Guns-for-arms is one of the oldest tropes in video games, and for good reason. Having a character give up a manipulator in favor of a stronger weapon they can't be separated from communicates to the player that this game will be about one thing and one thing only: Shooting stuff.

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Even if other playstyles are present, having a weapon always present onscreen and integrated into a character's design demonstrates that the player should always be ready to reach for that fire button and that the character executing their commands will be very, very good at it. Not all weapon-arm users are created equal, however. Some bring more firepower than others, and some make players wonder why they bothered with the gun arm in the first place.

10 E-102 Gamma Is Sweet, But No Powerhouse

e102gamma sonic the hedgehog

Doctor Eggman/Robotnik invented this gunslinging robot enemy from the Sonic franchise, but it turned against him to free the animals he held captive. It was the first robot character to be fully playable in a Sonic game, quite an achievement for a series with a staunch stance on the natural vs. artificial argument.

His origin lies in the fact that the games really needed a character with ranged abilities, but the designers felt it was inappropriate to give Sonic himself a gun. E-102 was a fun inclusion in the Sonic franchise, but he doesn't bring a huge amount of power to the table compared with other arm-gunners.

9 Mul-T Opts For Quantity Over Quality

MULT Risk of rain 2 with fire wisps in the air

One of the first unlockable characters in indie action game sequel Risk of Rain 2, MUL-T is a multipurpose robot that trades raw strength for versatility.

It can swap between different modes with its primary weapon, either a rapid-fire nail gun, a slow-firing rebar launcher, an exploding scrap launcher, or a buzzsaw that inflicts damage and pulls the bot forward. MUL-T is not a battery of pure power, but this little robot can get the job done, no matter what it demands.

8 X-COM's Sectoids Got An Upgrade, But Are Still Cannon Fodder

XCOM sectoids

The sectoids of the X-COM series are grunt enemies in the first game, resembling classic depictions of alien grays or little green men. Even in their first form, these little monsters can pack quite a punch with their arm-mounted weapons.

Things only get more dangerous in X-COM 2 as the sectoids combine with human DNA to create a hybrid creature that is more threatening, more telepathically capable, and more dangerous with its arm-gun. These creatures rank lower on the list in part because they are early to mid-level enemies in the games, and in part because their arm cannons just barely qualify as "guns for arms."

7 Mii Gunner Joins The Battle But Struggles To Keep Up

Smash Bros Mii outfits

This gun-armed character can be almost anything the player imagines, including themselves. One of three Mii fighters available in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the Mii Gunner brings an intense heat and variety to the battle.

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This blank canvas is an opportunity for players to create their own ridiculous arm-blasting fighter and for the developers to include costume versions of characters that can't be full-fledged fighters, including Sans from Undertale, Geno from Super Mario RPG, and Tails from Sonic.

6 Barret Wallace Is A Great Dad With A Great Gun Arm

Barrett Wallace FF7 Remake

This cyber-punk has a Gatling-style gun mounted on his arm which he uses in his battle to save the planet throughout the various installments of the Final Fantasy VII meta-franchise.

In the 2020 remake of this classic Square-Enix RPG, Barret's firepower is rendered in beautiful detail for a whole new generation of gamers and consoles. Barret ascribes to the philosophy that the best defense is a strong offense, and he will bring all the bullets at his fingertips to bear in defending the ones he loves.

5 Clawitzer Can Sink A Ship, No Tech Required

Pokemon Clawitzer

Clawitzer is a Pokémon introduced in the 6th generation games, and it brings some serious natural firepower. Inspired by the pistol shrimp, Clawitzer is capable of firing powerful, compressed cannonballs of water by snapping its claw.

In Pokemon Shield, Clawitzer's Pokedex entry reads "Clawitzer's right arm is a cannon that launches projectiles made of seawater. Shots from a Clawitzer's cannon arm can sink a tanker." Real-life pistol shrimp use their power-claws to stun prey, but Clawitzer has its sights set a lot higher.

4 Super Battle Droids (Republic Commando Version) Can Solo A Squad Of Clones

Star Wars Republic Commando super battle droid

The battle droids of Star Wars are not known for their strength or combat prowess, and in the films the super variant is no different. But in the 2005 game Republic Commando (remastered for Switch and PS4 in 2021), it's a whole different story. These imposing, sinister figures are one of the most challenging droid enemies in the game, requiring teamwork, special equipment, and no small amount of luck to defeat.

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If Delta Squad isn't careful, they can find themselves mowed down by a single one of these walking tanks. They have a few weaknesses that can be exploited to make them easier to take down, but commandos will have to make the attempt under a hail of laser fire.

3 Mega Man Has A Powerful Gun Arm That Is Also Upgradable

Megaman shooting bullets at a snake

The titular android of the Mega Man series, this blue robot wields on his left arm a cannon known as the Mega Buster. The arm-mounted armament that fires colorful blasts of light is enough to dispatch any that might stand in his way.

Possessing both a rapid-fire mode and a chargeable attack that deals more damage, Mega Man's Mega Buster has a variety of upgrades obtainable across all the games he appears in. He uses this to great effect to defeat all manner of other, less-friendly robots. While they pose a threat, they all inevitably fall before the power of the Mega Buster

2 Magmortar Can Annihilate All But The Toughest Metals

Magmortar and Magmar pokemon

Magmortar is the evolved form of Magmar, everyone's favorite fire-duck Pokémon. After evolving Magmortar gives up its hands in favor of cannons capable of launching fireballs over 3,600 degrees Fahrenheit, according to its Diamond and Pearl Pokedex entries.

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It's a wonder any Pokémon can stand up to the insane firepower proffered up by this beast, especially since 3,600 degrees is hot enough to platinum, titanium, and a solid majority of the rest of the periodic table. Whoever thought it was a good idea to hand one of these to a ten-year-old needs to examine their priorities.

1 Fallout's Sentrybots Are A Late-Game Adversary With Even More Powerful Variants

Fallout Sentry Bot with Level Screen

The strongest robots found in the Capital wastelands of Fallout 3, these behemoths are equipped with Gatling lasers, miniguns, rocket launchers, and grenades. They are one of the most difficult enemies to face in the game, and Fallout 4 upped the game with the even more powerful Siege breaker and Annihilator variants.

If the player can deactivate their combat inhibitors, however, these monstrosities can be used to their advantage. Sentrybots represent some of the most powerful characters wielding guns in place of hands, and they demonstrate the heights one can reach when they sacrifice any option but violence.

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