Tired of that search for the ultimate weapon? Bored of looking for the rarest of the rare? Several games include hidden weapons in their arsenals that only appear after meeting certain requirements. These requirements can be as direct as completing a quest, as is the case with the Wabbajack from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, or they may require the player to jump through a series of hoops, such as with Biggoro’s Sword in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. This list contains some of the rarest weapons in games, and while it may not be the answer to all your prayers, it is a step in the right direction.
Experimental MIRV (Fallout 3)
Somewhere along their journeys in Fallout 3, players will stumble across one of the many Keller Family Transcripts. These seemingly trivial audio logs are randomly hidden throughout the Capital Wasteland.
Their purpose is to provide subtle hints and clues that direct you to the most powerful weapon found in the game, hidden within the National Guard depot. Inside you must navigate through a labyrinth to reach the room containing the Experimental MIRV. This device is the work of mad scientists from before the war and is capable of launching eight mini-nukes with ease. Blissful overkill will decimate any troublesome mutants that have the misfortune of crossing your path.
Although it isn’t the easiest weapon to find (and the drain on the rare ammo is somewhat daunting) the feeling of using it for that first fight makes the entire exercise worthwhile.
Unlabored Flawlessness (Ninja Gaiden)
This badass weapon with a cool name to match, Unlabored Flawlessness, is hidden in plain sight withing the generally useless wooden sword, so most players never find it. It is difficult for players to understand why they should invest all of their resources to upgrade such an item, seeing as how it never seems to make any difference. For a game that is incredibly hard to begin with, few people would be crazy enough to invest in an items that asks so much and seemingly gives back nothing in return.
For the rare few that do commit to upgrading the blade to the resource-draining maximum level, it morphs into the wooden paddle known as Unlabored Flawlessness, a weapon that — in the right hands — is potentially the strongest weapon in the entire game.
Mr. Toots (Red Faction: Armageddon)
Some games present additional weapons, armor or quests during either a more difficult New Game+ or ++ mode. Red Faction: Armageddon stands apart as the only game known to include a weapon in the form of a stuffed unicorn that farts rainbows.
Presenting Mr. Toots, the mad dream of an insane designer that only reveals itself after players beat the game at least once. The weapon hides behind a series of walls and killer chasms that could just as easily have been an evil prank or reference to everyone’s favorite archaeology professor. Not only is it possibly the most imaginative weapon ever featured in a game, but the magical flatulence-showering rainbows are the most powerful projectiles in the entire Red Faction franchise.
Hand Cannon (Dead Space 2)
Okay, stop me if you remember this one. You used to pretend your middle and index fingers were the barrel of a gun, and pretend to shoot things. No? Then here’s your chance.
Most people find it hard enough trying to fight through the hordes of zombie monsters in the Dead Space 2 campaign, let alone the horror of a second round on the aptly named hardcore mode. If you manage to make it through all this, the award is the most powerful weapon in the entire brainwashed galaxy: a foam finger known simply as the Hand Cannon.
The icing on the cake are the ‘Bang’ and ‘Pew Pew’ sounds that occur when you fire the foam finger at the slavering hordes of one of the darkest and most terrifying games ever to plague the gaming world. Even if it does make you feel slightly ridiculous, one blast from the Hand Cannon is capable of destroying most regular enemies.
As an added bonus, it also has unlimited ammunition and can fire as fast as you can squeeze your trigger. The Hand Cannon is the perfect companion for the post-apocalyptic hardcore playthrough.
Drake Sword (Dark Souls)
Mmm, Dark Souls. I’ve watched my brother hate himself, the television, the Xbox, the cat, his bed, the light and my stupid face for enough hours to realize exactly how hard this game can be on any person’s sanity. Maybe I should’ve told him about the Drake Sword.
There’s an entire series of weapons in this game that can be obtained by cutting off the tails from various bosses. The Drake Sword is the first one that can be acquired and the least likely to be discovered without prior knowledge, as the dragon it happens to come from is capable of using you as a toothpick.
As with many bosses in video games, there is a way of skirting the system and getting yourself an equalizing advantage. In this case, channel your inner Legolas and shoot several dozen arrows into the dragon’s tail from a safe distance just below the bridge where it is nesting.
This game may be capable of destroying your soul and enjoy itself whilst doing so, but the Drake Sword is the best way of evening up the odds from the early onset.
Excalibur II (Final Fantasy IX)
Who here hates themselves? You? Good. Find a copy of Final Fantasy IX and we can get to work. Although almost every game in the series has a hidden item somewhere, Excalibur II is possibly the most obscure of the bunch. To find the weapon, you have to travel all the way to the end dungeon and interact with one of the unassuming pillars there to be magically presented with the legendary blade.
Oh, and you have to get through the game in only 12 hours. Did I mention that most playthroughs can easily take upwards of 50 hours? To get the blade, some people have resorted to a creative glitch that relies on ejecting the disc at just the right time. Since even speedrunners shy away from the challenge of obtaining Excalibur II, it’s easy to see why.
The Scarab Gun (Halo 2)
I can personally attest to both the power of this gun and the amount of time it takes to actually get it. Several sunny hours were utterly wasted when I decided to take a crack at the mythical Scarab Gun. It is impossible to easily explain the dramatically high levels of difficulty involved in obtaining the gun, but check out one of the many methods listed in the Halo Nation wiki to see what I mean. This weapon is rage-inducing if you try to find it, hidden to the point of hatred and the time spent trying to obtain it is possibly the most harrowing experience that any gamer could have the misfortune of living through.
After you do make it through the many challenges and obstacles in your way, all you have to do is pick up an average-looking Plasma Rifle, which just so happens to have unlimited, continuous rapid fire, never overheats, and causes immense splash damage. Enjoy the wanton destruction caused by your hideously overpowered weapon that will last you all of the next three minutes required to finish the Metropolis level.