Summary
Animal characters have been around almost as long as video games have existed. Sonic the Hedgehog is just one of many platformer mascots from the 90s. RPGs have had animal characters and companions too like the various versions of Dogmeat in theFalloutseries. While Dogmeat is adorable, it cannot communicate with players even though it can carry literal tons of weight.
TheFinal Fantasyseries has looked beyond animals as mere companions to pat on the head and say, “ Oh that’s a good boy!” like Angelo fromFinal Fantasy 8. Anthropomorphic animal characters have taken up ranks in parties as far back asFinal Fantasy 6, so let’s rank the best ones with a few caveats.
There are several Mooglesplayers can command inFinal Fantasy 6. Mog is the only permanent party member though and he can be acquired rather late in the game along with his Yeti-like friend, Umaro. Both party members don’t have that great of natural abilities and they don’t contribute much to the story as they are side characters. Still, the game would not be complete without Mog and the rest of the Moogles in the game. They are iconic andFinal Fantasy 6’sdesign of the Moogles are some of the cutest in the series.
Kimahri is fromFinal Fantasy 10and he is part of the Ronso clan. They look like upright blue lions who wield spears as weapons kind of like the Dragoon Job in other games. Kimahri is also the Blue Mage of the group which is a specific type of Job in the Final Fantasy series that can learn magic from enemies to use against them. Acquiring the right skills can make Kimahri a great party member during fights. Even though he is a core member, he’s kind of forgettable next to the rest of the cast like Wakka or Auron as Kimahri mostly stays quiet.
Torgal is the only traditional animal, one who doesn’t walk upright or talk like humans, worth mentioning in the series. He is fromFinal Fantasy 16and Torgal is not directly controllable as he merely follows the main character, Clive, around. Of the many pet hounds in theFinal Fantasyseries, Torgal is the best.
Besides Torgal being a cute breed, he can handle himself well in battle. Also, about halfway through the game, Torgal can unlock a magical ability that will change the course of combat. It’s quite striking but going into specifics would be a spoiler.
Fran is Balthier’s right-hand gal inFinal Fantasy 12. She looks like a rabbit, part of the Viera race, and most of the Viera are female and excel in agility and have a prowess for the bow. That’s no different with Fran as she begins as a sharpshooter although like all characters in the game, she can expand her Job presets. She’s a lot like Kimahri in that she was banished from her tribe and doesn’t speak a lot. She’s more wise and forthcoming about her thoughts though, giving her more inertia in the story.
Cait Sith probably did not rank that high in the originalFinal Fantasy 7as far as party members went. However, like all playable characters,Cait Sith was revamped inFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Cait Sith is directly controllable in both the main cat form and the Moogle combo. As a cat, Cait Sith can zip in and out of tough situations easily. Combined with the Moogle, Cait Sith becomes a lot stronger, especially with their high Luck star. Cait Sith is also just entertaining to listen to as a jokester.
3Red 13 (Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth)
A Wise Soul With A Fast Body
Red 13was also improved inFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth. While not as entertaining to listen to as Cait Sith as he comes across as a bit more grim, Red 13 was more fun to play. His agility is on par with Torgal if not a bit higher and plus he is directly controllable.
Red 13’s true strength is his skills that can support the party with stat boosts. Red 13 is also great with Materia as his Magic stat is quite high and is kind of like a Red Mage which fits given the name he was given within Shinra.
Final Fantasy Tactics Advanceis an Isekai wherein a young boy, Marche, falls into theland of Ivalice. He is greeted by the Moogle Montblanc who helps run a guild. He explains that guilds across Ivalice compete for missions across the land. Not only does Montblanc become a trusted advisor to Marche, but he is a playable character too. His stature may be small and cute but looks can be deceiving. Montblanc can become a multitude of Jobs as a Moogle and he is by far the strongest of his race in the game.
Freya is a complete badass in every sense of the word inFinal Fantasy9. She faces the most opposition than any other animal character on this list and maybe the entireFinal Fantasyfranchise. She is an anthropomorphic rat who hails from the Kingdom of Burmecia. A Kingdom that faced not once but two genocide attempts from an invading army. Despite losing most of her people, Freya keeps it together as a noble Dragoon. She’s strategic and steadfast as a companion in and out of battle. Without her, Zidane and Garnet may not have gotten as far as they did in the main adventure.
