The sea is a place both parts beautiful and terrifying, and that is reflected in its many inhabitants. Underwater levels have become a staple in games, meaning developers have looked toward real-life sea creatures for inspiration when populating these watery environments.
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Although not every creature found in these aquatic lands can be directly connected to one in the real world; the scope and variety of sea creatures found in these games demonstrate what makes the sea such an interesting place. From deadly enemies to friendly heroes, all of these sea creatures have one thing in common: creative and memorable designs.
10 You Don’t Want To Be Part Of Their World: Long-Haired Creatures (Inside)
Although little is known about the origins of these aquatic creatures, they’re definitely one of the stand-out characters you encounter on your mysterious journey through Inside. The Long-Haired Creatures, nicknamed “mermaids” by fans, chase you through the game’s underwater levels before eventually resuscitating you and giving you the ability to breathe underwater.
Unlike the popularized depiction of mermaids that are usually harmless, beautiful creatures, these mermaids are much the opposite. In terms of design, they more closely resemble women from Japanese horror movies, such as The Ring.
9 You Eel-ly Don’t Want To Meet This One: Maw-Ray (Super Mario 64)
These Mario creatures have evolved greatly since their first introduction in Super Mario 64, but one thing has remained consistent - they still block your way and look menacing with their huge teeth.
Design wise, these aquatic enemies closely resemble their real-world counterparts, with their long bodies, sharp teeth and piercing eyes. Even the name itself is a pun on moray eels. You won’t want to be snatched up by the jaws of this sea creature.
8 Grab Your Best Materia: Emerald Weapon (Final Fantasy 7)
Emerald Weapon is an optional superboss in Final Fantasy 7 and poses a difficult challenge for any player hoping to beat it. The weapons are awakened when Sephiroth summons Meteor, acting as guardians of the Planet.
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Although not your typical sea creature, Emerald Weapon resides at the Bottom of the Sea, and is only accessible by the submarine. If you hope to defeat it, you’ll only have 20 minutes to do so, meaning you’ll want to grab your best Materia and have powerful weapons in your arsenal.
7 You’re Gonna Need A Bigger Boat: Lurker Shark (Jak And Daxter)
This shark appears in the oceans in The Precursor Legacy, acting as a barrier to stop you from going too far into the water. If you’ve ever been scared of what lurks beneath the depths, you’ll want to avoid the Lurker Shark at all costs.
This sea creature fits in perfectly with Jak and Daxter’sstylized Playstation 2 graphics, sporting a vibrant orange look. This shark might not have the biggest part in the game, but its surprising encounter makes it memorable for anyone who has played it.
6 Spirit Of The Sea: Ghost Leviathan (Subnautica)
Subnautica is an open-world adventure game that lets you explore the uncharted depths of the ocean on the alien planet 4546B. As the planet is mostly water, you’ll have to scuba dive and use submarines to find resources and survive.
While collecting resources, you’ll come across various creatures that inhabit this aquatic landscape. One such creature is the Ghost Leviathan, an aggressive species of Leviathan. What makes these sea creatures so great is their bioluminescent design that glows in the water. It’s one of the most unique sea creature designs in gaming.
5 A Shocking Discovery: Lagiacrus (Monster Hunter 3)
The Lagiacrus is a Leviathan in Monster Hunter 3 that can be found underwater at the Deserted Island, Flooded Forest, and Misty Peaks, but has the added bonus of being able to fight on land as well. The in-game description describes these fearsome creatures as ‘The Lords of the Seas’, residing at the top of the food chain.
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It’s understandable why sailors fear these creatures, as they have the ability to deliver electrical shocks, making the oceans surge. You’ll want to put on your best equipment when taking on these powerful monsters.
4 Fin-Tastic: Ecco (Ecco The Dolphin)
Ecco the Dolphin is a series of action-adventure games where you play as the titular Ecco. This series is perfect for people who have always dreamed of exploring the sea as a sea creature.
Ecco himself is based on the bottlenose dolphin and features a simple design, reflecting dolphins in real life. Ecco has gone on many journeys since his humble beginnings in the original game, where he needed to find his missing pod, eventually finding himself in the dolphin city of Atlantis and protecting the Earth in Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future.
3 Fish Are Friends, Not Food: Zucker (Animal Crossing)
Zucker is an adorable, lazy octopus villager who first appeared in Animal Crossing: New Leaf. His design is based on Japanese takoyaki, a ball-shaped octopus snack. Although it’s a little morbid to design an octopus based on the snack, Zucker’s design is one of the most unique in the series.
The Animal Crossing series has only featured five octopuses to date, excluding the wild octopus that can be caught in the ocean, meaning this sea creature is a rare occurrence. If you come across Zucker when on a Nook Miles Mystery Island Tour, you’ll definitely want to invite him to live on your island.
2 Guardian Of The Sea: Manaphy (Pokemon)
This mythical Pokemon is a guardian of the sea, alongside Phione which can be bred from Manaphy and Ditto. This small aquatic creature has an affinity for the sea and for making friends with any kind of Pokemon, as many of its Pokedex entries describe.
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Manaphy is one of the cutest mythical Pokemon in the series and a great representation of the sea’s majesty. Sadly, it has historically been one of the hardest Pokemon to catch, but Pokemon Legends: Arceus fixed this issue, allowing you to catch a Manaphy through a request in the late game.
1 Guitar Hero: Mikau (The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask)
The Zora is a race from The Legend of Zelda series that is more human-like than many other video game aquatic creatures, having their own domain and way of life. When it comes to sea creatures, the Zora from Majora’s Mask are the best fit, residing on the Great Bay Coast.
One of the transformation masks, Mikau was the lead guitarist of the Indigo-Go’s and was also Lulu’s partner before he was killed by Gerudo Pirates while trying to rescue Lulu’s eggs. We see little of Mikau before his untimely demise, but his bravery in facing the Gerudo and the information that can be gleaned from his bandmates solidifies him as a hero.
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