Bugsnax is one of the most eccentric and colorful games of the past few years, bringing both levity and emotional depth in equal amounts. The game revolves around a journalist who embarks on a journey to interview the famous explorer Elizabert Megafig and the various members of her expedition team. Bugsnax is full of compelling characters, interesting locales, and unique gadgets, but what makes it stand out are the titular creatures themselves: the Bugsnax.
There are dozens of different Bugsnax to be found all across Snaktooth Island, and they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Every Bugsnax comes with its own unique traits, design, and sound that distinguish them from its fellow critters. That said, there are a few Bugsnax that stand out as the best the game has to offer.
10 Preying Picantis
The Preying Picantis is one of the most aggressive Bugsnax players will encounter on their journey across Snaktooth Isle, but it's also one of the most fascinating creatures in the entire game. This is because it's one of a few breakable Bugsnax in the game, which means it's actually formed from the bodies of other Bugsnax.
In the Preying Picantis' case, these Bugsnax are two Tacroaches, a Cheepoof, and an Incherrito. To disassemble the Preying Picantis, players will have to douse its flames and wait for the bomb timer to tick down to zero. Capturing the Preying Picantis itself requires players to douse the flames and then stun the creature before that timer reaches zero, which makes it one of the harder-to-capture Snax in the game. The Preying Picantis can be found in the Sizzlin' Sands region.
9 Dr Sodie
Dr Sodie is the first variation of this Bugsnax players will encounter on their adventure, and it holds up as one of the best Bugsnax over the course of the rest of the game. Its simple design and signature cry work leave an impression long after players leave the Garden Grove biome behind.
Dr Sodie is also one of the best Bugsnax because of its real-world reference; it derives its name from the actual Dr. Pepper brand of soda. What's more, feeding Dr Sodie to residents of Snakburg will transform their body parts into thematically appropriate soda cans that even include branded lettering.
8 Spuddy
Spuddy is another early Bugsnax players will encounter, though there is a variant version that pops up a bit later. Spuddy is an aggressive Snax that will charge at just about anything within its line of sight. While this can be a little frustrating in certain circumstances, the Spuddy is an invaluable tool for capturing other, more elusive Bugsnax.
Because the Spuddy will attack almost anything on sight, players can use the creature to stun and catch other Bugsnax they might not yet have the tools to handle themselves. Even capturing a Spuddy is only possible at first by pitting two of the critters against one another. Once they've butted heads, both Bugsnax will be knocked out and easy to scoop up with the Bugsnax net.
7 Banopper
The Banopper is a charming and adorable little Bugsnax that flits through the trees like a hyperactive arrow. It's a cheeky creature that likes to stay one step ahead of the player whenever possible. The telltale shaking of the trees and sudden burst of sound as it cries out its name while flying from canopy to canopy makes whatever region the Banopper is in feel like a realized, lived-in space.
To catch the Banopper, players will need to have unlocked the Trip Shot, a powerful tool developed by Snorpy that creates a tripwire for any Bugsnax who happen to wander into its path. Simply string the Trip Shot across the Banopper's planned trajectory and scoop the critter up with the net once it's been stunned.
6 Charmallow
The Charmallow is a soothing, easy-going Bugsnax that lazily floats above the world with a calming presence. Its gentle cry creates an almost peaceful aura around it, so much so that it can almost feel like a crime to capture it and remove it from the environment.
But capturing Bugsnax is what the game is all about, so the Charmallow must fall. To get the creature down from its lofty flight path, players will need to either hit it with something using the Launch Pad or lure it down with either chocolate or peanut butter. As a fiery Bugsnax, the Charmallow will also need to be doused using either a cold Snax or a body of water.
5 Scoopy Banoopy
Scoopy Banoopy is one of the funniest and most inventive Bugsnax in the game, and that's not just because it has what is arguably the best name of any Bugsnax. Scoopy Banoopy is essentially a walking banana split sundae, and as a breakable Bugsnax, it's made up of all the essential ingredients needed to make such a delicious dish.
Much of Scoopy Banoopy's behaviors are both adorable and hilarious from the way it repeatedly says its ridiculous name in the silliest voice to its cartoonish appearance. That said, the Scoopy Banoopy is also one of the hardest Bugsnax to catch, requiring players to use both careful positioning and quick reflexes.
4 Chippy
Chippy is one of a collection of cookie Bugsnax that enjoy taunting the player as they zip around the environment. These little speedsters can only be stopped in their tracks with the help of the Trip Shot, which players can acquire during the quest to get Snorpy back to Snaxburg.
Chippy is the cutest of the cookie Snax, and it can be found roaming the central mountain in the Frosted Peak region. As the chocolate chip variant of the bunch, Chippy is also the best flavor of cookie. Chippy's relentless chirping of its own name as it runs is one of the most adorable traits of any Bugsnax and easily establishes it as one of the best creatures in the game.
3 Flapjackarak
The Flapjackarak, a cousin of the Waffstackarak, is the ultimate breakfast Bugsnax, combining both a stack of golden, delicious pancakes with some crispy bacon strips. It wanders the perimeter Sizzling' Sands and will throw anything that wander into its path into the twister it can create on its back.
The Flapjackarak is one of developer Young Horses more ingenious creature designs that uses the pancakes as the body and the bacon as the legs, evoking a large, aggressive spider. It can be hard to decide whether to run from the Flapjackarak or try to eat it, but either way, it's a wonderful little monster.
2 Strabby
The mascot of Bugsnax, the Strabby is an adorable little strawberry with googly eyes that runs away at the first sign of danger. It moves pretty quickly on its tiny little legs, but the Strabbie (and its variants) is possibly the easiest Bugsnax to catch in the entire game.
What makes Strabby such a great Bugsnax, though, is in its notoriety and impact beyond the game itself. A simple strawberry that's been given life is the enduring icon of Bugsnax, and the Strabby has proven more than up to the task. The merchandise Young Horses has produced based on the creature is proof of this fact.
1 Bunger
Despite not being the face of Bugsnax, Bunger is without a doubt the greatest of all the Bugsnax. From its design to its name to the way it speaks, Bunger is simply the most lovable creature in the game, and it reciprocates that love for the players tenfold.
Bungers (and BBQ Bunger) are so enamored with almost everything they see that they can't help but charge headlong into it, which usually sends it flying. All the while, Bunger will continue chanting its own name in the sweetest, silliest voice that consistently endears the Bugsnax to anyone who meets it.
Bugsnax is available now for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC.