Every hero should have a sidekick. Not only do they provide companionship, sidekicks provide humor, advice -- and most importantly, they provide cover fire when push comes to shove.
Think of Batman without Robin. Or the jams Han Solo would have been stuck in without his growling compadre Chewbacca. Hey, even the Lone Ranger had Tonto to help him in tight spots.
These are our Top 5 favorite sidekicks in video games. Check out the list and then tell us what you think.
Tell us: Who are your Top 5 favorite video game sidekicks?
-- Ken Smith";
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games_top5_070516[i-1].body = "HK-47
With all the alien races in the Star Wars universe, it’s helpful to have a protocol droid that can help you with all the different languages and customs.
And it’s even more helpful if that droid is hell bent on destroying any and all things threatening (or in the case of “Knights of the Old Republic’s” protocol droid HK-47, hell bent on destroying any and all things, period).
This trusty friend will always have your back. (Of course, if you weren’t his Master, you’d be dead.)"; games_top5_070516[i++] = new Array("","DAXTER","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/070516/daxter3_naughty%20dog.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "Naughty Dog", "273", "364", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); games_top5_070516[i-1].body = "Daxter
The story of Daxter is indivisible with his buddy Jak. The two were unceremoniously attacked while traveleing, and in the melee Daxter was thrown into a toxic pit. When Daxter emerges we find that he has been changed from teenager into an ottsel (part otter, part weasel).
We love how Daxter loves to flap his gums and take all the credit for Jak’s work, even though Jak is the true hero that Daxter usually cowers behind. Normally we would frown upon this kind of bravado, but when you’ve been turned into a two-foot tall rodent that rides around on your best friend’s shoulders, we’ll spot you the free pass."; games_top5_070516[i++] = new Array("","PIKMIN","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/070516/pikmin1_nintendo.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "Nintendo", "273", "364", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); games_top5_070516[i-1].body = "Pikmin
After Captain Olimar crash lands his space ship on a foreign planet, he encounters these strange, plant/animal hybrid creature called Pikmin. While Pikmin do grow from seeds in the ground, they also have heads, arms and legs and will blindly follow any order you give them.
These guys aren’t your typical sidekicks. They don’t add humorous one-liners and they don’t add much in the form of companionship. But these little suckers will go to the ends of the earth for you, even sacrificing their lives for yours. And it’s sad when one of them has to go that route.
Well, almost sad. Sometimes it’s just fun to feed them to the enemy."; games_top5_070516[i++] = new Array("","YOSHI","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/070516/yoshi1_nintendo.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "Nintendo", "273", "380", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); games_top5_070516[i-1].body = "Yoshi
How could anyone not like a little green dinosaur that shoots eggs at his enemies, has a super long, sticky tongue that can grab objects and lets you take rides on his back?
Yoshi may have started off as Mario’s sidekick in “Super Mario World” but he has since moved on to be a star in his own right, with leading roles in games like “Yoshi’s Island DS” and “Yoshi Topsy-Turvy.” But it’s his time spent with Mario that we’ll always look upon with the most fondness."; games_top5_070516[i++] = new Array("","REDMOND","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/070516/whiplash1_eidos.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "Eidos", "273", "240", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); games_top5_070516[i-1].body = "Redmond
In Eidos’ “Whiplash” you play as Spanx, a weasel attempting to bust out of an animal testing center -- a mission that might be a bit easier if Redmond the rabbit weren’t chained to your leg. But on the plus side, you get to use that bunny as a weapon.
As the two of you make your way through the testing complex, you can hit people by throwing Redmond around, or you can use him like a hook and line and swing yourself through the air. Our favorite was to light him on fire and use him like a torch on a rope.
Through all these tense moments, Redmond never loses his sense of humor, even cracking jokes after being used as a flammable weapon. Now that’s a sidekick.
Tell us: Who are your Top 5 favorite video game sidekicks?
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