Animals in video games

The depiction of animals in video games has echoed the wider symbolism of animals in culture. Games feature animals in roles ranging from NPC to companion and even protagonist. Animals are depicted with varying degrees of intelligence, from realistic to possessing human levels of self-awareness. They are considered crucial to worldbuilding. However, there are unique aspects and challenges to depicting animals within a game. The behavior and appearance of animals must be digitally recreated rather than simply recorded, a difficult task that may detract from other aspects of the game, leading to discussion on whether interactivity with animals should be prioritized. At the same time, many video game developers specifically seek to include animals in their games despite the additional work involved, sometimes due to personal interest in them.

Anthropomorphic animals are also common characters in fantasy and sci-fi games, including best-selling franchises such as Mario, The Legend of Zelda and Sonic the Hedgehog. Humans can identify with them as memorable characters while they allow for unique gameplay or plot developments stemming from their animal-inspired special powers, forms, or abilities - i.e., avian humanoids being able to fly, or reptilian humanoids possessing superhuman durability or strength. Their appearance may also simply serve a symbolic role, emphasizing their character traits in visual form.