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Item (game)
Encyclopedia
In pencil and paper games and computer and video games, an item is an object within the game world that can be collected by a player
or, occasionally, a non-player character
. These items are sometimes called pick-ups.
Items are most often beneficial to the player character, but some games contain detrimental items, such as cursed
pieces of armor that confers a negative bonus to the wearer, and cannot be removed until the curse itself is lifted - the means to do this may be costly or require a special item. Some items may also be of absolutely no value to the player. Items are especially prevalent in role-playing games, as they are usually necessary for the completion of quests or to advance through the story.
Items often come in various types, and in most games where items are collected, they are sorted by these types. In RPGs, an item inventory
is a common UI
feature where one can view all the items that have been collected thus far. Often, these are sorted by categories, such as "equipment" or "Potions." In other game genres
, the items may take effect as soon as they are obtained.
in Item boxes or on their own. Many video game items include are common to all games.
1-up
s or continues give the player character
"extra lives" and allow them to continue after being killed. 1-ups usually come in the form of the main character's face (or the text "1UP," though this is less common in modern games.) In some games, they can also be obtained in Special Stages and by collecting a large number of minor treasure items (i.e., collect 100 rings in Sonic games to gain one extra life.), by finishing levels in a certain amount of time, or by getting a certain number of points.
Treasure such as coins, rings, gems or jewelry are another common item. These are often used to determine the player's score
. In some games, particularly those with an overworld
map, players can take these items to a shop-like place and exchange them for new abilities or equipments. Usually, such treasure items are found in small quantities as one progresses through a level, however by exploring players can often find secret areas containing a large number of them.
In some platformers, particularly those with a hit counter such as the Kirby
games, medicine, food or energy containers, are found, which give the player extra health or defensive ability. These are normally very rare, so as to make the player watch their hit counter carefully. In some games, such as the Sonic series, the treasure items (rings) double as a method of enabling extra hits.
Quest items (also known as plot items, or key items) are required to complete several games or stages. In platformers, these are not always required, but may be optional goals to get a better ending. The Sonic the Hedgehog series has a recurring side goal being the collection of the Chaos Emeralds.
s, there are many puzzles that need to be completed in order for the player to advance through the dungeons or levels. Usually, this can be done through the use of specific items gathered while exploring the dungeon. This is a very common element in the Legend of Zelda series, where items like the Hookshot are necessary to pass specific obstacles, or games like the Metroid
series, where items like the Gravity Suit or Power Bombs are required to pass to another area. Other important items for navigating puzzles are bombs, which can open new paths, and the boomerang, which can retrieve items from a great distance.
Another generic item needed to progress through dungeons in adventure games is the key
. Sometimes there can be several keys within a dungeon, or just one skeleton key
which is good enough to open all locked doors.
s are not as common as in other genres, however they still play a major role in the gameplay. The most common items are the health pack, similar to a potion in RPGs, and the Ammunition
pack, a generic box of ammo that will work with whatever gun the player character has equipped at that time. Sometimes, in games with large amounts of different weapons, there will also be specialized ammo packs, like napalm
canisters or Rockets
/Grenades for Rocket and Grenade Launchers, respectively.
Rarely, new weapons can be obtained, normally from defeated enemy soldiers but also from machines or robots depending on the game's setting
. Generally, more powerful weapons (such as the aforementioned Rocket Launchers and flamethrowers) tend to be found later in the game. In some games that cross genres, like Twisted Metal
, the weapons come in the form of powerups that have very limited duration.
games, things like folding chairs and other innocuous items are often used as makeshift weapons, sometimes with a limited number of "uses" before the item breaks. In the Super Smash Brothers series, items play an important role in the combat, and the timely arrival of a certain item, like invincibility or the hammer, can completely alter the course of the fight.
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
or, occasionally, a non-player character
Non-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
. These items are sometimes called pick-ups.
Items are most often beneficial to the player character, but some games contain detrimental items, such as cursed
Cursed
Cursed may refer to:*Curse, adversity thought to be inflicted by supernatural power*Cursed , a 2000–2001 sitcom*"Cursed" , a 2005 episode of the TV series House*Cursed , by Yoshihiro Hoshino...
pieces of armor that confers a negative bonus to the wearer, and cannot be removed until the curse itself is lifted - the means to do this may be costly or require a special item. Some items may also be of absolutely no value to the player. Items are especially prevalent in role-playing games, as they are usually necessary for the completion of quests or to advance through the story.
Types of items
Inventory
Inventory means a list compiled for some formal purpose, such as the details of an estate going to probate, or the contents of a house let furnished. This remains the prime meaning in British English...
is a common UI
User interface
The user interface, in the industrial design field of human–machine interaction, is the space where interaction between humans and machines occurs. The goal of interaction between a human and a machine at the user interface is effective operation and control of the machine, and feedback from the...
feature where one can view all the items that have been collected thus far. Often, these are sorted by categories, such as "equipment" or "Potions." In other game genres
Genre
Genre , Greek: genos, γένος) is the term for any category of literature or other forms of art or culture, e.g. music, and in general, any type of discourse, whether written or spoken, audial or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time...
, the items may take effect as soon as they are obtained.
Items in platform games
In many platformers, like Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Mario Brothers, items are scattered throughout the LevelLevel (computer and video games)
A level, map, area, or world in a video game is the total space available to the player during the course of completing a discrete objective...
in Item boxes or on their own. Many video game items include are common to all games.
1-up
1-up
1-up , pronounced "one up", is a term in console video gaming that commonly refers to an item that gives the player an extra life, to complete the game. In certain games, it is possible to receive multiple extra lives at once...
s or continues give the player character
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
"extra lives" and allow them to continue after being killed. 1-ups usually come in the form of the main character's face (or the text "1UP," though this is less common in modern games.) In some games, they can also be obtained in Special Stages and by collecting a large number of minor treasure items (i.e., collect 100 rings in Sonic games to gain one extra life.), by finishing levels in a certain amount of time, or by getting a certain number of points.
Treasure such as coins, rings, gems or jewelry are another common item. These are often used to determine the player's score
Score (gaming)
In games, score refers to an abstract quantity associated with a player or team. Score is usually measured in the abstract unit of points, and events in the game can raise or lower the score of different parties...
. In some games, particularly those with an overworld
Overworld
An overworld is, in a broad sense, an area within a video game that interconnects all its levels or locations. They are mostly common in role-playing games, though this does not exclude other video game genres....
map, players can take these items to a shop-like place and exchange them for new abilities or equipments. Usually, such treasure items are found in small quantities as one progresses through a level, however by exploring players can often find secret areas containing a large number of them.
In some platformers, particularly those with a hit counter such as the Kirby
Kirby (series)
The series is a fantasy video game series developed by HAL Laboratory and Nintendo, and produced by Nintendo. The gameplay of a majority of the games in the series consists mainly of action, platform and puzzle-solving elements...
games, medicine, food or energy containers, are found, which give the player extra health or defensive ability. These are normally very rare, so as to make the player watch their hit counter carefully. In some games, such as the Sonic series, the treasure items (rings) double as a method of enabling extra hits.
Quest items (also known as plot items, or key items) are required to complete several games or stages. In platformers, these are not always required, but may be optional goals to get a better ending. The Sonic the Hedgehog series has a recurring side goal being the collection of the Chaos Emeralds.
Items in adventure games
Often in adventure gameAdventure game
An adventure game is a video game in which the player assumes the role of protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and puzzle-solving instead of physical challenge. The genre's focus on story allows it to draw heavily from other narrative-based media such as literature and film,...
s, there are many puzzles that need to be completed in order for the player to advance through the dungeons or levels. Usually, this can be done through the use of specific items gathered while exploring the dungeon. This is a very common element in the Legend of Zelda series, where items like the Hookshot are necessary to pass specific obstacles, or games like the Metroid
Metroid
is an action-adventure video game, and the first entry in the Metroid series. It was co-developed by Nintendo's Research and Development 1 division and Intelligent Systems, and was released in Japan in August 1986, in North America in August 1987, and in Europe in January 1988...
series, where items like the Gravity Suit or Power Bombs are required to pass to another area. Other important items for navigating puzzles are bombs, which can open new paths, and the boomerang, which can retrieve items from a great distance.
Another generic item needed to progress through dungeons in adventure games is the key
Key (lock)
A key is an instrument that is used to operate a lock. A typical key consists of two parts: the blade, which slides into the keyway of the lock and distinguishes between different keys, and the bow, which is left protruding so that torque can be applied by the user. The blade is usually intended to...
. Sometimes there can be several keys within a dungeon, or just one skeleton key
Skeleton Key
Skeleton Key is a rock band based in New York City. The band is the brainchild of bassist and singer Erik Sanko, who is the only constant member of the band...
which is good enough to open all locked doors.
Items in shooting games
Items in shooter gameShooter game
Shooter games are a sub-genre of action game, which often test the player's speed and reaction time. It includes many subgenres that have the commonality of focusing "on the actions of the avatar using some sort of weapon. Usually this weapon is a gun, or some other long-range weapon". A common...
s are not as common as in other genres, however they still play a major role in the gameplay. The most common items are the health pack, similar to a potion in RPGs, and the Ammunition
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
pack, a generic box of ammo that will work with whatever gun the player character has equipped at that time. Sometimes, in games with large amounts of different weapons, there will also be specialized ammo packs, like napalm
Napalm
Napalm is a thickening/gelling agent generally mixed with gasoline or a similar fuel for use in an incendiary device, primarily as an anti-personnel weapon...
canisters or Rockets
Rocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
/Grenades for Rocket and Grenade Launchers, respectively.
Rarely, new weapons can be obtained, normally from defeated enemy soldiers but also from machines or robots depending on the game's setting
Setting (fiction)
In fiction, setting includes the time, location, and everything in which a story takes place, and initiates the main backdrop and mood for a story. Setting has been referred to as story world or milieu to include a context beyond the immediate surroundings of the story. Elements of setting may...
. Generally, more powerful weapons (such as the aforementioned Rocket Launchers and flamethrowers) tend to be found later in the game. In some games that cross genres, like Twisted Metal
Twisted Metal
Twisted Metal is a series of vehicular combat video games published by Sony Computer Entertainment, and developed by various companies during its tenure. The series began on the PlayStation in 1995 and currently features seven games, with an eighth installment currently in production...
, the weapons come in the form of powerups that have very limited duration.
Items in fighting games
In fighting games, items are far less common, however they still appear in many titles. In wrestlingWrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
games, things like folding chairs and other innocuous items are often used as makeshift weapons, sometimes with a limited number of "uses" before the item breaks. In the Super Smash Brothers series, items play an important role in the combat, and the timely arrival of a certain item, like invincibility or the hammer, can completely alter the course of the fight.