5 of the Best Sidekicks in Gaming

We all know the hero is the star of the show; that’s why they’re called the hero and not…some person. But sidekicks are all too often forgotten for the key roles they play in helping the hero save the day. Games usually relegate the sidekick to the second player, but sometimes developers make them such cool or useful characters that they end up taking the spotlight for themselves. Here are 5 of gaming’s coolest second stringers.

5. Zeke Dunbar

While Cole McGrath is tearing up the fictional city of New Marais in Infamous 2, Zeke is gathering intel and setting up new missions for the gravelly voiced hero. Zeke hits the ground hard in the open world super hero title in order to push the game’s plot forward and figure out what exactly is going on with the new super beings in town. Sure he looks like a bad Elvis impersonator and, admittedly, he’s only so cool in this game to make up for how much of an absolute tool he was in the first entry, but all the same, he has some legitimately funny and touching moments with Cole in the 2^nd game and becomes an admirable character in his own right by the end (especially if you decide to take the evil path).

Zeke got a lot more screen time in the sequel.

2. Damon S. Baird

What can be said about Baird that hasn’t already been said? He’s great at opening doors for the COG soldiers in the Gears of War series and all, but he’s also great because he doesn’t let the grimness of the Seran War get him down. In fact, he and The Cole Train are the only ones in the situation that seem to be able to make light of anything that’s happening. Marcus Phoenix couldn’t even make a half-hearted attempt at humor when he unironically broke the news that the Locust were, “SINKING CITIES WITH A GIANT WORM!!!” Baird was such an interesting character because he lightened the mood in an impossibly dark setting. Also, he’s really good at opening doors.

Baird and Cole eventually got their own game.

3. Gilius Thunderhead

Gilius Thunderhead is without a doubt one of the coolest sidekicks in games. He’s like a great bass player; he knows how to lay back and let the rest of the band shine. He’s got cool lightning powers and may be the buffest 78 year old in history. “What makes Thunderhead a sidekick, though?!” I hear you yelling at your computer screen while eating Doritos in a bowl with Mountain Dew poured on top. Well, when one of the other characters in a game called “Golden Axe” is named “Ax Battler” it seems safe to assume that Mr. Battler is the main dude. This doesn’t stop Gilius from being extremely useful in a fight and from knowing how to ride a dragon as well as anyone. If you play as anyone other than Gilius Thunderhead, you’re missing out.

If your name was Ax Battler, wouldn't use an ax?

2. Byte  

Byte is one of the more clever means of player orientation in a game world than many of the other tutorials out there. In Tron 2.0 Byte is tasked by the sentient program Ma3a to help Jet Bradley in his quest to do computery things in the world of Tron. Byte doesn’t do much fighting, but he offers some direction when the player is lost and some comic relief during cutscenes. This isn’t some binary based helper either; Byte offers useful advice and a no nonsense demeanor to guide the player through their various tasks; he’s like a more verbose Navi but without the implied, "HEY! IDIOT! GO OVER HERE!". On a side note, it’s quite funny that Byte (who was created as an update to Bit from the original film) is now just as outdated as his predecessor as a meaningful unit of measurement in the computing world.

Byte didn't do much of the fighting in the game.

1. Miles “Tails” Prower

Who else could be the coolest sidekick (with the coolest name) in the gaming world? Tails was among the first side characters to have his own personality and abilities rather than being a palette swapped version of the hero (Luigi in Mario 2 doesn’t count). Tails is essentially Sonic’s surrogate little brother; he wants to be just like Sonic, so rather than honing his unique ability to fly with his titular tails, he uses them to propel himself forward on the ground in order to keep up with the Blue Blur. Just like every other one of Sonic’s buddies, Tails has changed with the times. He’s more of  a tech wizard now rather than an endearing younger character. However, he’ll always be the coolest as the little kid in Sonic 2 who could inexplicably fly an airplane. 

Gotta keep up Tails!

Like most sidekicks, Tails got his own portable spin off...which was bad.

These are some of the coolest sidekicks that games have to offer, but there are definitely more of them out there. Which heroes' buddies are your favorites in video games?