First started as a mod for Half-Life in the late '90s, Counter-Strike has gained a level of popularity that is quite unmatched. It's one of the top multiplayer games out there and is regarded as a cult classic by many. In the last decade, Counter-Strike has attracted more attention than ever, and as a result, the number of mods for the series has grown as well.

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These add-ons have given the players the ability to turn their game experience into something either unique, different, improved, or better for their tastes. Let's check some of these Counter-Strike mods out.

Updated By Payton Lott June 16, 2021: Players do need to keep in mind that using mods on official CS:GO servers is a one way ticket to VAC ban town. Vanilla CS/1.6 is a much safer space for those in the community that like to mod. That being said, mods can have an incredible impact on how the games look and play, and it's a shame that there aren't any dedicated mod servers on CS:GO. Anyone curious can still test out all of these amazing additions on private servers.

15 Halo Mod

Blood Gulch

Yes, people can actually play Halo: CE in CS:GO. A few dedicated mod creators have taken the time to create weapon models, characters, and sounds that resemble a graphically enhanced Halo game. Even the interface has the Halo radar and death feed.

This has to be one of the coolest mods for the game, because of how detailed all of the changes are. There are currently four different maps available, including Lockout, Blood Gulch, and The Pit. Each of the maps has been ported over from the old Halo games, which will look and feel exactly the same. Check out the Noble Strike Mod

14 Skin & Knife Mods

Knife CS:GO

Skins can go for thousands of dollars in CS:GO. Why spend real money on cosmetics, when mods open up endless possibilities in game? There are a ton of discord servers and websites that offer hundreds of cosmetic enhancements. The following websites are popular providers, and gamers can find most of the mods in this list on these sites.

  • Nexusmods
  • Gamebanana
  • Moddb

Gamers should always exercise caution when downloading third party software and check reviews before clicking the download button. Players can turn their knife into a fork, or use a Heineken as a grenade. There are just too many interesting cosmetic mods to cover in detail.

13 TDM Mod

Counter-Strike

Any player that enjoys absolute chaos will want to get the TDM mod for 1.6. CSDM is still one of the most popular mods for the game, even after a decade. After Valve failed to include a deathmatch mode in 1.6, the community took it upon themselves to better the game.

The mod is a godsend for CS, which has been on the market for more than 20 years. Players should try out the mod, which will instantly take them back to the turn of the century. Gamebanana even has a mod with bots to play offline

12 Gun Game Mod

Counter Strike The Second War

Everyone thinks that gun game is a Call Of Duty mode. However, the OG CS community was playing gun game well before COD's rise to prominence in the mid 2000s.

This mod for 1.6 allows gamers to participate in the notorious weapon cycling race. After each kill, a new weapon will appear, and the first to get a kill with all of the weapons is the victor.

11 Iron Sight/ADS Mod

Counter Strike

Counter Strike was the benchmark for PC competitive gaming for many years. Aiming down sights did not become a common thing in FPS titles until a few years later. This mode will allow players to use modern weapon aiming mechanics while playing a classic game.

All of the iron sights and animations look crisp and realistic. Hitting enemies from far away is easier, and the changes provide a comfort for people that started gaming in the past few years. The 1.6 ADS mod can be found here. There are plenty of CS:GO ADS mods available too.

10 Mission Rush

Mission Rush mod

This one is for the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive players who want some co-op action. Created by the Steam user CTX, Mission Rush is a 10-player cooperative mission that encourages players to make their way from a running train full of terrorists to hopping on top of a speeding bus just to rescue a hostage.

The mission feels like an action movie set in the Counter-Strike Universe and is subscribed by over 1,500,000 accounts on the steam workshop page. Mission rush, along with other co-op missions in CTX's Workshop, is one of the most popular mods out there.

9 Weapon Balance Mod

Weapon from Counter Strike

A mod for the players who want to improve the vanilla game, Weapon Balance Mod by N7-Liara, is made to ensure that every weapon can be of use in-game. There are a lot of weapons in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive that serve little purpose. For example, PP-Bizon doesn't fare well against armors and, as a result, becomes underused by players.

The Weapon Balance Mod aims to fix that by stabilizing factors like bullet penetration, rate of fire, damage, etc. so players can make use of almost every weapon in-game and do not feel underpowered.

8 Half-Life Map Mods

Half-life map mod for Counter Strike

CS Lockdown Hotrap is a map mod for CS: GO, and while there are many map mods available and functional, this one is worth mentioning. Lockdown Hotrap is a map from Half-Life 2 Deathmatch. For the players who are looking to add a bit of variety and newer locations, this serves its purpose and also gives something nostalgic to the players familiar with Half-Life.

Other maps worth playing include Crossfire from Half-Life 1, Runoff, Lockdown, and Overwatch. All these maps are available on the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Steam workshop.

7 Text Color Mod

Text color mod in Counter Strike

Text Color Mod is a graphic user interface mod that enhances the way text looks in-game. It's simply a multiplayer friendly mod that makes the game more colorful. The mod impacts the vibrance of the in-game text and also makes displayed information easily noticeable.

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The mod adds new hint tips and red-colored warning messages for lower trust factors, which makes it much easier to spot. The Hud on the tablet is much more simplified, including the menus. A 2020 version of this mod called Enhanced Text Color Mod is also available.

6 Evo Revolution

Evo Revolution mod

CSX Evo Revolution mod is for the original Counter-Strike Online, and it completely overhauls the game. The mod gives players a vast list of modes to play such as zombie hero, airstrike battle, death run, etc. and makes the game an over the top multiplayer experience.

Evo Revolution has a massive inventory of unique weapons that are abstract and beautiful, similar to the guns in classics like the Unreal Tournament and Quake. This mod is for the players who are looking for a completely new way to play Counter-Strike.

5 Practice Maps

Practice map mod for Counter Strike

There are a few excellent steam workshop map mods for players trying to improve their game. These include maps like Recoil-Master, Fast Aim/Reflex Training, and a bunch of others. The sole purpose of these maps is to train the players for different aspects of the multiplayer.

What makes them a great addition is their usability and the fact that every player, whether new or old, can learn from them. The maps have over 10,000,000 subscribes combined and are incredibly easy to use.

4 Survival Hardcore

With over 400,000 Subscribers, Survival Hardcore is a Cooperative Survival Mod for CS: GO. The mod is similar to a tower defense game or Call of Duty Zombies where players have to team up and fight against waves of enemies. In between the waves, players will craft weapons, build turrets, form a base, and then defend it.

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Survival Hardcore adds a new way to experience Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, with just a 96MB file size; this mod is small to download and easy to install.

3 The Second War

Counter Strike The Second War

The Second War is a WWII mod for Counter-Strike 1.6. The mod features over 70 weapons and 19 classes to choose from and unique game modes like Nazi Zombies, Dogfight, and more.

This mod adds WWII feel to the gameplay while keeping the core of the game similar. It's an excellent mod for players who want to add this unique twist into their good old Counter-Strike 1.6 experience. This mod is available to download on moddb website.

2 HellStrike - Modified Combat

Modified Combat mod

This WIP mod is built on the idea to add realism to the Counter-Strike 1.6. The mod aims to entirely revamp the game by adding features like jumping over the walls, sliding and kicking, realistic recoil, and a new user-interface.

In addition to that, the mod adds realistic animations in movement, weapons, and grenades. The mod also improves the sound system in-game. Hellstrike's full release is currently TBD on the official page, but according to comments, the fully-functional version of the mod should release this year.

1 Oldschool Offensive

The Oldschool Offensive mod takes the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive back to the bloodhound era, giving players access to 23 maps instead of just 13. The mod also adds classic gloves, radar, and knives as well as sounds, which make players feel like they are playing the old version of CS:GO.

On top of that, the animation and movement speed is altered as well. This mod is for players looking to get the original feel of CS:GO back.

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