Horstachio – (Viva Pinata Series)
Abilities: Cute and colorful, candy filled.
Description: Horsachio is no ordinary horse. He is a beautiful paper-mache hodgepodge of childhood delight and Latin festivity. A talking horse is one thing, but a talking horse that is also a candy-filled pinata is on a completely different level. I might feel bad beating Horstachio to a pulp at my next Cinco de Mayo celebration, but his candy entrails will undoubtedly restore my mood.
Unicorn – (The Sims 3 Pets Expansion)
Abilities: Super speed and jumping, magical powers.
Description: There is nothing in this world more majestic than the fanciful unicorn. Its trademark horn is only the most obvious of its notable traits however. The Sims 3 version of the mythological creature possesses a unique set of traits including the ability to bless or curse a character, teleportation, conjuration of storm clouds and fire, creating rainbows, and the ability to shine in the moonlight like a Twilight vampire. This horse is truly a magician, with enough gimmicks in his bag of tricks to make this list very proud.
Geryon – (Devil May Cry 3)
Abilities: Time travel.
Description: Carriages are an antiquated style of transportation in the 21st century, but Geryon could easily bring them back in style, literally. This ghostly horse’s full name is Geryon the Timesteed, and as his name suggests, he can control the ebb and flow to time. Not only does he rival Back to the Future’s Dr. Emmett “Doc” Brown, but this horse makes time-travel a group activity with a stylish and practical wagon on the back. Who wouldn’t want to warp through time and space in the back of a ghost caddy?
The Boss’s Horse – (The Metal Gear Series)
Abilities: Regular horse stuff.
Description: The Boss’s horse has no name. He is of Spanish Andalusian breed, and has no inert powers or abilities like many of the other entrants on this list. What makes this mare memorable is his significance within the context of Metal Gear’s narrative, the last remaining symbol of a fallen hero’s memory. During the final heart-wrenching moments of MGS3: Snake Eater, when the student must silence his leader, master, and friend, nothing would remain of The Boss’s valiant memory except Big Boss’s blood stained hands, and his teacher’s equestrian companion. This steed represents a symbol, a symbol of remembrance that has shaped the entire course of his character from that point forward.
Ruin – (Darksiders)
Abilities: Phasing through objects, outrunning giant sand worms.
Description: A dog may be man’s best friend, but no other companion could do the harbinger of the apocalypse justice other than Ruin. Besides enjoying strolls in the park and longs walks on the beach, the phantom steed aids his master in the best way that any four-legged-friend could, with combat prowess, destructive abilities, and nostrils that shoot fire. I’m not saying that I want the world to end but I wouldn’t mind being able to drive this horse instead of my Toyota.
Rapidash – (The Pokemon Series)
Abilities: Fireblast and the world’s hottest hair.
Description: Fire horses have been seen before but flame-clad unicorns? Not so much. Rapidash represents one of the original 150 Pokemon, back when it was actually possible to name and catch them all. Even though the Pokemon universe has quadrupled in size, and Rapidash is no longer the sole horse of the franchise (not including Ponyta), it will always fulfill a special place in our hearts.
Death – (Red Dead Redemption Undead Nightmare DLC)
Abilities: Explosions and zombie-killing.
Description: I don’t know what it is about apocalyptic horses but we now officially have two on the list. Death is one of the Four Horses of the Apocalypse and I assure you his flashy title is not for vanity. While other members of his elite crew feature powerful abilities as well, Death’s are particularly noteworthy. As if constructed of dynamite and c4, the equestrian grim reaper causes zombies’ heads to explode on impact. If that’s not badass I don’t know what is.
Agro – (Shadow of the Colossus)
Abilities: Agility, speed, and loyalty.
Description: Agro is by far the most loyal candidate on this entire list. His master the Wanderer on the other hand, is rather stupid. Driven by an insatiable urge to resurrect a maiden, he steals an ancient and mysterious sword, enters into the forbidden land, and listens to a shadowy figure that instructs him to destroy 16 ginormous monsters called colossi. In a rather obvious turn of events, the shadow man deceives him and all that work riding around an empty landscape, climbing up colossus bodies, and stabbing them in the face is sadly for naught. I think it’s time for Agro to look for different employment.
Shadowmere - (The Elder Scrolls Series)
Abilities: HP restores very quickly, can ride up mountains.
Description: Transportation comes in all shapes and sizes in the video game world, with cars representing only the tip of the ice berg. Who wants to drive when you can ride on the back of a demon horse? Born out of a pool of darkness and sporting glowing red eyes, Shadowmere is no ordinary horse. Not only does this noble steed carry your character across one of the largest maps in the history of gaming, he is ready and willing to fight just about any creature that you can imagine. Dragon versus horse? Don’t count Shadowmere out.
Epona – (The Legend of Zelda Series)
Abilities: Loves musical instruments, especially the ocarina.
Description: Epona is by far one of the most iconic video game horses of all time. Her story begins as a little pony at Lon Lon Ranch. Throughout a series of fantastical events, time travel, and several musical numbers, Epona becomes the peanut butter to Link’s jelly, a noble steed cohort to the hero of time.
There you have it, the top 10 greatest horses in video games. Which is your personal favorite? Would you trade in your car for any one of these gaming equestrians?
ABOUT Taylor
Taylor Stein is a recent college graduate and freelance games writer. You can find her work on Destructoid, G4, Bitmob, 1UP, Pure Nintendo, Honest Gamers, and more. Beyond the arena of geekdom. she is a fitness freak and lover of sushi. Don't judge this book by its cover, let's talk games! Google
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