Fans of video games probably know these well-known bases right away.
Many times, strongholds or fortresses show up in video games where the player is on a trip. The tall buildings are either bastions that protect the common people or places where heroes can restock their supplies and improve their weapons and gear to move faster on their quests. At times, they pose a big threat that players must defeat by killing their guardians and other residents.
Players remember certain bases in video games with fondness or a bad reputation as they cut and shoot their way to the next level or goal. These video game fortresses are just a few of the many great ones.
Kaer Morhen: The Witcher
Kaer Morhen is the home of The Witchers and the place where they were created. It is one of the most famous bases in The Witcher games and books. The School of the Wolf, where Geralt was a student, used to live in these rooms, and many stories in the world of Witchers talk about how Witchers are trained inside these walls.
In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, players could look around the keep and feel what it was like to be a Witcher-to-be before the Trials. They were even able to use the old teaching tools to help Ciri improve her skills.
Stormveil Castle: Elden Ring
Stormveil Castle is one of the first boss areas in Elder Ring. It’s a good place for brave Tarnished to test their mettle against Godrick the Grafted, who is one of the first shardbearers that can be found and killed.
Stormveil Castle really is a castle. It is full of troops and areas that have been guarded to stop any foolish Tarnished from getting through. There is also Margit, the Fell Omen, inside. She is the first mini-boss in the game and will check your skills.
Dr. Wily’s Castle: Mega Man
Dr. Wily’s Castle is a famous prison for bad guys in the Mega Man games. It’s also called Wily Fortress, Skull Castle, Wily Stages, and Wily Tower. Dr. Wily’s Castle is basically a mad scientist’s lab. It is home to the crazy doctor’s robot servants and other mechanized troops that are designed to do what their egotistical creator commands.
In most games, Mega Man beats the Robot Masters the first time and then fights them again in Dr. Wily’s Castle. After beating them again, you’ll face Dr. Wily, who is usually in one of his huge machines for the final fight.
The Phalanx: Warhammer 40k
There is a lot of amazing battle-ready machinery in the Warhammer 40k games that, based on the factions that are fighting, can wipe out armies. According to the Battlefleet Gothic Armada 2 game, the Phalanx is the biggest spaceship that people have ever built. It was first seen in the Imperial Fists Space Marine Chapter.
As big as a small moon, the Phalanx holds the Strike Cruisers, Thunderhawk Gunships, and other imperial shuttles of the Imperial Fists. These can be sent out at any time to put down any revolt that is stupid enough to go against the Emperor’s will. When rebels see this mace head floating in space and covering other stars’ light, they know they are in big trouble.
The Tower: Destiny
The Tower is where the Vanguards’ main office is in the Destiny games. It’s right in the middle of the Last City’s walls. The Tower is back in Destiny 2 after being destroyed in the first game.
In Doodle Baseball, The Tower continues to be the Guardians’ main base of operations even after it has been built. In The Tower, Guardians can talk to vendors, get orders from the Vanguards, upgrade their gear, and get rewards that will make their weapons even better.
Shadow Moses: Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gear Solid was a big influence on current stealth games because it had tense gameplay. Players took on the role of Solid Snake and had to sneak into Shadow Moses Island, which was home to Metal Gear Rex’s weapons development complex.
Shade of black Moses Island is famous for the many places where Solid Snake had to sneak. Genome Soldiers patrol the snowy first area, and searchlights will alert the whole base if they see Snake. Other parts of the base were used for memorable boss fights against Sniper Wolf, Vulcan Raven, and Revolver Ocelot. This military base showed what it was like to be a special operations agent whose chances were against him.
Orgrimmar & Stormwind Keep: World Of Warcraft
Orgrimmar and Stormwind Keep in World of Warcraft should be on the list of famous fortresses. Orcs and Humans have been at odds with each other since the first Warcraft game, so the Horde and Alliance are seen as the most powerful of the two groups.
Stormwind Keep is the capital city of the Alliance. Orgrimmar is the main city of the Orcs and the Horde. It’s kind of like a hub for Horde and Alliance players, and they can go straight to their capital towns. Once players get to either city, there are places to help them improve their weapons and armor, places to buy things and sell their loot, and task hubs.
Bowser’s Castle: Super Mario
This fortress, which is also called Bowser Castle, is where Bowser runs his business. Bowser’s Castle has been in a lot of different versions of the Super Mario series, but in most of them, it’s always the last stage Mario has to beat and is usually in a dangerous place, like a volcano with fire all around it.
It is at Bowser’s Castle that he calls on his Koopa Troopas and sends them to different parts of the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario faces a lot of traps and Bowser’s minions once he gets into Bowser’s Castle. Once you get through them, you’ll face Bowser for the last time.
Hyrule Castle: The Legend Of Zelda
In the Legend of Zelda series, Hyrule Castle is home to the king or queen of Hyrule. Since its first appearance in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, the house with the same name has been changed a lot. Ganon’s forces are always attacking Hyrule Castle in most games, and Link has to hack and slash his way out of there to save Zelda and the Kingdom of Hyrule.
In most games, once Link beats Ganon in the final battle, all the damage Ganon did is undone, and the Hyrule Kingdom, including Hyrule Castle, is back to how it was before.
Dracula’s Castle: Castlevania
Castlevania‘s Dracula’s Castle is one of the most famous fortresses of a bad guy in video games. Most gamers know what it looks like: the rough, floating towers, the thin bridges that link to the main hall, and the gothic architecture that screams “evil villain lair” and represents Dracula’s power and control.
People who played Castlevania: Symphony of the Night could see and explore Dracula’s Castle in all its dark glory. The dark and cramped keep was both dangerous and exciting for vampire hunters. There were dungeons, hallways, and rooms full of monsters that seemed to go on forever, as well as Dracula’s throne room, where he sits calmly while drinking from a blood-filled wine glass.