Blog · Comparison
Shimeji & Desktop Goose alternatives
Shimeji and Desktop Goose are the two most famous desktop pets on Windows, and for good reason. Shimeji gives you endlessly moddable mascots that climb your windows; Desktop Goose gives you a gremlin of a bird that makes a delightful mess. But both have limits: Shimeji is old and static — the same few behaviours forever — and Desktop Goose is designed to interrupt you, not keep you company. If you've searched for a Shimeji alternative or a Desktop Goose alternative, here's the modern option.
Pixel AI Pet — a desktop pet that's actually alive
Pixel AI Pet keeps the charm of a pixel companion on your desktop, then adds the things the classics never had: it reacts to your AI (Claude, ChatGPT, Copilot), it grows up over time, it has 100 pets and a whole playground of features — and you can still let it go full "gremlin" when you want the chaos.
Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | Shimeji | Desktop Goose | Pixel AI Pet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walks & climbs windows | Yes | — | Yes |
| Reacts to your AI (Claude/Copilot) | — | — | Yes |
| Grows up / has moods & bond | — | — | Yes |
| Number of pets | Community packs | 1 (goose) | 100 built-in |
| Design your own pets & hats | Modding only | — | Built-in studios |
| Houses, beds, memes, focus timer | — | Memes only | Yes |
| Mischief / gremlin mode | — | Yes | Optional |
| Pauses for fullscreen games | — | — | Yes |
| Price | Free | ~£4 | Free / £4.99 |
Which should you choose?
Stick with Shimeji if you love hunting down community sprite packs and want something totally free. Grab Desktop Goose if you just want a five-minute laugh. But if you want a desktop pet you'll actually keep around — one with personality, progression, a hundred creatures, and a gentle awareness of what you're doing — Pixel AI Pet is the alternative built for 2026. It's free to try, so you can see the difference in a minute.
Try the modern desktop pet 🐾
100 pets · reacts to your AI · optional gremlin chaos. Free to try, £4.99 for everything.
⬇ Download free