Games with Animal Protagonists

Various games have been written in which the protagonist is an animal (or a fantastic non-humanoid creature). These can pose special challenges for both author and audience, since the ways in which animals interact with their environment is frequently unlike the default behaviour assumed by a standard IF parser. Animal protagonists may sense things in different ways to human ones, but usually more significant is manipulation of objects within the game - a key part of conventional IF, and one that tends to assume opposable thumbs.

Games

• The Adventures of Bobo the Monkey (Pat Handy; 2006; Z-code). Chimpanzee.
• The Adventures of Houdini (Colleen Boye; 2012; Z-code). Hamster.
• Adventures of Thumper™ - Wonder Wombat (Chris Tyson a.k.a. Diablo; 2002; ADRIFT). Anthropomophic wombat, as per title.
• And a Hippo New Year (Adri as "Erin Gigglecreek"; 2012; Z-code). Tiny hippo.
• Arthur: The Quest for Excalibur (Bob Bates; publisher: Infocom; 1989; Z-code). PC can magically transform into an owl, a turtle, an eel, or a badger.
• ASCII and the Argonauts (J. Robinson Wheeler; 2003; Z-code). PC is briefly a mouse.
• Barton (Ricardo Dague; 2001; Z-code). Anthropomorphic dog.
• A Bear's Night Out (David Dyte; 1997; Z-code). Teddy bear.
• Carmen Devine: Supernatural Troubleshooter (Rob Myall; 2006; Z-code). Werewolf.
• A Day for Soft Food (Tod Levi; 1999; Z-code). Cat.
• Delusions (C. E. Forman; 1996; Z-code). PC is briefly a virtual-reality fish.
• Donkey Kong (Andrew Plotkin; 2001; Z-code). Ape.
• Dragon George and the Man (Marnie Parker; Z-code). Dragon.
• Drool (Jeff Breidenbach; 1994). Dog.
• Fish! (John Molloy, Pete Kemp, Phil South, ed. by Rob Steggles; publisher: Magnetic Scrolls; 1988; Magnetic Scrolls) Begins the game as a fish.
• Foggywood Hijinx (Ivan Cockrum; 1998; TADS). PC transformed into a chicken for most of the game.
• Futz Mutz (Tim Simmons; 2000; TADS 2). PC spends most of game as dog.
• Gilded (John Evans; 2005; TADS 2). PC can transform into a raven and, during the endgame, a dragon.
• Glass (Emily Short; 2006; Z-code). Parrot.
• The Green Princess (Eric Mayer as "The Invisible Man"; 2002; ADRIFT 4). Frog.
• Heroes (Sean Barrett; 2001; Z-code). One of the game's five protagonists is a dragon.
• An Important Appointment (Jennifer Earl; Z-code). Civilized dinosaur.
• Leather Goddesses of Phobos (Steve Meretzky; publisher: Infocom; 1986; Z-code). PC exchanges bodies with a gorilla for part of the game.
• Legion (Ian Anderson; 2006; Z-code). PC is the sentient part of a sentient planet.
• Lesson of the Tortoise (Gerry Kevin Wilson; 1997; TADS). PC is briefly a fish.
• Lupercalia (Eric Forgeot; 16-Feb-2008; Glulx, Z-code 8; French). PC is mostly a Wolf.
• The Man from DEFRA (Kevan Davis; 2002; Z-code). Goat.
• Microbe Willie vs. The Rat (Jeremy Yoder; 2002; ADRIFT 4). Microbe.
• Mr. Fluffykin's Most Harrowing Misadventure (Justahack; 2009; ADRIFT 4). Bear cub.
• New Cat (Poster; 2011; Z-code). Cat.
• Office Goose (Liz Henry as "Lizzard"; 2020; Glulx). Goose.
• Once and Future (G. Kevin Wilson; 1994; TADS). PC is briefly a mouse.
• Only After Dark (Gunther Schmidl; 1999; Z-code). PC is briefly a wolf.
• The Perfect Spy (Blackmaster; 2008; ADRIFT 4). PC can shapechange into a tiger, mouse, or German shepherd.
• Prodly the Puffin (Craig Timpany and Jim Crawford; 2000; Z-code). PC is the title character.
• Quest for Food (Lumin; 2006; ADRIFT). Small animal, probably a raccoon.
• Ralph (Miron Schmidt; 1996; Z-code). Dog.
• Rats (Rémi Verschelde; 2008; Z-code; French). Mouse.
• The Reluctant Resurrectee (David Whyld ; 2007; ADRIFT 4). PC is a single eyeball.
• Rocky Raccoon (Ian Herzog; 2008; ADRIFT 4). Raccoon.
• Rover's Day Out (Jack Welch and Ben Collins-Sussman; 01-Oct-2009; Glulx). For some of the game, the PC is apparently a dog.
• Snatches (Gregory Weir; 2005; Z-code). PC briefly plays a dog.
• Sorcerer (Steve Meretzky; publisher: Infocom; 1984; Z-code). PC can magically turn self into a bat.
• La Source de Zig (Benjamin Roux; 2014; Z-code; French). Female zebra.
• Speculative Fiction (Diane Christoforo and Thomas Mack; 2011–2012; Z-code). Raven.
• Squeaky on the Moon (David Welbourn; Z-code). Alvin the Chipmunk.
• Stupid Kittens (Marc Valhara; 2000; Z-code). Cat.
• Till Death Makes a Monk-Fish Out of Me! (Jon Ingold and Mike Sousa; 2002; TADS 2). As per title.
• Time to Shine (Sophie Frühling; 2006; Z-code). PC is a caputman (a head with a hand).
• Transfer (Tod Levi; 2000; Z-code). PC exchanges bodies with a chimp, a dog, a bat, a mouse, and a mosquito for various parts of the game.
• Woof (Roberto Grassi; 2004; ADRIFT). Dog.
• You've Got A Stew Going! (Ryan Veeder; 2011; Z-code). Rat.
• Your mind is gone, it must be brought, you have some rock candy. (Lenny Pitts; 1999; TADS). Monkey, supposedly.
• Zombie Cow (Amber Rollins-Walker; 2004; ADRIFT). Zombie cow, of course.
• Zork Grand Inquisitor (publisher: Activision). PC becomes a dragon for part of the game.
• Zork Zero: The Revenge of Megaboz (Steve Meretzky; publisher: Infocom; 1988). PC exchanges bodies with a flamingo for part of the game.