10 Best Gaming Mounts That Aren't Horses

These gaming mounts are far more exciting than boring old horses.

Horses are a common mount or form of transport in video games. A plethora of open world games not set in the modern-day use them in some form or another. They are often reliable, fast, and easy to use. Sometimes they are highly realistic as in Red Dead Redemption 2, other times they’re a touch more arcade-like as in Assassin's Creed, and in some instances they like to hang out on rooftops, as in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

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While horses can be reliable in most instances, they are also on the boring side. Luckily for those who enjoy a little excitement, horses are not the only mounts players can use in video games, and these mounts are not always exclusive to open world games either.

A camel is not so different from a horse. In Assassin's Creed: Origins you can ride a horse, a zebra and a camel. They all operate similarly in terms of mechanics. The only real difference between the animals is their appearance.

The camel is slightly bigger than its horse and zebra counterpart, and it looks more at home among the Egyptian deserts and dunes depicted in the game. Outside of fast travel, riding a camel is the best way of traversing the vast open world of Assassin's Creed: Origins.

If you purchased the Ultimate Edition or the Collector's Edition of Assassin's Creed: Valhalla, one of the perks was the ability to mount a giant wolf instead of the standard horse. Mechanically they provide the same transport benefits, but the wolf is clearly much cooler.

The Hati Wolf will bark and howl if you gain too much distance from it, and it does offer a far grander, more fantastical appearance than the plain old horse. Even if that appearance can be a bit jarring at first.

The Far Cry franchise allows players to befriend animals, to use them as weapons and tools, and as allies. In Far Cry 4, the franchise did all that and more by introducing the ridable Elephant.

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The Elephant was not only a means of transport, but it was also a weapon. You could mount it, charge at your enemies, swing and swipe its trunk and flip vehicles. Plus, while riding the Elephant you could still use your own weapons, making for a deadly combination of movement and attack.

In Middle-Earth: Shadow of Modor there are no horses. Much of the game has you traversing on foot, combating orcs and climbing towers. But, once you unlock the skill, you can possess Caragor; vicious, beastly, dog-like creatures.

These beasts allow you faster traversal, both across land and in climbing, and they can attack and dispatch enemies, chomping and charging at them. They are a near perfect combination of transport and weapon. If not being used by you however, Caragor are a deadly foe to contend with.

Chocobos have been a staple in Final Fantasy since the second game in the franchise. Riding a Chocobo is not too different from riding a horse. In fact, beyond the ability to get from point A to point B, Chocobo don't offer any real advantages in gameplay. Except an opportunity to avoid certain random encounters and battles.

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Chocobos are diverse though. The feathered, bird-like creatures come in different colors, and they don't just stick to land, making them not only a sight to behold, but a very reliable and capable means of transport.

Rambi the Rhinoceros provides Donkey Kong with speed and strength all at once. Mounting Rambi allows you to travel very fast across the screen, smashing through obstacles and enemies alike, making easy work of almost everything in your path. You can even discover secret rooms not accessible without the animal.

Rambi allows you to feel empowered, and it offers a break from the usual side scrolling, 2D adventures of Donkey Kong Country. Rambi is however limited. It can only be mounted at specific points and once past that point, Rambi needs a breather.

In the core Super Mario 3D World game, Plessie appears occasionally for levels all about speed and maneuverability. You are propelled forward, down watery slopes trying to collect every coin, while Plessie's weight and momentum battle you for control of the situation.

Plessie has a bigger, more pleasing role in the Bowser's Fury DLC. Here you can mount Plessie to traverse the larger, more open world, again collecting coins and pickups, skidding about, crushing enemies, and taking on some big, high-octane jumps. Plessie isn't always the easiest animal to control and steer, but he's always fun to ride.

In Horizon: Zero Dawn, Aloy can mount Chargers. They’re a stout, part horse-like, part wolf-life robot-dinosaur that allows for faster traversal and some combat mechanics too. Aloy can do this and more in the sequel, Horizon: Forbidden West.

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In the sequel, Aloy can mount larger, more lethal robot-dinosaurs, with varying speeds and abilities. Some of them can throw fireballs, others can swipe with their tails, and some can even fly, offering a wider array of traversal methods and far grander ways of attacking foes. As a result, some are also way cooler than others.

There are hundreds of Pokemon of varying sizes and shapes. Naturally, the larger ones can be mounted and used to ride around the world. Pokemon: Sun and Moon was the first in the series that allowed you to see the Pokemon you mounted. It also allowed another form of transport in the form of a Machamp cradling you like a wounded soldier.

As the franchise progressed, you could ride on the back of a Charizard, fast travel across the map, use Pokemon to navigate waters, and as a means of attack and uncovering hidden areas. Pokemon are not just cute looking creatures with deadly powers and abilities.

Yoshi was first introduced to Mario in Super Mario World. There, you could mount the green dinosaur, hop over obstacles Mario could not, and use Yoshi's long tongue to take down and eat enemies. Yoshi can also flutter in the air, kicking his feet in cute fashion, swing on that long tongue of his and lay eggs too.

Yoshi went on to appear in his own series of games where he became more than just a lovable mount, but he will always be known as Mario's one-time protector and ride.

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