Weapons Of Mass Destruction

While games constantly evolve, some weapons stay the same. You've seen them and used them. Maybe you've even raged against them. These are the ones that brought us some of gaming's most iconic moments and made players think twice. Here's a look at 20 legendary weapons that earned their place in gaming history and left their mark.

1. Master Sword From The Legend Of Zelda

Slice through darkness with the blade only a true hero can wield. First drawn in A Link to the Past (1991), the Master Sword isn't just Link's weapon but his legacy. It's been upgraded with time travel, beam attacks, and more across titles.

2. Buster Sword From Final Fantasy VII

Massive and unforgettable—this slab of steel introduced Cloud Strife with a bang in 1997. Its impractical size made it iconic. Later versions added materia slots and lore ties to Zack Fair. You can even get it in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate via Cloud's kit.

3. Energy Sword From Halo

Charging across a corridor and getting insta-spiked? Blame the Energy Sword. This Covenant blade, usable since Halo 2, flips the meta with one-hit kills and style points. Its lunge range is nearly twice the melee distance of most weapons in ranked multiplayer duels.

4. Gravity Gun From Half-Life 2

Launch sawblades at zombies or yank explosive barrels straight into a firefight. The Gravity Gun turned junk into artillery in 2004. In Ravenholm, it's a must-have. Later, in the Citadel, it supercharges, letting you rip weapons straight from enemy hands. No ammo is needed.

5. Hidden Blade From Assassin's Creed

Introduced with Altair in 2007, the Hidden Blade evolved from one stab to dual counters, chain kills, and cinematic executions. Ezio's gauntlet variant added poison and a hidden gun. It's still the go-to stealth weapon across 12+ main games and spinoffs.

6. Blades Of Chaos From God Of War

Whipped across screens like flaming serpents, these chained blades screamed brutality. Kratos first wielded them in 2005, and their twin arcs carved gods and monsters alike. In Norse mythology arcs, Kratos retrieves them, and they retain combo and a rage-boosted upgrade path rooted in Spartan fury stats.

7. Portal Gun From Portal

The Aperture Science Portal Device dropped into our hands in 2007 and flipped game logic upside down. Momentum-based navigation like "flinging" was key. Valve's devs coined "Thinking with Portals" as a core mechanic, and it's still unmatched in modern puzzle design.

8. Fat Man From Fallout

Launch a nuke and watch the wasteland tremble. The Fat Man debuted in Fallout 3 and fires mini-nukes with arcing ballistics. It's ridiculously overkill—perfect for Deathclaws or Liberty Prime tantrums. In a certain mode, it's risk vs. reward. One mistimed shot? Say goodbye to your limbs.

9. Keyblade From Kingdom Hearts

It's part sword and part lockpick. First wielded by Sora in 2002, the Keyblade's powers evolve—summoning spells, gliding, even world-hopping. Different designs boost stats or magic types. Only chosen wielders can use it, so don't expect to pick one up without story weight.

10. Mega Buster From Mega Man

The Mega Buster's been Mega Man's core since 1987, and it evolves with charge shots and piercing upgrades. Each robot master drops a unique weapon—you adapt or fail. If you want range or screen-clearing chaos, there's a Buster mod for that.

11. Dagger Of Time From Prince Of Persia

Want to control time or fix screw-ups mid-air? The Dagger of Time helps. It debuted in The Sands of Time (2003) and lets you rewind deaths and freeze enemies. That blade made parkour puzzles bearable—plus, it rewrote death as just another mechanic to master.

12. Lancer Assault Rifle From Gears Of War

The Lancer blends assault rifle accuracy with up-close evisceration. Since Gears of War (2006), it has owned CQC firefights. Lancer’s chainsaw bayonet allows for devastating close-quarters attacks. Dom or Marcus—either way, it's your best bet against a Wretch swarm or Berserker rush.

13. Super Shotgun From Doom

As for the Super Shotgun, it made its debut in Doom II (1994) and never left. It has high knockback and brutal sounds. Every shell lands like a brick through a window. Even DOOM Eternal gave it a grappling hook because demon face-punching wasn't enough.

14. Lightsaber From Star Wars Games

The Lightsaber's power varies per game, but Jedi Outcast and Jedi: Fallen Order gave it skill trees and dismemberment. Always deadly. Deflect blaster fire, and chain flips into Force Push with it. You're not a Jedi without it—and enemies know it's personal.

15. Crowbar From Half-Life

Introduced in 1998, this rusty wrecking tool became Gordon Freeman's badge of survival. Use it to smash crates, bust vents, or fend off headcrabs when ammo's dry. In Half-Life: Alyx, you don't get one, and fans still ask Valve where the crowbar went.

16. Red Shell From Mario Kart

Auto-target mayhem in a tiny red package. The Red Shell locks onto whoever's in front and chases them like heat-seeking vengeance. Its behavior varies per title—Double Dash uses straight-line logic, while 8 Deluxe tracks turn. Knowing the AI's quirks can win you races.

17. Needler From Halo

Fire crystalline spikes with the Needler and watch them stick and explode. This weapon looks weird, but it works. Halo 3 saw it dual-wielded with brute weapons, and in Infinite, it received a redesign and balance tweaks. Against unshielded enemies, the supercombine effect deletes health bars instantly if timed right.

18. Plasma Cutter From Dead Space

The Plasma Cutter, Isaac Clarke’s first weapon in Dead Space (2008), flips 90 degrees to target specific joints. Aim for the limbs, not the head. Maxing out its upgrades releases the weapon's alt-fire and burn damage. In the 2023 remake, it's still the top speedrun choice.

19. Holy Hand Grenade From Worms

Shout, “Hallelujah,” then run. The Holy Hand Grenade made its chaotic debut in Worms: Armageddon (1999), parodying Monty Python. It’s stronger than standard grenades and deals 65+ base damage. Tossing it right in ranked matches often clears multiple worms off the scoreboard.

20. Gunblade From Final Fantasy VIII

The Gunblade, wielded by Squall Leonhart since 1999, adds rhythm to strikes. It can slice and trigger at the same time. Pressing R1 boosts criticals if timed perfectly. Its presence in Dissidia and Kingdom Hearts cemented its legacy across Square titles—mechanics and all.