The 25 Coolest and Most Memorable Weapons in Gaming History

Pew pew, zap, and a whole lot of kaboom.

With modern games being ridden with action and violence, it’s easy for fanatics to remember a game because of its weapons.

In this list, we focus on the 15 coolest bits of weaponry throughout the history of gaming, ranking them as we go. These include entries from the Halo series, Duke Nukem, and even The Legend of Zelda.

Without any further ado, let’s take a look at what weapons allow you to make short work of any that oppose you, and looking dope while doing it.

This first item is undoubtedly one of the cheekiest, most annoying weapons ever to be put in a game. Known from the Mario Kart sub-series, the infamous Blue Shell can be tossed by any participant and is guaranteed to hit the first place racer. Naturally, in the hands of “good friends,” these will leave you dazed right before the finish line, only to drop from first place to fourth or fifth…

What’s better than kicking enemies? Stomping them, of course! The Shrink Ray allows you to shrink the enemy down to the size of a hamster. Step on them, and be rewarded with a satisfyingly gooey squish. Don’t step on real hamsters, though.

It’s the weapon of choice of any member of the Brotherhood, and for good reasons. The hidden blade isn’t only a practical tool, but it also allows its wearer to make short work of any unsuspecting guard with a swift stab to the abdomen.

When a weapon serves as part grapple hook, part whip, it’s hard not to love it. Add to that the pleasing and surprisingly well-fitting aesthetic of a cross, and Castlevania introduces you to one of the most unique and varied weapons in gaming.

Not only does the Dagger of Time allow its wielder to turn back time up until a certain point, but it also looks pretty darn cool. This bit of weaponry serves as a vessel for the series’ main feature, and for that, we can’t help but love it.

Pinning enemies to the wall with a sharp object propelled with tremendous force is oddly satisfying. The Stake Gun from Painkiller lets you do just that, too. This is the kind of stuff vampires have nightmares about, we bet.

Imagine a bolas rigged with explosives. That’s basically the Flail Gun from Bulletstorm. Its ammunition wraps itself around an enemy and blows it to bits with the push of a button, making it rain flesh and bone.

It’s not only her clothing, but Bayonetta’s hair is also her most powerful weapon. Don’t you just hate it when you’re combing your hair and you accidentally summon an otherworldly demon? Yeah, so does she.

It not only looks menacing, but the Needler is absolutely devastating in action as well. Its needle projectiles home in on the target and explode.

Nukes sure are powerful, but they’re not exactly practical to carry around. The Fat Man changes that, allowing you to launch portable mini-nukes and blast everything within its radius to bits.

There’s nothing too special about handguns, unless we’re talking Ebony and Ivory. These are Dante’s go-to sidearms in the Devil May Cry series, allowing him to shoot at an incredible rate of fire whilst channeling demonic powers through the bullets.

Given to Kratos by the titular god of war, the Blades of Chaos are his most prized possessions and his most painful memories combined. He used this blade to slay his own family, but on the bright side, he beheaded his fair share of godly entities with it as well.

Despite its simple design and function, the Master Sword is the most iconic weapon in the Legend of Zelda series, if not ever. It repels evil, you see, making it a must-have if Link wishes to defeat Ganondorf.

Attachments can really customize a gun, but when that attachment is a chainsaw, action gets taken to a whole new level. The Lancer’s chainsaw bayonet shreds wood, metal, and meaty flesh like a hot knife through butter.

The BFG, which stands for “bio force gun” or the more commonly known “big f**king gun”, is a weapon that shoots out solid energy and incinerates enemies with a single shot. As if that wasn’t enough, its effects also chain to any unlucky soul within the intended victim’s vicinity.

Following immediately after the deadliest gun in all of gaming, we’re moving on to the least lethal one: the so-called Portal gun. It creates two connected tears in reality, meaning hopping into one means you’ll emerge from the other. Are you confused yet? Oh, just wait until you see this puzzle solving tool in action!

We couldn’t make this up, honestly. The Land Shark Gun fires sharks into the ground that rip the opposition to shreds as they emerge. Whoever thought of this deserves a raise, multiple awards, and a warm hug.

It was either this or the Gravity Gun, but looking back at the Half-Life series, the crowbar has simply been with us the longest and thus has become the most iconic of the two. Besides, there’s something about whacking disobedient headcrabs that tickles the fancy.

Lightsabers are the cult-classic tools used by Jedi and Sith alike, and video games allow us to use them to their full extent. Dismembering Storm Troopers, deflecting blaster shots, and customizing their color with a variety of crystals are just some of the things you can do with this highly advanced Swiss army knife.

One could go about and slap any innocent civilian up the head with a gigantic purple dildo, but there’s just something undeniably satisfying about making people dance to death to some generic dubstep. Whether you love the game or hate it, Saints Row IV sure knows how to grab your attention.

The vast arsenal of fun weapons present in Ratchet & Clank games made it hard to pick just one, but we have to give it to the legendary RYNO. This rather expensive launcher fires up to six missiles at targeted enemies, guaranteeing a hit and dealing massive damage in the process.

Agent 47 can make due with a variety of items and disguises, yet few things are as iconic as his silenced Silver Baller twin pistols. Admittedly, nobody ever looked quite as cool firing pistols.

In a game that throws some of the most iconic Disney characters together in an epic fantasy adventure, it’s especially impressive when the series’ main weapon is its most recognizable aspect. This Keyblade wielded by Sora holds immense power and plays a major part in the story, all whilst allowing you to deal some justice.

While current generations may not know him all that well, some of the more seasoned among us will recognize the Blue Bomber. There are various iterations of his Mega Buster blaster, but we can’t help but swoon at the thought of those bright pixels soaring across the Game Boy screen.

Can’t choose between a gun and a blade? Well, Final Fantasy 8 gives you both with the aptly named Gunblade! If you ever dreamt of an oversized blade bayonet slapped onto a powerful revolver, we’ve got some good news for you.

Recommended Videos

Twinfinite is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more
related content
Read Article 10 Things Marvel Rivals Can Learn From Overwatch 2
Marvel Rivals promo art
Read Article 5 Ways Marvel Rivals Is an Overwatch Clone & 5 Ways It’s Completely Different
marvel rivals characters backs
Read Article 2024 Is the Year of the RPG
dragon's dogma 2 trickster with illusion
Related Content
Read Article 10 Things Marvel Rivals Can Learn From Overwatch 2
Marvel Rivals promo art
Read Article 5 Ways Marvel Rivals Is an Overwatch Clone & 5 Ways It’s Completely Different
marvel rivals characters backs
Read Article 2024 Is the Year of the RPG
dragon's dogma 2 trickster with illusion
Author
Sven Boonen
As a self-proclaimed semi-adult, Sven likes to balance the pressure of journalism with the joy of video games.