From the very beginning, guns and video games have gone together like peanut butter and raisins. From the first time gamers pulled the trigger on the BFG to the Gravity Guns of today, gamers have shot off almost every kind of gun imaginable. But out of all the weapons gamers’ have used over the years, which one takes the top spot as the best of the best?



10.) Dual Pistols

Anyone who has seen Hardboiled knows how badass this pairing can be. I could of put down dual SMGs or dual sawed-off shotguns, but something about two pistols is just so… bad. Most games just use the dual pistols to double your fire power, but my favorite usage is when games let you target two enemies at a time. Double headshots, anyone?



9.) Rock-It-Launcher

Ammunition has always been an annoying limitation of fire arms. Thanks to the Rock-it-Launcher, however, ammo is no longer a problem. Almost everything is a bullet once you get your hands on this bad boy. Teddy bears, base balls, Nuka Cola bottles, even human organs. Nothing says “Go f#@k yourself!”, then shooting a bloody liver at some bodies head.



8.) BFG

As great as the old Doom shotgun is, the BFG (literally) blows it away. While firing off the usual assortment of fire arms was awesome in of its self, playing with the BFG was a revelation. Video games could not only simulate guns, but could create new ones as well.



7.) Halo’s Scoped Pistol


Scopes are like cheese, you can put them on anything. While putting a scope on a pistol had been done before, none of them felt as powerful or looked as sleek as Halo’s. Was cheap as hell? Yeah. But anyone who’s killed a Hunter with one shot from this bad boy can tell you that when push comes to shove, awesomeness always wins. Also, how the hell does he zoom in with that thing? I mean, I don’t see a sight on it. Oh, well; F*** realism.



6.) Tether Controller

This little tool of destruction appeared in the criminally overlooked shooter, Metal Arms. While the gun itself did no damage, it allowed the player to hijack enemies and screw around without having to worry about the consequences. The Tether Controller also made multiplayer insane, with players fighting over control for different robots placed around the map. Sure, you could just shoot a guy, but making them shoot their friends and then commit suicide is just so much more satisfying. Ahhh, Good times.



5.) Land Shark Gun

Armed and Dangerous, another overlooked gem, had dozens of insane weapons, including the Topsy-Turvy gun, which literally turned the entire world upside down. But out of AD’s entire insane arsenal, the Land Shark gun takes the prize for the best. With a pull of the trigger, players could shoot out a great white shark (!) and watch as it swam through the ground and swallowed up anything in its path. Armed and Dangerous isn’t an easy game to find, but if you ever see it be sure to snatch it up. Also, STREET SHARKS!



4.) RCP 90

There are three rules when it comes to Goldeneye on the N64:

1.) All cheat codes must be on.
2.) Playing as Oddjob is punishable by b**** slap.
3.) The RCCP 9000 is God.

Rapid firing, dual wieldable, and a sleek as a new car, the RCP 90 is one of the most infamous weapons ever conceived. Beyond the firing rate and look there isn’t much to distinguish it from a normal SMG, but anyone who played Goldeneye knew that when someone picked up this little death dealer all bets were off.



3.) Crossbow

Even after thousands of years of technological advancement, pinning some poor sap to a wall with an arrow still remains very effective. The best part about crossbows is the versatility of the arrows. Exploding, fire, electric, and even poison are just a few of the many possibilities when it comes to arrows. But while special ammunition is great, just having an arrow penetrate an enemy makes this one of gaming’s coolest weapons. My personal favorite is the one from Bioshock that lets you set up electric tripwires. While the crossbow is the most commonly used variation of this type of weapon, but I prefer the good old fashion bow and arrow myself. It brings me back to my Turok days.



2.) The Gravity Gun

The Gravity gun, or the zero-point gravity manipulator if you want to get technical, might be the greatest improvisational tool ever conceived for a video game. See it, chuck it. Everything is a weapon: bikes, desks, saw blades, hell, you can even throw your enemies own grenades right back at them! It can also be used for some of the most mind-bending puzzles ever conceived. I’m sorry, what was that? You want me to pick up that can? How about you pick up that can, WITH YOUR F***ING FACE!



1.) Portal Gun

Shoot two portals, step through one and step out the other. It’s a simple concept, but once you get the hang of it, you start to realize the possibilities. Puzzle solving has never been so much fun. Even the most routine challenges, like jumping over a chasm, feel fresh with the Portal gun. But things get really interesting when turrets, boxes and lava get thrown into the mix. Unfortunately, Valve seems to be the only developer who realizes it’s potential. But even though the Portal gun has only been featured in one game, that hasn’t stopped it from becoming an instant classic, and when you can design an award winning game around just one weapon, you know you’ve got something special.