Top Ten Video Game Weapons of All Time

Most action games, whether they be first-person shooters, hack 'n slashers or something in between, almost always involve weapons. Developers are constantly looking for new weapons to create, all with new and exciting effects and applications. The list that follows details the most bad ass video game weapons ever developed.

10. The Covenant Elite Energy Sword

This ceremonial weapon is one of the most powerful assets in the Halo Universe. Since its introduction in Halo 2, the Elite Energy Sword has been one of the most widely-used weapons in online play. It's easy to use - just point the cursor at your opponent, run at him, and wait until it turns red. The moment it does, hit the right trigger, and your opponent is almost guaranteed dead. The lunge is so fast that it's almost impossible to avoid, and it's almost always a one-hit kill. The Elite Energy Sword is one of the easiest weapons with which to get a double or even a triple kill.

9. Samus Aran's Varia Suit

While not technically a weapon, this power suit is one of the most awesome inventions in video game history. The Varia Suit actually makes up the core play component in the Metroid Series with its being able to integrate with weapon systems and upgrades found on whatever planet or space station Samus is exploring. It can take an immense amount of damage, and the customizable arm cannon is one of the funnest weapons to use. Nothing beats charging your cannon and watching space warp around the energy ball before it smashes into a Space Pirate, completely obliterating him.

8. The Rocket Launcher

The rocket launcher here is a general term used to refer to the almost identical weapon that shows up in almost every FPS. The rocket launcher is the bane of campers online, and is one of the funner weapons to fool around with and exploit. In most games, it's either the most or second most powerful weapon in the game. Most rockets move relatively slow, but not so much where they can be easily avoided. Even if they are, they have the added bonus of splash damage, so no one can escape the bad-assery of the rocket launcher.

7. Mario's Boots

Mario is one of the oldest video game characters. He is iconic for his plumbers uniform, his jump attacks, and his fireballs. If they were available in every Mario game, there is no doubt that the fireballs would be on this list instead of his boots, but unfortunately they don't. That said, Mario has stomped many a Koopa with those boots, and his jump attacks are some of the most powerful assaults in any game, leveling most opponents in one shot...or rather, jump.

6. The Master Sword

The Master Sword is a quintessential part of the Zelda storyline, and is the ultimate weapon against evil. Despite not being the most powerful weapon in the game, it is usually the only one that can slay the main boss, Ganon. It is also unbreakable and the bane of evil. On top of that, it can also make the wielder travel through time, which is definitely awesome.

5. The Chainsaw - DOOM

DOOM was one of the first, if not the first, video game to use the chainsaw in a FPS. The integration of a melee attack into an FPS was a relatively new, if not almost wholly unfounded idea, and the introduction of the chainsaw only served to show how fun it could be to hack your opponents to pieces with a tool usually used to cut apart large trees. If there's ever a demon invasion here on Earth, you can rest assured that I'd head to the shed and whip out the chainsaw to kick some monster ass. Screw firearms.

4. Armachan 10mm HV Penetrator

If the name wasn't explicit enough (10mm penetrator?), then the use of the weapon probably is. The 10mm HV Penetrator made its debut in F.E.A.R., and is essentially a nail gun that fires pretty large rounds. It's both one of the most entertaining and powerful weapons in the game. Combing pin-point accuracy, a high rate of fire, and high damage, it's a must-have for an FPS fan. But that's not the reason the weapon was placed on the list; the real reason is the ability of the gun to pin your opponents to walls with its rounds. What's better than making your opponent hang from the ceiling like he's on a crucifix, or to see the smoke clear after an epic firefight, and seeing you enemy hanging from the wall by his head.

3. AK-47 (Counter-Strike)

The AK-47 in Counter-Strike is the most balanced weapon in the game. Some people have trouble initially mastering it, insuring that it doesn't get labeled a "noob" weapon, but it's efficient enough to cause sufficient harm to your opponents. You'll often see counter-terrorists dropping their carbines for the AK-47 if the opportunity arises, because it's just that useful. It's powerful and accurate, even across the map.

2. The Gravity Gun

The Gravity Gun in HL2 doubles as not just a weapon, but also a puzzle-solving device. This is a nice change of pace, versus the traditional firearm or melee weapons in video games. It also has the ability to turn almost anything in the environment into a weapon, and by the end of the game, it's upgraded and while also being blue, it has the ability to perform a one-hit kill and catch energy balls to throw at opponents. This makes it highly useful.

1. The BFG9000

The BFG was one of the first "super weapons" ever showcased in a video game. The name itself is testament enough to its awesomeness; BFG stands for "Big Fuckin' Gun." It basically fires a giant ball of plasma with enough splash damage to wipe out an entire room full of baddies. It is not uncommon for the BFG to kill one of the hardest enemies in the game - the Spider Mastermind - in one hit. The maximum potential damage of the BFG is so high, in fact, that it's actually not able to be processed by the game, which caps it lower than the maximum.