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These ten games put you in control of an animal, an animal-like character, or a mythic animal form. The selection spans cat-led exploration, stealthy goose mischief, shark-fueled action, puzzles, platformers, and darker stories. “Best” here is an editorial shortlist, not an objective ranking: choose by the kind of game and tone you want, not just the protagonist.
Which animal game should you play?
| Game | Who you play | Genre and feel | Best fit for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stray | A stray cat | Third-person adventure; atmospheric exploration and stealth | Players who want to explore a richly imagined city as a cat |
| Untitled Goose Game | A troublesome goose | Comic stealth and environmental puzzles | Players after playful mischief and a lighter tone |
| Maneater | A bull shark | Open-world action RPG | Players who want an aggressive, shark-centered action premise |
| SkateBIRD | A small bird | Arcade-style skateboarding | Players looking for an offbeat sports-flavored pick |
| Night in the Woods | An anthropomorphic possum | Narrative exploration; darker and more dramatic | Players who value character and story over animal realism |
| Donut County | A raccoon, alongside a hole you control | Puzzle game with a comic premise | Players who want a compact, unusual puzzle concept |
| Star Fox 64 | Fox McCloud and his team | Rail shooter with animal characters piloting vehicles | Players happy to count anthropomorphic pilots, not just animals on foot |
| Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze | Donkey Kong and friends | Action platformer | Players who want a demanding platforming challenge |
| Spyro Reignited Trilogy | Spyro, a dragon | Platforming collection remaking the first three Spyro games | Players who want a fantasy creature at the center of an adventure |
| Ōkami | Amaterasu in white-wolf form | Mythic adventure with a distinctive art style | Players drawn to folklore and a divine-animal protagonist |
The ten choices reflect distinct animal-game experiences rather than a shared formula. The list includes realistic animal protagonists, anthropomorphic characters, and a mythic wolf form; it also ranges from comedy to dark drama. Current platforms and editions are not comprehensively established for all ten, so check the relevant store or publisher listing for your region before buying.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
My Universe: Pets Edition Nintendo Switch | $24.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Let's Build a Zoo Nintendo Switch | $27.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
![Party Animals - Standard - Xbox [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41dQzluzvOL._SL160_.jpg)
|
Party Animals - Standard - Xbox [Digital Code] | $19.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Gang Beasts - PlayStation 4 | $16.70 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo Switch | $52.73 | Buy on Amazon |
1. Stray: explore a city as a cat
Stray is the clearest fit if you want the animal itself to shape how the adventure feels. You guide a stray cat through a decaying cybercity, exploring its spaces, interacting with the environment, and using stealth while trying to solve a mystery. The drone B-12 accompanies the cat and helps with the journey. PlayStation’s US product page lists PS4 and PS5 and gives July 19, 2022 as the release date; that is a region- and platform-specific listing, not a complete availability guide. PlayStation’s Stray page.
2. Untitled Goose Game: make a village miserable
House House sums up the setup on its official page: “It’s a lovely morning in the village, and you are a horrible goose.” You cause trouble through stealth and interaction with the village, making this the list’s natural choice for comic mischief rather than survival or a serious animal story. The official site lists PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One, and says a retail box is available. Platform and physical-stock details may vary by region and change over time. Untitled Goose Game’s official site.
#1 Best Overall
- Puppies and Kittens: 20 adorable breeds of cats & dogs among the world’s most popular Mini-games to play and take care of your pet
- Puppies and Kittens: Teach your pets tricks and take them for invigorating walks in the park to socialize with their fluffy friends
- Pet Clinic: Panda Edition: Master dozens of treatments and therapies: X-rays, bandages, a stethoscope, preparing medicine, etc; Listen to the animals and become a highly respected vet
- Pet Clinic: Panda Edition: House the animals in different rooms of the clinic and come to the aid of your four-legged patients, some a tad more tropical than others
- Pet Clinic: Panda Edition: Expand and upgrade your practice to offer the highest standards of animal care through technology; Spend time with the animals and develop a genuine bond with them
3. Maneater: play the predator
Maneater shifts the animal fantasy from sneaking and exploring to open-world action. You control a female bull shark that survives and evolves while pursuing revenge, giving the game a deliberately forceful premise. It is the pick for players who want to inhabit a formidable predator rather than a small animal navigating a human-built world.
4. SkateBIRD: take to the ramps as a bird
SkateBIRD puts a small bird on a skateboard, bringing an arcade and sports-game angle to the list. It stands apart from the adventure and narrative games: the central appeal is the playful combination of a tiny animal and skateboarding.
Rank #2
- Build your own zoo with over 500 different animals at your disposal, then splice together over 300,000 different animal combinations
- Keep your animals and your visitors happy, with hundreds of buildings, foliage, path and enclosure decorations
- Hire the perfect employees to deal with a variety of life events
- Control everything that happens in your park, from what your animals eat to what eats your animals...
- Decide whether you want to run your Zoo above board... or break the law and pocket the extra cash
5. Night in the Woods: an animal protagonist in a darker story
In Night in the Woods, you follow Mae, an anthropomorphic possum, through a narrative exploration game with a darker tone. This is a good choice if you want the character and story to take precedence over the fantasy of behaving like a real animal.
6. Donut County: solve puzzles with a hole
Donut County pairs a raccoon character with a puzzle mechanic built around controlling a hole that swallows objects. The animal is part of the game’s comic world, but the unusual, object-swallowing puzzle idea is its main draw.
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- PARTY ANIMALS — Join a physics-based party game with animal characters and playful competition.
- ONLINE MULTIPLAYER — Play online with 2–8 players in multiplayer sessions.
- CROSS-PLATFORM PLAY — Join online multiplayer with players on supported platforms.
- SPLIT-SCREEN PLAY — Play together using split-screen multiplayer.
- ALWAYS ONLINE — Party Animals is an always-online game; an active Game Pass subscription (sold separately) is required for online play.
7. Star Fox 64: fly with an animal crew
Star Fox 64 features Fox McCloud and his team in a rail shooter. It stretches the idea of “playing as an animal”: these are anthropomorphic characters piloting vehicles, not animals wandering through a natural setting. Include it if your definition covers animal characters in action games as well as direct animal adventures.
8. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze: platform with Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is the action-platforming choice, centered on Donkey Kong. It suits players who want a challenging platform game and are less concerned with whether the protagonist behaves like a real animal.
Rank #4
- Gasp with Shock and delight at the spectacle of stupid pugnacious thugs punching, kicking, and throwing their foes into unspecified hazardous machinery, flaming INCINERATOR pits, and ginormous industrial fans.
- Watch in horror and Amusement as gangs of saggy beasts grab, push, pull, and shove their enemies from permanently Suspended building scaffolds, unattended ferris wheels, and commercial haulage trucks.
- Customise your character and fight local and online enemies in the melee game mode or fight with friends against the gangs of Beef City in the gang game mode.
9. Spyro Reignited Trilogy: play as a dragon
The Spyro Reignited Trilogy collects remastered versions of the first three Spyro games. Spyro is a dragon rather than a realistic animal, making this the list’s fantasy-platforming option for players who want a creature-led adventure.
10. Ōkami: a mythic adventure in wolf form
Ōkami stars Amaterasu in the form of a white wolf. Its mythic premise and distinctive art style make it the most folklore-oriented entry here. Choose it for a divine animal hero and a stylized adventure rather than a realistic portrayal of animal life.
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A more serious alternative: Endling: Extinction Is Forever
If you would rather have a survival story than a comic or anthropomorphic animal game, consider Endling: Extinction Is Forever in place of one of the lighter picks. Nintendo describes it as an eco-conscious adventure seen through the last fox on Earth: a mother fox must protect, feed, and guide her cubs through dangerous environments. Nintendo’s Canadian Switch listing gives July 19, 2022 as its release date, which should not be taken as a full platform or regional availability statement. Nintendo’s Canadian Switch listing for Endling.
