The game that changed console shooters forever. The X-Factor Xbox needed, and arguably the greatest shooter franchise of all time. Halo has long been a staple in the gaming community. From the incredible campaigns to the fantastic Xbox Live matches and ranking system to the legendary Halo MLG events, Halo proved it was here to stay.
Being a constant factor through each Xbox Generation has led to many different Halo maps, and like everything else in the world, preferences were made by gamers worldwide. From the remasters to the originals, this list will look at the ten greatest Halo multiplayer maps of all time.
10 Exile
A crash landing, various trenches, and a plethora of vehicles made Exile an absolute standout from Halo 4. Warthogs, both Gauss and original, ghosts, mongooses, and scorpions made this map an absolute firefight.
A visually beautiful map, Exile was home to a series of caves as well. This helped give diversity to the map and different playing options as well. If the player found themselves being repeatedly killed in the middle tower, there was always a way around it.
9 Sanctuary
This was a circular arena that left players no choice but to fight. Sanctuary being a rounded map meant the player was never safe from all angles.
Each direction the player went, there is a counter position that could stymie an advance of even four players. One of the greatest slayer maps of all time, it was renamed to Shrine in Halo 2.
8 Ivory Tower
Palm trees and killing sprees have never looked better than on Ivory Tower. This level featured many different ways to travel the map, creating surprise encounters and flank opportunities all around.
The energy sword alone on this map made for some serious chaos. Add in a rocket launcher, an overshield, and plenty of other weapons in neutral spots and it makes for some fantastic power weapon fights.
7 Hang Em High
Something about Hang Em High was different, as the natural cover blocks and the differences in elevation made for very unexpected gameplay. The absolute joy of pistol fights on this map from low ground to the high ground was incredibly exciting.
Throw in a rocket launcher and sniper rifle relatively close to each other, and the weapon spawn walkway became a slab of carnage. This map also goes by the name Tombstone.
6 The Pit
UNSC Training Facility B, also known as The Pit, was introduced in Halo 3. One of the largest maps in Halo history, The Pit gave players many options in combat. Two bases of different sizes are on opposite sides of the map, with multiple lanes to the other side. Each one of these lanes has its own chokepoints, weapons, and advantages.
The energy sword was found in an elevated squared hallway, yet players can also choose to go underneath this location, where an overshield can be found. The same can be said about the opposite lane called the Rocket Hall or Long Hall in MLG. A rocket launcher was available here, but players could abandon that path and instead go the Green Box route, get active camo, and make a flank. The options made this map one of the greatest in Halo history, and one of the most strategic MLG maps of all time.
5 Ascension
Between snipers and the banshee, Ascension was the source of many rage quits. With two sniper rifles on the map, players over time started developing hidden sniping locations that were hard to reach and quickly made Ascension one of the maps with a bigger skill gap.
From the super bounces to the banshee ride for the middle of the tall tower, this map was a Halo lover's dream—as long as you knew the secrets of the map, that is.
4 Zanzibar
Zanzibar was brought to life during Halo 2 but was mastered as Last Resort in Halo 3. One of the bigger maps in the Halo scene, Zanzibar, Last Resort, or Stonetown really felt like a full-scale battle. With vehicles on both the shore and the defending base, it led to swift clashes that really felt like the player was storming a base, or defending an oncoming attack.
The active Wind Wheel found in the center of the map gave players the ability to change levels quickly, and the rock hallway close to the shore created some great sniping locations. Zanzibar is great for all game modes but excels in Big Team Battle.
3 Lockout
Lockout was simply three levels of action. One of the smaller maps in the Halo universe, this map was used for many different custom game types. Each location had a counter location; for example, the sniper tower had a lift up to it, yet players could choose to go below the surface level to avoid being sniped.
This map is so small, however, that the sniper wasn’t even that dominate. The battle rifle reigned supreme and this was Halo at its finest. Many pro players state this as their favorite map of all time.
2 Battle Creek
Many will know this map as Beaver Creek, as it is a map that has been through multiple Halo games with changes made, but the core elements have stayed the same. A small river separates Red base from Blue base, yet the entire playing field is quite tiny. There is no hiding from the non-stop running and gunning in this map.
The original Battle Creek spawned a Rocket Launcher on a small mountain pass above the water, and this launcher could make or break your team. Find yourself on the wrong side of it and the match might end quickly. Find yourself with it, and you’re almost guaranteed double-digit kills.
This was followed up in Halo 2’s Beaver Creek with the addition of the shotgun to the map. The shotgun on this map was a pure game-changer, with more rounds than the rocket launcher and the tight quarters and overall small size leading to some serious killing sprees. Many legendary MLG matches took place at this Creek, and it will forever be a symbol of Halo's fantastic multiplayer.
1 Blood Gulch
While this map has many different names such as Coagulation, Hemorrhage, or Bloodline, all Halo players know the layout of this map. Blood Gulch was first featured in Halo: Combat Evolved and has been a constant in the Halo community since. Who can forget the two bases on opposite sides of each other and the larger-than-life rock canyons that kept players confined in this killing field?
From vehicular combat, to the teleportation locations, to the fantastic sniping locations, Blood Gulch was and has stayed the best Halo map of all time. For many people, this was their first encounter with Halo, and it also played a major role in the classic series Red vs Blue.