#15 A Boy And His Blob
A surprising fact for hardcore gamers, this particular duo actually made their debut back in 1989 in an under-the-radar title that was overshadowed primarily by “Super Mario Bros.” and “Duck Hunt”. Those who did get to the play the original title took on a quirky NES puzzler that let them take control of a boy who fed jellybeans to his favorite companion, the Blob, so he could shape-shift into different forms.
As it was still stuck in the 80s', the video game proved to be a difficult title to deal with and it wasn't until WayForward's 2009 reinvention for the Wii that fans started to appreciate the relationship between the Boy and the Blob. The remake was cute and instantly loveable as it also added a “hug” button to the gameplay controls which was only there to reinforce the friendship between the two heroes. There's no current plans for a sequel but the original NES adventure is available through the Wii Virtual Console.
As it was still stuck in the 80s', the video game proved to be a difficult title to deal with and it wasn't until WayForward's 2009 reinvention for the Wii that fans started to appreciate the relationship between the Boy and the Blob. The remake was cute and instantly loveable as it also added a “hug” button to the gameplay controls which was only there to reinforce the friendship between the two heroes. There's no current plans for a sequel but the original NES adventure is available through the Wii Virtual Console.
#14 Yoshi And Baby Mario
Nintendo's frog-dinosaur never truly loved Mario but that didn't really matter because Yoshi became a star all on his own. The character gained popularity through “Super Mario World” and “Yoshi's World”, and even though his saddle remained permanent when he was flying solo, it just fit better when Baby Mario became his sidekick.
Adult Mario obviously contributes more (outside of sending his partner to his death just to get a little hangtime in the air) but Baby Mario was an innocent companion that made adventures feel timeless. 1995's “Yoshi's Island” took the adventure away from Nintendo's main stars and continued in 2006's “Yoshi's Island DS”, a pint-sized quest of sorts. Fans of the duo will certainly be pleased when they join forces later this year in “Yoshi's Island 3DS”, which we hope somehow features Baby Luigi, Baby Peach and Baby Bowser.
Adult Mario obviously contributes more (outside of sending his partner to his death just to get a little hangtime in the air) but Baby Mario was an innocent companion that made adventures feel timeless. 1995's “Yoshi's Island” took the adventure away from Nintendo's main stars and continued in 2006's “Yoshi's Island DS”, a pint-sized quest of sorts. Fans of the duo will certainly be pleased when they join forces later this year in “Yoshi's Island 3DS”, which we hope somehow features Baby Luigi, Baby Peach and Baby Bowser.
#13 Sam And Max
Believe it or not, Sam & Max are celebrating their 25 anniversary this year as the crime-solving “Freelance Police”, who first made their debut in comic books and transferred over to the video game world.
Their debut was marked in 1993 with “Sam & Max Hit The Road”, a point-and-click adventure by LucasArts that pitched the animal partners' antics against a puzzle-solving mystery that took away countless daylight hours. The title eventually spawned several sequels including three “seasons” of adventures via TellTale, the same outlet that unleashed “The Walking Dead” branch-off via online gaming in 2012. Those same three seasons of madness – that contain a total of 15 episodes – are currently available as PC/Xbox 360/Wii downloads, and though they aren't as prevalent anymore, they're still inhabitants of the gaming world. Two decades later, Max was a part of the virtual cards game “Poker Night At The Inventory” while Sam also had the opportunity to shuffle the deck in the recently released “Poker Night 2”.
Their debut was marked in 1993 with “Sam & Max Hit The Road”, a point-and-click adventure by LucasArts that pitched the animal partners' antics against a puzzle-solving mystery that took away countless daylight hours. The title eventually spawned several sequels including three “seasons” of adventures via TellTale, the same outlet that unleashed “The Walking Dead” branch-off via online gaming in 2012. Those same three seasons of madness – that contain a total of 15 episodes – are currently available as PC/Xbox 360/Wii downloads, and though they aren't as prevalent anymore, they're still inhabitants of the gaming world. Two decades later, Max was a part of the virtual cards game “Poker Night At The Inventory” while Sam also had the opportunity to shuffle the deck in the recently released “Poker Night 2”.
#12 Lee Everett And Clementine
Sure, these two characters are almost completely brand new after being introduced last year, but Telltale did a pretty good job of creating a bond in “The Walking Dead: The Game”. In fact, their bond has set the stage for numerous upcoming zombie titles – including the open world RPG “State Of Decay” - and its partially because of their storylines.
Like most one-offs, Lee Everett could have been just another forgettable protagonist if it wasn't for Clementine, who stepped into his life to form an emotional connection in a world ridden with flesh-eating zombies. Not to point out spoilers, but their trials in surviving kept gamers on their feet as they tried to outrun the undead and prevent the allies they trusted from separating them. Everett and Clementine single-handedly took Telltale's new title to new heights, proving “mini-games” were full-length features on a smaller scale. The twosome also managed to push a rabid fan base into wanting a sequel which has promptly convinced developers to create and release a “second season” of the game.
Like most one-offs, Lee Everett could have been just another forgettable protagonist if it wasn't for Clementine, who stepped into his life to form an emotional connection in a world ridden with flesh-eating zombies. Not to point out spoilers, but their trials in surviving kept gamers on their feet as they tried to outrun the undead and prevent the allies they trusted from separating them. Everett and Clementine single-handedly took Telltale's new title to new heights, proving “mini-games” were full-length features on a smaller scale. The twosome also managed to push a rabid fan base into wanting a sequel which has promptly convinced developers to create and release a “second season” of the game.
#11 Bowser And Princess Peach
Princess Zelda and Link could have easily secured a spot on this list if their backstory didn't eerily resemble the one behind Bowser and Princess Peach. It's a funny pick but to be honest, no two characters in the gaming world have spent more time together since the 80s' than these two.
The King Of Koopas hasn't found the perfect hobby to occupy his time and prevent himself from terrorizing Mario, and Peach just can't seem to not get kidnapped. Even gaming nerds pointed out that their relationship took a pretty creepy turn in 2002 with “Super Mario Sunshine”, which introduced Bowser Jr. - a character that constantly referred to Peach as “Mama”. Nintendo denies the claims but has there ever been a video game title where the two aren't separated? When will Mario and Peach take on a quest to rescue Luigi? Signs say no time soon as the princess is scheduled to be kidnapped yet again this year in the new DLC package for “New Super Luigi”. A new “Super Smash Bros.” is also on the horizon but Bowser will probably throw her over his shoulder again just for fun.
The King Of Koopas hasn't found the perfect hobby to occupy his time and prevent himself from terrorizing Mario, and Peach just can't seem to not get kidnapped. Even gaming nerds pointed out that their relationship took a pretty creepy turn in 2002 with “Super Mario Sunshine”, which introduced Bowser Jr. - a character that constantly referred to Peach as “Mama”. Nintendo denies the claims but has there ever been a video game title where the two aren't separated? When will Mario and Peach take on a quest to rescue Luigi? Signs say no time soon as the princess is scheduled to be kidnapped yet again this year in the new DLC package for “New Super Luigi”. A new “Super Smash Bros.” is also on the horizon but Bowser will probably throw her over his shoulder again just for fun.
#10 Billy And Jimmy
Reboot one of the first two “Double Dragon” games and you'll notice that the brothers quests revolved around rescuing a kidnapped friend (maybe girlfriend). That's how dedicated they were to the term “friendship”. Their partnership grew in the first title which allowed two players to take control of both brothers but it only lasted until the end of their quest, where Billy and Jimmy turned on each other to win the heart of the damsel in distress.
Their tendency to fight each other is why they're a bit low on this list but throughout time and space (literally – see 1993's "Battletoads & Double Dragon") they've found a way to put their differences aside. Plus, they must have kissed and made up given “Double Dragon Neon” featured them joining forces again after years of spin-offs and an incredible cartoon television show.
Their tendency to fight each other is why they're a bit low on this list but throughout time and space (literally – see 1993's "Battletoads & Double Dragon") they've found a way to put their differences aside. Plus, they must have kissed and made up given “Double Dragon Neon” featured them joining forces again after years of spin-offs and an incredible cartoon television show.
#9 Pac-Man And Ms. Pac-Man
Can an unforgettable gaming duo also be a romantic pair? While you probably wish we were taking about characters that wore caps on their head, this entry focuses on the video game world's original couple, Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man. Their relationship goes all the way back to the arcades of 1981, and while they never worked together as a proper tandem on-screen, they were more-than-happy to devour dots and ghosts independently in their own games.
They also kept busy off-screen as well, because let's face it: Pac-Man Jr. had to come from somewhere, right? Namco has publicly stated they're on the verge of rebooting the Pac-Man brand as a new cartoon series and a revamped 3D platformer this year, but a question still lays unanswered – will Ms. Pac-Man play a role? No one knows if the dot-eater will have a new beau but we sure hope developers make this a family affair!
They also kept busy off-screen as well, because let's face it: Pac-Man Jr. had to come from somewhere, right? Namco has publicly stated they're on the verge of rebooting the Pac-Man brand as a new cartoon series and a revamped 3D platformer this year, but a question still lays unanswered – will Ms. Pac-Man play a role? No one knows if the dot-eater will have a new beau but we sure hope developers make this a family affair!
#8 Bill And Lance
Before Duke Nukem, Drake and even Solid Snake, bad-assery in video games stemmed from the old-school co-op team of Bill Rizer and Lance Bean. The sweaty and sometimes shirtless soldiers descended into the depths of hell in “Contra” and did it just so they could save the world from alien scum. Unfortunately for them, “scum” didn't solely categorize outsiders that looked like ET.
The pair had to fend off a wide array of aliens throughout 12 titles, but no one will ever forget Konami's Super Nintendo masterpiece, “Contra III: The Alien Wars”. The sequel was harder than a carnival game as players had to cover each others backs like professionals just to defeat mega-bosses after mega-bosses so they could name themselves victorious. Booting up “Game Genie” allowed you to skip the trouble but the macho tag-team was all about winning and wielding weapons of destruction, which they did together until 2007's “Contra 4”.
The pair had to fend off a wide array of aliens throughout 12 titles, but no one will ever forget Konami's Super Nintendo masterpiece, “Contra III: The Alien Wars”. The sequel was harder than a carnival game as players had to cover each others backs like professionals just to defeat mega-bosses after mega-bosses so they could name themselves victorious. Booting up “Game Genie” allowed you to skip the trouble but the macho tag-team was all about winning and wielding weapons of destruction, which they did together until 2007's “Contra 4”.
#7 Jak And Daxter
Developed by the folks at Naughty Dog, Jak and Daxter were PlayStation's original world-saving pair. As their story goes, the two best friends got in a little over their heads one day and Jak somehow managed to get his pal morphed into the body of a half-otter/half-weasel creature.
Daxter maintained his wise-cracking sacrasm but the pair set out on a new adventure to restore him to his original form, which after a few titles – okay, maybe six in total – that goal has yet to be achieved. What gives their storyline so much intrigue is the fact that they've progressed over the years from title to title. “Jak And Daxter: The Precursor Legacy” introduced the characters to first-time players while “Jak II” and “Jak 3” scrapped humour for darker themes and more dire circumstances. The gameplay slightly improved to keep gamers interested but the characters never faded from 2001 to 2009, and there's been some E3 talk about whether the cumbersome adventurers are ready for another quest.
Daxter maintained his wise-cracking sacrasm but the pair set out on a new adventure to restore him to his original form, which after a few titles – okay, maybe six in total – that goal has yet to be achieved. What gives their storyline so much intrigue is the fact that they've progressed over the years from title to title. “Jak And Daxter: The Precursor Legacy” introduced the characters to first-time players while “Jak II” and “Jak 3” scrapped humour for darker themes and more dire circumstances. The gameplay slightly improved to keep gamers interested but the characters never faded from 2001 to 2009, and there's been some E3 talk about whether the cumbersome adventurers are ready for another quest.
#6 Ken And Ryu
Next to almost every duo on this list, Ken and Ryu are more rivals than a tag-team. The great gaming pair from the “Street Fighter” series competed against each other from the start as they were constantly trying to one-up each other and even took to beating up cars and brick walls just to prove a point.
The “Street Fighter” series boosted their popularity and made them the face of the fighting genre, provoking other rivalries in titles such as “Mortal Kombat”, “Virtual Fighter” and “Tekken”. Better yet, they were often a first-pick when it came to picking up a title that included them and likely because the special “Hadoken!” move only required the commands Down, Down/Forward, Forward + Punch. Flinging the fireball proved to be a special technique when needed and it also gave fans a cheat move whenever they needed it. It didn't however solve the 25-year-old discussion of who's better: Ken or Ryu?
The “Street Fighter” series boosted their popularity and made them the face of the fighting genre, provoking other rivalries in titles such as “Mortal Kombat”, “Virtual Fighter” and “Tekken”. Better yet, they were often a first-pick when it came to picking up a title that included them and likely because the special “Hadoken!” move only required the commands Down, Down/Forward, Forward + Punch. Flinging the fireball proved to be a special technique when needed and it also gave fans a cheat move whenever they needed it. It didn't however solve the 25-year-old discussion of who's better: Ken or Ryu?
#5 Banjo And Kazooie
“Banjo & Kazooie” was originally blasted pretty hard from critics for being a near mimic of the “Donkey Kong” series, but eventually own over fans. Even though they went by “Banjo-Kazooie” and were a hybrid pair of a goofy honey bear and a backpack-navigating bird, its concept was entirely unique in changing the way we approach video games. For one, it steered the 3D platformer genre before the era of the Playstation 2 and the Xbox 360, and from another stand-point, it introduced an action-adventure focus to strategy. Throughout their series, Banjo does most of the legwork across areas looking for shiny collectibles while Kazooie pops out of his backpack to create a super-powered jumps and a gliding mechanism. Situated on the Nintendo 64, it also instilled the idea of taking on a video game title as a duo before “Donkey Kong 64” and other future titles came along with their own ideas. The only downside to the furry and feathery characters is that their most-recent adventure steered off the course with “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts”, which scrapped their teamwork in favour of vehicle construction mechanics.
#4 Sonic The Hedgehog And Tails
Cute? Very. Highly skilled characters with no sense for physics? Absolutely. Sonic The Hedgehog started off as the sole face of Sega Genesis but after his original solo act, his sequel introduced his sidekick/#1 fan/best friend Tails who adventured alongside the blue blur with his orange blur of his own.
There was quite the issue about whether or not Tails was a he or a she but he's become a staple for the video game franchise ever since as he's helped Sonic fly through the sky and take on enemies and Dr. Robotnik multiple times. As Sonic got older, Sega wound up bringing in more characters than it could handle (all except for Knuckles) – almost to the point where fans now prefer that Sonic's alone in his new adventures. Everyone still has a soft spot for Miles “Tails” Prower however. Not only is his full name a pun on “miles per hour” but plugging into the second controller to take control of the fox in “Sonic & Tails” never gets old.
There was quite the issue about whether or not Tails was a he or a she but he's become a staple for the video game franchise ever since as he's helped Sonic fly through the sky and take on enemies and Dr. Robotnik multiple times. As Sonic got older, Sega wound up bringing in more characters than it could handle (all except for Knuckles) – almost to the point where fans now prefer that Sonic's alone in his new adventures. Everyone still has a soft spot for Miles “Tails” Prower however. Not only is his full name a pun on “miles per hour” but plugging into the second controller to take control of the fox in “Sonic & Tails” never gets old.
#3 Donkey Kong And Diddy Kong
In the beginning of time, Donkey Kong was just an angry gorilla who rampaged about with barrels in tow and stole the girlfriend of a moustached plumber. When he finally got the reboot in 1994 with “Donkey Kong Country”, his barrel-chucking ways were accompanied by a new sidekick named Diddy, a chimp (we suppose) that cartwheeled and made hats look cool. The new tag team worked for Donkey as he was seen as a positive character in the gaming world, one who would take on an SNES platformer and use his unique abilities to deafeat baddies (and rescue his personal banana hoard).
At its peak, “Donkey Kong Country” introduced the dynamic of “slapping hands” to tag the duo in and out, which allowed gamers to use strength or agility. That feature was soon lost when Donkey got kidnapped in the sequel and even Diddy was replaced in the series' third game. The duo did make a return with all their animal friends with 2010's “Donkey Kong Returns” and that helped solidify how influential their quests through the jungle actually were.
At its peak, “Donkey Kong Country” introduced the dynamic of “slapping hands” to tag the duo in and out, which allowed gamers to use strength or agility. That feature was soon lost when Donkey got kidnapped in the sequel and even Diddy was replaced in the series' third game. The duo did make a return with all their animal friends with 2010's “Donkey Kong Returns” and that helped solidify how influential their quests through the jungle actually were.
#2 Ratchet And Clank
With a list that already includes Jak & Daxter and Banjo & Kazooie, it's hard to pass up Ratchet & Clank, a two-character 3D platform twosome that set standards and records for the PlayStation world. Not only did Insomniac Games follow the success of furry heroes like “Crash Bandicoot” and “Spyro: The Dragon”, but they created an unusual and authentic duo in a Lombax mechanic and his mechanical companion.
Ratchet & Clank also saw developers taking the teamwork aspects that built previous games and they took it the next step, which eventually spawned nearly a dozen different games in less than 11 years. Some companies consider that a little overkill but if it worked for Nintendo and Capcom, then why couldn't it work for an action RPG that pushes the mold for gaming? Fortunately, it's hard to argue against their mini-legacy as sequels are still getting greenlit to this day.
Ratchet & Clank also saw developers taking the teamwork aspects that built previous games and they took it the next step, which eventually spawned nearly a dozen different games in less than 11 years. Some companies consider that a little overkill but if it worked for Nintendo and Capcom, then why couldn't it work for an action RPG that pushes the mold for gaming? Fortunately, it's hard to argue against their mini-legacy as sequels are still getting greenlit to this day.
#1 Mario And Luigi
In all honesty, could there be another choice for the top spot on this list? Ranking the greatest gaming duos of all-time wouldn't be complete without the famous plumbers who helped establish video industry in the 1980s'. With their first installment, the Super Mario Bros. defined a genre with their adventures that went from flag poles and tunnels to almost every other gaming category – including racing, multiplayer and sports.
Mario's popularity helped boost the franchise and Nintendo, but Luigi added a stable balance, with his “Player 2” status that provided another character, option and personality. Nintendo recently realized this and named 2013 as the “Year Of Luigi”, celebrating titles such as “Luigi's Mansion” thanks to the duo's individual success but they've also been an iconic tag team with RPGs, “Mario Kart” and even as tennis doubles. 30 years later (after making their debut in 1983), Luigi can't exist without Mario, and Mario can't exist without Luigi.
Mario's popularity helped boost the franchise and Nintendo, but Luigi added a stable balance, with his “Player 2” status that provided another character, option and personality. Nintendo recently realized this and named 2013 as the “Year Of Luigi”, celebrating titles such as “Luigi's Mansion” thanks to the duo's individual success but they've also been an iconic tag team with RPGs, “Mario Kart” and even as tennis doubles. 30 years later (after making their debut in 1983), Luigi can't exist without Mario, and Mario can't exist without Luigi.
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