Top 10 Greatest Pistols In Video Games

“Perfect Dark” (2000)



RARE certainly had a knack for making crazy cool and unique weapons, and the Phoenix is no exception. Developed by the Maians, this alien pistol features both a regular shot, and a secondary fire that packs quite the punch - capable of shooting explosive rounds at enemies, so for those agents that prefer a more destructive approach, the Phoenix delivers. With a surprising large splash radius for the explosive rounds, being a crack shot isn’t required. And if you want to make this sci-fi sidearm even more destructive, all you have to do is dual-wield it!

“Dead Space” Series (2008-13)

While not a handgun in the traditional sense, the Plasma Cutter is both an engineer’s and fan’s favorite in the Dead Space series. The first weapon you acquire, the Plasma Cutter is arguably one of the best weapons in the game despite it’s small size. Capable of dealing large damage and with it’s ability to shoot horizontal and vertical, it’s highly accurate at dismembering those pesky Necromorphs. Make sure to take one of these with you when The Convergence begins, unless you want to be a part of it.

“Mass Effect 3” (2012)

Who needs a grenade launcher, when you have the Scorpion? While originally only made for Salarians, the heavy pistol has become available for the entire galaxy. Essentially, the Scorpion fires balls that, when they hit an enemy or an object, adhere to them, exploding within a couple seconds after impact. If that wasn’t enough, shooting the ground will create proximity mines, allowing you to create traps as well. A multi-purpose gun all in the confines of a pistol, it offers both a strategic and fun means of combat. I mean come on, who doesn’t like explosions?

“Call of Duty” Series (2003-)

An Alien Invader gun this is not, but the Ray Gun is an exceptional zombie killing machine. Every CoD Zombies player remembers getting their first Ray Gun from the magical Mystery Box, and blasting all those Nazi Zombies out of their way. With a surprisingly large clip, amount of ammo, and a splash effect, this little handgun is a force to be reckoned with. The gun has seen different iterations throughout the series, but the classic Mark 1 is still beloved. Purveyors of element 115 beware, the Ray Gun will demolish your forces, and can only grow stronger thanks to the Pack-A-Punch machine.

“Duck Hunt” (1985)

Every kid wanted this cool peripheral for their NES. An toy gun for home consoles, it was unheard of at the time! While it wasn’t the most accurate thing, it was so cool to be able to shoot enemies on your TV at home. Made most notably through the game Duck Hunt, the player had to shoot ducks as they appeared on the screen, while your dog would collect their bodies for you ...kind of gruesome when you think about it. Though we’ll never forget our aggravations from missing those ducks and having the dog laugh at us… many times was that pistol aimed at that dog’s head.

“Devil May Cry” Series (2001-)

Most pistols are used for taking down human beings, but Ebony and Ivory are two beautiful demon killing machines. Dante’s signature weapons along with Rebellion, Ebony and Ivory pummel infinite amounts of bullets into the demon hordes. What they lack in damage, they make up for with their range, giving our spectacle fighter the chance to maintain our combos and keep up consistent damage on the denizens of Hell. And if that wasn’t enough you can always fire them in the devil trigger mode for extra fire power.

“Titanfall” Series (2014-)

Are you having a difficult time pulling off kills with your handgun? Then perhaps this is the gun for you. Whether it’s the MK5 or the MK6, this handy little sidearm links up to Pilots’ HUDs, locking onto other nearby pilots heads and chests, allowing for perfectly precise shots. While it does take a second or two to lock on, the Smart Pistol never misses its mark. So next time you call out another player for using aimbot, make sure you check what gun they’re using, it could just be you were caught in the crosshair of the wrong gun.

“Counter-Strike” Series (2000-)

Also known to many as the “Deagle” the Desert Eagle is a powerful magnum capable of dealing massive damage to Terrorists and Counter Terrorists alike. Sporting high damage capable of dealing one-hit kill headshots regardless of armor, a long range, and a low buy-in, it’s no wonder the Desert Eagle has become a fan favorite of many Counter-Strike players. Now if only we could figure out how the bullet spread works, but knowing Valve, it’ll probably be always be shrouded in mystery.

“GoldenEye 007” (1997)



Nearly every FPS gamer knows of this legend amongst legends. Featured in other 007 video games and found in several pop culture references, the Golden Gun is a signature video game weapon in its own right. What makes this gun so iconic isn’t just its choice in colors, but its one-shot capability. Able to take any player and nearly any NPC down in one shot, it became a fun addition to the multiplayer in Goldeneye. Of course it wasn’t just as easy as pointing and shooting - only carrying one bullet in the chamber at a time, you needed to make sure you had your target in your sights.

“Halo” series (2001-)

What could be better than a gun made of gold? Try a pistol with the accuracy and range of a sniper rifle. While the M6D has seen many different iterations throughout the series, it has typically remained a powerful and highly accurate pistol. Most notably is the Combat Evolved iteration, where players would even forego the sniper rifle in favor of this little piece of equipment. Something that both The Covenant and Spartans still fear today, it’s a wonder why The Forerunners didn’t just use this to take out the Flood instead.