The Elephant in the Room

There are a dozen different elephants in the Animal Crossing games, so it would have been pretty rude not to include one of them on this list. Margie is arguably the most recognizable elephant in the series, and she was given a little more exposure than her elephant neighbors thanks to her role in the Japanese Animal Crossing movie. Margie is an aspiring fashion designer who one day hopes to see people all over the world wearing her original creations. Her colorful headdress and elaborate eyes make her look like a typical parade elephant, and the furniture in her house further reflects her exotic tastes. Margie has a flare for the extravagant, but she’s easy to approach and befriend. The term “white elephant” refers to an outlandish gift that is difficult to maintain, but there’s nothing burdensome about Margie.

Mammothmon is an ancient Digimon who once inhabited icebound areas. After being revived from a glacier, its body was eaten away by a virus. The dense fur that once covered its body was destroyed forever, and all emotions and intelligence were lost as well. Despite being reduced to bones, the newly-branded SkullMammothmon could not be stopped. Apparently, its survival instinct was so strong that it continued to fight even in death! SkullMammothmon exists only to battle viruses, but it looks like a complete badass while doing so. The standard Mammothmon could have made the list on its own merits, but the undead version is even more impressive. (Ghost skeleton mammoths are even cooler than the standard wooly variety.) If its Digimon gig doesn’t pan out, SkullMammothmon would be right at home on the cover of a metal album.

One of the most revered deities in the Hindu pantheon, Ganesha has been featured in the Shin Megami Tensei franchise on dozens of occasions. The son of the supreme god Shiva and his wife Parvati, he was originally created by the goddess to prevent anyone from watching her bathe. In an ironic twist, Ganesha was beheaded by Shiva because he had no idea why he was hanging around his bathing wife. Realizing his mistake, Shiva promptly decapitated a passing elephant and placed its head on Ganesha’s shoulders to alleviate his wife’s grief. Ganesha was not pleased at first, but he came to accept his situation since he gained the power to protect against disasters, bestow wisdom, and bring wealth and fortune. Shin Megami Tensei features a number of characters who are based on elephants, but none are more iconic than Ganesha.

Elephants are known for their incredible memories, so it’s a little unfair that Rolo’s heroics in Rolo to the Rescue are all but forgotten. Like many elephants in the real world, Rolo was separated from his parents at a young age and forced to perform in the circus. Fortunately, he managed to escape before embarking on a mission to rescue other animals from the cruel ringmaster. Rolo’s abilities are somewhat limited at first, but various power-ups can expand his skill set. Lemonade allows Rolo to fire projectiles from his trunk, vacuum cleaners let him suck up small objects, and helium allows him to expand in size and float around in the air. Ultimately, Rolo’s greatest abilities stem from the power of friendship. Rolo rescues trapped animals for altruistic reasons, and his friends all have unique abilities that help him progress through his adventure.

Phanpy could be likened to an adorable baby elephant, but it’s more akin to a mastodon after it evolves into Donphan. It’s strong enough to knock down a house with a single blow, and its power is evident when it clears blocked trails after disasters occur. Its massive size and sharp tusks give it a commanding presence, and its rugged hide is almost impossible to penetrate with normal attacks. The distinctive band of hide that runs down the length of its back allows it to curl up into a ball and roll around like a tire. You’d expect this kind of behavior from an armadillo or a hedgehog, but its unusual to see from a creature the size of Donphan. Its rampaging attacks are unstoppable in most situations, and the violent displays are also used as a courtship ritual. As it turns out, feats of strength are a source of pride in the Donphan community.

Rambi the Rhino is the most well-known animal buddy in Donkey Kong Country, but Ellie is arguably the most versatile pachyderm in the franchise. Not only does she act as a form of transportation for her primate friends, but she also finds creative ways to weaponize her lung capacity. For instance, she can collect water in her trunk and shoot out concentrated streams at her enemies. More impressively, she can also suck barrels towards her and send them flying back at her foes. This isn’t to say that she doesn’t have any weaknesses, however. Ellie has an intense fear of mice and will stampede uncontrollably if she encounters one. Fortunately, her hysterics lead to some of the most memorable stages in the entire series. Donkey Kong Country 3 almost feels like a stealth game at times, thanks to Ellie’s phobia.

Achievement Unlocked is a self-referential web game that deconstructs the false sense of satisfaction that modern games instill. The game fends off feelings of inadequacy by awarding a achievements for the most mundane activities. Multiple achievements can be earned on the title screen before the game even begins, and the “Best Player Ever” achievement is awarded within seconds of entering the first stage! The game’s lonely blue elephant protagonist doesn’t look especially heroic, but his talents span many disciplines. Whether he’s running in a giant hamster wheel, playing an oversized novelty keyboard, or pooping out pastries, he’s never short on things to do. Elephant has also starred in the aptly-named Elephant Quest where he was tasked with reclaiming his favorite bowler hat from a bully wooly mammoth.

Game Freak is mostly known for the Pokémon franchise, but Tembo the Badass Elephant hearkens back to their early days and draws inspiration from the classic side-scrolling games of the 16-Bit era. Tembo is a heroic war elephant who is called into action after an evil army invades his island. It seems like the deck is stacked against him, but Tembo can smash tanks with his tusks, stomp bunkers into the ground, and uppercut helicopters out of the sky! Although he specializes in destruction, he can also slow things down when necessary. He stores water in his trunk to extinguish fires, and he is tasked with rescuing hostages as he works his way through the war zone. Tembo faces opposition from hordes of armored troops and a number of massive mechanical bosses, but no military force can match his tenacity.

Mario and his friends have used many animal-themed power-ups over the years. The tanuki suit gave them the power of flight, the frog suit improved their swimming abilities, and the cat suit allowed them to climb up walls. The elephant power-up stands out for a few key reasons. Most power-ups require Mario to wear magic suits or special hats, but he typically retains his general proportions and facial features. The elephant power-up, in contrast, transforms his entire body. Mario can use his trunk to draw in water, smash through bricks, or swat his enemies aside. He also gains considerable mass, which lets him dash across wider gaps. The transformation even changes the background music, and the brass horns could be likened to an elephant trumpeting. Wowie zowie indeed!

When a young girl learns that her parents are on the verge of divorce, she breaks down in tears. Somehow, this causes them to be transferred into the bodies of hand-crafted dolls. Inexplicably, the couple decides to solve their problem by making their daughter cry again! To that end, they set out to destroy her beloved stuffed elephant, Cutie. The couple has to contend with all sorts of sentient toys during their adventure, but Cutie is too kind-hearted to fight back. As the demented couple is attempting to tear her apart, Cutie finds temporary sanctuary inside a mechanical claw game before she’s caught and dragged away. She loses a leg and an ear during the struggle before being unceremoniously pushed off the dresser and onto the floor. Her death was only supposed to make the daughter cry, but I had a similar reaction to the horrific scene.