History Main / DestructibleProjectiles

In most VideoGames, projectiles are intangible things whose only interaction with the outside world is that they inflict CollisionDamage on the first thing they touch and then promptly cease to exist.

But sometimes the projectile is indeed a tangible object that can be attacked or affected by other projectiles or attacks. Can't dodge an incoming attack, for example? Try deflecting it before it hits you!

This is also the mechanic that enables PlayingTennisWithTheBoss. Sometimes it can also provide a renewable source of health or ammo pickups, especially in extended {{Boss Battle}}s (where it may overlap with BossArenaRecovery).

Contrast ShootTheBullet, in which this is an extraordinary MomentOfAwesome / CutscenePowerToTheMax feat instead of a normal gameplay mechanic. {{Painfully Slow Projectile}}s or BulletTime are usually the reason this is possible.
Homing missiles and grenades are the most common candidates for this.

--->'''Constructor''': [[OhCrap "Deploying nuclear warhead."]]

* Most enemy projectiles in ''VideoGame/{{Cabal}}'' and ''VideoGame/BloodBros'' are destructible. It's easier to dodge them, though.

* In the arcade game ''Blood Bros.'', some enemies throw orange bombs. Shooting these a few times causes them to be destroyed, dropping a bomb item the player can pick up and use.

* Energy projectiles usually cancel each other out in the ''VideoGame/{{StreetFighter}}''-games. Rose is special in that she can reflect energy projectiles back at her opponent or even absorbe them to make her next projectile deal more damage.

* Energy projectiles usually cancel each other out in the ''VideoGame/{{StreetFighter}}''-games. Rose is special in that she can reflect energy projectiles back at her opponent or even absorbe them to make her next projectile deal more damage.
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* ''Webcomic/{{Sinfest}}'', for [[http://www.sinfest.net/archive_page.php?comicID=3814 Devil is competent at point-defence]].

* Constructors in ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands2}}'' have the ability to fire what basically amounts to [[TheresNoKillLikeOverkill a nuke]]. This '''will''' send you into Fight for your Life mode (or reduce you to a sliver of health if you were above half, to prevent a OneHitKill), and has a gigantic radius. Thus, the best way to avoid this attack is to shoot the nuke in mid-air.

* In ''VideoGame/RefleX'', purple bullets can be shot away.

* Some ''VideoGame/MegaMan'' projectiles.

* In ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'', the Pyro's [[FireBreathingWeapon flamethrower's]] alternate fire shoots out a gust of air that can deflect a soldier's fired rocket, bouncing it right back where it came from.
** You can also shoot a Huntsman arrow at rockets, and the rockets will disintegrate, leaving the arrow to continue unharmed.

* Constructors in ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands2}}'' have the ability to fire what basically amounts to [[TheresNoKillLikeOverkill a nuke]]. This [i]will[/i] probably send you into Fight for your Life mode (or simply reduce you to a sliver of health if you are above 50% health, which prevents you from outright being 1shot), and has a gigantic radius. Thus, the best way to avoid this attack is to shoot the nuke in mid-air.
--->'''Constructor''': "[[OhCrap Deploying nuclear warhead."]]

* In ''Franchise/StarWars'', Jedi are able to deflect lasers by hitting them with a lightsaber.

* Most enemy projectiles in ''{{Cabal}}'' and ''BloodBros'' are destructible. It's easier to dodge them, though.

* In various ''VideoGame/{{Metroid}}'' games (SuperMetroid in particular), certain projectiles can be destroyed for health or Missile refills during boss battles.

* Many ShootEmUp games have oval- or oblong-shaped projectiles that the player can shoot down. Homing missiles in such games are ''usually'' destructible too.
* Most enemy projectiles in ''{{Cabal}}'' and ''BloodBros'' are destructible. It's easier to dodge them, though.
* Many projectiles in ''VideoGame/LaMulana'' can be destroyed by hitting them: for example [[BallisticBone thrown bones]], fire chunks, and even the [[AbnormalAmmo burning excrements]] bonnacons attack with.
* In ''VideoGame/CaveStory'', many projectiles can be shot and drop hearts, energy crystals or ammo, which makes them a useful source of BossArenaRecovery.
* In the ''Videogame/{{Clonk}}'' military packs "Eke Reloaded" and "Codename: Modern Combat", grenades and rockets can be shot to safely destroy them.
* Some ''VideoGame/MegaMan'' projectiles.
* ''{{Guxt}}'' missiles can be shot.
* Most projectiles in ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'' games.
* The fireballs launched by ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'' ghasts can be [[TennisBoss reflected]] by hitting them.
* Homing missiles in ''SolarJetman''.
* Pink projectiles in ''VideoGame/NieR'' can be destroyed by attacking them. Black ones will go right through your weapon.
* In the second ''VideoGame/{{Drakengard}}'', attacks from enemy mages and archers can be blocked by striking them with an attack, although the precise timing for this can be difficult to accomplish when fending off swarms of other {{Mooks}} at the same time. Some projectiles (like the bounty hunters' knives) can even be deflected back at the thrower ForMassiveDamage.

* ''VideoGame/HeroCore'' homing missiles.
* The Redeemer in ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament'', ''[[VideoGame/UnrealTournament2004 UT2004]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/UnrealTournamentIII UT3]]'', can be shot down with a well-placed shot, as well as the [=AVRiL=] missiles in ''2004'' and ''III''.
* Certain projectiles act this way in the ''VideoGame/StarFox'' games, allowing you to destroy them for health power-ups.
* In the ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' series, every character can activate their shield to deflect projectiles, and can reflect them directly with perfect timing. Multiple characters like Fox, Ness, Mr. Game and Watch and Mario possess moves that can reflect or absorb projectiles. Most projectiles can also be canceled out by simply hitting them with an attack that has a higher priority.

* Most projectiles in ''BeatHazard'' can be shot.
* ''TheIncredibleHulkUltimateDestruction'' (the [[SpiritualSuccessor spiritual predecessor]] to ''VideoGame/{{Prototype}}'') gave the Hulk the ability to either punch missiles back at the tanks that shot them, or to catch them and throw them back like footballs.
* The last Ganondorf fight in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'' uses this. You have to play "tennis" with his energy balls.
* Bullet Bills in the ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' series are a gray area between "lifeless projectile" and "enemy character", considering that in the sidescrolling games you can GoombaStomp them like any other enemy. However, it might be worth noting that in VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros, Bullet Bills can deflect ''off each other'', whereas in the 8- and 16- bit sidescrollers they simply passed through. Bullet Bills in ''VideoGame/SuperMarioSunshine'' can be destroyed ''by spraying water at them.''
* In ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'', you can destroy certain projectiles (like the fireballs and bones enemies throw) with the cape spin, which is useful if you've got nowhere to run.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'', held and thrown grenades can be shot to make them detonate prematurely. Of course, it's darn near impossible what with combat being so hectic and them being so small and fast. However, using [[BulletTime VATS]] mode allows you to select them and shoot them with far greater accuracy. There's something ''[[VideogameCrueltyPotential special]]'' about the first time you detonate a wastelanders arm by shooting the grenade they planned to lob at you. [[CatharsisFactor And the following fifty as well]].
* ''Franchise/{{Terminator}} II: Judgment Day'' ArcadeGame. During the sequence in the future, the enemy regularly throws bombs at you. You can shoot and detonate them before they hit you.
* Creator/{{cactus}}'s game ''BurnTheTrash!'' is a ShootEmUp where the player's ship has a secondary weapon that destroys all enemy bullets in its path. The "ship" from the same author's ''Deep/Wing/Break'' can shoot and destroy enemy bullets with its regular weapon. ''VideoGame/{{Minubeat}}'' has a weapon that instantly destroys all enemy bullets on screen, in what would be otherwise a typical BulletHell game. In ''Protoganda II'', you are able to destroy the homing missiles that the enemies sometimes shoot.
* This is the only way to damage enemies in the otherwise BulletHell ''VideoGame/ArcAngle''. By catching the enemy's bullet spam within your "angle", you transform them into your ''own'' homing bullets that go back and destroy them.
* In ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'' and ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvil5 5]]'' you can shoot down thrown weapons like sickles or crossbow bolts. There is even an achievement/trophy for using your knife to deflect a crossbow bolt in ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil5''.
* This trope is the entire point of ''VideoGame/MissileCommand'' and the [=LazerBlazer=]: Intercept mode of ''VideoGame/SuperScope6''. The object of both games is to destroy the incoming missiles by [[LeadTheTarget leading the target]].
* Justified in ''VideoGame/InTheHunt''. Most enemies fires missiles and explosives, which can be destroyed by your submarine's torpedoes, anti-air weapons and depth charges. The ones to watch out for are those whose projectiles are ''not'' destructible.
* Enemy fighters' homing missiles in ''VideoGame/TopGun'' for NES.
* ''VideoGame/HeavyWeapon'' has most of the enemies trying to drop destructible bombs and missiles on your tank. And a good thing they're destructible, because one of them drops instant-kill atomic bombs that will blow you up if they hit the ground.
* In the games of ''BattleCity'' series, one of the main gameplay mechanics is being able to shoot down enemy projectiles.

* In ''VideoGame/MiniRobotWars'', enemy projectiles can be destroyed. This is an important mechanic, because if any projectile gets past your defense line, you lose health!

* In ''[[VideoGame/EscapeVelocity EV Nova]]'', homing weapons can be destroyed with point-defense weapons (the quad light blaster turret and Storm chaingun in an unmodded game).
* Missiles in the ''VideoGame/{{X}}-Universe'' series can be destroyed with either gunfire or another missile (usually the otherwise useless[[note]]high travel speed and accuracy, but pathetically weak damage[[/note]] Mosquito missile). Missiles are {{one hitpoint wonder}}s in most of the series, but gain a health bar in ''X3: Albion Prelude''.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Half-Life 2}}'', both Combine vehicles and Gordon Freeman's vehicles are quite capable of shooting down incoming missiles. In fact this is the reason LaResistance came up with a laser-steered missile launcher: it lets them fire the missile ''past'' a gunship or strider (which only have chin guns), then have the missile circle back around and hit from behind.

[[AC:Non-videogame examples]]

Contrast ShootTheBullet, in which this is an extraordinary (MomentOfAwesome[=/=]CutscenePowerToTheMax) feat instead of a normal gameplay mechanic. {{Painfully Slow Projectile}}s or BulletTime are usually the reason this is possible.

* This trope is the entire point of ''MissileCommand''.

* Creator/{{cactus}}'s game ''BurnTheTrash!'' is a ShootEmUp where the player's ship has a secondary weapon that destroys all enemy bullets in its path. The "ship" from the same author's ''Deep/Wing/Break'' can shoot and destroy enemy bullets with its regular weapon. ''VideoGame/{{Minubeat}}'' has a weapon that instantly destroys all enemy bullets on screen, in what would be otherwise a typical BulletHell game.

* The rocks the Tank throws in ''Left4Dead'' can be shot down by gunfire, but it requires precise aim and a good amount of bullets to shoot a thrown rock slab out.

* In ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'', the Pyro's [[KillItWithFire flamethrower's]] alternate fire shoots out a gust of air that can deflect a soldier's fired rocket, bouncing it right back where it came from.

* In VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld, you can destroy certain projectiles (like the fireballs and bones enemies throw) with the cape spin, which is useful if you've got nowhere to run.

* ''HeavyWeapon'' has most of the enemies trying to drop destructible bombs and missiles on your tank. And a good thing they're destructible, because one of them drops instant-kill atomic bombs that will blow you up if they hit the ground.

* In ''Film/LordOfTheRings'', Boromir defects some of the arrows with his sword.

* In ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'' and ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvil5 5]]'' you can shoot down thrown weapons like sickles or crossbow bolts. There is even an achievement/trophy for using your knife to deflect a crossbow bolt in ''ResidentEvil5''.