Top 10 Lists : The Top 10 Swords In Video Games

We’ll start the list off with a sword that breaks all conventions of what a traditional sword is. The Z-Saber is akin to a lightsaber from Star Wars (which could have made this list as well, except that it originated in a movie), in which a beam of energy acts as the blade, smoothly cutting through anything in its path like butter. Zero first showed off the Z-Saber in Mega Man X2 when he was revived, although it wasn’t until Mega Man X3 that players got to actually use the epic blade (albeit for only short periods of a time and only after fully charging up his Z-Buster), and Mega Man X4 that the Z-Saber became Zero’s primary weapon for the remainder of the X series and the Zero series.

Wow, what do you say about this one? The Holy Win was a two-handed sword that had six blades in one, that you first see used by the final boss of the game. I remember getting up to the simply epic climax of the game, seeing the antagonist ascend to godhood and carrying this badass sword. I was absolutely awestruck. Then I found out you could actually get one of your own on subsequent plays by being lucky enough to have one drop from the insanely tough Last Crusader enemy in the game’s ridiculously hard secret dungeon, the Iron Maiden. It took me hours to get one, but the reward was definitely worth it.

The Halo series is home to some phenomenal weapons, which is just one reason it is hailed as one of the best FPS series of all time. The series’ multiplayer mode is simply the icing on the cake. While most Halo players will prefer the Sniper Rifle, the Rocket Launcher or the Spartan Laser, I’ve always been a fan of stalking my prey before silently slicing them up with the Energy Sword before they know what hit them. If it weren’t for the existence of the Gravity Hammer, this one might have made it a little further up.

Ah, Crystalis, a game that unfortunately many probably haven’t heard of. Back in the good ol’ days, this was about as epic as it got. Part Legend of Zelda and part Final Fantasy, Crystalis was one of the first action RPG hybrids that have become a major staple of the video game world, so it’s natural that an awesome game such as Crystalis would have to have an awesome sword to go with it. And indeed it does. Any of the four other swords in the game could have made claims for this list, but it’s only after combining them that the legendary Sword of Crystalis is created, giving the player the ability to take down the greatest evil a post-apocalyptic world has ever known.

Excalibur – the sword of legends, made famous by the King Arthur tales. Excalibur has been a staple in the Final Fantasy series, appearing in most of the games, usually as one of the top tier swords of the respective game. Final Fantasy IX introduced the world to a force even greater than Excalibur – Excalibur II. This was hands down the strongest weapon in the game (even beating out the inaptly named Ultima Weapon); however, you could look high and low for this sword and never find it. Getting the sword was one of the greatest challenges of all – you had to basically make it to the final boss in under 12 hours; no easy task for a game that spanned four discs. But those who completed the challenge were provided with power beyond measure.

The Soul Edge – a sword with an evil soul and the insatiable thirst for other souls. The sword turns a confused man into the demon knight Nightmare. If that weren’t bad enough, the Soul Edge is manifested as a fiery being known as Inferno, who can copy the fighting style of any warriors it has done battle with in the past. The only way to best it is with the holy sword Soul Calibur (which could have made this list instead, but was beat out on the fact that the Soul Edge created Nightmare).

No, no, not THAT Masamune. The Masamune was a staple of the Final Fantasy series long before it appeared in Chrono Trigger, but it was CT that really made the sword stand out (moreso than a certain silver-haired villain would do two years later). With the Masamune in hand, Frog became a beast that could split mountains, take down sorcerers and destroy alien life force-sucking machines (alright, that one wasn’t Frog, but it was the Masamune… sort of). And when Frog comes face to face with the ghost of his best friend, the Masamune is reenergized, and becomes even better (only to be later relegated to the horrible fate as a swallow called the Mastermune).

Here it is, the sword on this list for mere recognition alone. The Buster Sword is one of the most recognizable swords of all time. With Final Fantasy VII bringing the RPG genre to a larger scale than ever before, the Buster Sword became something of an icon. Unlike its predecessors, Final Fantasy VII was the first game to always have its characters’ weapons viewable while in battle. This gave an extra prominence to this already highly distinguishable blade. On a different note, the Buster Sword always puzzled me as it defies all logic, having roughly the same dimensions as Cloud, yet being even weaker than a wooden bat with nails sticking out of it. I can only assume that the entire sword is made of aluminum foil.

I’m probably going to take some flack from all of the Zelda fans for not putting this one at number one, and to that I’m sorry (it was really close if that makes you feel better). Also known as the sword of evil’s bane, the Master Sword, is a legend in and of itself. It can only be wielded by the legendary hero, Link, and is most often used to destroy the king of evil, Ganon. It is also the key to the sacred realm of the gods, where the Triforce is kept. While it is revered as the most powerful sword in Hyrule, the Master Sword can be powered up in most games. In its first appearance (A Link to the Past), the Master Sword can actually be powered up twice; the first time it can be tempered by Kokkol and his partner, and then again after giving it to the fat fairy (a shame her sister at the Waterfall of Wishing couldn't have just done that when you first got the sword...).

"Darkness sweeps the troubled land, as Mana's power fades... People await a hero who will wield the sword... Excalibur, Herald, Gigas... The blade has had many names, for it has been celebrated in myths and legends throughout time... But all of these speak to just one weapon: The Sword of Mana." Those were the words that opened one of the best Action RPGs of all time, and reading them just made you feel how impressive this blade really was. While it was not particularly spectacular at first in Secret of Mana, after powering it up to full strength it had the power to restore balance to the world. In the other games, the Sword of Mana is the object of desire that the games' villains seek in order to gain ultimate power. A sword that powerful is definitely deserving of the title of "best sword."

Swords have played a part in a countless number of video games. While most are generic or forgettable, there are those that prove to be truly memorable, and that we will forever see as our trusty companions in battle.

List by John41617 (01/22/2010)

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