The Most Powerful Video Game Weapons Of All Time
What draws you to a video game? Is it the captivating story, or the impressive graphics? Maybe you're looking for the creepiest game you can find, or something fun to play with your partner. Maybe you don't need much from a game, just a cool weapon to mess stuff up with. Maybe you just want a comically overpowered gun, a fantasy sword the length of your body, or a blue shell that strikes fear into the hearts of all racecar drivers that behold it.
Whatever the case may be, for those drawn to video game weapons, there are plenty out there to choose from. The games on this list are some of the most iconic and powerful throughout video game history. As they say, with great power comes great responsibility, so these items should be wielded with care. Or not — games are supposed to be fun, and if your idea of a good time is taking out some innocent villagers or blowing up a few parked cars, that's fine. Load your laser guns and draw your blades, and let's get into it.
Portal Gun (Portal)
Chell, the protagonist of "Portal," navigates the game with no company but GlaDOS's sardonic voice, the poor, unfortunate Companion Cube (too dear and innocent for this cruel world), and her trusty Portal Gun. The Portal Gun — also known by its more official name, Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device — allows Chell to traverse the Enrichment Center and solve a variety of puzzles.
The gun functions by creating portals on a variety of surfaces. When Chell fires the gun, it releases a burst of energy that forms a portal on whatever it hits. There are two different types of portals, each indicated by the color of the portal (blue is for entrances, orange is for exits). Chell can travel through these portals to make her way around (or through) various obstacles.
The Portal Gun doesn't just make portals, either. It can be used to manipulate gravity and pick up or move heavy objects, aiding Chell in her attempts to escape. The Portal Gun might not be a traditional weapon capable of destruction or packing a massive punch in combat, but it is useful, versatile, and strong enough to earn a spot on this list.
Keyblade (Kingdom Hearts)
The "Kingdom Hearts" franchise is full of magic, adventure, and the power of friendship –as well as some surprisingly creepy things. There's nothing else quite like it out there. Where else can you fight the forces of evil alongside Donald Duck and Goofy? It's a sweeping fantasy epic about the enduring battle between light and darkness, and also sometimes Jiminy Cricket is there.
Disney characters and general madness aside, one of the most memorable aspects of the "Kingdom Hearts" games is Sora's legendary weapon, the Keyblade. In combat, the Keyblade is used much like a sword, with many of those that wield it able to dramatically increase its size with the use of Light or Darkness.
However, the true power of the Keyblade lies not in its combat applications, but in its ability to open or seal the barriers between worlds, allowing Sora and friends to hop from one Disney property to the next while also protecting each world's heart from The Heartless. Also, it looks awesome, which is a stylish bonus.
Blue Shell (Mario Kart)
Oh, "Mario Kart" racers across the land beware. Tremble and despair at the sight of the unfeeling, the devastating, the dethroner of kings. No matter how secure in your lead you feel, how close you think the finish line is, you are never safe from The Blue Shell.
The Blue Shell, also known as The Spiny Shell, was first introduced in "Mario Kart 64" and has appeared in every "Mario Kart" game since. Why mess with a perfect weapon? The Blue Shell serves one main purpose: it targets the leader of the race with a bright blue explosion, and it does so relentlessly. The Blue Shell cares not for your feelings, for your car's safety, for your very life. It exists only to destroy.
The shell can be attained by any player between 4th and 8th place in the race. Once deployed, it will travel along the track, knocking any car it hits along the way into the air. It will only stop once it has reached its prey and knocked them right out of 1st place — or hits an obstacle, whichever comes first.
Sting Ray (Splatoon 2)
"Splatoon 2" is the follow-up to the Wii U third-person shooter "Splatoon." Like its predecessor, the game centers primarily around ink-based combat, featuring a wide array of weapons that you (as an adorable little Squidsona) can use to spray vivid, colorful ink all over their surroundings.
The world of "Splatoon 2" is your canvas, and there is no paintbrush more powerful than the Sting Ray. This special weapon allows the player holding it to fire a continuous laser that is able to shoot through walls and most obstacles on the game's map. Even when the Sting Ray is not being fired, it allows the player to see silhouettes of their opponents on the map and target them before firing.
The Sting Ray is not without its weaknesses, limiting a player's movement as well as emitting a somewhat narrow beam, it is still incredibly effective. Just fill up your Special Meter, and get ready to shoot through whatever's in your way to splat your enemies into submission.
Hammer (Super Smash Bros)
Just as the Blue Shell strikes fear into the hearts of "Mario Kart" players, any seasoned "Super Smash Bros" fan knows that they should be afraid of the mighty Hammer. Though its appearance is deceptively simple, it's just a big hammer. However, with this particular hammer in your hands, your opponents in the game might as well be nails.
When a player picks up the hammer, they begin to swing it back and forth uncontrollably. While holding the hammer, a player cannot midair jump, defend themselves, or use any other attacks. Sorry, you're not the boss here. All belongs to the hammer now, and only it can decide your fate, but that devil's bargain might just be worth it. This hammer packs a wallop with 30% damage and a high vertical knockback. That's enough to knock out a weakened player, and the hammer can even build on its own momentum and deal out 60% damage, knocking its target right off the map.
Be careful though, the top of the hammer has a chance of falling off. So, if it's your weapon of choice, try not to lose your head.
Master Sword (Legend of Zelda)
A sword might seem like a pretty basic weapon to include on this list, but if you've ever played a "Legend of Zelda" game, you know that the Master Sword is anything but simple. This iconic weapon goes by many names, including the Blade of Evil's Bane, the Sword of Legend, the Master Sword of Resurrection, and the Sword that Seals the Darkness.
Its wide variety of nicknames alone should be a pretty clear indicator of how vital this sword has been to preserving the safety of Hyrule and helping Link save the day. In "Ocarina of Time," Link uses the sword to travel through time and defeat Ganondorf. In "Wind Waker," thrusting the sword's blade into Ganondorf's forehead is enough to turn the King of Evil into stone. In "Skyward Sword" the weapon is used to defeat Demise and seal his evil away for good. Those aren't even the only games it appears in, those are just its greatest hits.
Energy Sword (Halo)
The "Halo" franchise's Energy Sword, or Type-1 Energy Weapon, is the signature weapon of alien species the Sangheili. They consider it to be a holy weapon, and it definitely earns that reverence.
The Energy Sword itself consists of a hilt that contains an energy module and a device that projects a plasma blade. The blade itself is not a traditional blade at all, but rather two segments formed from electron based gas. Used in close-quarters combat, the Energy Sword can pierce a shield and the armor beneath it, plunging directly into enemy flesh. Even the toughest metals and materials are not safe from its cut, as it does not rely on the sharp metal edge of a traditional sword.
The blade's incredibly high temperatures have a devastating effect on the body of its victims, burning internal organs and cauterizing wounds as it cuts. Therefore, injuries from an Energy Sword have an extremely high fatality rate, making this weapon one to be feared by all soldiers fighting against the Covenant Empire.
Fat Man (Fallout 3)
It wouldn't be a list of powerful weapons without a little nuclear action, and what better place to find some of that than the "Fallout" universe? This franchise is no stranger to nuclear power, and the Fat Man is a particularly nasty little weapon.
Its name might invoke the image of a jolly man with a rosy cheeks and a round belly, but the Fat Man is actually a dangerous heavy weapon that launches miniature tactical nuclear warheads. The nukes may be mini, but their impact is mighty, and an adorably small nuke is still a nuke just the same. So, if you're roaming the wastelands and want to reduce some enemies to smoldering rubble, just fire at a target within the Fat Man's 150 yard range.
Be careful though, if your target gets too close you might find yourself in the blast radius. As you might imagine, that's not a fun place to be. Unless of course you enjoy being blasted with deadly levels of radiation.
Infinite Launcher (Resident Evil 4)
Speaking of launching things, one of the most annoying things about a rocket launcher is having to reload it with ammunition every time it runs out of those rockets. Usually, that's immediately after firing it once, since rocket launchers tend to only hold one rocket at once. Who's got the time to be lugging rockets around? No one, especially when there are mutated monsters to fight.
But what if there was a better way? A launcher that would just keep on launching, and never run out of ammo? It may sound impossible, but "Resident Evil 4" makes it happen with the "Infinite Launcher." This unlockable weapon becomes available after beating the main game, and it is exactly what it sounds like: a traditional rocket launcher, but with infinite ammunition. Aside from that, it's pretty much an ordinary rocket launcher, but that's a pretty massive improvement.
For the low, low price of 1,000,000 points and one completed run of "Resident Evil 4," this marvel of modern game weaponry can be yours.
Apoca-Fist (Saint's Row the Third)
Sometimes a player's weapon of choice is a blade, like a sword or a dagger. Sometimes it's a ranged weapon like a bow or a rocket launcher. And sometimes, every so often, it's a pair of giant costume fists that make your punches extra deadly to a cartoonish degree. If you're feeling a bit confused by that last option, then you haven't been fortunate (or unfortunate, depending on which end you're on) to encounter the Apoca-Fist in "Saint's Row 3."
One of the more ridiculous items on this list, the Apoca-Fist comes as a reward for defeating the antagonist Killbane on a specific mission. Once Killbane is defeated, the player can capture his punching power by donning a pair of oversized fists that allow their punches to pack much more, well, punch. Anything hit with the Apoca-Fist takes 2000 damage per hit, exploding into a mess of gore and bloody chunks. Efficient and gross, all at the same time.
Bayonetta's Hair (Bayonetta)
The "Bayonetta" games can be a bit intimidating at first glance, with a timeline that might require a bit of explaining to understand. Here's what you absolutely need to know: Bayonetta, the protagonist of the games, is an Umbra Witch or practitioner of the dark arts. She was sealed away for five hundred years until she was awakened, and, well, she summons demons with her hair.
No, seriously, listen. Using a magical attack technique known as Wicked Weaves, Bayonetta (and other powerful Umbra Witches) uses her hair as a conduit to summon Infernal Demons. She often uses Wicked Weaves to summon Madama Butterfly, a demon that she made a pact with. During combat, her hair becomes a weapon, or at least her means of summoning a given weapon, and allows her to tap into dark forces to attack her enemies.
Also, her clothes are made out of her hair too. It's all about the hair. Don't think too hard about it, just go with it.
Wabbajack (Skyrim)
Magic plays a large role in "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim," and there are five different schools of the craft to choose from, each with its own spells. How do you choose? Not only that, but how could you ever learn all of them?
Enter, the Wabbajack. The Wabbajack is a staff, gifted to the Dragonborn by Sheogorath, the Daedric Prince of Madness, after the completion of the quest "The Mind of Madness." Just like its chaotic creator, the staff is highly unpredictable, casting a random spell each time it is used. Because it is capable of any spell, it has immense power, but that power is not always very focused.
Any time the Wabbajack is used, it's a roll of the dice to see if it actually does anything useful. Sure, the staff could help the player cast a fire or lightning attack, or disintegrate an enemy. But it could also just turn them into a mudcrab instead.
RYNO (Ratchet and Clank)
When a weapon's name stands for "Rip Ya a New One," then you pretty much know what you're in for. Action platformer "Ratchet & Clank" features the RYNO, a powerful and rare rocket launcher capable of firing up to six rockets at a time. Ordinary rocket launchers tend to fire one at a time, by the RYNO packs six (or seven, in some of the later games) times the explosive power.
When Ratchet aims the RYNO at a group of enemies and fires, a missile targets each one. The missiles do a great deal of damage, as missiles tend to do, and are highly effective regardless of their target's size. The RYNO's ammunition is cheaper than that of other weapons in the game, even though those weapons are less powerful, making it a bargain as well as a strong and highly efficient choice.
The only downside to the RYNO is how difficult it is to obtain, as the player often can't get their hands on it until quite late in their playthrough. But hey, better late than never, and it's never too late to rip some baddies a new one.
Blade of Olympus (God of War)
It's hard to compete with a weapon forged by the King of Olympus and the God of Thunder himself, and the Blade of Olympus from the "God of War" franchise is just that. This blade was forged by Zeus from the Heavens, the Seas, the Afterlife, and the Earth, and was used to end the Great War against the Titans and banish them to the depths of Tartarus in the Underworld.
The Blade of Olympus is imbued with so much power that it is capable of killing Gods themselves, or those infused with their power. The Blade is also capable of releasing blasts of energy large and strong enough to decimate entire armies with one swing. Kratos was able to use it to defeat the Colossus of Rhodes, Athena, Perses, Cronos, Zeus, and Gaia.
A giant, Titans, the Goddess of Wisdom, and the Mother of Earth herself? Not too shabby, as far as resumes go.
BFG 9000 (Doom)
When someone says they're about to bring out the big guns? This is the gun they're talking about. The BFG9000 from the "Doom" games is one Big Freaking Gun.
Appropriately, the BFG9000 is the largest gun in the game, and in most of its in-game depictions it is too large for the player to see all of it onscreen at once. The gun itself fires balls of green plasma, capable of causing more damage than any other weapon in the game, between 100 and 800 hit points worth. After the initial shot is fired, 40 invisible tracer rays are emitted in the direction that the gun was fired, causing additional damage.
The BFG9000 is considered especially useful when taking on enemies such as Arch-viles, Spider Masterminds, and Cyberdemons. Unlike other weapons with similar destructive capabilities that pop up in different games, the gun is useful from a distance as well as in tight quarters. It's difficult for the player to get their hands on, but it definitely makes up for the effort.
Moon Stone Cannon (Skies of Arcadia)
When it comes to cannons, the Moon Stone Cannon from role-playing game "Skies of Arcadia" is a real one-hit wonder. Meaning, it can take out most enemies in a single hit.
The Moon Stone Cannon is mounted to The Delphinus, one of the most powerful ships in the world of Arcadia. The ship was named after a majestic and ancient sea creature, and is captained by the game's protagonist, Vyse. The ship, and the Moon Stone Cannon along with it, was gifted to Vyse by Enrique, Prince of Valua.
The Moon Stone Cannon is hardly the only cannon in the game, but it blows the others out of the proverbial water. Even the Harpoon Cannon, which fires a giant spear from the front of the sailboat The Little Jack, is no match for it. The Moon Stone Cannon is the most powerful weapon in the game, and its already impressive power can be increased by having the character of Izmael in the party.
Dagger of Time (Prince of Persia)
Sometimes the greatest weapon of all is time. But if you don't naturally have time-warping abilities, then a mystical dagger imbued with the power of the Sands of Time will do just fine.
The Dagger of Time from "Prince of Persia" is one of the only items strong enough to hold the legendary Sands of Time, and it allows whoever wields it to control time. The wielder can stop, slow, and reverse time, as well as manipulate time itself and possibly alter the timeline itself. If the person in possession of the Dagger changes the timeline, they will retain a memory of their original timeline.
In addition to its time-altering properties, the Dagger of Time is the only weapon that stands a chance against the Sand Creatures, living things transformed by the Sands of Time. Because of its potentially world-altering properties, the Dagger must be wielded carefully. To paraphrase an iconic quote: with time-warping power comes time-warping responsibility.
Farsight (Perfect Dark)
It's always impressive when a weapon is capable of killing its target in only one hit, but it's even more impressive when that same weapon can take out enemies through walls and other obstacles. This is the case for the FarSight XR-20, shortened to FarSight, in "Perfect Dark."
The FarSight is the combination of an ultra-powerful rifle, whose shots can penetrate walls, and an X-ray scanning device. Each of these items is useful on their own, but when combined to create one weapon, they create the most powerful gun in the game. The FarSight kills any unshielded target in one shot, and two shots are usually enough to take out a shielded enemy.
Its X-Ray scanning capabilities allow the player to see through walls and track their targets, and fire knowing that their shot will find its destination no matter what is in its way. However, the nature of the gun's scope severely limit's the players peripheral vision, so it's best to make sure no enemies are able to sneak up in the meantime. When operating the FarSight, it's important to remain the stalker instead of the stalked.
Pandora (Devil May Cry 4)
Greek mythology tells the tale of Pandora's Box, a box crafted by the gods that contained every sickness and hardship that would go on to plague humanity. When the curious woman Pandora opened it, she inadvertently unleashed all of those evils on the world. Now, even the name Pandora can be enough to evoke the image of a small, simple thing that holds unimaginable destruction. So, you can probably guess that a weapon with that name is nothing to take lightly.
"Devil May Cry 4" sees the introduction of Pandora, a Devil Arm (a demonic weapon) obtained by the game's protagonist, Dante. Though it looks like an ominous briefcase, Pandora is a highly versatile weapon capable of transforming into 666 (get it, like the scary number) different forms.
Each of the forms is named after a horror that might fly out of Pandora's Box, such as Revenge, Jealousy, and Grief. Don't get too excited though, the player can only access seven of these forms during the game. Still, you've got to recognize how impressive that range is. How many different forms do you have? Just one? Yeah, thought so.
Buster Sword (Final Fantasy VII)
If you're a fan of "Final Fantasy VII," then the sight of Cloud Strife standing with an absolutely massive broadsword over his shoulder is probably a pretty familiar sight at this point. The Buster Sword, measuring six feet from the tip of the blade to the handle, is the hero's signature weapon.
It might not be considered a notably powerful weapon in anyone else's hands, mainly because they probably wouldn't have the muscle to get it off the ground, but Cloud (and the player) uses the Buster Sword to kick some serious butt. After inheriting the weapon from Zack Fair and Angeal Hewley, Cloud takes on its legacy as a symbol of honor and dreams.
In the original "Final Fantasy VII," the sword has a base accuracy of 96% and a base power 18, and it cannot be sold or thrown — nor should it be. Cloud just wouldn't look the same without it.