Sure, there’s a neat looking shotgun. A full body suit of armor is a lot better than leather chain mail, and a motor vehicle beats walking any day of the week. However, there’s more to video game weapons and gear than that — they employ a suspense of disbelief at its core, and that opens up the usage of some truly iconic and ridiculous weaponry in games. While riding around a Lambo with a shotgun and bulletproof vest in, say, “Grand Theft Auto” could be cool for a little while, this article will go through gear that went above and beyond, and truly changed gaming.
10. BFG-9000, “Doom” 1993
The game that set the stage for first person shooting games, it’s not surprising to see it get an appearance on this list. The BFG-9000 may not have reached the #1 spot on this list for coolness, but it is doubtlessly a contender for the strongest, most awe-inspiring in terms of raw damage output. Capable of completely obliterating room upon room full of demons, even bosses, the BFG-9000 has become a staple across the franchise’s history, stemming nearly 30 years.
9. The Buster Sword, “Final Fantasy” VII
One of the most iconic swords ever, Cloud Strife’s Buster Sword was a lock to make this list. The sheer size of the weapon itself, the magical potential held within it, and the fact that it takes center stage on the most popular Final Fantasy game ever made certainly back it up quite a lot.
8. The Vampire Killer, “Castlevania” Series
Signature weapon of one of the most iconic series in gaming, this weapon remained true to its name in every title. While it may generate plenty of ire when wielded by Simon or Richter Belmont in “Super Smash Bros Ultimate”, this Dracula-slaying weapon easily corners the market on long ranged melee tools, besting all of them in appearance and in practicality.
7. The Power Suit, “Metroid” Series
The most iconic female protagonist pretty much ever, this suit is incredibly well known even outside of the gaming world. It presents Samus Aran with a bounty (no pun intended) of options to dispose of her enemies, while also presenting defensive utility to traverse through tough or even lethal terrains. Most notably, Samus can also turn into a Morph Ball and get into incredibly small places, which her tall frame would make rather difficult. This Power Suit was a lock to make it on this list for those reasons.
6. Scorpion’s Kunai, “Mortal Kombat” Series
If looking at this weapon doesn’t immediately cause Scorpion’s classic “get over here!” to ring through a player’s head, there’s a problem with that player. The casual gamer thinking of any “Mortal Kombat” entry likely thinks of that quote exactly, and this Kunai has been a part of that magic. The Kunai is solely responsible for making Scorpion the most iconic grappling fighter in a fighting game of all time, hands down. For those reasons, it would have been a travesty for it to not appear here.
5. The Catarina Armor Set, “Dark Souls III”
The quirky, jovial Sieglind of Catarina from “Dark Souls III” flaunts this wonderful set around the game as the player aids him on one of the silliest questlines in franchise history. While it may be one of the heaviest in the game, the set provides indispensable amounts of protection that turn the beefy tank into an unkillable stalwart machine. However, the set itself does this while also just generally being aesthetically pleasing; does this set not remind pastry lovers of the Pillsbury Doughboy? Well, now that it’s appeared in this article, anybody reading it will certainly be able to draw the comparison. For being an elite set of armor and being incredibly aesthetically pleasing, the Catarina Armor set belongs on this list for sure.
4. Holy Moonlight Sword, “Demon’s Souls” “Dark Souls” and “Bloodbourne” Series
The second FROM Software creation in a row, and this one’s also a good one. Part of the need to appreciate this majestic main-hand weapon comes from just how the company has taken care of it, turning it into a household name. It is in every single one of their games that they’ve made to date, stemming from the iconic “Dark Souls” series down to the award-winning “Bloodborne”, all the way over to the franchise’s roots in “Demon’s Souls”, a game that will soon be seeing a remastering it can use to further put this weapon on the video gaming map. Think Cloud’s Buster Sword, but better in combat, more aesthetically pleasing, and more of an overall history with its respective franchise. The only sword in each game that benefits both swordfighters and spellcasting magic users, this weapon is extremely friendly for the average player and is generally one of the best weapons in each game it appears in.
3. King Dedede’s Hammer, “Super Smash Bros.” and “Kirby” Series
While this weapon doesn’t have any sort of particularly cool name, its use in Dedede’s hands has more than made up for it. Yes, at first glance, this is a run-of-the-mill heavy hammer; it may be a particularly heavy hammer, but that wouldn’t be enough on its own to land it on this list. Dedede must have a side hustle as an artificer, because this hammer is loaded full of goodies. The accompanying picture shows just one of its many functions, as it has an engine installed in the interior of the hammer where the infamous “Jet Hammer” reveals itself. After just a few moments of revving the engine up, anyone on the business end of this hammer is gonna catch some pain. What’s also hidden inside this hammer is an apparent endless amount of explosives which Dedede can use when his target is just outside of the hammer’s lengthy reach. All in all, this hammer packs far more than initially meets the eye, and it has been used to terrorize both assailants in various “Kirby” games and those found in the “Super Smash Bros.” realm for many, many years.
2. The Enforcer, “Call of Duty: Black Ops 3”
C’mon now … We all know what this weapon ‘actually’ is, but the company’s attempt at marketing what is undoubtedly the silliest weapon ever found in a first person shooter game is part of what gives this weapon its identity. Running around in “Black Ops 3” and traversing through war-torn battlegrounds, residential areas, military bases and jungles and beating people up with this is absolutely hilarious. Simply put, the fact that a player could conceivably do this to someone else and wear a straight face in doing so were enough to put this weapon on the list all by itself.
1. Seven Deadly Weapons, “Saints Row: Gat out of Hell”
This one is by a hundred miles the coolest piece of equipment/weapon ever devised. It’s a reclining chair loaded full of incredibly deadly weapons that can be used to ravage an entire town in an afternoon. The Sloth weapon, part of “Saints Row: Gat Out Of Hell“‘s Seven Deadly Weapons, is largely what will make this otherwise forgettable game memorable in the eyes of those who value thinking outside of the box.
Agree or disagree with my list? What are your top ten pieces of gear in gaming?
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