Iconic Video Game Rabbits

The only way to make a video game’s heroic cast even better is by adding a bit of charm and irresistible cuteness in the form of an adorable animal companion. Dogs and cats have had their fair share of time in the spotlight, taking roles not only as the hero’s loyal sidekick but also as the main star of the show.

Rabbits are an underappreciated species in the video game scene and deserve just as much love as their canine and feline friends. These floppy-eared creatures have popped (or hopped) up in quite a few video games through the years as both adorable protagonists and bone-chilling villains. Here are some of the most iconic rabbit characters throughout video game history.

12 Max (Sam & Max)

A Short-Tempered Detective

Originally from a 1987 comic book series (and an animated series later), Sam and Max also starred in their very own series of graphic adventure video games. The anthropomorphic pair are private investigators who work together to solve crimes, often disregarding the law altogether.

Sam is a tall dog who dresses for the job, wearing a matching suit and fedora, while Max is described as a hyper “rabbity thing” who is often short-tempered and aggressive. Unlike real-life much more timid rabbits, Sam is violent and often initiates conflicts, all for the sake of fun and adrenaline.

11 Johnny Style (Zack & Wiki: Quest For Barbaros’ Treasure)

A Stylish Pilot

While pirate Zack and his little yellow monkey friend, Wiki, are the main characters of their own game, they belong to a crew named the Sea Rabbits. Zack and Wiki are adventurous pirates who are on the hunt for treasure in order to be named the best pirates in history. They are part of the Sea Rabbits, and while the pair is the only exception, the entire crew is made up of rabbit pirates who love to adventure on the sea.

Johnny Style serves as the Sea Rabbit’s pilot and wears a stylish (and practical) helmet and sunglasses. Aside from being a trusty pilot, he also serves as a helpful guide for the player, offering them hints if prompted.

10 Oswald the Lucky Rabbit (Epic Mickey)

A Classic Toon Who Deserved More Recognition

• Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, Wii, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
• Released: November 25, 2010
• Developer: Purple Lamp, Junction Point Studios, Seed Studio
• Genres: Action-adventure, Puzzle

Before Mickey Mouse, there was Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Oswald was initially the ruler of a place called the Wasteland, a place for forgotten Toons to reside. The Epic Mickey lore follows Disney’s real-life humble beginnings, starting with the creation of Oswald, just for him to be tossed aside as a forgotten Toon and for his brother Mickey to rise to fame instead.

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While Oswald originally feels spiteful and jealous of his brother Mikey’s fame and popularity, he eventually teams up with the iconic mouse to help him defend his home in the Wasteland against The Blot and the Mad Doctor.

9 Zero III / Zero Jr. (Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward)

A Deceptively Cute Antagonist

• Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation Vita
• Released: February 16, 2012
• Developer: Spike Chunsoft
• Genre: Action-adventure, Puzzle

Zero is the long-time antagonist throughout the entire Zero Escape/Nonary Games series. Zero remains a masked/faceless entity for the most part in both 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors and Zero Time Dilemma. However, in the second installment of the series, Zero gets an upgrade and gets his very own advanced A.I. to act as his avatar and give the players their instructions.

Despite Zero Jr.’s adorable appearance, he is still the awful, heartless host of the Nonary Games, and protagonist Sigma Kilm (as well as the rest of the cast) must find and defeat.

8 Coco (Animal Crossing Series)

An Adorable But Unnerving Bunny

Among the many adorable rabbit villagers that have been featured in the Animal Crossing series, Coco has been a fan favorite for her unique “creepy but cute” appearance. Coco has been around from the very first installment of the AC series and is the only rabbit villager in the series who has a “normal” personality type.

There are a handful of theories about where her name originates from; some insist it comes from “coconut” due to the three holes that make her face, while other theories assume Coco is derived from “cocoa,” referencing chocolate Easter bunnies.

7 Usami / Monomi (Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair)

A Kind-Hearted Teacher

Just about any Danganronpa fan can attest to how much despair and suffering each game in the series puts its colorful cast through, which made Danganronpa 2‘s opening that much more suspicious. Usami is a white and pink magical rabbit girl who first greets the cast as their host and teacher as they awaken to suddenly be transported to a beautiful tropical island.

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Usami is kind to the students, telling them that their only task is to befriend one another and create lasting bonds. However, antagonist Monokuma makes his appearance not too long after, attacks her, and changes her adorable appearance to match his own, renaming the poor bunny “Monomi” after himself.

6 Cream the Rabbit (Sonic Series)

A Brave Rabbit Who Uses Her Ears To Fly

Cream is a rabbit in the Sonic series and is often seen with her adorable Chao friend, Cheese (making for a delicious pun). While “regular” rabbits are often lumped in with the rest of the adorable woodland creatures that Sonic is known for rescuing, Cream is a little different. Cream the Rabbit fits in with Sonic and the rest of his gang (and often joins in to help), being an anthropomorphic version of the animal she resembles rather than an identical version of a real-life rabbit.

Much like fox buddy, Tails, Cream can also fly, but instead of using her tail to fly, she uses her big floppy ears to achieve flight instead.

5 Nabbit (New Super Mario Bros. U)

A Mysterious Thief

After Nabbit’s first appearance in New Super Mario Bros. U, he quickly became a staple in the Mario cast and always found his way into various Mario games afterward. Although he first appears as an antagonist, he eventually became a playable character in New Super Luigi U and New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe.

Nabbit is a notorious thief and often steals from Toad Houses, but little is known about him and his motives. Nabbit wears a handkerchief that looks identical to Bowser Jr.’s mask, but it is still unknown if the two work together or if his handkerchief is simply another item Nabbit has stolen.

4 Peppy Hare (Starfox Series)

A Respectable Father Figure

• Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Wii, SNES
• Released: February 21, 1993
• Developers: Argonaut Games, Nintendo
• Genres: Rail shooter

Before fighting alongside long-time Starfox protagonist Fox McCloud, Peppy Hare served in the Cornerian Army with Fox’s father, James McCloud. Peppy, along with James, then left the army with the intent of serving justice and delivering freedom to the Cornerian territories.

After the betrayal of their former teammate, Pigma, James was supposedly killed, with Peppy barely making it out alive. It was after returning home and telling Fox about his father’s fate that Peppy and Fox began their new team. Having years of experience, Peppy had always tried his best to be a respectable father figure to the young Fox McCloud.

3 Rabbids (Rayman Raving Rabbids)

Unsettling Yet Iconic Designs

Rabbids have certainly made a name for themselves, not just in the gaming space but also in more mainstream media after breaking out into their television series, comic book series, and a film in the works. Introduced way back in 2006 in the Rayman universe, rabbids served as the antagonist in Rayman Raving Rabbids. However, because of how popular they grew with audiences, the big-eared creatures were pivoted away from being villains and starred as protagonists in their own following games.

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The nonsense gibberish-talking rabbids grew so popular they eventually teamed up with Mario and friends in their own title Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, which continued to receive more and more love after releasing three separate DLC missions.

2 Bonnie (Five Nights At Freddy’s)

A Terrifying Animatronic

Bonnie is the iconic (and mildly terrifying) rabbit animatronic from the popular Five Nights At Freddy’s franchise. Despite Bonnie’s purple coat and feminine name, he is in fact a boy.

Bonnie is one of the four original animatronics from the very first installment of the FNAF series, and when he’s not jamming out on the guitar for audiences during showtime, he’s getting ready to jumpscare players during their night shift at the pizzeria. While Bonnie still serves as a killer antagonist, the tragic truth behind him is that he is a simple animatronic who is possessed by one of William Afton’s many murder victims, simply seeking revenge.

1 Robbie the Rabbit (Silent Hill 3)

An Eerie Presence In An Eerie World

Robbie the Rabbit made his debut back in 2003 in Silent Hill 3. He was supposedly the Lakeside Amusement Park mascot, but by the time protagonist Heather meets him, he is disheveled and bloodstained. Robbie’s bright pink fur makes for an eerie contrast to the world of Silent Hill, and (to make him even creepier) it’s uncertain if he is a wearable mascot suit with a human inside (dead or alive) or if he is sentient on his own.

Ever since his debut in SH3, he has made many cameos in other SH games, usually appearing as a toy/doll and eventually becoming the series mascot.

Bonus: Fran (Final Fantasy 12)

Fran from Final Fantasy 12 may come to mind when it comes to rabbit characters, but at the end of the day, Fran simply bears a resemblance to rabbits due to her large ears. Fran belongs to a race in the FF world called the Viera.

Much like real rabbits, Viera are reclusive and tend to reside in forests, hidden from other civilizations. While Viera still live off the land (like real rabbits), they also hunt and are known for their skillful craftsmanship and intellect.

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