Top 10 Video Game helpers

We all have our favourite video game companions. From Barret and Auron of Final Fantasy fame to Ellie from The Last of Us or Astarian or Shadowheart from Baldur’s Gate 3, we have plenty of friends and love interests that fight alongside us and help our main characters reach their goal.

Today, we’re talking about a different kind of companion: the video game helper.

How do I define a “helper”? Well, basically, a little guy (gender inclusive, of course). A buddy that travels with the hero, providing hints, guidance, and a means to solve puzzles or traverse through the world. Perhaps they have a specific mechanic they excel at, like locking onto targets, or a combat ability that makes fighting mobs even more fun.

Whatever their modus operandi, these guys aren’t your typical companion, waiting for you to solve their problems in that adorable, often non-verbal way of yours. The helpers are there for you no matter what—and whether you want them to be or not!

Here’s my list of 10 of the greatest.

10: Aku Aku – Crash Bandicoot

Who else thought that Aku Aku was actually called “Oodibigah”? Honestly, I’m relieved it’s just his catchphrase!

In his first adventure, Crash releases spirit mask Aku Aku from a crate, who is clearly so grateful that he dedicates his life to helping the pixelated bandicoot stay alive. And boy, does he need it.

Aku Aku acts as a protector and guide to Crash and his family, acting as a shield to take a hit for them and granting them an extra life. Collecting three masks grants temporarily invincibility, allowing Crash to break all the crates and enemies in his path without fear. He offers advice on gameplay mechanics in games like Crash Team Racing, where he teaches the player how to power slide, and in some Japanese versions of the games he’s even given a voice to offer tips and hints.

It was only when doing my research for this blog that I learned about Aku Aku’s background—something I didn’t even realise existed! Apparently, he was once a benevolent shaman on the Insanity Islands, alongside his brother, Uka Uka. However, when his brother became evil, he had to seal him away.

As Aku Aku only provides a temporary boon in gameplay, and because he (mostly) doesn’t offer you any tips for your playthrough, I’ve had to relegate him to the bottom of this list. But make no mistake: he’s an iconic video game helper with a unique origin and appearance.

9: Helper Bird – Astro Bot

I’ve just finished 2024 Game of the Year winner, Astro Bot, and boy, is it worthy of that title. The platforming was intuitive yet exciting and appropriately difficult. The powers you wield change up the mechanics in thrilling ways, meaning the gameplay never got stale. The worlds were beautifully realised, from the lush yet mechanical world inspired by Horizon: Zero Dawn to the Sola Luna Casino, where time-bending is the key to crossing the effervescent club.

And I loved loved loved getting all the reference Bots, from stoic but adorable “Boy”-spouting Kratos and a sneaky Solid Snake hiding under his cardboard box, to the more obscure characters, like Teddy from Persona 4 or Connor from Detroit: Become Human.

This was a big draw of the game for me. It’s a big reason why I was desperate to finish all the worlds. I even wanted to complete the challenge post-game sections, where my husband and I took it in turns to fall off a spinning X or complete a particularly punishing section only to die to a slime-spitting Gloopy, over and over again until our brains spilled out of our ears.

The catch is: some of the Bots are hard to find. What to do?

Once you’ve completed a level once, you can pay 200 coins to unlock the Helper Bird, a mechanical buddy that lights up and beeps when you’re near an elusive Bot, Puzzle Piece, or Secret Portal.

As an optional helper – and one you may not even need, if you’re observant enough—it’s quite low on this list. Nevertheless, I appreciate the developers’ efforts to stop me giving into temptation and Googling where to find that last, sneaky Bot hidden away in Downsize Surprise.

8: The Weighted Companion Cube – Portal

Did you go crazy for the Companion Cube back in 2007? I know I did.

In Portal, you are told by the AI computer system, GLaDOS, to take the Companion Cube and use it to navigate obstacles throughout Test Chamber 17. It acts as a shield and is used to hold down buttons and solve puzzles. However, GLaDOS also emphasises its role as a companion: she encourages you to develop affection for it as your only friend in this lonely test centre, even though it cannot move or talk.

Then, in a twist that shocked players everywhere, GLaDOS tells you that, to progress through the exist, you need to “euthanise” the Companion Cube. You are forced to drop it into the incinerator, and GLaDOS taunts you for killing your “friend”. Sure, it appears in the credits, suggesting it survived, and you see more Companion Cubes in Portal 2, but the emotional damage has been done.

The Companion Cube is one of those magical gaming moments where you realize you’ve somehow gotten attached… to a box. It’s there for just one level, doesn’t say a word, and yet players in the 2000s treated it like their ride-or-die. Let’s be honest: we all hesitated before tossing it into the fire. That’s why the Cube still lives on in our hearts as one of the most unlikely, and most lovable, helpers gaming ever gave us.

But was the cake a lie? (Refer to the Philosophy essay I wrote at university where I argued that it was, in fact, a lie, much like how free will is an illusion.)

7: Lofty – Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom

Ah, Lofty. This may be my most controversial opinion on this list.

…I don’t think he’s that annoying.

His constant quips and minor swears can really get on peoples’ nerves. I, on the other hand, love that saying “Crrriiiiikey!” in a Welsh accent has become a bit of a staple in mine and my husband’s lives, and I didn’t find Lofty as bad as a lot of other gamers. Maybe being British helps?

Lofty is a former Fairy-turned-Kingmaker. This not only bestows divinity upon Evan, the prince, but Lofty becomes a guiding figure for the young leader, helping him found and build the Kingdom of Evermore. He also grants Evan the Tactic Tweaker, a stone tablet that makes combat easier through battle-altering effects and bonuses. He’s crucial to the story, providing knowledge and context for Evan’s journey.

His quips, delivered in his fantastic Welsh accent, from freaking out over Evan wanting to make a sacred bond “over a flippin’ stick!” to “Back off, mun”, really make Lofty stand out as a particularly unique video game helper.

He may look like someone drew Lisa Simpson blindfolded, but Lofty also has untapped, hidden power that is crucial for Evan’s success. Just you wait until he reveals his final form.

6: Rotom Dex – Pokémon Sun & Moon

It’s not Pikachu you need to look out for. Any Pokémon trainer knows that your Pokédex is the ride-or-die companion you need to travel around any region.

In Pokémon Sun & Moon (as well as the Ultra games), that companion is taken a whole step further to become a true helper. The Rotom Dex.

The Rotom Dex, as its name suggests, is a Pokédex that’s been possessed by the Electric Plasma Pokémon, Rotom. It acts as a guide, navigator, and data recorder for the player. It does provide tips and advice throughout the game—which a lot of the Pokédexes do—but the difference is that it has a personality. It’s a playful buddy, asking for nicknames and making jokes, using a cute “zzz” to replace the usual “s” sound.

That’s why it’s here. It’s more than a high-tech encyclopaedia now! It’s an extra little friend to hang around with, even if that makes the game a little too easy sometimes. It can be quite annoying, especially when you are very knowledgeable about Pokémon games already.

Honorary shout out to the PokéGear in the second generation of games. It’s not a great “helper”, as it’s an inanimate object, but I’ve always loved the introduction of the phone/radio/map card/clock device that allows you to play music to attract different Pokémon or even listen in to a certain blue haired lady’s radio show for fabulous prizes.

Just don’t hold your breath for School Kid Alan or Fisherman Tully to call up to give away their evolution stones. So stingy.

5: Fi – The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword

It’s time for the most humanoid example on this list: Fi.

Fi is Link’s trusty guide in Skyward Sword. Created by the Goddess Hylia to assist the “chosen hero”, she’s a spirit who inhabits his weapon, the Goddess Sword, providing guidance, information, and technical advice to the player. Her powers include analytical abilities like calculating probabilities for Link’s fights and explorations, and she can sense people and items. They’re all very useful, quality-of-life abilities that make playing the game easier and more interesting.

I really like her design. Her blue-and-purple colour scheme is ethereal, and deeply reminiscent of video games from the early 2010s. She’s pretty, and while her face is robotic and blank, her humanoid look makes it seem like perhaps Hylia herself has come to aid her hero (for once!). Her appearance also helps nurture a greater sense of connection between her and Link.

For this is one of Fi’s greatest assets. She initially displays a robotic personality, prioritising her programmed purpose above all else. Over the course of the adventure, however, she develops emotions, as well as a deeper connection with Link. Her line towards the end of the game, “I lack sufficient data to be sure of my conclusion, but I believe this feeling correlates closest to what your people call…happiness”, is a surprisingly warm one that truly reflects the duality of her nature. It gets me every time.

She’s also hilarious. Some fun moments include:

– When you start searching for Zelda in Faron Woods, you come across Kikwi birds. When you find one with Zelda’s aura around it, querying if it’s Zelda results in Fi giving an overly long analysis of the Kikwi that confirms, with 95% accuracy, that it is not, in fact, Zelda.

– If you fail repeatedly in Silent Realm trials, Fi eventually says that “the chances of you not being the chosen hero are increasing…”

– Fi’s very logical descriptions of attack habits of some of the mobs, like yellow Chuchus: “If you make contact with this type of Chuchu when it is charged, it will give you a shock. Then it will attempt to feed on you. This is not pleasant.”

– This fantastic interaction with a flying robot called Scrapper:

Scrapper: “This individual [Link] may have restored me to operations, but I am not inclined to offer assistance. Serving children is very low in my task priority.” Fi pops out Scrapper: “Who are you!? ZRRPT-FOOSH! Your name is…Fi? Should I call you Mistress Fi? Are you looking for something, Mistress Fi? I…I understand! At your request, I will carry anything, regardless of weight or destination!” Fi: *extremely long pause* “…Master, we now have the means to bring the propeller back to Skyloft.”

Fi may pop up at annoying times, and, sadly, her humorous quips are few and far between. Nevertheless, I found her very useful in my playthrough, so she deserves to be mentioned here. She’s also a graceful dancer, so…there’s that.

4: B-12 – Stray

Nothing tugs on my heartstrings more than an animal in need. And the Cat from Stray is certainly in need: they become separated from their family, fall into a forgotten city populated by robots, and must find their way back to the surface.

Thankfully, soon they meet an amnesiac drone, B-12. Together, they navigate the decaying cybercity, solve puzzles, and struggle to survive in a world no longer built for them. B-12 is instrumental in this: he translates robot speech and writing, provides a backpack for items, and uses his flashlight to both illuminate dark areas and deter enemies. He provides advice on almost every item you find, as well as quests, and gives much needed exposition and explanations for the world we’ve found ourselves in.

A key theme of Stray is connection. This living creature has no trouble bonding with the robots of the city, curling up next to them to listen to music and purring happily as they’re stroked. So it comes as no surprise that the Cat bonds closely with B-12, who eventually remembers who he is.

WARNING: ending spoilers incoming!

I fully admit that the friendship between a cat and a drone made me cry. What better way to end a game about companionship and family than by having one sacrifice themselves for the other? When the Cat kept tapping the unresponsive drone on the floor and curled up next to it, my god, I—actually, I’m tearing up even now.

Okay, I’m definitely too soft. But B-12 is a fantastic companion, and will always remain in my heart.

3: Navi – The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time

“Hey! Listen!”

I bet you read that in Navi’s pitchy little voice, didn’t you?

As the first permanent companion in the Zelda series, every fan knows Navi from Ocarina. She’s a fairy who’s constantly at Link’s side, providing hints and information as he journeys through Hyrule; a role assigned by the Great Deku Tree at the beginning of his adventure.

Her most important function is to lock onto enemies and other targets—an absolute necessity in a game with a clunky camera—allowing Link to hack’n’slash, slingshot, or hook his way to success. As the story unfolds, Navi’s initial annoyance shifts to a more affectionate demeanour, and by the end, Link and her share a tearful farewell. In the following game, Majora’s Mask, Link even searches for Navi outside of Hyrule in hopes of their reunion.

Navi is known as the poster child for “the annoying helper” in video games. But I’d like to speak in defence of her here. As kids, we needed a companion who could hold our hand and guide us through an overworld that seemed huge and intimidating. For many of us, Ocarina of Time was our first RPG, and honestly, even playing it as an adult was taxing sometimes. It’s not a linear game, and the developers chose not to hold your hand, instead allowing you to explore to your heart’s content: a breath of fresh air after a lot of gaming’s mollycoddling stories we get nowadays.

Navi is an iconic helper for a reason. She was created as a genius way to guide the player without locking them into endless tutorials or exposition dumps, and I will die on this hill.

2: Cappy – Super Mario Odyssey

Whether it’s eating mushrooms or grabbing bells, Mario has always been able to transform temporarily into powered-up versions of himself. This mechanic was truly given a boost in Super Mario Odyssey in the form of Mario’s helper hat, Cappy.

Much like Fi, Cappy is a spirit that inhabits an inanimate object: Mario’s hat. Cappy “captures” enemies and objects when thrown at them, allowing Mario to control them and use their unique abilities to progress through the game’s worlds. I loved smashing up the kingdoms as a giant T-Rex, spying on my next route as some Binoculars, or waddling around as a totem pole of chunky Goombas. Discovering new things to transform into and using their abilities to solve puzzles and traverse the kingdoms really made the whole game a masterclass in innovation and fun.

Got a friend desperate to hang out with you? No problem! Cappy can be controlled by a second player in co-op mode, allowing them to help (or hinder!) your playthrough.

Cappy’s also a helper in the more traditional sense of the word, so has a direct claim to this list! He offers advice, points out specific objects or areas of interest for Mario to interact with, demonstrates tutorials, and even marks locations of Power Moons.

HOWEVER. Maybe it’s my nostalgia creeping in, but he doesn’t quite hit #1 video game helper for me. That prestigious award goes to…

1: Sparx The Dragonfly – Spyro

…Sparx. What a fantastic little helper.

Sparx, a little buzzing dragonfly, is Spyro the Dragon’s constant companion. Of course, he offers advice and guidance to the player, but his role is more integral than a lot of the helpers on this list. He also serves as Spyro’s health bar, changing from yellow to blue to green as he takes damage. So, keeping Sparx happy with a full belly of butterflies is a requirement to keeping Spyro alive!

There’s more to Sparx than being tragically tied to his friend’s life. After defeating a homeworld’s boss and returning to the hub world, Zoe the fairy will appear by a special sign, inviting Sparx to complete his very own level. You can then control Sparx directly, using abilities like shooting, dashing, and strafing to complete objectives and collect dragon eggs. Each completed Sparx level grants him a new ability that benefits Spyro throughout the game, such as:

– Increasing the radius from which Sparx can collect treasure

– Allowing Sparx to point to the nearest uncollected gem—perfect for the 100%-ers out there!

– A permanent health upgrade, so he can take 4 hits instead of the usual 3

– The ability to smash small treasure containers for Spyro

– The ability to teleport to any level (in the Reunited Trilogy).

The quality-of-life improvements gained from these Sparx-centric levels are absolutely vital for a seamless experience. While the levels aren’t as fun as the main Spyro levels (or even the ones where you can play as Sergeant Byrd or Sheila the Kangaroo, imo), it’s still a fun break from the main gameplay.

Sparx is just a sweetheart. He’s loyal, sassy in a non-vocal way that’s reminiscent of Animal Crossing characters, and even takes hits so you don’t get hurt. What more could you want in a video game helper?

Wrap up

So, there you have it! Who’s your favourite little guy? Would Sparx would be your ultimate ride-or-die? Or would you yeet Navi out of the world asap before you’re interrupted from your adventures yet again?