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Ratchet Scrolling
- 142 statements
- 26 feature instances
- 34 referencing feature instances
Ratchet Scrolling | type |
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Ratchet Scrolling | label |
Ratchet Scrolling | |
Ratchet Scrolling | page |
RatchetScrolling | |
Ratchet Scrolling | comment |
An element in video game design, Ratchet Scrolling occurs when the game screen only scrolls in one direction and prevents the player from backtracking. This is similar to an Auto-Scrolling Level, except that the scrolling does not occur by itself, but in response to the player's movement through the level. Like the nature of a mechanical ratchet, it scrolls forward freely as the player moves, but 'locks' in place and prevents the player from backtracking. Lesser versions may allow the player some degree of backtracking, but only to a certain distance or recent checkpoints, while the most extreme versions will keep your character near the left edge of the screen, giving them very little room to move around without ratcheting the screen further. This is often a Scrappy Mechanic, especially when the screen is ratcheted vertically, where any platforms that disappear even a few pixels off the screen edge leave Bottomless Pits in their wake, in defiance of all logic. In early video games, Ratchet Scrolling was a way to improve performance. If the player could only scroll in one direction, game objects and enemies could be created when they enter the screen and erased as soon as they scroll out, reducing memory usage. Though this is now mostly a Forgotten Trope, only seen occasionally in simple phone games like Doodle Jump, it was once incredibly common (particularly in Platform Games). |
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Ratchet Scrolling | fetched |
2024-01-31T14:30:33Z | |
Ratchet Scrolling | parsed |
2024-01-31T14:30:33Z | |
Ratchet Scrolling | processingComment |
Dropped link to BeatEmUp: Not an Item - IGNORE | |
Ratchet Scrolling | processingComment |
Dropped link to Castlevania: Not an Item - CAT | |
Ratchet Scrolling | processingComment |
Dropped link to TimedMission: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
Ratchet Scrolling | processingComment |
Dropped link to Unwinnable: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
Ratchet Scrolling | processingComment |
Dropped link to VideoMode: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
Ratchet Scrolling | isPartOf |
DBTropes | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_18dec9fb | type |
Ratchet Scrolling | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_18dec9fb | comment |
Ninja Commando is a Shoot 'Em Up that does this. | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_18dec9fb | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_18dec9fb | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Ninja Commando (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_18dec9fb | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_1ae24caa | type |
Ratchet Scrolling | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_1ae24caa | comment |
Battletoads for the Game Boy, NES, etc. However, some levels were free-scrolling. | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_1ae24caa | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_1ae24caa | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Battletoads (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_1ae24caa | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_29a5389b | type |
Ratchet Scrolling | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_29a5389b | comment |
Kick Master doesn't let you go backward; while it's a largely linear game, there are many hidden items that can be missed. | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_29a5389b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_29a5389b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Kick Master (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_29a5389b | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_2ae52388 | type |
Ratchet Scrolling | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_2ae52388 | comment |
Super Castlevania IV has vertical ratchet scrolling, making for a few obnoxious challenges if you jump to an area and it ratchets due to overjumping. The older Castlevania games employed this as well. This gimmick didn't leave until Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. |
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Ratchet Scrolling / int_2ae52388 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_2ae52388 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Super Castlevania IV (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_2ae52388 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_325f8573 | type |
Ratchet Scrolling | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_325f8573 | comment |
The 8-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog has Bridge Zone Act 2 and Jungle Zone Act 2; the former automatically scrolls right and the latter doesn't scroll down. The latter is thankfully absent in the Game Gear version. | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_325f8573 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_325f8573 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Sonic the Hedgehog (8-bit) (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_325f8573 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_43791241 | type |
Ratchet Scrolling | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_43791241 | comment |
Syobon Action abuses ratchet scrolling to torment the player. | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_43791241 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_43791241 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
SyobonAction | hasFeature |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_43791241 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_559a3947 | type |
Ratchet Scrolling | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_559a3947 | comment |
New Super Mario Bros. for DS has "Challenge Mode" that enables this, accessed by pausing on the map screen and entering a codenote L, R, L, R, X, X, Y, Y. Special mention goes to the vertical-scrolling levels, which become an Ice Climber or Kid Icarus-style Rise to the Challenge. | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_559a3947 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_559a3947 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
New Super Mario Bros. (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_559a3947 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_5846165c | type |
Ratchet Scrolling | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_5846165c | comment |
Kid Icarus is notorious for its vertical ratchet scrolling - if you fall (and don't have a feather) you die instantly and have to repeat the level. Even if there was a platform just off the screen. Your little wings are no good for flying. This was removed in the sequel, Of Myths and Monsters. | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_5846165c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_5846165c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Kid Icarus (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_5846165c | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_5a2333ef | type |
Ratchet Scrolling | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_5a2333ef | comment |
A LittleBigPlanet level entitled "When things don't go right, go left" is effectively a basic platformer, apart from the fact you scrolled left. | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_5a2333ef | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_5a2333ef | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
LittleBigPlanet (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_5a2333ef | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_62bf541 | type |
Ratchet Scrolling | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_62bf541 | comment |
While the Deluxe GBC port of the original game retains this trope, it does lets you backtrack to a certain extent, because there's less of the game visible on the Game Boy screen compared to the NES on a TV. | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_62bf541 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_62bf541 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Super Mario Bros. (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_62bf541 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_7529056 | type |
Ratchet Scrolling | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_7529056 | comment |
The Super Mario World Game Mod Hammer Brother has this. Unfortunately, you have to go left or backwards at certain points, making it extremely easy to get stuck at random. | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_7529056 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_7529056 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Super Mario World (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_7529056 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_7682fdc7 | type |
Ratchet Scrolling | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_7682fdc7 | comment |
The level called Kinder Surprise in Something uses this particular gimmick. It makes dodging the Kinder Surprise eggs much harder. Also, Mario can take the wrong path at some points, but fortunately the are reset doors available. | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_7682fdc7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_7682fdc7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Something (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_7682fdc7 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_8258e260 | type |
Ratchet Scrolling | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_8258e260 | comment |
Super Mario Bros. Due to the way the levels were compressed in the original Super Mario Bros., the Lost Levels Mission-Pack Sequel, and Super Mario Land, you can't go back once the screen advances. The invisible checkpoints in levels are frequently located after a useful power-up, making some players almost pray for Checkpoint Starvation instead. While the Deluxe GBC port of the original game retains this trope, it does lets you backtrack to a certain extent, because there's less of the game visible on the Game Boy screen compared to the NES on a TV. New Super Mario Bros. for DS has "Challenge Mode" that enables this, accessed by pausing on the map screen and entering a codenote L, R, L, R, X, X, Y, Y. Special mention goes to the vertical-scrolling levels, which become an Ice Climber or Kid Icarus-style Rise to the Challenge. |
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Ratchet Scrolling / int_8258e260 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_8258e260 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Super Mario Bros. (Franchise) | hasFeature |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_8258e260 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_82eb2b34 | type |
Ratchet Scrolling | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_82eb2b34 | comment |
Walking your dog in Nintendogs does this. | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_82eb2b34 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_82eb2b34 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Nintendogs (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_82eb2b34 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_9108833b | type |
Ratchet Scrolling | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_9108833b | comment |
Sort-of used in Knightmare: the player could never exit a room via the door they came in by. Most of the time this door wouldn't be visible as it was off the bottom of the "screen" but occasionally the entry door was visible. | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_9108833b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_9108833b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Knightmare | hasFeature |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_9108833b | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_9d6ec843 | type |
Ratchet Scrolling | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_9d6ec843 | comment |
In One Way Heroics, once something is scrolled off to the left, it's consumed by the Darkness and you can't go back. In fact, trying to go off the left side of the automatically-scrolling screen is an instant Game Over. | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_9d6ec843 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_9d6ec843 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
One Way Heroics (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_9d6ec843 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_9d8193c2 | type |
Ratchet Scrolling | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_9d8193c2 | comment |
The Kaizo Mario inspired level of Pickory will only scroll to the right, but you can backtrack up to half a screen. One trap can only be avoided by exploiting the scrolling and the fact that anything that goes off the left side of the screen is destroyed. | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_9d8193c2 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_9d8193c2 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Pickory (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_9d8193c2 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_9f4256af | type |
Ratchet Scrolling | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_9f4256af | comment |
The platforming stages of Alex Kidd: High-Tech World. (Other stages require backtracking.) | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_9f4256af | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_9f4256af | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Alex Kidd (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_9f4256af | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_a7bb29b3 | type |
Ratchet Scrolling | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_a7bb29b3 | comment |
Metal Shark Player's level of Mega Man X6, the second section has you ratcheted, in contrast to the rest of the game (note that if taking the "alternate" second section, it will be auto-scrolling instead.) | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_a7bb29b3 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_a7bb29b3 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Mega Man X6 (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_a7bb29b3 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_b34ad8d2 | type |
Ratchet Scrolling | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_b34ad8d2 | comment |
Adventure Island I and III feature horizontal scrolling limited to the right side. II has arbitrary points after which the screen couldn't scroll backwards anymore, but scrolling is otherwise two-directional. III has two-directional vertical scrolling, with stage 3-6 being the only time the screen can scroll to the left. | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_b34ad8d2 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_b34ad8d2 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Adventure Island (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_b34ad8d2 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_b4967d43 | type |
Ratchet Scrolling | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_b4967d43 | comment |
Sonic the Hedgehog: The 8-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog has Bridge Zone Act 2 and Jungle Zone Act 2; the former automatically scrolls right and the latter doesn't scroll down. The latter is thankfully absent in the Game Gear version. Sonic and the Black Knight did this, despite being a front-to-back 3D platformer. |
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Ratchet Scrolling / int_b4967d43 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_b4967d43 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Sonic the Hedgehog (Franchise) | hasFeature |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_b4967d43 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_b5ae56f9 | type |
Ratchet Scrolling | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_b5ae56f9 | comment |
Sonic and the Black Knight did this, despite being a front-to-back 3D platformer. | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_b5ae56f9 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_b5ae56f9 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Sonic and the Black Knight (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_b5ae56f9 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_c2691484 | type |
Ratchet Scrolling | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_c2691484 | comment |
Amagon featured this as well, one of the last NES games to do so (released in Japan in December of 1988). | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_c2691484 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_c2691484 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Amagon (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_c2691484 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_c5f50eb4 | type |
Ratchet Scrolling | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_c5f50eb4 | comment |
All Nintendo-era Contra games featured both varieties of this. Not funny when in a vertical shaft, and you fell off the platforms... | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_c5f50eb4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_c5f50eb4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Contra (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_c5f50eb4 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_cc9ba740 | type |
Ratchet Scrolling | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_cc9ba740 | comment |
The original Glider combined this with Flip-Screen Scrolling. | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_cc9ba740 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_cc9ba740 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Glider (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_cc9ba740 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_dbfffc66 | type |
Ratchet Scrolling | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_dbfffc66 | comment |
All of the platformer games in Action 52 use this. One of its top-view games, Dam Busters, also has this, and it can easily get you stuck in an area that keeps you from moving forward, forcing you to reset the game. | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_dbfffc66 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_dbfffc66 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Action 52 (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Ratchet Scrolling / int_dbfffc66 |
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Copyright of data TVTropes.org contributors under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.