10 Greatest Gaming Wing-Men Ever

5. Kazooie (Banjo-Kazooie series)

Banjo-Kazooie is one of the great classics from the N64 era, but I'll admit up front that I have a love-hate relationship with this game. I die a lot, can't really figure out the swimming and flying mechanisms, and can never seem to find the entrances to the levels. But I love collecting the notes and jigsaw pieces, the creativity of each level, and the witty cracks from each of the characters. And although the main character is Banjo, the bear, my favorite character is Kazooie.

Kazooie is just a great wing man for Banjo in almost every way. She is funny and incredibly useful. Many of the game's moves can only be performed by Kazooie, including Beak Bomb and Wonder Wing. In addition, she dons the wading boots and running shoes to allow access to swampy areas and boost speed, respectively. She also freaking flies! Just because she spends the game in a backpack carried by Banjo doesn't mean that she doesn't pack a mean punch. In my opinion, she wholeheartedly deserves the number 5 spot.