Power ups in video games always add another layer of fun. It further immerses players to the power fantasy the game provides. There is something satisfying whenever a player discovers a powerful item or weapon that enables them to lay waste against enemies that initially were deadly hazards.
As years go by, so do the types of power ups in games evolve: from temporary movement boosts, invulnerability, to weapon pickups and ability or skill unlocks, getting these make games easier to play. But which ones are the best? Here are some of the best power ups in video games.
10 Super Star: Super Mario Series
The Super Mario series is no stranger when it comes to power ups. From the Big Mushroom, Fire Flower, and the Cape Feather, the plucky plumber has tons of power ups that give him the advantage against Bowser’s Koopas.
There’s a ton of power ups in Mario’s disposal, but the Super Star has to top the list. It gives Mario invulnerability for a duration, and any enemy he runs through will be knocked out. Add to that, the music changes during the Super Star buff: the quick tune is iconic and makes players want to bum rush all the enemies.
9 Spread Gun: Contra Series
Contra is an iconic game that popularized the side-scrolling run-and-gun platformers during the late 80s. Players control Bill or Lance and try to avoid all manner of bullets and projectiles being shot by enemy soldiers. To turn the tide, both commandos can pick up a number of weapon power ups such as the Machine Gun or Laser.
But when it comes to the best weapon power up, the Spread Gun has to be number one. Spread Gun shoots three bullets that disperses in a cone where the player is aiming. This effectively covers most angles and gives players higher chances of hitting enemies while they are running or jumping around the map.
8 Screw Attack: Metroid Series
There are plenty of dangers facing Samus in the Metroid series, and while she can rely on her Arm Cannon and Power Suit to survive, eliminate, and secure the space bounties, there is one power up that makes her even more deadly: the Screw Attack.
Once acquired, this upgrade bolsters Samus’ Power Suit, allowing it to emit energy waves that envelope her armor as she does a spinning jump in the air. This energy effectively makes her a whirling ball of energy, rendering her invulnerable for the duration of the move. Enemies unfortunate enough to get grazed by Samus’ Screw Attack are instantly obliterated.
7 Aku Aku: Crash Bandicoot Series
Power ups that give invulnerability is always a welcome addition to any game, much more so in platforming titles such as Crash Bandicoot. There are all manner of hazards that await the zany marsupial, and if they manage to hit Crash, it’s one less life for him.
Getting Aku Aku in the game is essential: the mask gives Crash one instance of invulnerability whenever he acquires one Aku Aku mask. Aku Aku becomes golden when two masks are retrieved, and it gives two instances of invulnerability. But if Crash manages to get three masks, he wears Aku Aku, and he gains temporary invulnerability, allowing him to plow through enemies, some traps, and crates without any worry.
6 Dragon Shout: Skyrim
As the much-touted Dragonborn, players start their journey in Skyrim as a nobody. However, as they explore the open world, eventually they will encounter a dragon: killing it will have them absorb the dragon’s soul, giving them access to the signature Dragon Shout move.
What makes this a power up is that there are dozens of different Dragon Shouts a player can learn. Apart from a tremendous force that can blow away enemies, players can acquire Shouts that allow them to sense life forces in dungeons, disarm enemy weapons, and call forth dragons and ethereal warriors to aid them in battle.
5 Smash Ball: Super Smash Brothers Series
Fighting games seem to be an odd genre to have a power up, since developers often conduct tons of tweaks and adjustments to make sure each character is balanced. But Super Smash Brothers is a more accessible fighting game that provides players with various weapons during matches that they can use to gain advantage.
The Smash Ball is a power up that appears on the stage during a match. Every player can acquire this power up, but they need to hit it until they break it. The player who did the most damage will attain the Smash Ball and gain a Final Smash: a super move that is unique to each character. This super move can be unleashed any time the player wishes, and this attack is generally unblockable and deals massive damage to other players on the stage.
4 BFG: Doom Series
The Doom series arguably pioneered the first-person shooter genre, and its assortment of weapons gives players all they need to take out demons with reckless abandon. But as players get deeper in the game, the levels and enemies become tougher to take down: this call for the ultimate weapon.
Topping the list of the game’s strongest weapons is the BFG. This mammoth of a gun shoots powerful green plasma all over the immediate vicinity, incinerating most enemies caught in the crossfire. Players who manage to pick this weapon up instantly become even more of a death machine that can easily clear any cyberdemons in the room.
3 Killstreak Rewards: Call Of Duty Series
Apart from different rifles and other armaments, the Call of Duty games gave players additional incentives to rack up kills during their multiplayer matches. These are the Killstreak rewards: various augments that give significant advantage to players who activate them as well as their team.
Such rewards include calling a UAV to give the player’s team a mini-map that can locate enemies, supply drops, air support, and even a tactical nuke. Having these rewards unlockable only when players reach a certain number of kills without dying greatly incentivizes them to perform well during matches.
2 Spartan Rage: God Of War (2018) & God Of War: Ragnarok
Kratos is a more than capable fighter even in his more mellow state in the recent games, but even a god like him needs some help, especially when facing formidable foes. In cases where he needs that little bit of assistance, he can activate his Spartan Rage.
Spartan Rage grants Kratos invulnerability for a short duration. While activated, Kratos gains access to a different set of bare knuckle attacks that heal him whenever he hits enemies. This proves pivotal during boss fights especially during moments when he is at the brink of death.
1 Power Pellet: Pac-Man Series
When it comes to iconic power ups in video games, Pac-Man’s Power Pellet has to be on the top of the list. These special pellets give Pac-Man the much-needed boost whenever the ghosts are in hot pursuit.
Power Pellets are littered across the map, and players have to take note where the quickest route is to get to one especially when the ghosts start to block off pathways. Eating a Power Pellet gives players the immediate power fantasy since it allows Pac-Man to eat the ghosts for a short duration. This provides him more time to consume the other pellets on the map and be that much closer to completing the level.