In most games where you’re fighting or shooting people, it typically takes several hits to take someone down. You may have the occasional one-hit kill weapon, or perhaps they die instantly if you hit them in a certain place, but for the most part, you need to land several blows on your enemies to eliminate them.
That is not the case in every game, though. There are some titles where every attack you land is an instant kill. That sounds very easy, but there is typically a catch of some kind. In most cases, the catch is that the enemies can one-shot you, too. Here are several of the most notable games that enable you to one-hit kill people.
8Ghostrunner
Sword Swinger And Bullet Dodger
InGhostrunner, you play as a highly acrobatic and skilled protagonist armed with a sword. This sword can kill any enemy in one strike. However, all the enemies can kill you in one hit, also.
So, you must jump, slide, zipline, and wall-run your way around the level at lightning speed to dodge attacks while getting close to your foes. Therefore, this is an action game that’s as much about avoiding being hit as it is hitting others.
7Nidhogg
Stab And Run
Nidhogg is a two-player side-scrolling fighting game. You start on the opposite side of the screen to your opponent. Your goal is to get past your opponent and reach the other end of the map. This means sprinting through multiple screens while your enemy tries to do the same in the other direction.
It’s kind of like football, except you’re just trying to get your body to your opponent’s end, not a ball. It also differs from the sport because both of you are armed with a sword, which you can stab with or throw. One hit will kill your opponent, giving you time to run further toward their end before they respawn.
6Divekick
One Dive And One Kick Is All You Need
When it comes tofighting games for beginners, Divekick is perfect, as it only contains two buttons: one to jump up into the air and another to deliver a kick. If your kick lands, it depletes all of your opponent’s health, and you win the round.
The title is a parody of fighting games, but it’s pretty fun. The fact different characters jump to different heights and kick at different speeds means there is a fair amount of variety in what is a very simple game.
5Katana Zero
Stop Bullets In Mid-Air
You play as a fast and deadly samurai in Katana Zero, who has the ability to slow down time. The time-slowing skill is very useful since, at normal speed, things move at a blistering pace in this game.
This is perpetuated by the fact both you and the enemies kill in one hit. Slowing things down gives you a temporary break and the time to slice bullets out of the air, saving your own life in the process.
4Hotline Miami
Fast-Paced And Efficient Murder
Hotline Miami is one ofthe more underrated games in recent memory. It’s set in 1980s Miami, and you play as a silent protagonist who’s eliminating mobsters. In fact, each level tasks you with entering a building and brutally killing everyone there. It’s very gory and action-packed.
Almost all weapons in the game kill in a single hit. However, this also includes the ones they hold. Therefore, you must be careful when you’re participating in your murder spree.
3Bushido Blade
A Pioneer Of One-Shot Fighting Games
Bushido Blade is a PS1 fighting game from the late ’90s. You and your opponent both have one weapon. The first to land a blow wins.
This means there is plenty of parrying and quick stepping in a desperate attempt to stop your opponent from cutting you down. Each character and weapon has various different attributes, meaning some are stronger or faster. This makes them all feel a bit different from one another.
2Superhot
A Strategic Shooter
Superhot is a first-person shooter with a unique mechanic: time only moves when you do. Therefore, when you stop still, so do the enemies and their bullets.
This is good because those bullets will kill you in one hit, but the same can be said of yours. So, you must use your time-slowing ability to move around the room, killing enemies and avoiding being hit. You successfully complete a level when all hostiles are eliminated.
1Devil May Cry Series (Heaven Or Hell Mode)
A Special Mode For A Special Series
The Devil May Cry games don’t let you kill enemies in one hit in their standard mode. Yet, if you play on the Heaven or Hell difficulty, things change. Both you and the enemies are suddenly capable of killing in one shot, making it one of themost unusual difficulty settings.
It’s a wild game to include this sort of mode, as the combat isn’t really designed for it. After all, the game is designed for you to unleash fast and stylish combos. So, it completely changes the way you have to play.
