40.

Final Fantasy VIII Seifer Figure:

Final Fantasy 8 Seifer Figure for sale

Final Fantasy has been a staple game series for the last 26 years, but the Playstation era games really took them up a notch. Anyone who owned a playstation and had even a passing interest in RPGs put at least few hours into the games. Really those 90s days of excellent PS1 RPGs hasn't been matched since.  Help a friend remember those glorious PS1 days where the JRPGS were plentiful and well crafted by giving them Seifer with his trademark gunblade just $10.

Tekken 3 Xiaoyu and Panda Figure:

Tekken 3 Figure for Sale

Tekken was the fighter that defined fighting games for the PS1 and Tekken 3 is certainly one of the best Tekken games ever made, if not the best. Xiaoyu's first appearance is in Tekken 3 (though she's in every subsequent game) and this vintage figure from 1998 features her in her original outfit with panda. She's only $12 and the perfect gift for an old school Tekken fan.

Vintage Super Mario Brothers Trophy Figure:

Mario Trophy Figure for sale

This is a vintage 1998 Mario Trophy Figure featuring Bowser and Princess Peach. This has both of them with their original 80's character designs. This is in great shape and would be sure to delight any retro Mario fan. It's an awesome gift priced at $30.

Virtua Fighter UFO Catcher Plush Pai:

Virtua Fighter Pai for Sale

I'm old enough to remember when Virtua Fighter was the hottest thing in the arcade. While other games where still relying on old 2D sprites, Virtua Fighter introduced us to the world of 3D fighting. By today's standards it's pretty amazingly polygonal and kind of ugly, but that doesn't mean it doesn't ignite the flame of nostalgia. This is UFO Catcher plush features Pai in her Virtua Fighter 2 outfit and thankfully is a lot less blocky than her in game counterpart. She's got her original tag and is the perfect gift for retro fighting game enthusiasts priced at just $6. 

Vintage 1987 NES Promo Box Art RC Pro AM:

Vintage NES promo for sale

This is an incredibly hard to find Mock Up Box for the NES Classic, RC Pro AM. This features full box art from the front and the back of the game on heavy weight card stock. This was probably used in stores in lieu of letting customers handle actual games before purchase. A really unique piece for anyone's collection, if you know a hardcore NES fanis sure to be one of the most unique things they've ever gotten and it's a deal at $12.

Vintage 1980s Pacman Mug:

Vintage Pacman Mug for Sale

There's not a lot to say about Pac-Man other than seriously, who doesn't love Pac-Man? You could give this mug to your grandma and she'd know who it was how many video game characters can most of us say that about? This mug feature's Pac-Man's old design where he still had a nose and the ghost have arms. At $12 this is a really delightful gift sure to make anyone's morning coffee better.

 1982 Donkey Kong Sticker Card of Mario:

1980s Mario from Donkey Kong Sticker for Sale

I know this will be hard for some people to believe but at one time Mario wasn't a plumber, he was a carpenter. Not only that he sported a curly handlebar mustache and was in love with Pauline instead of Princess Peach. Crazy but true. This card is part of the Donkey Kong card collection (of which we have several if you're looking for vintage DK/mario/pauline goodness) and is a really fun image of that earliest incarnation of the Mario we know and love today. Just $2 to give your favorite Mario fan a laugh.

Street Fighter Alpha Pencilboard:

Street Fighter Alpha Pencil Board for sale

Street Fighter Alpha was one  of 1995's best arcade games,  and was a treat for Street Fighter fans who  had to wait 4 years for a game that wasn't just a variation on Street Fighter II. It introduced new character and storylines that became part of the standard story for the games. This Street Fighter pencil baord has an awesome image of Akuma and Ryu facing off. it would look fantastic in anyones game room, a great gift choice and it's on sale for just $6.


We seriously have tons more gift perfect for the retro game lover in your life, so if you don't like this list check out the rest of our vintage (and newer) gaming memorabilia for sale.

Don't forget to stop by our shop:
 

Last minute Christmas shopping guide: Gifts for Retro Gamers

Just starting your Christmas shopping or just looking for a perfectly unique present that you can't find in retail stores? We've got you covered.  If you've got friends or family with a flair for the geeky we've probably got the perfect something in stock at www.avaneshop.com right now!

We're going to do a series of these shopping guides over the next few days and this is our sixth  and final guide focusing on gifts for retro gaming fans. Be sure to check our  previous guides for Sailor Moon Dolls, Sailor Moon Toys, Anime Collectibles,  15 gifts for 80's Kids & 10 gifts for 90s kids.

We have tons of vintage game collectibles for sale. Gaming goods are our primary personal collection and because we like them so much we stock a bunch of them.

Spyro The Dragon 32 inch Plush Doll:

Vintage Spyro the dragon plush

This Spyro Plush falls a bit outside the realm of retro having been released in the early '00s, but it's still his old loveable character design popularized in the late 90s PS1 days. I remember back when Spyro was the "face" of the PS1 along with Crash Bandicoot and Sweet Tooth (Needles Kane) from Twisted Metal. The perfect gift choice for thos who fondly recall picking up gems, hunting dragon eggs and trying to set those annoying egg thieves on fire. Due size and rarity he's priced at $50 but it's a small price to pay for such an awesome present.

1989 Legend of Zelda Link Shaped Gum Container:

Vintage Legend of Zelda Collectible for sale

This is a super vintage NES era Link gum container, note his delightfully simplistic old school character design. Everyone loves the Link, so there's pretty much no way to go wrong with this gift choice unless the recipient tries to eat the 24 year old candy. If you don't let that happen it's $13 worth of vintage gift goodness. (we also them available in blue & red)

Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Knuckles Figure:

Sonic Knuckles Figure for Sale

Back when Sonic and Knuckles came out, it was the coolest thing most gamers had ever seen. Not only did we get a sweet new sonic character, but he could be back ported into the previous Sonic games. And thus everyone's love for knuckles was born. This figure was technically a Sonic 3 promo but probably came out  a few months after Sonic 3 was released to coincide with Sonic and Knuckles. This Knuckles is just $3 and his special lock on technology allows him to be placed just about anywhere one needs some vintage gaming nostalgia.

Final Fantasy VIII Zell Figure:

Final Fantasy 8 Zell Figure for Sale

Final Fantasy has been a staple game series for the last 26 years, but the Playstation era games really took them up a notch. Anyone who owned a playstation and had even a passing interest in RPGs put at least few hours into the game. Really those 90s days of excellent PS1 RPGs hasn't been matched since. So for $4 Give Zell to friend to help them remember those glorious PS1 days where the JRPGS were plentiful and well crafted.


Super Mario Brothers 3 Wristband:

Super Mario Brothers 3 Raccoon Mario for Sale

This is a newer product only a few years old but features Mario's vintage classic SMB3 Raccoon Design embroidered on the front. Mario 3 was one of the greatest games ever made so you're sure to have some on your gift list who's appreciate this, and it's easy on the wallet at only $6.

Tekken 3 Xiaoyu and Panda Figure:

Tekken 3 Figure for Sale

Tekken was the fighter that defined fighting games for the PS1 and Tekken 3 is certainly one of the best Tekken games ever made, if not the best. Xiaoyu first appearance is in Tekken 3 (though she's in every subsequent game) and this vintage figure from 1998 features her in her original outfit with panda. She's only $12 and the perfect gift for an old school Tekken fan.

Vintage Super Mario Brothers 2 Mario on Vine Figure:

Vintage Mario Figure for Sale

This is a super vintage 24 year old figure from SMB2. Applause did a a set of these Mario 2 figures with Mario in various situations and this particular one is Mario climbing a vine, no word however as to whether or not there's a hoopster nearby. This $7 figure features Mario old school character design and would be well loved by anyone with an appreciation for NES Mario. (we've also got Mario Jumping a Koopa and Mario with  mushroom from this same line)

Virtua Fighter UFO Catcher Plush Pai:

Virtua Fighter Pai for Sale

I'm old enough to remember when Virtua Fighter was the hottest thing in the arcade. While other games where still relying on old 2D sprites, Virtua Fighter introduced us to the world of 3D fighting. By today's standards it's pretty amazingly polygonal and kind of ugly, but that doesn't mean it doesn't ignite the flame of nostalgia. This is UFO Catcher plush features Pai in her Virtua Fighter 2 outfit and thankfully is a lot less blocky than her in game counterpart. She's got her original tag and is the perfect gift for retro fighting game enthusiasts priced at just $6. 

Vintage 1987 NES Promo Box Art Rad Racer:

Rare NES Promo Box for Sale

This is an incredibly hard to find Mock Up Box for the NES Classic, Rade Racer. This features full box art from the front and the back of the game on heavy weight card stock. This was probably used in stores in lieu of letting customers handle actual games before purchase. A really unique piece for anyone's collection, if you know a hardcore NES fan this $25 gift is sure to be one of the most unique things they've ever gotten.

Vintage 1980s Pacman Mug:

Vintage Pacman Mug for Sale

There's not a lot to say about Pacman other than seriously, who doesn't love Pacman? You could give this mug to your grandma and she'd know who it was how many video game characters can most of us say that about? This mug feature's pacman's old design where he still had a nose and the ghost have arms. At $12 this is a really delightful gift sure to make anyone's morning coffee better.

 1982 Donkey Kong Sticker Card of Mario:

1980s Mario from Donkey Kong Sticker for Sale

I know this will be hard for some people to believe but at one time Mario wasn't a plumber, he was a carpenter. Not only that he sported a curly handlebar mustache and was in love with Pauline instead of Princess Peach. Crazy but true. This card is part of the Donkey Kong card collection (of which we have several if you're looking for vintage DK/mario/pauline goodness) and is a really fun image of that earliest incarnation of the Mario we know and love today. Just $2 to give your favorite Mario fan a laugh.

Soul Calibur Mitsurugi Action figure:

Soul Calibur figure for Sale

I'm going to come right out and say it, Soul Calibur was the best reason to own a Dreamcast. Don't get me wrong there were great games on the Dreamcast, especially fighting games (I'm looking at you Marvel Vs Capcom 2) but Soul Calibur was the pinnacle. This figure was from the first run of figures for Soul Calibur and features regular character, Mitsurugi the angry Samurai. This figure is new on card and is $15 of gift giving perfection. (we also have Xianghua from the same line)

Donkey Kong Cereal Commercial Cel:

Donkey Kong Cereal Commercial Cel for Sale

Donkey Kong cereal was made for only 2 years from 1982 to 1984, but those who got it remember it very fondly. This is an original Animation cel of the Donkey Kong Cereal Commercial and features DK about to toss some of the cereal's signature crunchy "barrels" down at Mario. It's in really amazing shape for being 30 years old! It's $26 and makes a really unique gift for any Donkey fan.

We seriously have tons more gift perfect for the retro game lover in your life, so if you don't like this list check out the rest of our vintage (and newer) gaming memorabilia for sale.

Don't forget to stop by our shop: