History Main / AbilityRequiredToProceed

* In TabletopGame/CastlevaniaNocturneOfTheTabletop, some events will require you to jump high, cross gaps, or even turn into mist to proceed. If you can’t complete the event, it’s left on the board to be completed later.

* ''VideoGame/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets'':
** In the PC version, you cannot get into some game areas until you are taught specific spells in class.
** You cannot use Spongify pads to jump until you are taught the Spongify spell, but various Spongify pads outside the castle are visible throughout the game.

* Used very frequently in ''VideoGame/{{Okami}}''. There are places very early on in the game that require some of the final Brush Techniques to enter.

* ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'' games generally tend to give you the DoubleJump fairly early -- you'll need it constantly for the rest of the game. However, many of the upgrades are also used only once or twice.
* In ''VideoGame/BeyondGoodAndEvil'' there are locked doors and other obstacles that require a certain tool (or hovercraft equipment, or sidekick) to overcome. Sometimes, the item needed to escape from a room can be conveniently found in the same room.

* ''VideoGame/{{Onimusha}}'': The [[VideoGame/Onimusha2SamuraisDestiny second]] and [[VideoGame/Onimusha3DemonSiege third]] games have certain doors protected by a colored, tumor-like Genma called Mozun. In order to unlock said areas, you have to find the right Oni Weapon and use it (examining the Mozun will always tell you what kind of elemental Oni Weapon you need). The fourth game, ''[[VideoGame/OnimushaDawnOfDreams Dawn of Dreams]]'' has certain levels containing special locks or iron doors or walkways that can only be used by one of your party members.
* The exploration gameplay of ''VideoGame/{{Aquaria}}'' is wholly built upon this. You spend most of the game collecting abilities and shapeshift forms that let you explore previously inaccessible areas, most of which are linked to the starting zone. This actually forces your progression into a more or less linear path. For example, near the beginning, you get a telekinesis-like ability, allowing you to explore passages blocked by boulders -- by pulling them away. In some other passages, your path is blocked by currents streaming towards you; you move on to explore them after learning a form in which you can swim against currents.

* ''VideoGame/TombRaider2013'' was set on one big island location. However, Lara was unable to explore new areas until she acquired the required gear to proceed. As these were found as the story went on, they could also count as PlotCoupons
* In ''Hellfire'' (an expansion pack to the original ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}''), you cannot reach the insect hive until the farmer character knows you well enough to talk to you about his problems (and then to give you the explosives you need to create an entrance to the hive).
* Happens several times in the ''VideoGame/LegacyOfKain'' series.
** In ''VideoGame/{{Blood Omen|LegacyOfKain}}'', the Wolf and Mist forms could reach inaccessible areas, the Disguise and Beguile forms could be used to interact peacefully with humans, and the Energy Bolt and Control Mind spells could be used to press inaccessible switches.
** In ''[[VideoGame/LegacyOfKainSoulReaver Soul Reaver]]'', Raziel generally needed the ability gained from each of his brothers to reach the next one.
* ''VideoGame/{{Strider}}'':
** The [[Manga/{{Strider}} NES game]]: Flashing red wall? You need the Magnetic Boots to walk up it. [[GrimyWater HP-draining water]]? Requires the Aqua Boots, which you must WallJump to reach. Uncrossable spike pit? Jumping upgrade required to proceed. Low passageway? You need to acquire the sliding ability.
** Returns with a vengeance in the [[VideoGame/Strider2014 2014]] remake. Closed-off vents? Get that SlideAttack! Icy-blue spinning doors? Need the [[AnIcePerson Ultra-Cold Cypher]] to freeze them. Yellow-glowing doors? Must use the [[FlamingSword Explosive Cypher]] to burn through. Suspiciously weak grates in the ground? Gotta pound 'em with [[DeathFromAbove Downstrike]]! Purple magnetically-locked doors? Guess this Magnetic Cypher will come in handy!
* In ''VideoGame/BlasterMaster'', the passage to each subsequent stage requires an upgrade earned by defeating the Mutant Boss of the current stage.
* The ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamSeries'' games use this to prevent sequence breaking. Notably in the first game, he left his Explosive Gel ''in the trunk of the Batmobile''.
* The VideoGame/{{LEGO Adaptation Game}}s give you characters with the required abilities to beat each level of the story mode, but almost all of the hidden collectibles require an character with a different ability to be unlocked and this used in Free Play/roaming the hub world. For example, silver items generally require someone with an explosive to destroy and gold items require some form of rapid fire or laser to destroy.
* ''VideoGame/Subnautica'' accomplishes this by making several areas impossible or at least severely impractical to access without the right equipment. For example most obviously, extensive exploration of deep underwater biomes becomes easier after you craft an air tank, then a bigger tank, then a rebreather and then finally submersibles. Another example is the wreck of the ''Aurora'', which requires a lead-lined diving suit to protect from the radiation leaking from the ship's damaged fusion reactor.
* The metroidvania ''VideoGame/LaMulana'' has plenty of this, but also has a [[GuideDangIt particularly evil subversion]]: the [[spoiler: Scalesphere]] can only be obtained after passing through a [[spoiler: pool of water]] that [[StupidityIsTheOnlyOption drains your health due to you not having the item]]. This is actually ''more'' likely to trip up experienced metroidvania players, who will assume the item needs to be found elsewhere before proceeding (unless they're the type to attempt SequenceBreaking on the first run).
* In ''VideoGame/{{Carrion}}'', several entrances from the [[HubLevel Frontier area]] to other areas require abilities gained from earlier levels, such as [[InvisibilityCloak Photokinesis]] from the Botanical Gardens to bypass the door sensors that shut the entrance to the Leviathan Reef Base if tripped.
* As is normal for ''Castlevania''-styled games, ''VideoGame/BloodstainedRitualOfTheNight'' has a couple of cases of this, such as an ability which allows you to move obstacles out of the way, or the ever-popular double jump. One which stands out as a GuideDangIt moment, however, is the [[MakingASplash Aqua Stream]] ability, which is [[RandomlyDrops dropped from]] a perfectly normal jellyfish enemy and is necessary to move through the Underground Waterway at first. Thankfully, its drop rate is exceedingly high when it comes to shards, at 10% base.
* ''VideoGame/{{Minit}}'': The player has to find different items in order to overcome various obstacles. As an example, the player starts with most routes past their house blocked by shrubbery, which can be cut and moved past once they acquire the sword.

* ''VideoGame/HollowKnight'' uses this heavily, as expected of a {{Metroidvania}}. One of its early manifestations is the path from the first area (Forgotten Crossroads) to the second (Greenpath) being blocked by an Elder Baldur which [[KungFuProofMook retreats into its invulnerable shell when you get within melee range]], forcing you to learn a magic attack to pick it off at a distance. There are also helpful visual cues for many of the spots which you will need the Desolate Dive or Crystal Heart abilities to get through: glass floors or ChunkyUpdraft for the former, bits of crystal stuck in walls for the latter. The black barriers which you need the Shade Cloak to get past provide the most obvious use for that late-game ability; annoyingly, one of the areas thus blocked off is the part of Fog Canyon where you can obtain the area map from Cornifer.
* ''VideoGame/TreasureHunterMan1'': The ability to damage enemies for KillEnemiesToOpen doors is achieved by finding the StarterWeapon of a sword.

* ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarIII'' makes use of caverns to transport your party between various worlds. To keep you from [[SequenceBreaking advancing too far too soon]], several of them are locked and require specific gemstones to enter; you acquire those either from InexplicableTreasureChests or from recruited party members.
* Constantly in ''VideoGame/RadiantHistoria''. Need to defuse magically-hidden bombs? Swap timelines and learn to see invisible things. Need to sneak into a heavily-guarded area unnoticed? Swap timelines and trick a villain into showing off his TeleportSpam so you can [[PowerCopying copy it]]. Need to find a way to bypass an enemy's ability to paralyze you? Swap timelines again and talk someone who's beaten him into teaching you how they did it.
* ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'' requires you to get the Epoch, a time machine that allows you to travel to a time period that has been otherwise sealed off from you. Once you have it, and especially after it is later upgraded, it allows you to clean up the remaining {{Side Quest}}s and {{Bonus Dungeon}}s much more quickly.
* ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'' features various psynergy (psychic-magic) powers that are required to solve puzzles or remove barriers. Most notable is Grind from [[VideoGame/GoldenSunTheLostAge the second game]], which is almost never used after its first use to break the rock barriers that separate the oceans.
** Similarly, Lift is used maybe once or twice to get into Magma Rock, which [[VideoGame/GoldenSun1 the first]] used quite a bit more.
* ''VideoGame/EpicBattleFantasy'': Used in ''VideoGame/EpicBattleFantasy4'' and ''VideoGame/EpicBattleFantasy5''. The axe, torch, hammer, ladder, and three kinds of boots will be obtained throughout the games. Deliberately patterned after ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'':
** ''VideoGame/EpicBattleFantasy4'': You even get achievements called "Used Cut", "Used Flash", "Used Rock Smash", and "Used ...Ladder?". Non-player characters at Goldenbrick Resort in ''[=EBF4=]'' call the stepladder "legendary" since there is only one in the entire world.
** ''VideoGame/EpicBattleFantasy5'': which adds an additional number of items such as the shovel and a second type of hammer, but also the items that are necessary only for extra loot, like the Cloud Boots.
* In ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII'', your Gummi Ship must have a sufficient Speed Stat in order to challenge the BonusBoss battles in the first two areas. Attempting to access them with a slower Ship causes the Gummi Ship to turn around.

* ''VideoGame/BioShock1'' has specific obstacles in the game that require you to find a certain plasmid in order to progress to another area, like the block of ice that needs to be melted by finding the Incinerate plasmid.

* ''VideoGame/WolfensteinTheNewOrder'' has a wide variety of chains, metal plates, and fences that must be cut through with the Laserkraftwork, and only start appearing after you get your hands on it.

* While levels that ''require'' an ability to clear always give you the ability right before you need it, ''VideoGame/{{Sonic|TheHedgehog}}'' games since ''VideoGame/SonicColors'' have generally had bonuses hidden behind gates and platforms that need clever applications of the games' various Color Powers use to breach. Since they're single-use, this often requires picking up the power and then finding a way hold onto it instead of using it when you're otherwise supposed to. In Colors, this would also mean passing by paths you can't access the first time you play a stage, and then replaying it again after unlocking that ability in a later stage.

* In ''VideoGame/TheAdventuresOfRadGravity'', [[NewWorldTease Volcania is accessible after completing Cyberia]], but you can't progress there until you have the Teleport Beacon from much later in the game. Sauria and Turvia can be completed in either order, but the boss of Vernia can only be defeated with the Crystals from Sauria.
* ''VideoGame/Spyro2RiptosRage'' had this in the form of swimming, climbing, and the headbash move. The abilities had to be purchased from Moneybags in order to complete each hub area, and some orb sidequests also required them, meaning you may occasionally need to backtrack to previous areas for 100% completion.

* In ''VideoGame/BionicCommando'', different groups of Areas require specific Communicators (which you must select at the beginning of a level in the NES version, unlike in the remake, where they are automatically equipped) to unlock their doors, you need the Flares to illuminate [[BlackoutBasement Area 4]], Area 14 requires a passcard to enter, Areas 6 and 7 are blocked by barriers that require the Rocket Launcher and 3-Way Gun, respectively, to pass, and Area 3 in the remake requires that you have the Power Claw [[AnachronicOrder from Area 6]].
* ''VideoGame/OriAndTheBlindForest'' uses this trope in typical Metroidvania style. For sheer-walled shafts you need the WallJump or Wall Climb; to break the blue barriers you need [[ChargeAttack Charge Flame]]; other-colored barriers need to be destroyed by a like-colored enemy or their projectile, sometimes via the Bash ability; to cross large spike pits or gaps you need DoubleJump, Bash, Glide, or a combination of all three; and for the wooden post switches and certain breakable floors you need the GroundPound. Furthermore, in the UpdatedRerelease, certain secrets in the main game are locked until you have the new Dash and Light Burst abilities acquired in the BonusDungeon.

* This is literally the case in the ''VideoGame/KatamariDamacy'' series; the larger your katamari becomes, the larger the stuff you can roll up. Levels frequently have barriers with signs on it stating a size number, which you can't roll up (or thus explore beyond them) until your katamari crosses that threshold.

* ''VideoGame/EternalDarkness'' occasionally puts force fields emblazoned with a rune in your way. Acquiring the rune pictured and approaching the barrier dissolves it. Most of the game's puzzles then become about finding the correct spell and the power level necessary to bypass or eliminate obstacles that are put in your path.

* In ''Dungeons & Dragons: Warriors of the Eternal Sun'', your party is unable to explore a particularly volcano-y cave without every member wearing Rings of Fire Resistance. Aside from their obvious advantages involving the resistance of fire, these items are only really necessary for this part. Take a ring off and your character will slowly burn to death.
* ''VideoGame/LandsOfLore 2: Guardians of Destiny'' contains lots of areas that can only be accessed if the hero is in the form of a giant beast (allowing him to shove obstacles out of his way) or a tiny lizard (allowing him to slip through cracks). The hard part about this is that, for a good chunk of the game, you have ''absolutely no control'' over when he transforms or which form he changes into if and when he does.

* ''VideoGame/SubNautica'' accomplishes this by making several areas impossible or at least severely impractical to access without the right equipment. For example most obviously, extensive exploration of deep underwater biomes becomes easier after you craft an air tank, then a bigger tank, then a rebreather and then finally submersibles. Another example is the wreck of the ''Aurora'', which requires a lead-lined diving suit to protect from the radiation leaking from the ship's damaged fusion reactor.

* ''VideoGame/TreasureHunterMan'': The ability to damage enemies for KillEnemiesToOpen doors is achieved by finding the StarterWeapon of a sword.

* ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'' games generally tend to give you the DoubleJump fairly early - you'll need it constantly for the rest of the game. However, many of the upgrades are also used only once or twice.

* The same principle is used with the pikmin in ''VideoGame/{{Pikmin}}''. Blue pikmin can swim, red pikmin are fireproof, yellow pikmin are immune to electricity, and white pikmin can breathe poison. The ability barriers go further in some cases; one boss in the game can only be damaged after getting hit by a purple pikmin.
* Seen in the ''VideoGame/{{Onimusha}}'' series: the [[VideoGame/Onimusha2SamuraisDestiny second]] and [[VideoGame/Onimusha3DemonSiege third]] games have certain doors protected by a colored, tumor-like Genma called Mozun. In order to unlock said areas, you have to find the right Oni Weapon and use it (examining the Mozun will always tell you what kind of elemental Oni Weapon you need). The fourth game, ''[[VideoGame/OnimushaDawnOfDreams Dawn of Dreams]]'' has certain levels containing special locks or iron doors or walkways that can only be used by one of your party members.

** In ''VideoGame/MetroidSamusReturns'', certain abilities acquired by Chozo statues -like the Spider Ball- are needed to gain access to new areas and others that were previously inaccessible.

* ''VideoGame/HollowKnight'' uses this heavily, as expected of a {{Metroidvania}}. One of its early manifestations is the path from the first area (Forgotten Crossroads) to the second (Greenpath) being blocked by an Elder Baldur which [[KungFuProofMook retreats into its invulnerable shell when you get within melee range]], forcing you to learn a magic attack to pick it off at a distance. There are also helpful visual cues for many of the spots which you will need the Desolate Dive or Crystal Heart abilities to get through: glass floors or ChunkyUpdraft for the former, bits of crystal stuck in walls for the latter.

* ''VideoGame/HollowKnight'' uses this heavily, as expected of a {{Metroidvania}}. One of its early manifestations is the path from the first area (Forgotten Crossroads) to the second (Greenpath) being blocked by an Elder Baldur which retreats into its invulnerable shell when you get within melee range, forcing you to learn a magic attack to pick it off at a distance. There are also helpful visual cues for many of the spots which you will need the Desolate Dive or Crystal Heart abilities to get through: glass floors or ChunkyUpdraft for the former, bits of crystal stuck in walls for the latter.

* In the ''Anime/DragonBallZ Legacy of Goku 2'' and ''Buu's Fury'' games for the UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance, certain areas can only be entered by certain characters having reached certain levels. This is evidenced by the number they must be at, bearing a color associated with the proper character (blue for Vegeta, green for Piccolo, orange for Goku, etc.).

** A common design is to use this trope to hide a BrokenBridge. For example, in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOracleGames Oracle of Ages]]'', the second dungeon gives Link Roc's Feather, which gives him the ability to jump. To get to the third dungeon, he is required to have an NPC build him a raft to access the island the dungeon is on. There are some pits Link must jump over to access raft-builder's house, requiring Roc's Feather. If Link leaves the second dungeon after obtaining Roc's Feather but without completing the rest of the dungeon, he will ''still'' be unable to obtain the raft, despite being able to talk to the NPC.

* ''VideoGame/SweetHome'' gives each member of your party a unique item that is used to solve the many puzzles in the game: Kazuo's lighter to burn certain objects, Asuka's vacuum to restore frescoes, Taguchi's camera to reveal hidden clues on said frescoes, Akiko's first aid kit to cure status ailments, and Emi's key to unlock doors. With FinalDeath in place in this game, the loss of even one party member can make some puzzles unsolvable, forcing you to either find an item that can replicate the dead party member's function (taking up your very limited inventory space in so doing) or find another way to proceed.

** ''VideoGame/MegaManZXAdvent'' has two instances of this, with entrance to the plot-important levels gated by acquiring the transformations of the available Pseudoroids before new ones can be unlocked. First is the Oil Field, which has a gate locked by three switches [[PlotTailoredToTheParty conveniently blocked with obstacles matching each of your forms]]. Second is the Quarry area, which is hidden behind contraptions that the forms acquired since the last gate are needed to overcome.

* ''VideoGame/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets''

* Used very frequently in ''Videogame/{{Okami}}''. There are places very early on in the game that require some of the final Brush Techniques to enter.

* ''Videogame/TombRaider2013'' was set on one big island location. However, Lara was unable to explore new areas until she acquired the required gear to proceed. As these were found as the story went on, they could also count as PlotCoupons

** In ''Blood Omen'', the Wolf and Mist forms could reach inaccessible areas, the Disguise and Beguile forms could be used to interact peacefully with humans, and the Energy Bolt and Control Mind spells could be used to press inaccessible switches.
** In ''Soul Reaver'', Raziel generally needed the ability gained from each of his brothers to reach the next one.

* ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigi''

* ''VideoGame/EpicBattleFantasy'': Used in ''VideoGame/EpicBattleFantasy4'' and ''VideoGame/EpicBattleFantasy5''. The axe, torch, hammer, ladder, and three kinds of boots will be obtained throughout the games. Deliberately patterned after ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}''.:

* In ''[[VideoGame/BanjoKazooie Banjo-Kazooie]]'', you cannot so much as get into Gruntilda's Lair without knowing all of Bottles' moves from Spiral Mountain. Not that they're needed to actually get inside; [[NPCRoadblock Bottles himself simply will not let you enter the lair if you don't know them]]. This is really for your own good, as you wouldn't be able to accomplish very much without them. Played straight with the Talon Trot, which you need to get beyond the first section of Gruntilda's Lair. You also need the Shock Spring Jump in order to open Clanker's Cavern.
* ''Banjo-Tooie'' does this to limit progress through the HubLevel. You need to have learned Grip Grab to get into Plateau, Fire Eggs to get into Pine Grove, Split Up to get into Cliff Top, Talon Torpedo to get into Wasteland, Springy Step Shoes to get into Quagmire, and Claw Clamber Boots to enter the Cauldron Keep. Even the in-game cheats don't get around these requirements.

* While levels that ''require'' an ability to clear always give you the ability right before you need it, [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog Sonic]] games since ''VideoGame/SonicColors'' have generally had bonuses hidden behind gates and platforms that need clever applications of the games' various Color Powers use to breach. Since they're single-use, this often requires picking up the power and then finding a way hold onto it instead of using it when you're otherwise supposed to. In Colors, this would also mean passing by paths you can't access the first time you play a stage, and then replaying it again after unlocking that ability in a later stage.

** A common design is to use this trope to hide a BrokenBridge. For example, in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOracleGames Oracle of Ages]]'', the second dungeon gives Link Roc's Feather, which gives him the ability to jump. To get to the third dungeon, he is required to have an NPC build him a raft to access the island the dungeon is on. There are some pits Link must jump over to access raft-builder's house, requiring Roc's Feather. If Link leaves the second dungeon after obtaining Roc's Feather but without completing the rest of the dungeon, he will be unable to obtain the raft, despite being able to talk to the NPC. Most players will never see this BrokenBridge, as leaving the dungeon half way through would not occur to them.

* ''VideoGame/HarryPotter and the Chamber of Secrets''

* ''VideoGame/TribalHunter'' has a couple of skills that are needed, along side getting the first weight level upgrade. The WallJump is used a lot in later stages and is granted pretty early on, while the [[GroundPound Ground Slam]] skill is mostly seen use in the caves but still has use as a combat skill. The weight level upgrade is required due to a door that's tied to a pressure switch in the crystal caves that requires Munch to have over 450 pounds of fullness, but his base full capacity can only go up to 440 until he fights the Slime King and gets the weight level upgrade from them.

* While levels that ''require'' an ability to clear always give you the ability right before you need it, [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog Sonic]] games since ''VideoGame/SonicColors'' have generally had bonuses hidden behind gates and platforms that need clever applications of the games' various abilities use to breach. Since they're one use, this often requires picking up an ability and then finding a way hold onto it instead of using it when you're otherwise supposed to. In Colors, this would also mean passing by paths you can't access the first time you play a stage, and then replaying it again after unlocking that ability in a later stage.