Although video games don’t mind going into space, the moon can be difficult for some to manage. Because of its lackluster environment, lower gravity, and cratered landscape, the moon can be quite different from other settings that you have digitized. Some games make the moon an important part of their story. Aliens are a common addition to games. Others add advanced moon bases and ancient ruins to provide something other than dust and debris.
It is believed that the moon was created from Earth mantle, which was ejected from a collision with another object in the solar system. It hovers above us almost every night and on some days. It’s no surprise that we have written numerous stories about it in fiction.
10/10 Destiny
Although Destiny is not without its faults, the shooting mechanics are tight. Everything was designed to keep players interested and make them want to pay more for the next expansion. Destiny’s broken Moon setting helped a lot.
The Moon is littered with ruins from humanity’s expansion into the solar system. It has a lot of stuff coming out of its interior, and it’s cracked open. The game itself has one of the main enemies — The Hive — buried deep in the Moon and the level design is unnerving and creepy. The Moon makes the game even more enjoyable, and Destiny 2 also made it a point to visit the moon.
9/10 Super Mario Odyssey
While Super Mario Odyssey drifted away from its Galaxy roots that dominated the Wii era, it still didn’t shy away from the Moon. Many heralded Odyssey’s return to a more Mario 64-style of play, with an incredible amount of collectibles and playthroughs to be had.
The moon stage is definitely one of the unique worlds you come across but instead of making one small step for mankind you’re doing leaps, bounds and flips.
8/10 Ducktales
Ducktales is a NES classic that many people love, despite the fact licensed games are often of poor quality. Ducktales featured a Moon level that could be used in conjunction with settings such as Transylvania or The Himalayas. The stage music for this level, known as “Moon Stage Theme”, is widely heralded and has been remixed many times by fans. You simply can’t beat pogo-sticking around the moon.
7/10 Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
Perhaps one of the most underrated Call of Duty’s made, Infinite Warfare was truly a step forward in both scope and focus. You felt like you were fighting the SDF forces as the campaign stretched across a solar system.
Space combat was unique and powerful. The game is set on several bodies in our solar system, including the “Operation Port Armor” level which sees you fight through a lunar station.
6/10 Command And Conquer 2: Yuri’s Revenge
You want to be a Soviet soldier? What about the moon? Fight against madmen? Command and Conquer Red Alert 2 is here because of this. In its expansion, Yuri’s Revenge, you’re tasked with taking down Yuri’s secret lunar base in the Sea of Tranquility.
Instead of infantry you can now use Cosmonauts equipped with jetpacks, laser beams, and jetpacks. Naturally, they’re expensive and fairly weak, since you know, it’s space and space doesn’t like humans. When the Cosmonauts pass away in game, you hear “Can’t… breathe.”
5/10 Wolfenstein: The New Order
Wolfenstein: The New Order delivers a thrilling FPS experience that pays homage its genre-defining roots. The New Order does even more than the original: it creates an alternate history of Nazi Germany winning World War 2.
The nightmare scenario is filled with details that show how history has changed. For example, it was Germany that landed on Moon, and not the United States. BJ Blaskowitz sneaks on a lunar transport, and we’re given one of the most iconic levels in the game where you have to deal with different gravity and space suit combat.
4/10 Mass Effect
After you have reached Level 20, the Rogue VI mission in RPG classic Mass Effect will be triggered. In the Mass Effect universe, Luna, also known as the Moon, was mined for materials which were used to build two dozen space stations at Earth’s Lagrange points.
You’ll be spending this mission taking on drones as a rogue VI has taking over an Alliance training ground. Mass Effect is a great game. Its galaxy-spanning setting, however, is just one of many. People will often play this mission on the moon as soon as possible.
3/10 Duke Nukem 3D
Duke Nukem 3D features a second episode that is located in Outer Space, and on the Moon. You have to appreciate the game’s visuals and the ability of its designers to create space levels in the Build engine for a 1996 game.
Duke fashion, the episode includes Luke Skywalker’s corpse as well as a movie where the moon landing is faked. Considering other shooters were putting you down just dark hallways at the time, Duke’s designers attempt to do completely different settings was much appreciated.
2/10 Lunar Lander
What 80s kid didn’t play Lunar Lander? Better yet, what kid didn’t crash while playing Lunar Lander? The 1979 vector graphics game was immensely popular. It was based around the problem Apollo astronauts encountered landing their spacecraft on a lunar surface with peaks, valleys, and boulders.
So this isn’t as graphically impressive as the other games on this list, but it still is an absolute blast to say “The Eagle Has Landed” once you finally stick the thing on the ground.
1/10 Kerbal Space Program
It’s not our moon, but the aliens’, known as Kerbals, moon, but we’re still going to count it since KSP is the quintessential space flight simulation game. After hours of gameplay and much trial and error, many Kerbals may have perished, you can finally reach Mun (the Kerbal equivalent for Moon in Kerbal).
In true KSP fashion, however, you’ll want to design a spacecraft that can leave the surface and get back to the Kerbal home planet — otherwise, they’ll become a permanent monument to your simulated space program.