Since 2001 the Halo franchise has consistently delivered an incredible multiplayer experience to its fans. This is a series and a studio that is known for its phenomenal multiplayer balance and map design. Choosing ten of the best maps for adversarial play is a gargantuan task as it involves choosing from some of the best multiplayer landscapes of gaming history. For continuities sake this list will omit Halo Wars maps.
10: Anchor 9 (Halo Reach: Noble Map Pack)
Even though Anchor 9 is new on the scene it is plain to see that it is an instant classic. Aesthetically pleasing, Anchor 9 is set in a UNSC repair station above Reach. It features the utilitarian design of most human structures in the Halo universe. Gameplay-wise, the map is relatively small but has long sight lines across its midsection that keep the combat varied. The symmetrically divided bases provide avenues for shotgun surprises and interesting grenade traps. The outdoor section of Anchor 9 lets players play in low gravity. This allows players to close vertical distances quickly providing a slight advantage to close range weapons. Anchor 9, like the others on this list has a rock solid layout bookended by an interesting gameplay modifier and that indescribable Halo magic.
9: Turf (Halo 2: Maptacular Map Pack)
Speaking of Halo magic, Turf is loaded with it. Halo has always been incredibly immersive and Turf is a map that brings that aspect of Halo single player into multiplayer. Set in the battlefield that was New Mombasa, Turf is littered with the wreckage of war. Remember how cool it was to see the destroyed Scarab for the first time? Turf is a map of medium size that feels small due to its maze like corridors and ambush enabling vertical spaces. Only one section of the map has much open space, and that avenue would always turn into a cluster of death that only an effective sniper could swing to one side. Turf was a success because it felt like a battlefield before the players ever hit the ground and its claustrophobic layout only ratcheted up the tension.
8: The Pit (Halo 3)
It looks sparse, but this UNSC training facility invites inventive play styles. This is one of the largest maps to not have vehicles in the Halo map line up. The Pit is all about Team Slayer. Power weapons spawn in the middle of the map and the race between the teams to them always ends in ferocious confrontation. Grenades or a well timed Needler burst define the battle for the Active Camouflage, Overshield, and Rocket Launcher. There are two Sniper Rifles on the map, one on each teams side. Even then, the two snipers almost immediately engage each other because of the open sight line that divides the map. This power weapon-heavy map usually results in intense seesaw battles that require skill across the spectrum of Halo gameplay.
7: Sidewinder (Halo: Combat Evolved)
Yes, I do know this map was remade in Halo 3 as Avalanche. I also know that Sidewinder was more fun. Sidewinder was the largest map in Halo: Combat Evolved. Essentially shaped like a horseshoe this frost covered map heavily employed vehicles which made it popular at the LAN parties that sparked up around the original Halo. The key to victory in Sidewinder was the pistol, (or is that the key to victory in all of Halo CE?) Teleporting around the map was essential to grab the power weapons that combat the vehicles that other players were sure to employ . Because overpowered or not the pistol did not stand up well to the Scorpion.
6: Hang 'Em High (Halo: Combat Evolved)


Hang 'Em High is the original fan favorite. A medium sized symmetrical map that afforded strategies for every play style. The map is known for its 'tombstones' that dotted the ground level between the three story bases that occupy opposite corners of the map. Snipers can be dominant here because of the extreme advantages the tall bases provide. They have to be wary though because the Rocket Launcher and the Shotgun will make a quick end of them if they stay idle too long. The only place in Hang 'Em High you don't want to be is on the ground, dashing between the tombstones and into the trenches fighting to break out towards one of the power weapon spawns. Hang 'Em High's spirit lived on in Halo 3's Longshore.
5: Standoff (Halo 3: Heroic Map Pack)
Atmosphere, atmosphere, atmosphere: Standoff has it. Set on a missile launch facility on Earth, Standoff has gorgeous and imposing radar towers in the distance. The map is on the bigger side of medium size and it has two bases that have a shallow valley between them. Warthogs are parked invitingly outside the main base and the Spartan Laser and Rocket Launcher aren't a far jog from the base entrance. This mix can lead to a short Warthog drive as the power weapons crash home for the opposing team. The bases themselves are very small and defensible. Effective Shotgun use inside the base can stymie your opponents attempts to steal your flag. Standoff has a great mix of indoor and outdoor combat. It delicately balances the Warthogs on a map of this size and still manages to mix in turrets and sniper play. This variety is what made Standoff such a successful design.
4: Zanzibar (Halo 2)
It was Last Resort in Halo 3, but if you remember the first preview video of this Halo 2 map, then you know exactly why this map is on the list. This is the birthplace of the Assault game type in the Halo franchise. The attacking team starts on the beach with a bomb, some vehicles and a clear objective to drop off the bomb in the enemy base. The raw thrill of trying to take the base as a team helped to define Halo 2 and XBOX Live itself. Zanzibar's enduring design stands as a look into the future as well. In this map and the mode it gave birth to you can see the seeds of Halo: Reach's Invasion mode. Old school Halo players will remember the super jump that allowed you to reach the top of Zanzibar's trademark wheel.
3: Lockout (Halo 2)
This was the map to play in the Halo 2 Rumble Pit. Lockout is an icy Forerunner research station that is anchored in snow drenched mountains. The map is set up in three layers. The top layers are for the snipers in the crowd. The roof of two buildings provide adequate perches but are not very easily defended if attacked from the rear. The bottom levels is where most of the carnage took place. The Shotgun and Energy Sword spawned below and it was always a mad dash to these keys to victory. The tiered structure is the basis of Lockout, and quick access between these tiers allows satisfying ambushes that can turn health or weapon advantages on their head. The element of surprise always kept Lockout fresh. The design was so effective that when the map was ported to Halo 3 (Blackout) the only changes made were aesthetic.
2: Coagulation (Halo 2)
What started in Blood Gulch continued here in Coagulation, was spiritually continued in Halo 3's Valhalla, and concluded in Reach's Hemorrhage. Coagulation is a sandy map set in a long, hilly valley. At either end there are small outposts and in between is the best playground for vehicle combat seen in the Halo series. Everyone loved Big Team Battle here. Ghosts and Warthogs crash into each other while the tanks slowly make their way into the skirmish. Beware the snipers as well, there are coves etched into the sides of the map that provide incredible sightlines for those inclined to long range combat. When it comes to memories in Halo, the many forms of Blood Gulch are the site of some of the best.
1. Reflection (Halo: Reach)


Reflection is a remake of Halo 2's Ivory Tower, the map that gave us SWAT. The reason that Reflection is superior to Ivory Tower is simple: There is no dual wielding to put up with in the Reach variant. Reflection is set in a high rise on Reach. The level has three levels that are connected by an elevator. Each level is home to at least one power weapon, but somehow the action always seems to gravitate towards the top level. Here a platform provides a line of sight over much of the map. It is defensible as there are only three entrances. Two long hallways are on either side of the platform and the elevator stops at the rear of the platform. The length of the hallways creates the opportunities for incredible Sniper Rifle and DMR shots and impressive grenade tosses. Usually, the player or team that controls the top level of Reflection is at the top of the scoreboard at the end of the game.
