There is no denying that Call of Duty is the most popular FPS franchise in gaming history. For the past two decades, they have dominated the market with annual releases. With each new entry in the franchise bringing a dozen or more new maps with it, the list of memorable ones has grown substantially since the franchise's inception. However, there are only a select few of them that go down in history as the best Call of Duty Maps of all time.
Top 10 Best Call of Duty Maps
10. The Pines (Black Ops Cold War)
The Pines, a 1980's mall that pays homage to Back to the Future, was a late addition to Black Ops Cold War. However, it found a way to stand out as one of the most memorable maps in the game. Fighting through the stores and hallways of a mall in its prime is a special experience in its own right, but this map's many corridors all driving players to a confrontation at the fountain in the middle of the map was what makes this one so much fun.
9. Shoot House (Modern Warfare 2019)
Modern Warfare 2019 was a controversial title with some players calling it the best game in years, while others criticized it for its small selection of poorly designed maps. Regardless of how you felt, players all seemed to agree that Shoothouse was a classic example of a great Call of Duty map. Its small and simple three-lane setup provided for tons of fast-paced close-quarters action, while also providing a few long sightlines for those who preferred to take it slow and pick off enemies from a range.
8. Highrise (Modern Warfare 2)
Highrise is the map that arguably gave birth to trick shots. This map is set on the roof of a building, with two taller skyscrapers on each side serving as the spawn points. This made the map a Sniper's haven. The crane located off the edge of the building—that players could traverse with some precise parkour—is where Snipers would jump from before doing a 360 and no-scoping someone on the rooftop.
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7. Firing Range (Black Ops)
Firing Range is a perfect example of fitting tons of intricacies into a small package. Firing Range is a pretty small map, but there is a large variety of play that exists within it. There are long sightlines, high perches, close-quarter buildings, and flank routes. All of this with the backdrop of a training yard helps to immerse the player into an almost airsoft-like battle instead of a bloody war.
6. Raid (Black Ops 2)
No one would have guessed that this seemingly normal map would go down as one of Call of Duty's greatest, however, it is easy to see why when playing there. Raid features the typical three-lane setup seen on most great Call of Duty maps. Two outside lanes with long sightlines and easy access to the more claustrophobic middle lane gave this map the perfect ratio of gameplay types that fans love.
5. Crash (Modern Warfare)
Nobody can ever forget that fight for control over the three-story building. This map is a special one as it really is the first sign of Call of Duty moving on from the more large-based maps to more arena-style maps. The map is a prime example of a fast-paced close-quarters arena that is just as highly detailed and intricate as Call of Duty's larger-scale maps.
4. Terminal (Modern Warfare 2)
Terminal is a universal fan favorite, and possibly the most intriguing map in all of Call of Duty. Taking the fight to an Airport terminal provides so many interesting combat situations. You can head out to the tarmac and fight inside of a plane, or you could head inside the terminal and fight in the corridors and in stores. There are long-range sniping spots and tight hallways, providing this map with a huge amount of variety that keeps this map fresh every time you play it.
3. Hijacked (Black Ops 2)
If you didn't find Terminal intriguing enough then you had to be hooked in by Hijacked. The Map is set on a superyacht out in the ocean. It is one of the smallest maps on this list and while it seems like a three-lane map, it really feels more like a single lane map. It features two main buildings on each side of the map and a big open space between them. The various pathways between the three lanes and unrestricted sightlines help to make a game on this map chaotic.
2. Rust (Modern Warfare 2)
Rust is the map known for basically creating 1v1s. Rust's aim was to exist as a small map similar to Modern Warfare's Shipment while also providing a viable 6v6 map option. The central tower adds verticality to the map as well as control. The high ground provided a birds eye view of the entire map, but with virtually no cover. This made it easy for the position to be tossed back and forth between the teams. Rust was also filled with tight crevices for players to hide in and pass through, making this small map feel much bigger than it was.
1. Nuketown (Black Ops)
Nuketown is easily the most iconic map in all of Call of Duty for the simple fact that it has been remade for newer titles countless times. The fun setting and smile map layout make it easy to understand why so many fans love it. The map is pretty much non-stop fast-paced CQB action. However, there are still long-range options like the famous window to window or garage to backyard sniping positions. WIth five iterations of the map so far, it's clear that fans cannot get enough of their favorite suburban cul-de-sac.
So there you have it, those are our picks for the Best Call of Duty Maps of all time. IT will be exciting to see if future Call of Duty games can bring us even more memorable maps, even though it will be hard to dethrone these classics.
For more on Call of Duty, check out Best Call of Duty Games that could come to Xbox Game Pass right here on Pro Game Guides.
Published: Apr 15, 2022 10:25 am