Weapons in video games cover a wide range of materials: swords, bows and arrows, axes — the list goes on. While swords tend to get the most glory, there are so many unique weapons out there for heroes and villains alike to wield. Among the most underrated — yet most powerful — is the hammer.
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While hammers aren’t the first object you think of when you’re looking for a weapon, there are many powerful hammer-wielders in the world of video games. From Sonic’s Amy Rose to Mortal Kombat’s Shao Kahn, you do not want to mess with these hard-hitting characters, or their fearsome hammers.
9 Piko Piko Hammer (Sonic The Hedgehog)
In a world dominated by speedy heroes and robotic foes, the Piko Piko Hammer is a rare, yet useful, weapon in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Primarily wielded by Amy Rose, it resembles an oversized mallet and is usually yellow and red, matching Amy’s standard outfit.
The Piko Piko Hammer has become an iconic part of Amy’s character since its first appearance in Sonic the Fighters, speaking to the pink hedgehog’s hot temper and fierceness. It is about as big as she is, yet Amy wields it gracefully.
8 Rocket Hammer (Overwatch)
One of Overwatch’s most powerful fighters is Reinhardt, the armor-clad Tank who makes an excellent close-range warrior and protector. His signature weapon is the Rocket Hammer, which, as the name suggests, is a hammer equipped with a rocket engine to give it a little extra power.
The Rocket Hammer is a mighty melee weapon with high-damage attacks. Any enemy within a certain radius of its strike gets blown back by the force of its hit. The Rocket Hammer can even send out fiery projectiles with the Fire Strike Ability, making it one of the more versatile hammers.
7 Arcade Hammer (Donkey Kong)
It’s rare to see Mario wield a hammer, but back in his first appearance as Jumpman in the Donkey Kong Arcade game, the hammer was one of his best tools. The hammer allowed “Jumpman” Mario to break barrels rolling to knock him over and press on in rescuing Pauline from Donkey Kong. It is certainly the most iconic hammer in video game history.
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The arcade hammer now appears in the Super Smash Bros. series as one of the battle items. It is one of the most useful items, as it deals high damage with a strong likelihood of KOing your opponents.
6 Hammer Bros. (Super Mario)
Out of all the Koopas, the Hammer Bros. are among the most formidable, other than Bowser himself and the Koopalings. These Super Mario enemies fling small but painful hammers at you, ever since the start of the Super Mario Bros. series.
The Hammer Bros., and their tiny hammers, have appeared as consistent threats throughout the Mario universe. Mario has even gained the power to throw their hammers through the Hammer Suit power-up in a couple of games: Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario Maker 2.
5 Wrath Hammer (Mortal Kombat)
In the fighting game series Mortal Kombat, one of the strongest mauls is the Wrath Hammer. Shao Kahn is the main wielder of this mighty weapon, and the iconic villain is never seen without it. The Wrath Hammer is exceptionally powerful and extremely heavy, requiring increased strength to even lift it.
The Wrath Hammer strikes fear into the hearts of those who must face it, particularly if the weapon is in Shao Kahn’s hands. Because it is used by one of the most fearsome villains in gaming, the Wrath Hammer is one of the most infamous video game weapons out there.
4 Vrscika (Final Fantasy 12)
Final Fantasy 12 includes a huge variety of weapons, but among the most powerful is Vrscika. This hammer is the ultimate Axes & Hammers class weapon and has one of the highest attack powers in the game.
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Vrscika is the upgraded form of the Scorpion Tail hammer and associated with the Scorpio Zodiac sign. The hammer does resemble a scorpion, with a spiky hammer head and a long handle that ends in a point, like a scorpion’s tail. Vrscika costs a lot of materials to get, but the effort is well worth it.
3 Super Sledge (Fallout)
The super sledge is a must-have weapon in Fallout and Fallout 2. While it’s hard to come by, the weapon is the most powerful melee weapon in the games, capable of dealing high damage and pushing back your foes.
There are limited ways to get the super sledge in the first Fallout, but there are more opportunities in Fallout 2 to claim the weapon, depending on random encounters and your reputation. The super sledge, in addition to being a powerful asset, also has a great design. It certainly fits the post-apocalyptic look of the Fallout series.
2 King Dedede’s Hammer (Kirby)
King Dedede, a classic Kirby villain who becomes a pseudo-ally at times, also wields a recognizable hammer. Dedede’s hammer is a giant wooden mallet with a decorative star painted on both ends. It is one of the most iconic weapons of the Kirby series.
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With the hammer, King Dedede is a formidable opponent, able to strike hard and smash through rock with it — which is impressive, considering it is made of wood. In the Super Smash Bros. series, King Dedede’s hammer is even more powerful, equipped with some mechanical upgrades.
1 Warhammer (Kingdom Hearts)
In the Kingdom Hearts series, Donald Duck serves as one of Sora’s primary allies and a powerful magic wielder. One of his weapons is the Warhammer, an alternate staff that resembles a mallet with a very long handle. Its primary function is to channel the spells Donald casts, which makes it a unique form of hammer.
In both Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts 3, the games the Warhammer appears in, it emphasizes strength over magic. While it is not the most powerful of Donald’s staves, its design makes it one of the most uniquely designed.
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