It's World Animal Day and we've put together a short list of our top 5 picks for games to play to celebrate the furry (and not so furry) friends and companions - whether they're the main character or just an NPC you're always spoilt for choice when it comes to animals in games.

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Animal Crossing

We're starting our list with a throwback to 2020 where we were all locked away and turning to games to fill our time - Animal Crossing New Horizons quickly became the game of choice for those trying to find a cute little escape whilst simultaneously being under the thumb of resident Raccoon overlord Tom Nook.

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Stray

Is there a better way to celebrate World Animal Day other than running around uncovering an ancient mystery to escape a cybercity ... as a lonesome stray cat? The answer is no - there isn't.

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Planet Zoo

Celebrate World Animal Day by creating the zoo of your dreams (or nightmares) all whilst learning all about said animals. Not only is Planet Zoo a cute entry in our list, it's incredibly detailed and informative which makes it a strong contender on our list this year.

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The Sims

In true EA fashion you'll need a number of DLC packs in order to get all of the animals offered in the Sims 4 but with Sims 4 Cats & Dogs, My First Pet Stuff, Cottage Living and Horse Ranch you have a real mixture of animals for your Sims to interact with from small critters all the way up to horses.

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Minecraft

Over the years more animals have been added into Minecraft with each update and are a crucial part of the game, just remember not all animals or mobs in Minecraft are as friendly as their blocky appearance would appear.