There are some maps in the game that are certainly iconic from all the long and drawn-out battles in payload or death match, and without which the game would definitely suffer. I’m here to share my thoughts on the 20 best maps you can find in Team Fortress 2. These are all so much fun so the only thing you’ll have to worry about which of the 9 classes to opt for.
20. tc_hydro
Here’s a map for the territorial control game mode in which you’ll have to take and hold strategic positions all over the map to get the win. Hydro is a smaller map which means you’ll be up close and personal with the enemy and need to bring your A-game to come out on top. To this day the only official map for the territorial control game mode, hydro is the one to choose when you want to pit your wits against the enemy and battle for supremacy within the confines of this small stage.
19. koth_Lakeside
A king of the hill map, Lakeside has an ancient Egyptian theme to it which gives it an authentic flavor and features – as the title would suggest – a large lake. With accurate to real-life reconstructions of pyramids and hieroglyph-covered walls and pillars in a sandy desert setting, Lakeside provides an interesting background for an all-out war in this fun game mode. The close-quarters combat encouraged by the map layout makes for interesting tactical battles and requires a solid team effort to emerge victorious.
18. koth_viaduct
An interesting take on the popular king of the hill game mode, the viaduct map takes this layout consisting of steep inclines and placing the capture point at the top of hills. You’ll be doing a lot of climbing here. The first official map of the game mode, it seems fitting that the developers chose to make a layout that fits exactly what you would imagine when you think “king of the hill”. It’s a snowy map with many different approaches available to you. And this is one that enables any play style so it’s a good option for individual excellence to shine through.
17. cp_mossrock
An interesting jungle-based map for the attack/defend control point game mode, mossrock has some fantastic features that put it above other maps in the game. Introduced with the Jungle Inferno update to the game, mossrock has plenty of hiding spots for sneaky spies and crafty engineers. But also a fair amount of open space for the marauding heavies and speedy scouts. Death pits and trains are some of the unique features that make this map special and put it high up on this list.
16. mvm_mannhattan
Next is a standout map in the Mann vs machine game mode where you and 5 friends take on a horde of AI bots. Mannhattan bears a striking resemblance to the famous district in New York which makes it a fun level to play. Take on an army of disgruntled robots in the city that never sleeps for a truly enjoyable TF2 experience with friends. The iconic high rise buildings you’ll see in the distance provide a unique backdrop to the action.
15. pass_brickyard
A step away from the typical death match and capture the flag game modes, PASS is all about putting the ball in your opponent’s net. And brickyard is a great urban environment to put your ball skills to the test. It’s an interesting setting for a game of TF2 style soccer since brickyard is a concrete jungle with plenty of buildings to scale and hide behind. This map will ensure you can take out the enemy fast while advancing the ball towards their net. Just realize if you can do it to them, they can do it to you.
14. plr_bananabay
Set in a tropical area, banana bay is the only exotic island where relaxation will be the last thing on your mind. While the original payload game mode requires your team and the enemy team to fight over one cart and push it to their base, payload race provides each team with their own cart to worry about. Another Jungle Inferno update map, banana bay is a fantastic outdoor setting to slug it out and push your cart towards enemy base while taking in some beautiful surroundings.
13. ctf_landfall
The first capture the flag to feature on this list, landfall is a lumberjack’s dream as it takes place in a logging area. It even has catwalks high up in the trees for some welcome diverse environments added to the gameplay. With a focus on close-quarters combat with its extended interior sections and cramped outdoor areas, landfall is a map well-suited for fast-paced frenetic action(if that’s what you’re after).
12. plr_hightower
Here’s another payload race map like banana bay. In Hightower you will have to work with your team to get your cart to the top of the tall tower in order to win. An interesting twist on the already exciting payload race, Hightower will force you to stay by your team’s cart since if you leave it for too long, it will plummet back down to the ground leaving you back at square one. A map that requires you to fight vertically and always be climbing, hightower is an interesting team challenge that makes for some fun sessions.
11. pd_watergate
Unlike any of the other maps on this list, watergate happens to take place in a seaside town during an alien invasion. This map features UFOs and other interesting alien devices. Player destruction revolves around carrying the remains of the fallen enemy to drop off points. And what better setting for this than during an alien invasion? The remains(in the case of this map for some reason bottle) must be deposited at the UFO in this environment which makes for a real entertaining adventure.
10. arena_byre
Like a mix between team death match and last man standing, arena pits 2 teams against each other to see who will come out on top. Byre is a great map to test out your skills as you will need great team communication and tactics to navigate the small map and take out the enemy as efficiently as possible, all while taking minimal casualties. This is a map that’s small enough for each game to last a matter of minutes. Yet it’s still very fun to play and byre is a solid option for some Team combat.
9. koth_harvest
This map was first introduced with the Haunted Halloween update. Harvest is a well-designed, slightly spooky setting for a good old-fashioned game of king of the hill. With a fairly open layout, yet plenty of larger buildings to duck in and out of, harvest challenges you and your team to dominate the 2 areas and take control of the map as best as you can. Having a large building in the middle of the map with entrances on several floors makes for an interesting dynamic, as scouts can fly from the roof when you least expect it. Or pyros can charge out the front door at you as you’re trying to set up a turret. Trick or treat, I suppose.
8. koth_probed
Like the watergate map, probed features some surreal elements and is a very dark map compared to others. Which perhaps lends itself well to the covert nature of the spy and sniper. This also boasts several fortifiable positions high up which could easily be taken over by an engineer looking to camp out and support his team. Or an opportunistic sniper looking to dispatch the enemy one by one. There are many ways to tackle this fun king of the hill map so let your imagination run wild.
7. pl_barnblitz
A barnyard brawl is likely to emerge in this payload map introduced in the Uber update. This consists of many barns in which the payload cart must travel through to reach its destination on the other side of the map. A large, snowy open landscape is complemented by the interior areas provided by the barns. This makes for a fascinating payload map full of surprises and potential ambush locations for taking out the opposing team.
6. pl_upward
This is considered by many to be one of the best payload maps in the game. Upward was introduced in the Engineer update and is still hugely popular even today. An open rocky map which is the perfect setting for the most popular game mode, it’s hard not to love the upward map. It has a complex mix of interior and exterior areas, taking place on several levels. Upward requires some serious strategic play and teamwork, something that should be the pinnacle of a game mode like payload.
5. cp_gorge
The capture point version of the gorge map is a joy to play through. It’s a giant map with all kinds of crates and shacks to camp out on top of, or rain down hell as the soldier. Gorge lends itself to a wide variety of game styles which should be one of the top criteria when considering how good a map in TF2 really is. Aside from all that, the map features a gorgeously green and mountainous backdrop which stretches off well into the distance and provides the depth that makes a map feel so much like a real environment.
4. cp_process
With a similar aesthetic to gorge, process is another visually appealing map with plenty of charm… but also plenty of scope for memorable matches. Pleasing on the eyes and with two distinctly colored buildings for both the red and blue teams, process is an intricate network of corridors and doorways. This should give you the element of surprise, or simply allow you to blast your way through the enemy should you prefer to go all out guns blazing.
3. pl_badwaterbasin
Coming to the top 3 we have the best map of each of the top 3 most popular game modes: payload, king of the hill, and capture point. First we have the iconic badwater basin, the undisputed king of payload maps. This dusty desert map has been home to many memorable payload sessions over the years. And as such it deserves place on this list as the best map of the game mode. One of the original maps from the game, and the second to be introduced as a payload specific map, badwater basin has the perfect balance of high and low areas and natural chokepoints. These all serve as great places to ambush the enemy and take control of the cart, and also as strategic locations to set up shop as an engineer or sniper to hamstring any advancing team.
2. koth_highpass
Highpass is arguably the best king of the hill mode map in all of TF2. This is a map where the action takes place in an industrial zone deep within the desert. A great combination of buildings to go through which lend themselves to pyro-dominated close-quarters combat and rooftops for those headshot-hunting snipers, highpass provides a lot of variety in approach which makes it an interesting map to play. It paves way for fairly chaotic sessions of king of the hill since highpass forces you to be out in the open in a way that prevents long-term camping. Encouraging an all-out war in the center of the map is a fantastic way to pit the two teams against each other. There will truly be only one king of the hill.
1. cp_badlands
Finally we have the capture point king of maps: badlands. This is a brilliantly made remake from the classic original Team Fortress game. Being around since 2008, you’d think badlands would perhaps lose some of its initial appeal and be thrown aside in favor of newer maps. That hasn’t proven to be the case yet since badlands has stood the test of time incredibly well. One of the best parts of this map, and the part that satisfies every class in the game, is the wide variety of terrain suitable for all 9 classes and their unique play styles. In badlands you can excel with any class. And this serves as an excellent showcase of how you can make the most of having 9 different classes and give them all equal opportunity to shine without minimizing the strengths of any of them.
