Summary
Animal companionsare not only a source of joy for many in real life, but they can also be super fun to bond with in video games. There are tons of games out there that incorporate animals and pets in some ways, but some of them go a step further by allowing the player to train and tame them. With this in mind, we’re going to be looking at some of the best games that allow the player to train their pets.
Keep in mind that we’re going to be a little loose with the difference between animal training and taming in video games. Taming animals in games usually means that the player can learn to control wild animals, but they pretty much become pets when they are tamed, so we’re still going to count that as pet training.
TheDigimonseries spans all kinds of media, from anime shows to card games and - of course - video games. There are a lot of differentDigimonvideo games, and some games put more of an emphasis on training your Digimon pets, such as the 2016 gameDigimon World: Next Order.
In certain games - such as the aforementionedNext Order-, players have the chance to bond with their Digimon. They can do this by feeding them and praising them, but they can also scold them during the training process if necessary.
Horses are an important partof theBreath of the Wildgame, as they are the primary means of transportation across the open world. Players find wild horses as they explore, and these horses can be tamed. Wild horses are the most basic mount in the game. Other kinds of horses are available, but they are tougher to find.
Players need to raise their bond with their horses, otherwise the game can become much trickier. If Link doesn’t have a bond with his horse, they’ll be easily spooked and their stats will remain low. A bonded horse will be faster, stronger, and braver in a combat situation. Link can build this bond by feeding and petting them.
Although it doesn’t affect the bond, Link can also customize the gear of his horse, adding some additional personalization elements.
Monsters in theMonster Rancherseries can be trained in a multitude of ways, but they also have a certain life span, so the player’s decisions will make a difference in their short lives. Monsters trained too hard and not cared for can die much sooner than monsters with a balanced training regime.
Monsters can becomeloyal pets inMonster Rancher, but they can also become stressed, lazy, and even fat if they are fed too much. The training elements withinMonster Rancherare quite realistic in this way, with monsters relying on the player as their trainer to give them a long, happy, and well-balanced existence.
As well as this, players can also fight their monsters similarly to thePokemonandDigimongames. Monsters can increase and max out stats, becoming formidable foes in battle as well as pets for the player.
For players looking for awide range of animals to choose from as petsthat can be trained,World of Warcraft Classicis a great choice. The following animals are trainable pets for those who pick the Hunter class inWoW Classic:
Taming and training pets are important and well-known elements of the Hunter class, as each animal type has certain skills, preferences, and foods that they consume. Pets can also have different appearances, categories, and abilities (though not all pet families have a special ability).
Keeping your pet happy and well-fed inWoW Classicwill increase the damage that it deals as well as players level it up and make it more loyal to you, making for a versatile animal taming and training system.
Nintendogsis a cute Nintendo DS game that allows players to pick out a puppy and then care for them. Players can wash and feed their pups, but they can also train them to fetch, take them out for walks, buy them toys to play with, or even get them to compete in competitions. Players can customize their pet’s look inNintendogsas well, as there are plenty of adorable collars and outfit pieces to make them look particularly snazzy.
The game makes use of the DS’s microphone to allow players to communicate directly with their puppy. Players can teach them their name or various commands by speaking into the microphone, which was a pretty big deal at the time, seeing as the game came out in 2005.
Although the game is a simplepet simulator,Nintendogswas ahead of its time and implemented various features that are now par for the course in contemporary pet simulator games.
The Sims 4hasseveral expansions that include pets, though the only trainable pets are cats, dogs, and horses. These pets can be trained to get rid of any negative behavior, such as cats climbing on kitchen counters or dogs peeing inside. Players will need to get their Sims to reprimand pets when they engage in bad behavior so that they learn to stop. However, they can also encourage them for good behavior, such as by rewarding them or giving them pets.
Dogs inThe Sims 4can be trained to perform tricks, such as sitting, rolling over and even playing dead. When they are trained well enough, players can get their dogs to do agility courses or attack Sims they don’t like. The system works in the same way that teaching toddlers does in the game. It just needs some patience and repetition. The pet system inThe Sims 4is quite simplistic, but it works incredibly well and can make a Sim pet feel all the more real.
It’s hard not to think ofPokemonwhen it comes to games that allow players to train pets. The behemoth of a franchise spans tons of video games, all of which implement the training and taming element in different ways.
Most of the games have the standard training structure thatPokemongames are known for. Players are given one Pokemon and are tasked with finding more in the wild. Wild Pokemon are collected via battles. Once caught, Pokemon can be trained and learn different skills to level up and evolve into a new, more powerful Pokemon.
Some games emphasize other elements of pet care too, such as theLet’s Go PikachuandEeveegames which allow players to dress up their Pikachu and Eevee and give them lots of pets. However, the standard battle training is the iconic part of thePokemonfranchise. Developing bonds, leveling up, and battling Pokemon are all important elements of the series.
Although they are fictional creatures rather than real-life animals - though many of them have designs inspired by animals -Pokemonis by far the most iconic game series that implements this kind of pet training feature.
